Question: What can I do to get more customers this summer? My typical summer slump is killing me this year! Answer: This all too common problem has an easy answer and a hard one. The easy answer is to stop worrying about the slump and take advantage of this slow period to make much needed updates an
QUESTION: I’m frustrated with how little my per job profit is. How do I increase my profits without alienating my current clients? What should I do? ANSWER: That is a great question, one that I hear all of the time. It frustrated me when I owned my cleaning business. Then I realized that there
Question: How do I know when it’s time to move out of my home office and into an outside office? Can I afford such an extravagance? Answer: I am asked this question a lot, and the answer is very personal to you and your business. Some people love their home office and wouldn’t have it an
QUESTION: I need to hire an office manager. I have an employee that’s been with me for 5 years that I am thinking about promoting. Is that a good idea? ANSWER: Well, Maybe. It depends on the person. Becoming a manager requires a whole new set of skills. In fact, an effective manager’s jo
Question: “I need more clients. Should I spend $400 to place a display ad in the local newspaper?” Answer: Well, maybe, but if you can only afford to do it once then it may be a big marketing mistake. According to marketing Guru, Jay Conrad Levinson, author of numerous books inlcuding th
Remember when you first started your business and you got that first big contract or hired your first employee? The excitement that you felt was so energetic. I know that when I was on a successful roll at the beginning of my cleaning business, I could work all day and all night on my big plans with
Q. My employees of my cleaning business make too much money. I want to attract the best, so I pay between $12 and $15 per hour. This wouldn’t be so bad if I weren’t constantly dealing with absenteeism, tardiness, customer complaints, and insubordination. My accountant says that I am not making any m
“I Want to Buy Your Business For $500K Cash”. Are you waiting for an offer like this for your business? Is it realistic? Do people really sell their service businesses and can they make very much money when they do? Yes, you absolutely can sell your business for big bucks, with a lot of
Year’s ago a business mentor of mine gave me some good advice. She said “If you want to be a successful small business, then you can best help yourself by finding other successful businesses, and behave as they do.” Now years later I have to agree that there are definitely similari
Why is it that sometimes it seems like you are working like crazy, but when all is said and done, you are dog tired, but still broke? Well, the answer may be surprisingly more simple then you may expect. Let’s look at a few questions about your business. Ask yourself: Do you make a healthy pro
