Here at Soap Warehouse we have many products, that to some, seem that they can do the same thing. And in some cases that may be true, but the subtle differences of each product is for certain reasons and we hope that focusing on product groups together will help our customers find the right one for the job they are doing.
We will also tell you what current or customers in the past have personally found when using a certain product. For this first installation we will explore Hood Cleaners.
With hood cleaning the main chemical ingredients used are potassium hydroxide or sodium hydroxide. Both need to be used with care and special cautionary actions taken when using them. Such as wearing protective eye wear when mixing and applying, protective clothing and gloves to cover exposed skin. These chemicals are very caustic and that is what makes them such great grease cutters and removers. The ingredient potassium hydroxide is more water soluble than sodium hydroxide but costs more which is reflected in product pricing.
Now our basic 'Hood Cleaner' contains Potassium Hydroxide which some people prefer to handle and mix rather than Sodium Hydroxide, but there is really not much of a difference in their use. 'Smoke House' is our Sodium Hydroxide product. Both are used at 1:100 chemical to water ratio. They are used the same way by applying to a dry surface starting from the bottom up using hot water, allowing a short dwell time and then being rinsed with clear water from the top down into proper collection devices for treatment and disposal according to local wastewater codes.
The 'Smoke House' has been said to work the best on 'Chinese' restaurant grease, which seems to be different that 'normal' cooking grease at other restaurants. 'Smoke House' does costs less than the 'Hood Cleaner' but I have some clients that will only use 'Hood Cleaner' even on 'Chinese' grease and when they only want to purchase and use only one product.
Speaking of that, our Brown Derby also contains mainly Sodium Hydroxide, and we have had customers over the years that will use Brown Derby for anything and everything, including hood cleaning. We had a customer that had used Brown Derby for almost 5 years to do kitchen exhaust cleaning and I finally convicence them to try 'Smoke House' instead. Even though it costs exactly the same, the formulation and percentages of ingredients are different and he could not believe what a difference he got with using the 'Smoke House'. That is not to say that Brown Derby did not do a fair job of cleaning but once the same restraunt was cleaned using 'Smoke House' the difference was clear. He now only buys 'Smoke House' for his kitchen work and leaves using Brown Derby for his fleet washing.
We also have supplementary products like our 'Oven and Grill Cleaner' to be used on flat grill surfaces and inside ovens. Our foaming agent, which can be added to any of our products when additional cling time for vertical surfaces, like exhaust flues are needed. But even with foam, a little goes a long way. If you create too much foam height you are just wasting money on your chemicals because so much of the chemicals are suspended in the foam that never comes in contact with the greasy surface. Using just enough to create a stiff foam to increase dwell time is all you need.
Now these hood cleaners can not be used on aluminum without damage, there fore the cleaning of any aluminum framed filters that may be in an exhaust system, must be handled and cleaned with a different product, like our Mighty Green. It is non-hazardous, non-corrosive and safe on skin, so you can soak filters in a flat tank of concentrated product putting them in and out with your bare hands with out any worries. It also has a great clean scent. Just rinse with water to remove the grease once the filter has soaked for a long enough period of time. If the filters are really bad additional soaks maybe needed or the filter completely replaced. I have seen some pictures of some pretty bad clogged filters that Mighty Green has brought back to useable life.
Hopefully this breakdown of our different Kitchen Hood Cleaning products has helped you.
Saturday, January 2, 2010
Friday, January 1, 2010
Happy New Year!
Welcome to 2010. With one decade almost behind us already we have a lot to improve upon to end this first ten years in the positive and not the negative.
By now if you have been following along with us since 2008 we have informed you to get or upgrade your web site, improve your SEO, have great business cards, know how and where to advertise, and have introduced you to some of our great products.
This year we would like to hear from you to know what more you would like to learn? We will also explore some of our products in more detail each month, as well, depending on the time of year and when they are most often used.
