I haven't been on this board for quite sometime, I was using a different name as well. My wife & I moved out here to Nova Scotia, from B C, a little over a year ago. I had my business for 3 years, and becoming successful each year by adding more customers in different areas.
Problem: I was doing it all with no help except from my wife, and a few friends to get customers. I very seldom visited this board and The Cleaner Network. Well times have definetly changed, even before moving here I didn't have a network of people I could get help from on the boards, local pressure washing companies etc.
Things I had learned I wasn't keeping to memory, I wasn't getting better results with what I was doing, wasn't keeping up to date with my business, in other words I was neglecting it all. I had forgotten what I was taught, I stopped networking, because I wasn't following up with people. Like a car salesman I don't get the customer down on paper, to get the sale. Don't get me wrong I do a great job with the customers, and the results are great.
My problem is I don't seek HELP from my PEERS.
My brochures don't do my business justice they just try to sell all aspects of my business.
Lose my enthusiasm for networking.
I have a photo album for my past projects, with no comments of what the customer is looking at just before and after. Instead I'm trying to sell them by talking too, too much.
The area we now live is in the agriculture valley of Nova Scotia. Last year I didn't do a thing with the business being new to the area I had no friends, or contacts. I'm not going into agriculture as there are strict guidelines as to where and when. I also don't have a ton of funds to buy several units for doing the work either. Being a smaller area there seems to be a lot more to do, which has been the problem for me. There were other factors which kept me from starting up.
I'm also hoping to apply for money from certain groups, hoping this will work for start up costs.
2006 This year I decided I need HELP in a big way from all sorts of different areas. Business Counsillor, Business Develpoment Centre, to join the local Chamber of Commerce for starters.
TARGET: First customers by March.
To do this I want a new brochure, what suggestions can anyone give me for making it not too busy. Simple? how simple does it have to be? I am targeting Property management companies again, some residential, Industrial, Commercial for starters, maybe Truck Drivers. This is somewhat a financially depressed area as well.
Currently I'm laid off from current job, I'm taking advantage of the down time. My first bit of homework is to include Myths about pressure washing and Advantages of using my business. Any help would be gratefully accepted.
Back Home I did the following:
Houses top to bottom, townhouse complexes, business sidewalks & walkways. I did plenty of networking with no results for 2 years. Plenty of money for 3 years with only a few results = 66 customers, or projects.
I've said a lot, if you would like to email me, by all means with some input great. What's been working for you all, and of course what's not been working. I'm not expecting 100 customers my first year, I would like to get at least 30 customers by years end which here is October.
Bill W.
Problem: I was doing it all with no help except from my wife, and a few friends to get customers. I very seldom visited this board and The Cleaner Network. Well times have definetly changed, even before moving here I didn't have a network of people I could get help from on the boards, local pressure washing companies etc.
Things I had learned I wasn't keeping to memory, I wasn't getting better results with what I was doing, wasn't keeping up to date with my business, in other words I was neglecting it all. I had forgotten what I was taught, I stopped networking, because I wasn't following up with people. Like a car salesman I don't get the customer down on paper, to get the sale. Don't get me wrong I do a great job with the customers, and the results are great.
My problem is I don't seek HELP from my PEERS.
My brochures don't do my business justice they just try to sell all aspects of my business.
Lose my enthusiasm for networking.
I have a photo album for my past projects, with no comments of what the customer is looking at just before and after. Instead I'm trying to sell them by talking too, too much.
The area we now live is in the agriculture valley of Nova Scotia. Last year I didn't do a thing with the business being new to the area I had no friends, or contacts. I'm not going into agriculture as there are strict guidelines as to where and when. I also don't have a ton of funds to buy several units for doing the work either. Being a smaller area there seems to be a lot more to do, which has been the problem for me. There were other factors which kept me from starting up.
I'm also hoping to apply for money from certain groups, hoping this will work for start up costs.
2006 This year I decided I need HELP in a big way from all sorts of different areas. Business Counsillor, Business Develpoment Centre, to join the local Chamber of Commerce for starters.
TARGET: First customers by March.
To do this I want a new brochure, what suggestions can anyone give me for making it not too busy. Simple? how simple does it have to be? I am targeting Property management companies again, some residential, Industrial, Commercial for starters, maybe Truck Drivers. This is somewhat a financially depressed area as well.
Currently I'm laid off from current job, I'm taking advantage of the down time. My first bit of homework is to include Myths about pressure washing and Advantages of using my business. Any help would be gratefully accepted.
Back Home I did the following:
Houses top to bottom, townhouse complexes, business sidewalks & walkways. I did plenty of networking with no results for 2 years. Plenty of money for 3 years with only a few results = 66 customers, or projects.
I've said a lot, if you would like to email me, by all means with some input great. What's been working for you all, and of course what's not been working. I'm not expecting 100 customers my first year, I would like to get at least 30 customers by years end which here is October.
Bill W.
