Wednesday, February 29, 2012

A good reason to come back to school

If you're interested in direct mail marketing, we've been investigating a new program that makes direct mail more effective and actually costs less than before. The new mail-marketing program will be presented at Bane-Clene Institute beginning with March classes. Direct mail has always been a preferred way for our company to reach new prospects for both our service company and the supply business, too.

Direct mail lost much of its effectiveness because so many used it and the price kept going up. But with the transition of many marketers to the social media, postal usage has dropped off considerably. Residents don't get as much "Junk Mail" as they once did so it's more effective than ever to reach those exclusive neighborhoods that are prime prospects for our service.

So many folks sit back and complain about how tough our business is these days. Then there are those who say, "What if?" This new mailing program may be just the thing the "What if's" need to kick their business into a higher gear. At least give it a try!

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Please e-mail me at wfbane@baneclene.com.

Monday, February 27, 2012

One for the good guys

The Washington State Legislature recently postponed a new attack on carpet by failing to bring a bill out of committee that would have required carpet makers to fund a carpet stewardship organization. The legislation is dead for this year, but as the old Terminator would say, "I'll be back." Legislators will try again.

Sponsors were trying to get a program through that would increase carpet recycling infrastructure without cost to taxpayers in the state of Washington. The cost would have been on the back of carpet manufacturers who would be forced to pay carpet collectors and processors to run the state's recycling program.

Carpet manufacturers have been made into a modern-day version of the big bad wolf. Since carpet became the number one floor covering, it has been in the cross hairs of enemies inside and outside the flooring industry who have even recruited political assistance. CRI is doing what they were commissioned to do.

Thanks CRI!

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Friday, February 24, 2012

Winners & losers

The other evening I watched an old movie with Bob Hope as the "Lemon Drop Kid." He played a race track tout who conned people into believing that he knew which horse would win. He'd give them the horse's name if they'd meet him later to share their winnings. He conned eight different people with eight different horses in eight different races and had eight different meeting places. Seven suckers lost, but he was a "sure thing" to win.

This movie reminds me of the touts pushing stocks on television. They tell folks how to make money if the market goes up or if it goes down. They give advice on what stocks to buy and which ones to dump. This Ponzi scheme makes Bernie Madoff look like a piker. Suckers buy, suckers sell, suckers win and suckers lose. The touts always make money.

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Wednesday, February 22, 2012

Some good news in gloomy times

There are estimates that consumer demand for carpet will increase to more than 16 billion square feet this year. The residential market is expected to be dominated by tufted carpet and rugs. Broadloom should be popular as the housing market continues its slow rebound and the credit crunch subsides. More people are tiring of noisy, dusty, hard floors.

Nylon will remain the dominant fiber, but polyester has taken over second place from polypropylene. Wall to wall products will continue to set the industry standard while modular carpet will gain in popularity in the commercial market. The demand for carpet tiles is expanding into the residential market, too.

Besides more consumers choosing carpet, the attrition rate in our industry has increased tremendously throughout the recession. Sharpen up your ad programs by attending a session at Bane-Clene Institute and be ready for an upsurge in business. Get ready!

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Please e-mail me at wfbane@baneclene.com.

Monday, February 20, 2012

What a tribute

When I read the advance copy of, "A Bane-Clene Diary," I must admit I skimmed through it and thought it was very nice, in fact, it was quite flattering. But I had no idea how much detail there was in this book about me personally and my company in particular. The author, Chet Jelinsky of Bloomfield, NJ, mentioned small details that only a very astute person would grasp. And the graphics in the finished copy were excellent.

This hard copy was brought along on a trip with me recently so I could read it thoroughly this time. I didn't just read it, I savored it. He attributed many profound quotes to me that I barely remember saying. Chet mentioned things that were lost in the mists of time and memory and revisited some of the very best times for our company in his book.

A customer going to the expense and taking the time to write and publish a book that adulates a supplier is unheard of in this day and age and may indeed be a first. "Thank you" seems so inadequate to express my feelings, Chet. Your thoughtfulness will have a place in my heart for the remainder of my time on this earth.

