How Up To Date is your Mentor/Coach/Marketing Consultant?

[Jim Pemberton]

As its nearly 2010, I want to ask those of you who work with any level of business consultant (Piranha, Phenomenal, SFS, Scott Rendall, any of the franchises, anybody else), this question:

Are you being given new ideas to work in today's economy with today's consumer?

I'm not picking on any of these folks, I'm honestly curious. And no, I'm not getting ready to introduce any "Pemberton the Marketing Guru Packages", so this isn't for my own market research.

Before any answers get posted, I'd like to ask for everyone to follow a few rules with this thread:

1. No bashing of any of the above mentioned companies or individuals. I'm asking questions of those who work WITH them, not those who dislike them. I'll make this offer to the "usual detractors": Hold your comments for a few days, then feel free to let 'em rip. Until then, sit on your hands and let these guys share their experiences.

2. If anyone is doing anything that's working great for them, but they've done it themselves, please hold off until the group I've asked to participate has contributed. I want to know your good experiences, too, but let's let the groups I've invited share first.

3. If you are among the groups I'm speaking of, don't feel like I'm asking for you to share the secrets you've paid for for free. You can just post: "Yes, at the last meeting we were given three great ideas that we were never told before that are tailor made for today's consumer/business environment". I'll take your word for it that you're telling the truth.

Thank you all in advance who choose to participate. I know that MB isn't always the friendliest place to discuss this, especially if you are affiliated with certain groups. I promise that the abuse will be kept at a minimum.

Yes gang, I'll delete snarky posts if they show up for the first few days, so please behave.

Thank you to both sides.

 

[Bjorn]

yes I use the small business programme at Western Washington University one of the classes was about the new economy

 

[Brian R]

Maybe not the same but Service Monster has been a big help with their marketing strats. Some of the things they said, I already knew but the refresher course helps keep you on target. I believe it was Joe (No not that Joe) who helped me with ideas when I first signed up and he walked me through the program. He's got some good ideas and has a good energy in relaying them.
Not too mention, the program alone helped me increase production just from a few things like tracking and staying in contact.
And it's only 50 bucks (or 70 bucks with two routes)...money well spent.

 

[Jim Pemberton]

Thank you both. This is what I was looking for.

Mr Brevik: Thank you for your restraint as well.

 

[prestige cleaner]

i pretty much get my marketing info from an aray of different sources, cleanfax articles, ics mag archives, and reading books like the "ultimate sales machine" among others. also, this board has been very helpful, reading threads on you big wigs ,priceless information.

 

[Brian R]

i pretty much get my marketing info from an aray of different sources, cleanfax articles, ics mag archives, and reading books like the "ultimate sales machine" among others. also, this board has been very helpful, reading threads on you big wigs ,priceless information.

Really good book.

 

[Guest]

every year they reinvent the wheel what's old is new

http://www.howardpartridgeroundtable.com/

if you can believe all the hype

 

[-JB-]

I just ask Lee.

 

[Mikey P]

We have enough business coaches here that work for free to anybody who can utilize the English language, why go else where unless you're a fat slob who really needs those phony accountability phone calls and rah rah sessions?

 

[Gary Taylor]

I have nothing to comment on the topic, but I would like to learn more at some point from Terry about the program he attends.

Thanks
Gary

 

[Sticky]

Professional Carpet Systems has been great for me. They have all sorts of different marketing material and a marketing plan that is easy to follow. All of the marketing material can be printed from my computer. Letters for different prospects etc.

It would have taken me years to gather all the information that they have laid out for us. The paperwork is phenominal.

Craig Jasper just bought the corporation that owns PCS and 2 other new franchises. We got an email yesterday that Fritz will be the CEO of PCS but eventually he will be turning the reigns over to Craig Jasper. I'm interested to see how things are going to be in the future....

 

[-JB-]

Craig is a slick one.

 

[Jim Pemberton]

So much for my request to leave snarky comments until tonight :roll:

 

[handdi]

Jim i know i'm going to catch some flack for this.
But we started a year ago and signed up for the round table for a year.
I felt that it was truely a franchise system and got my moneys worth out of it.
But seems to be the same old stuff but that being said.Nothing new and inventive imho
but we set up some great customer retetion systems that really is starting to pay off.
We listened and we implemented and it works.
But same old stuff after a while but stuff we would have never knew about either.
IF i had it to do over yes i would but continuing with the round table i can'nt see any real benifit right now.
Randy Day

 

[Jim Pemberton]

Thank you Randy. I think your post was thoughtful and balanced and neither ultra negative nor zealously blind.

This is the type of response that is most helpful to everyone.