For example, although we still have outside exterior maintenance cleaning going on in the Southeast and out in the Southwest, most of our customers are in the deep freeze of winter and either not working or have moved inside to other work such as commercial kitchen exhaust cleaning. Now for some this is an all year business but not for everyone. So my next blog will cover our Hood Cleaning products.
Others move to things like increased home carpet, air duct and window cleaning or inside car detailing. So in February and March we will cover products for that.
Once the spring starts to get here and we get back from Louisville KY and the Mid America Truck Show we will move into truck fleet wash products and then exterior home products for April and May.
Come June & July we will be in full swing of the outdoor cleaning season and will explore our car wash and deck products.
I plan in August to cover our new large laundry product line since by then we sould have many of the older Orenda customers on board by then.
September will bring us to heavy duty equipment products for the commercial contruction industry. By October we will discuss our aircraft cleaner Top Gun as well as 'Green Products' that we have or products we are converting over to being 'Green'.
November we will discuss our degreasers and how they differ as much as they seem they are the same. By December we will be running out of product lines so it will be on what ever we have missed or what will be new for 2011.
I hope these product line blogs will help you understand and choose the product that will work best for your own business applications and you will enjoy them along with the other informational blogs we will be posting.
Talk with you soon.
By now if you have been following along with us since 2008 we have informed you to get or upgrade your web site, improve your SEO, have great business cards, know how and where to advertise, and have introduced you to some of our great products.
This year we would like to hear from you to know what more you would like to learn? We will also explore some of our products in more detail each month, as well, depending on the time of year and when they are most often used.
For example, although we still have outside exterior maintenance cleaning going on in the Southeast and out in the Southwest, most of our customers are in the deep freeze of winter and either not working or have moved inside to other work such as commercial kitchen exhaust cleaning. Now for some this is an all year business but not for everyone. So my next blog will cover our Hood Cleaning products.
Others move to things like increased home carpet, air duct and window cleaning or inside car detailing. So in February and March we will cover products for that.
Once the spring starts to get here and we get back from Louisville KY and the Mid America Truck Show we will move into truck fleet wash products and then exterior home products for April and May.
Come June & July we will be in full swing of the outdoor cleaning season and will explore our car wash and deck products.
I plan in August to cover our new large laundry product line since by then we sould have many of the older Orenda customers on board by then.
September will bring us to heavy duty equipment products for the commercial contruction industry. By October we will discuss our aircraft cleaner Top Gun as well as 'Green Products' that we have or products we are converting over to being 'Green'.
November we will discuss our degreasers and how they differ as much as they seem they are the same. By December we will be running out of product lines so it will be on what ever we have missed or what will be new for 2011.
I hope these product line blogs will help you understand and choose the product that will work best for your own business applications and you will enjoy them along with the other informational blogs we will be posting.
Talk with you soon.
Monday, December 28, 2009
5 Smart Things you can still do in 2009!
This list will be short and sweet with a few reasons to do them.
1. Make a list of items, supplies and equipment you need to buy or replace for next year.
Why, because some may be small enough (a new roll of hose) that you can buy them now before year end and be able to write it off on this years taxes. Second you can see if any item might be on sale now to save you money next year. Third give you ideas and costs to plan and budget for during 2010.
2. Reconnect with friends and collegues that are in the business.
Why, because they might have something you need that they want to sell or get rid of (again saving you money). You might have something they need that you want to get rid of (making you money). Discuss what worked or did not work for them this past year, might clue you in on changes for yourself next year. Make sure you share your sucesses and failures as well so they will be more apt to help or send you business.
3. Look for places to find free or nearly free information for your business, like blogs and product websites.
Why, because these places can give you ideas on how to do your buiness better without having to leave your house (or where ever your computer is). Information is always changing and being in the know can sometimes make or break your business. Even go to look at sites of products you do not currently use, say a stain brand you know of but costs too much for your normal clients. These site's information could still be worth while no matter what brand of stain you use.
