The first Job Solo

I went out door-to-door this morning in one of the small towns within my service area armed with door hangers and business cards. Despite the website not being up yet, I wanted to get some exposure started. All told, I covered about 25 houses with only 5 with anyone home.

I finished up about 30 minutes ago and just received a call and booked 5 rooms, a recliner, and a sofa for early part of next week. It was a young couple with an expecting wife who wanted to clean up the place prior to the child's arrival. They really liked the idea of non-toxic chemicals, sanitized tools / hoses, and especially the rapid dry times promised.

After we discussed the scope of the job, they kept adding items....a few throw rugs, car interior, and the kitchen tile.

I expected the first job as a full-time cleaner to be a small one, but I'm good with this as well. Funny, despite cleaning carpets part time since the late 80's, it feels so much different booking this job as a full-timer. I am psyched and ready for more....hopefully I can get at least a basic website up this weekend.

Way to go Rob it's all about time sometime and you caught them at the right time. . Just reading about you and freemind taking the bull by the horn is pumping me up. I have about 1500 postcards laying around i think 'll mail them out to my client base

I told you Rob, YOU CAN DO IT.

I got a second call from one who I actually spoke to while distributing hangers. She didn't book anything yet, but wanted to confirm that I would be the one that would come out if she did? Said she will call me back on Monday.

That was the first time in years that I have received that question over the phone. Normally, it is just how much and how long to dry...but this was the first they wanted to know if I would be the one cleaning.

I think my message stuck about the owner doing the job. It seemed to be a popular point as the only cleaner that reaches that area normally is a large franchise.

My guess is that the franchise hasn't been to impressive.

GREAT work!

Told you the sanitized tools/hoses would be a selling point.

One of the concerns that my clients have, is they want ME on the job. They built the trust with me, they want ME to be the one completing the work.

You were right Freemind, it was a selling point. I am including it on the website as well as in the video too. I am going to make the franchises follow me or die.

I knew that hoser tool and drum of sporicidin would come in handy some day. Now I just have to find those white latex gloves.....

Wow, best ROI ever !!
I've had people I talked to on the phone asked me the same thing, am I the one who's coming out to do the work, my answer is always "I can but my rate is one and a half my quote earlier" and they thought I was being serious, lol, usually the ones who asked are the ones that ask a bunch of questions.
I've also had one customer gave me compliment for answering all of their questions, he / she said afterward that my competitor just hang up on him / her for asking too much questions, lol.

"Mam you're asking too many questions", Click

I think the reason some folks ask that is because they have already but through the ringer with some of these franchises that have a lot of young newbies working for them that don't give a crap.

That is the thing about many franchises, they are not built on return customers. Most of them that I have witnessed are focused on finding new customers all the time by their advertising.

Once you run out of new customers, you move to a new area I guess and start over. I can't blame the kids that are on these trucks as they get less than $12 / hour around here.

The first time that I hired a couple of employees, they asked who they had to kill when I told them that I paid $20 / hour....scary part was, they sounded serious.

It is good to always opt for environment friendly cleaners