 

[Desk Jockey]

Gary here is a link to Indiana's Small Business Development Center.

They offer free consulting, help with writing a marketing plan, managing and growing your business.

http://www.isbdc.org/consult.aspx

 

[Jeremy]

Integrity: Doing the right thing even when no one is watching.

Do busines with integrity. It alleviates the conflict between what your heart wants to say and what the "Marketing Gurus" want you to say. It's your message, your company, your reputation & "yourself"... What does your consience say about the way you represent them?

If ever the thought of "should I be doing this" comes to mind the answer is most likely a resounding "NO!". If the ad copy isn't something you're comfortable with just don't use it. If it seems like it's wrong it probably is... Regardless of wether or not it is legal. Your integrity and clear consience is worth far more than Joe Polish's neat little sports car or Howards spray on tan or the mountains of money they'll promise you or it's free...

Integrity isn't a commodity it's a character trait. You can buy marketing materials anywhere but you cant buy integrity. Oddly enough, it does tend to sell it's self and ther is no buyer's remorse.

 

[Bjorn]

http://www.cbe.wwu.edu/sbdc

 

[Jim Pemberton]

Thanks Terje

I'd like it if you'd comment on how much help that place has been to you, and where it helped you the most, if you would.

I was hoping more people who've bought programs or are involved in some of these networks would have contributed. I suppose this isn't the friendliest place for them. If any of you would like to post still, please do. If you'd like to post but don't want any abuse, PM me and I'll cut and paste your post in with no references to you.

I have some feelings about marketing in this new decade that I'll share later tonight or tomorrow. In the meantime, please keep the positive feedback coming.

For regulars here, note the positive feedback we are getting from Terje Brevik. I admire his restraint so far when I know he'd love to be swinging his Viking Battle Ax around right now.

I can't promise what we'll see later though!

 

[Bruce Humphrey]

Worked with Scott Rendall over the last year, june 08 to june 09. Scott packed so much info into our heads over the last year that we really couldn't implement everything in that one year period. We are slowly adding things as we go and growing the business in the direction that Scott led us in.

 

[Royal Man]

They always say that there is really nothing new in marketing.

But, now more than ever it is easier for the little guy to level the playing field with the big boys.

Communication is faster and cheaper than ever before.

Therefore, marketing can become far less expensive and at the sometime be even more productive.

It is a whole new world out there guys!

A lot of the old traditional marketing is dead or at least less productive that it used to be.

Dave Yoakum-

 

[truckmount girl]

Amen Jeremy.

Take care,
Lisa

 

[lroy]

good info-- does anyone or has anyone bought and used the material from scott rendall and what is your feelings on it- and has anyone taken on his coaching one on one larrky

 

[-JB-]

So much for my request to leave snarky comments until tonight :roll:

Sorry Jim, but there was nothing "snarky" about that comment, I sincerely think CJ is a very shrewd businessman, simply put.

He has his traveling road show sponsored by the "Cleaning institute", whomever that is? I wonder who that could be? :roll:

You ask him directly, he'll not admit its his, nor tell you who's in control of the organization, or who is responsible for determining the content of his classes, sorry but that in my book is slick.

I'm sure CJ could likely buy and sell about 95% of the posters on this board, myself include, yet comes across as the "average joe" BDCC, :roll: , that's slick.

On top of that while he's out there "mining the miners", he's seems to be the only "guru" who has successfully figured out a way of mining our customer as well as us, with what I can only ASSume (given no one seems to know who owns/runs the company) is his "Spotting Solutions" spotter program, as well as what I can only ASSume (given no one seems to know who owns/runs the company) is his vacuum cleaners ready for re-sale to our clients... perpetual mining, that's damn smart, and that's slick, he's no dummy by ANY means.

Calm and collected on the surface but paddling like hell below the surface.

NONE of these comments are intended to be a slam on CJ, just a realistic view of his connection to the industry. IMO

 

[billyeadon]

Jeremy,
I know you weren't slamming Craig but I just need to add a few comments. I have know Criag since the 1970's when I was Bane Clene of Florida and he was Bane Clene of Illinois. This was back when Bane thought about franchising.

To me Craig is one of the more authentic people in our industry having worked himself up from very meager beginnings. I think he has more experience in all aspects of the industry than almost anyone. Normally with that type of a background the ego tends to swell, but Craig is still one of the guys.

That being said Craig is no stranger to selling. As a matter of fact I always call him the industry slut whenever we meet. In a nice way of course. Too often we think of sales as something beneath us.

I will just end this with a Zig Ziglar quote.

Poor salesmen have skinny kids.