Here's a link to Chet's book on line: www.blurb.com/bookstore/detail/2886800#store-price

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Please e-mail me at wfbane@baneclene.com.

Friday, February 17, 2012

Advice can be costly

We seek advice from doctors, lawyers and accountants who have credentials that are easily verified. But some consultants in the cleaning industry are tired of cleaning or couldn't make it in the business so they teach how to succeed and charge for the advice.

When accepting guidance from someone on how to promote or operate your business, be certain that the one you choose to listen to has truly achieved what you want to achieve. Be sure to verify their credentials. If you don't, it could be very costly.

Paul Ford, the grand old actor who played the Mayor of River City in "The Music Man," said this so often about Professor Harold Hill: "Get his credentials." The "Think" system worked for the Hollywood production, but it doesn't work in the real world.

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Please e-mail me at wfbane@baneclene.com.

Wednesday, February 15, 2012

8,062,565 accesses in 2011

There were 686,696 accesses to the Bane-Clene web site in January. Customers ordered supplies, visited Catalog, Information pages, MSDS, Spot removal guides, Troubleshooting charts, Cleaning Digest™, Clene-Times™ and visited my Blog.

Carpet mills, retailers, insurance adjusters, plumbers, painters and realty firms used this web site, too. But most of the visitors were CONSUMERS. We know because when they can't find a local cleaner in our referral directory, they call our toll free number.

Thousands of potential customers are seeking information about cleaning. You may have a direct link to this busy web site for a one time fee of only $99, with NO maintenance or renewal fees. This is the advertising bargain of the century!

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Monday, February 13, 2012

The Super Bowl is only 46

Our Bane-Clene family and their guests met for dinner on the 4th to celebrate our big 50th business anniversary. We were upstaged by ceremonies preceding a football game in downtown Indy on the 5th. But we had a good time in spite of all the distractions.

I thank all of the well-wishers who have sent greetings to us. Evan Kessler, the publisher of ICS, out did himself with a very nice story about our company on his web site and also in the print edition of ICS magazine.

Chet Jelinski from Bloomfield N. J., wrote a 140 page book on our big event. It's titled "A Bane-Clene Diary" with the sub title, "My 30 Years With Bane-Clene As They Celebrate 50 Years In Business." Chet's book is available in print or on-line at this link: www.blurb.com/books/2886800

PS... Happy birthday Donny

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I'd like to hear your comments on this article.
Please e-mail me at wfbane@baneclene.com.

Friday, February 10, 2012

What a tribute

When I read the advance copy of, "A Bane-Clene Diary," I must admit I skimmed through it and thought it was very nice, in fact, it was quite flattering. But I had no idea how much detail there was in this book about me personally and my company in particular. The author, Chet Jelinsky of Bloomfield, NJ, mentioned small details that only a very astute person would grasp. And the graphics in the finished copy were excellent.

This hard copy was brought along on a trip with me recently so I could read it thoroughly this time. I didn't just read it, I savored it. He attributed many profound quotes to me that I barely remember saying. Chet mentioned things that were lost in the mists of time and memory and revisited some of the very best times for our company in his book.

A customer going to the expense and taking the time to write and publish a book that adulates a supplier is unheard of in this day and age and may indeed be a first. "Thank you" seems so inadequate to express my feelings, Chet. Your thoughtfulness will have a place in my heart for the remainder of my time on this earth.

Here's a link to Chet's book on line: www.blurb.com/bookstore/detail/2886800#store-price

©Bane-Clene® Corporation 2011 Reprinting or electronically publishing this article is strictly prohibited without permission from Bane-Clene Corp.

I'd like to hear your comments on this article.
Please e-mail me at wfbane@baneclene.com.

Business loans

Small banks and credit unions are making loans to small business again, but not the big banks. The big boys got all of that stimulus money because they were "too big to fail" and spent it to buy little banks. They're more interested in globalization and the money crisis in Europe than they are in making loans to produce income for Americans in America.

Supposedly even new business ventures are finding small banks and credit unions more receptive to making a loan. Naturally, applicants must have some personal assets to pledge since a new business would have little. But if you're fortunate enough to have a small bank or credit union left in your town, try them for a loan.

