Advertising

Talking with someone about advertising can be difficult, especially if he says something like, "I've been in business for 10 years and I don't need to advertise. All of my business comes from word of mouth." Ironically, this same man called me later to complain about his business being so bad and he wanted suggestions to improve it. I gave him several.

Later, I asked a 40-year veteran of the advertising business how he makes his case to such a non-believer. He said, "The church I go to has been in business for two thousand years and they still advertise. They have a sign out front, they're in the yellow pages, have an internet web site, publish a weekly bulletin and they ring their bell before every service, too."

©Bane-Clene® Corporation 2009 Reprinting or electronically publishing this article is strictly prohibited without permission from Bane-Clene Corp.

Furniture cleaning

Commercial and residential furniture cleaning can build customer relations by providing service that many cleaning firms do not offer. Profit margins can be greatly improved, especially if upholstery is cleaned during slow times or is scheduled at the same time carpet is being cleaned. Offering both wet and dry service means nearly all upholstery can be cleaned.

Cleaning furniture pays well, too. Large commercial carpet and upholstery cleaning contracts can result f rom cleaning in the homes of executives. Mailing a furniture cleaning brochure to both commercial and residential prospects will help stimulate this bonus business.

©Bane-Clene® Corporation 2009 Reprinting or electronically publishing this article is strictly prohibited without permission from Bane-Clene Corp.

Pricing service

It's easier to maintain a balance of costs, pricing and profits in times of a stable economy. When business opportunities are growing, inflation is minimal, and the cost of borrowing is low and available for equipment, inventory or expansion, pricing procedures are not as crucial.

But, in difficult times when the economy tightens, lending is constricted and inflation is heating up pay attention to business fundamentals. Pricing has to reflect the true cost of labor, material, overhead and profit. If just one of these elements is slighted, trouble will not be far behind.

Profit margins can be greatly increased by adding volume when fixed overhead does not expand. Square footage pricing has proven to be best in relating true costs to the price charged for each job. We have an adjustable price calculator in our catalog that is accurate and efficient if you need help establishing prices.

©Bane-Clene® Corporation 2009 Reprinting or electronically publishing this article is strictly prohibited without permission from Bane-Clene Corp.

Look professional

When making sales calls, dress the part. Wear proper business attire (not a uniform) and have shined shoes and hair neatly trimmed. Be five minutes early for an appointment. Use a firm handshake rather than a limp, cold fish feel, but don't try to put the person down on one knee.

Keep eye contact. Don't talk while looking at the floor or out a window. Be sure to sit up straight and do not slouch. Learn to listen to your prospects for cleaning services. They will tell you what they want if you listen. And don't forget to ask for the order!

©Bane-Clene® Corporation 2009 Reprinting or electronically publishing this article is strictly prohibited without permission from Bane-Clene Corp.

Doorknob Advertising

Some cleaning firms use this way to tell the neighbors that they have worked for a neighbor. Doorknob hangers may seem like a good idea, but before resorting to this type of advertising think seriously about it.

While some don't mind their neighbors knowing what they are doing, there are those who have just the opposite reaction. A survey found that a majority of consumers do not wish to be used as a referral unless they decide to do the referring.

Bane-Clene does not use doorknob hangers except in the event a customer is not at home for a scheduled appointment. A notice is left with information for rescheduling the service. Police say professional burglars watch for signs such as newspapers, doorknob hangers and circulars to tell if a resident is away for an extended period.

Bane-Clene has developed gift service certificates for those customers who offer a referral to others. This method promotes a solid referral business while never risking the chance of offending a customer who may not wish to be used as a reference.

©Bane-Clene® Corporation 2009 Reprinting or electronically publishing this article is strictly prohibited without permission from Bane-Clene Corp.

Abraham Lincoln said...

"You cannot help the poor by destroying the rich. You cannot strengthen the weak by weakening the strong. You cannot bring about prosperity by discouraging thrift. You cannot lift the wage earner up by pulling the wage payer down. You cannot further the brotherhood of man by inciting class hatred. You cannot build character and courage by taking away people's initiative and independence. You cannot help people permanently by doing for them, what they could and should do for themselves."

Some compare themselves to Mr. Lincoln, but have any of our so-called representatives in Washington ever read Lincoln's words? He also said, "No foreign power will ever walk the Blue Ridge or take a drink from the Ohio. If ever our nation shall fall, it will come from within."

http://www.hirhome.com/cfr.htm

©Bane-Clene® Corporation 2009 Reprinting or electronically publishing this article is strictly prohibited without permission from Bane-Clene Corp.