4. Add content to your website. Why, because adding content will improve customer loyalty, impress new customers, and move your site up in searchablity ranking so new customers can find you. And if for some reason you still do not have a website. GET ONE NOW! Many you can start are free for the asking.
5. Create a list of CRAZY goals for 2010. Why, because if you write down goals you would like to happen in the next year, say get 20 contracts over $10,000 each, have 5 crews working for me, etc... rewrite and revist this list once every three months, you might be supprised how many of those crazy goals you closed in on in 2010. Create your own reality for a great 2010 now before 2009 ends.
Happy New Year.
1. Make a list of items, supplies and equipment you need to buy or replace for next year.
Why, because some may be small enough (a new roll of hose) that you can buy them now before year end and be able to write it off on this years taxes. Second you can see if any item might be on sale now to save you money next year. Third give you ideas and costs to plan and budget for during 2010.
2. Reconnect with friends and collegues that are in the business.
Why, because they might have something you need that they want to sell or get rid of (again saving you money). You might have something they need that you want to get rid of (making you money). Discuss what worked or did not work for them this past year, might clue you in on changes for yourself next year. Make sure you share your sucesses and failures as well so they will be more apt to help or send you business.
3. Look for places to find free or nearly free information for your business, like blogs and product websites.
Why, because these places can give you ideas on how to do your buiness better without having to leave your house (or where ever your computer is). Information is always changing and being in the know can sometimes make or break your business. Even go to look at sites of products you do not currently use, say a stain brand you know of but costs too much for your normal clients. These site's information could still be worth while no matter what brand of stain you use.
4. Add content to your website. Why, because adding content will improve customer loyalty, impress new customers, and move your site up in searchablity ranking so new customers can find you. And if for some reason you still do not have a website. GET ONE NOW! Many you can start are free for the asking.
5. Create a list of CRAZY goals for 2010. Why, because if you write down goals you would like to happen in the next year, say get 20 contracts over $10,000 each, have 5 crews working for me, etc... rewrite and revist this list once every three months, you might be supprised how many of those crazy goals you closed in on in 2010. Create your own reality for a great 2010 now before 2009 ends.
Happy New Year.
Monday, December 21, 2009
Changing advertising trends for 2010!
To continue on the topic of our last few posts; I follow a number of advertising gurus and web marketing folks and here is what I have been hearing about the trends that will be going into 2010.
1. The Internet, especially Google will still hold the highest return of homeowners and businesses that search for cleaning services. The numbers of these searches far exceeds any other service including those by phone book companies such as yellowpages.com, and does not come close to the hard print phone books. So you need to not only be on the internet with a well equipped web site but keep up with SEO to improve your placement and search ability for customers to find you. Affiliate sales opportunities may also be worth looking into for your buiness.
2. Social Media will continue to increase significantly throughout 2010 and companies that can incorporate things like Twitter, Facebook, MerchantCircle, YouTube, Hot Frog, LinkedIn and others will bring you new clients at little cost. Like I have mentioned before try to spend at least a few hours per week blogging, linking and changing content on your site to drive search engines and new customers to your business.
3. Direct Mail, is not dead, this media will be abandoned or greatly curtailed by many which will make it more profitable for those that continue to use it. Your message will start to stand out instead of being buried by similar companies. Especially to existing customers, postcards, newsletters and sales special flyers may be the most important thing you do in 2010 to keep your repeat business. Also printers and marketers may run more deals and specials as so many other companies cut spending in these areas.
4. E-mail offers, will start to lose its luster next year. With the expansion of many businesses that have finally heard the word that e-mailing is fast, inexpensive, and labor reducing especially through third party facilitators, e-mails will start to get lost or buried in the in box. This does not mean you should stop using them but try to cut back to only really important messages that your customer will want to open and do not depend on them to bring you the bulk of your new customers.