Large banks approved a little over 9 % of their loan requests last year while small banks approved better than 40% of their applications. Credit unions were the bright spot with an approval rate of more than 55%. These are very good reasons why business owners should do their banking with a small bank or credit union if one is available.

©Bane-Clene® Corporation 2011 Reprinting or electronically publishing this article is strictly prohibited without permission from Bane-Clene Corp.

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Please e-mail me at wfbane@baneclene.com.

Wednesday, February 08, 2012

Taxes, taxes, taxes

If you think you're paying enough taxes now, just wait. The IRS has been trying to figure out a way to collect taxes for on-line sales. They're going after the former safe havens for tax cheats who sell on line. Amazon, eBay®, PayPal™ and others are going to help the IRS along with credit card companies. Services will be a natural target.

A new tax form, called the 1099 K, will be sent out this spring. It documents transactions processed for sellers with more than 200 transactions and/or $20,000 in annual gross receipts. The IRS will compare the gross sales reported on the 1099 K and match it with the total gross receipts reported on an individual’s Schedule C tax form.

They're planning to send out more than 50 million of these 1099-Ks, so you'd better keep good records. The form doesn't take refunds, credits, returns or other adjustments into consideration. It just looks at the gross amount of the sale.

Talk to your CPA about this if you use any of these on-line services. You could wind up paying more than your really owe in taxes.

©Bane-Clene® Corporation 2011 Reprinting or electronically publishing this article is strictly prohibited without permission from Bane-Clene Corp.

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Please e-mail me at wfbane@baneclene.com.

Monday, February 06, 2012

"A history of cleaning carpet"

There is a free version of this publication on line now. It was written for the occasion of our golden business anniversary with the help of colleagues, public records and my own recollections. I hope you enjoy it.

Thanks for fifty grand years!

Bill Bane

http://www.baneclene.com/cleaning-digest/2009-Spring/history-of-carpet-cleaning.pdf

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Saturday, February 04, 2012

A very special day

Today we celebrate our 50th Anniversary

Bane-Clene 50th Anniversary

Friday, February 03, 2012

Tomorrow is a very special day

It's been publicized by us and in the trade press that tomorrow is our golden anniversary in business. Our family is planning a quiet evening of reminiscing tonight. Tomorrow evening, we'll be with our staff at Murphy's Steak House for dinner. If only we could see all of our great customers on this special day and thank them, the day would be complete.

So many who are interviewed on such an auspicious occasion say they would like to do it all over again. My fervent wish is that on February 4, 2062 there will be a similar dinner and someone will say a few kind words for those of us who took part in the first fifty years.

50th anniversary of Bane-Clene founding

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Wednesday, February 01, 2012

History lesson (taxes and money)

Karl Marx, in his Communist Manifesto, called for a heavy, progressive income tax and a central banking system to control currency, credit and eventually the world. In 1919, President Woodrow Wilson was instrumental in establishing the League of Nations, the forerunner of the United Nations, which is all about one world government.

Wilson ran for his first term as being anti-war, then he led us into WWI (The war to end all wars). He ran as an opponent of big money, but his campaign was financed by Wall Street bankers. How's that for being hypocritical? He engineered the progressive income tax, the Federal Reserve Bank and was the first outspoken "Globalist." (A 3-time loser!)

If you think the world of finance is changing, you're right. But the change was initiated almost one hundred years ago and has been insidiously permeating our society and business interests ever since. Those bail-outs of Wall Street and banks that were "too big to fail" are proof that the big money interests are calling the shots.

The Federal Reserve Bank is not a part of the federal government. It's a private corporation made up of bankers, Wall Street moguls and politicians. There's never been a meaningful audit of the Fed and the Fed answers to no one but their board of directors. By the way, their board of directors is made up of bankers, Wall Street moguls and politicians.

As Casey Stengal, the famous old baseball manager, would say, "You can look it up!"

©Bane-Clene® Corporation 2011 Reprinting or electronically publishing this article is strictly prohibited without permission from Bane-Clene Corp.

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Please e-mail me at wfbane@baneclene.com.