More than just advertising

The advertising class at Bane-Clene Institute explores the philosophies of advertising and identifies the market which best responds to the services we offer. The complete advertising and sales promotion program offers direct mail brochures, sales aids, business cards, letterheads, invoices and all the forms necessary to run a successful service company.

The "Referral Network" produces work nationwide through leads generated from the internet, our toll-free phone lines, magazine and radio ads and our many contacts in the carpet industry. There is no charge to join the network nor is there a charge for the referrals. There is a one-time fee of $99 for a link to baneclene.com.

These are not ideas dreamed up by a highly paid consultant. They come from the award winning* Service Division of Bane-Clene Corporation.

*Awards from the Better Business Bureau, Angie's List, consumer advocates and television stations have been presented to the company.

©Bane-Clene® Corporation 2009 Reprinting or electronically publishing this article is strictly prohibited without permission from Bane-Clene Corp.

The Last Bastion

Service people, entering a customer's home, are treading in a special place. It is the last bastion of privacy, serenity and safety in the life of the average consumer. Protect their property, treat them with respect and you'll be invited back again and again. Violate that trust and there will never be another opportunity to enter that sanctuary.

©Bane-Clene® Corporation 2009 Reprinting or electronically publishing this article is strictly prohibited without permission from Bane-Clene Corp.

Big banks, FRB, CFR, IMF,WB, UN,TC, S&B, etc., etc., etc!*

"If the American people ever allow private banks to control the issue of their currency, first by inflation, then by deflation, the banks and the corporations which grow up around them will deprive the people of all property until their children wake up homeless on the continent their father conquered." Thomas Jefferson

*Click on this link to get a history lesson about the alphabet soup in the heading.

http://www.hirhome.com/cfr.htm

©Bane-Clene® Corporation 2009 Reprinting or electronically publishing this article is strictly prohibited without permission from Bane-Clene Corp.

Long & short of advertising

A study examined the purchasing behavior of buyers who were exposed to specific ad campaigns and compared them to like buyers who didn't see the ads. More buyers exposed to the campaign bought the advertised product for nine of the ten products studied.

Sales volume increased for 80% of the products. Overall, sales increased over the short term among buyers exposed to the campaigns for the majority of the products. Long term, nearly everyone agrees advertsing works, but it has some short term impact , too.

Most carpet cleaning services want immediate and measurable gains in the short term and do not think long term. Too often, a business owner will quit just before the long term benefits of an ad campaign come to fruition.

©Bane-Clene® Corporation 2009 Reprinting or electronically publishing this article is strictly prohibited without permission from Bane-Clene Corp.

Don't be upset

Professional carpet cleaners often get upset over the misinformation dispensed by some carpet salespeople. Bad advice includes, but is not limited to; "Cleaning makes it resoil quickly;" or; "You should never get carpet wet," or, "Once you clean it, you'll have to clean it more often."

Arrange a meeting with the owner or manager of a carpet outlet. Offer a free demonstration at their home or place of business. Their reputation is on the line and you have to eliminate any doubt from their mind that you know what you're doing and your process is safe and effective.

Most important, don't forget to ask for the business and their support. Then follow up in a few weeks with another courtesy call. Do not assume that one successful demonstration or one cordial meeting has guaranteed a solid business relationship.

©Bane-Clene® Corporation 2009 Reprinting or electronically publishing this article is strictly prohibited without permission from Bane-Clene Corp.

Show Your Credentials

A consumer television program suggested that service personnel who go into residences should wear uniforms with photo identification badges. Bane-Clene Institute has been teaching this concept and the importance of photo ID badges for more than 30 years.

An identification badge with a current photograph of the technician helps promote a feeling of security for your customers. Professional Cleaners' Association (PCA) and Bane-Clene Certified Technician shoulder patches also help establish credibility and instill consumer confidence.

©Bane-Clene® Corporation 2009 Reprinting or electronically publishing this article is strictly prohibited without permission from Bane-Clene Corp.

Why am I not surprised

A product buyer for a big box store was recently sentenced to five years in prison for his role in a floorcovering vendor kickback scheme. He made about $200,000 a year in his job buying flooring for the chain and will have to pay nearly $1.2 million in restitution that he took in cash and gifts from flooring manufacturers to get their products in his company's stores.

There are several more being investigated in the scandal and other areas may come under scrutiny, too. Hopefully investigators will get into fraud and other allegations about insurance, bidding and supply irregularities in concurrent industries. It's long overdue!

©Bane-Clene® Corporation 2009 Reprinting or electronically publishing this article is strictly prohibited without permission from Bane-Clene Corp.