So much for my request to leave snarky comments until tonight :roll:

Sorry Jim, but there was nothing "snarky" about that comment, I sincerely think CJ is a very shrewd businessman, simply put.

He has his traveling road show sponsored by the "Cleaning institute", whomever that is? I wonder who that could be? :roll:

You ask him directly, he'll not admit its his, nor tell you who's in control of the organization, or who is responsible for determining the content of his classes, sorry but that in my book is slick.

I'm sure CJ could likely buy and sell about 95% of the posters on this board, myself include, yet comes across as the "average joe" BDCC, :roll: , that's slick.

On top of that while he's out there "mining the miners", he's seems to be the only "guru" who has successfully figured out a way of mining our customer as well as us, with what I can only ASSume (given no one seems to know who owns/runs the company) is his "Spotting Solutions" spotter program, as well as what I can only ASSume (given no one seems to know who owns/runs the company) is his vacuum cleaners ready for re-sale to our clients... perpetual mining, that's damn smart, and that's slick, he's no dummy by ANY means.

Calm and collected on the surface but paddling like hell below the surface.

NONE of these comments are intended to be a slam on CJ, just a realistic view of his connection to the industry. IMO

 

[Jim Pemberton]

Bill

Since you've decided to brave the fray, (and its been tamer than I've expected), what do you see as the best ways for cleaners to market to the new frugal consumer?

I'm not of the mind that carpet cleaning is going to hell, but I've been observing some remarkable changes in what works and no longer works in marketing cleaning services in this new decade of this new century.

What's your take?

 

[billyeadon]

Jim,

I think the board does have a reputation for taking comments and trashing the messenger. Of course this is true of any online community as most boards have less than 10% of the people post and 90% lurk due to the fear of being ridiculed.

Anyhow onto your question which you know could require a book. Just this afternoon I started reading a book called Trust Agents, Using the Web to Build Influence, Improve Reputation, and Earn Trust. Chris Brogan & Julien Smith. Needless to say Americans do not trust companies. In a recent survey only 44% of Americans trust business, down from 58% since fall of 2007.

So I believe the first thing we need to do is rebuild trust. You can't do that by sending out 50,000 Val Pak coupons or by buying a full page in the YP. The only way we can accomplish this is by our actions and also by enlisting other companies (hub marketing) who have established this trust factor with the same customers your company serves.

By hub marketers I mean retailers, real estate, facility managers, interior decorators, veteranarians etc. I know this is nothing new but I think the approach has to be much more systematic and unselfish. You cannot expect to get something until you have given first, basically the theory of reciprocity. This may take several months to a year to develop a relationship. This is also hard for an O/O to do as it does require time but even he could work on one good hub.

Secondly I believe that being involved in the community is how you develop trust. This may be charities or working the concession stand at the high school football games. Today every town has a charity event for dogs or for homeless women. I know the cynic will ask why I would want to work for a woman that doesn't even have a home. The people who are on the boards of these shelters are the elite of the community and are the influencers.
The number of charities that need help is overwhelming. You cannot go into this thinking what am I going to get out of this. If you never get the first job you will still have a wonderful feeling of accomplishment.

Without upsetting Lisa one more time I must beat the same drum again. Most of us do not understand our target market. Another great new book Why She Buys Bridget Brennan explores this very nicely. The best example I have ever seen of the difference between a male communication style and a feminine style is best shown in these 2 current car commercials.
http://marketingtowomenonline.typepad.c ... -gm-d.html

You may notice I did not talk about any type of normal marketing and not 1 plug for newsletters, spotters or programs. Seeing that 90% of our industry is made up of small companies I believe that the desire of Americans to deal with small hometown companies is at an all time high. This gets back to the trust factor. Of course this does not leave out companies such as Hagopian. They have built up the trust factor over many decades. They realize that their most important component is their employees who further that trust factor. Ken has made sure their people are taken care of and in turn they take care of the customer.

I look forward to being on the panel at MF in Nashville with Mark and Wayne and talking further about these thoughts.

Bill

Since you've decided to brave the fray, (and its been tamer than I've expected), what do you see as the best ways for cleaners to market to the new frugal consumer?

I'm not of the mind that carpet cleaning is going to hell, but I've been observing some remarkable changes in what works and no longer works in marketing cleaning services in this new decade of this new century.

What's your take?

 

[Bjorn]

I would say Bill when one persons whole game is one that was played many years ago and hit a home run once

things change markets and economies change over time.

 

[Royal Man]

Building relationships can be a lot more productive that buying advertising.

You just have to plant a few seeds.

 

[Bjorn]

http://cgi.ebay.com/Carpet-Cleaning-Tra ... 286.c0.m14