commercial help needed

[kevinj61]

Hello all, I am going to expand my so far residential only carpet cleaning business and venture into commercial for both carpet and tile and grout for commercial carpet will offer both HWE and VLM Encapsulation, what's the best way to market to commercial, and as far as getting a commercial account set up on regular carpet cleaning intervals (cleaning contract) can some one direct me as to how to write up a contract or give me a sample contract or someplace to download one

thanks in advance for any help

[Brian R]

Take an SFS Class....or you can read a bunch here.
http://sfs.jondon.com/

Commercial is historically cold calling...just walking and using your MoJo....there's more too it than that and more than one way to skin a cat.


SFS has classes periodically...best thing I did for company besides starting to use the Orbot and Peroxcellent.

[thearmedjanitor]

Hello all, I am going to expand my so far residential only carpet cleaning business and venture into commercial for both carpet and tile and grout for commercial carpet will offer both HWE and VLM Encapsulation, what's the best way to market to commercial, and as far as getting a commercial account set up on regular carpet cleaning intervals (cleaning contract) can some one direct me as to how to write up a contract or give me a sample contract or someplace to download one

thanks in advance for any help

Kevin, when selling commercial carpet maintenance programs do not confuse the customer and sell them the method. Instead sell them "clean carpet". THen you decide how to keep it clean, just charge accordingly. Send me your email in a pm, we have a kick arse commercial carpet contract we use and its very simple for everyone to understand. Ill send it to you.

[Larry Galler]

Kevin, while cold calling is an effective way of getting commercial work, it canbe quite time consuming and frustrating, especially if you are not used to take a lot of rejection.

Warm calling is less time consuming and frustrating but can result in more business with less rejecting if you systemize it.

The system, in theory, is quite simple:
1. Send a business letter with an offer (demo / special introductory rate / etc.
2. Follow up with a phone call to get an appointment.
3. Have a well-scripted and practiced sales presentation (even better if you have a flip-chart / power point / before/after photos / testimonials from satisfied customers / certifications / etc.) to show.
4. Have different levels of pricing for one-time, occasional maintenance, frequent maintenance levels of cleaning ready.
5. Have a template contract ready and have the ability to modify it if/when your prospect wants or needs something different than you have in your templated contract.

I offer you and everyone else on this board a free coaching call to help you make the time and effort you spend on this worthwhile. To schedule a time and date for this (but not this week as I'm out of town visiting my 18 month grandson and his parents this week), just send me an email to larry@larrygaller.com or phone me at 219-464-9463.

Hope this helps.

More info at http://www.larrygaller.com and http://www.oneyeartogreatness.com.

Larry Galler
Small Business Greatness Coach

[Nick P]

Larry, you gave him some great information. It also works for some of us old timers who sometimes forget. LOL
Nick

[Larry Galler]

Thanks Nick.

You raise a very interesting point - not forgetting. One problem that seems pretty universal to small businesses is that they do some marketing and get some business so the "forget" to continue marketing because they are busy enough. Then they his a slow season or lose an important client. Cash flow slows down and they have to go out and market again.

But, if they market on a regular, scheduled, systemized, organized, continual basis they won't forget because they have planned their marketing in advance, it is on the calendar and then they just go out and do it.

Larry Galler
Small Business Greatness Coach
http://www.oneyeartogreatness.com

[Brian R]

That was a big reason why I liked subbing out to the local guys.

They would get so busy that they couldn't/wouldn't market and then they would slow because the couldn't/wouldn't market.

It's that whole ebs and flows thing.

While I'm in the marketing seat, I could continue to market while they do the physical stuff. Constant flow of work to them. No marketing costs for them as far as writing checks. There marketing costs were the 50% split.
The money thing was equal to both parties after all was said and done.

It works great for guys who have a brain but don't want the hassle of marketing.
Or are really good cleaners and not very good marketing guys.

It's a great fit in my opinion.

Not sure why more guys don't do this.

Just hook up with another cleaner who isn't happy cleaning. There is always one guy who "loves" to clean and another who "loves" the business end (not that business end Marty )