5. Yellow page phone books, as stated above they will continue to lose a large part of the market share and you should not be spending large amounts here. If you have an ad, think about downsizing, moving those dollars to the internet, yet keeping yourself visible to the older, over 50, customer that still tends to rely on phone books and print ads. You may have to keep what you have only if you are in a very competive market where you are still getting a large number of your leads and new customers from using them.
6. Newspapers and other print ads, although the numbers for these have declined somewhat over the past few years there is still use and value to be found in them. Again older customers tend to be the ones that are reading the newspaper and print ads like in local publications and direct mailers like Valpak will continue to work. You just need to gauge your past success with current ones and make changes accordingly.
7. Billboards, Radio and Television are all big ticket items that may be marketing opportunities this year. Check your area for special deals they may be giving to small business to make up for the losses they are feeling from big business cut backs. Look for a company that has a presence in all three medias in your market to find the best deals. This may only work for those in large city markets but keep your options open. One month of well combined media advertising can win big, especially if right at the beginning of your target season.
Now is the time to make sure you do not lock your business into spending money that will not give you enough of a return or chance to make you money in 2010. Happy New Year.
1. The Internet, especially Google will still hold the highest return of homeowners and businesses that search for cleaning services. The numbers of these searches far exceeds any other service including those by phone book companies such as yellowpages.com, and does not come close to the hard print phone books. So you need to not only be on the internet with a well equipped web site but keep up with SEO to improve your placement and search ability for customers to find you. Affiliate sales opportunities may also be worth looking into for your buiness.
2. Social Media will continue to increase significantly throughout 2010 and companies that can incorporate things like Twitter, Facebook, MerchantCircle, YouTube, Hot Frog, LinkedIn and others will bring you new clients at little cost. Like I have mentioned before try to spend at least a few hours per week blogging, linking and changing content on your site to drive search engines and new customers to your business.
3. Direct Mail, is not dead, this media will be abandoned or greatly curtailed by many which will make it more profitable for those that continue to use it. Your message will start to stand out instead of being buried by similar companies. Especially to existing customers, postcards, newsletters and sales special flyers may be the most important thing you do in 2010 to keep your repeat business. Also printers and marketers may run more deals and specials as so many other companies cut spending in these areas.
4. E-mail offers, will start to lose its luster next year. With the expansion of many businesses that have finally heard the word that e-mailing is fast, inexpensive, and labor reducing especially through third party facilitators, e-mails will start to get lost or buried in the in box. This does not mean you should stop using them but try to cut back to only really important messages that your customer will want to open and do not depend on them to bring you the bulk of your new customers.
5. Yellow page phone books, as stated above they will continue to lose a large part of the market share and you should not be spending large amounts here. If you have an ad, think about downsizing, moving those dollars to the internet, yet keeping yourself visible to the older, over 50, customer that still tends to rely on phone books and print ads. You may have to keep what you have only if you are in a very competive market where you are still getting a large number of your leads and new customers from using them.
6. Newspapers and other print ads, although the numbers for these have declined somewhat over the past few years there is still use and value to be found in them. Again older customers tend to be the ones that are reading the newspaper and print ads like in local publications and direct mailers like Valpak will continue to work. You just need to gauge your past success with current ones and make changes accordingly.
7. Billboards, Radio and Television are all big ticket items that may be marketing opportunities this year. Check your area for special deals they may be giving to small business to make up for the losses they are feeling from big business cut backs. Look for a company that has a presence in all three medias in your market to find the best deals. This may only work for those in large city markets but keep your options open. One month of well combined media advertising can win big, especially if right at the beginning of your target season.
Now is the time to make sure you do not lock your business into spending money that will not give you enough of a return or chance to make you money in 2010. Happy New Year.
Friday, December 11, 2009
The 5 reasons why it is important to advertise your service business during a down turn in the economy.
1. Advertising lets customers that have never needed you before know you are here and available.
Many people do not seek out services until they need them. All funeral directors know this and your business has to be advertising so when these new customers need arise, you are on their mind. Most people gravitate to the company whose name they have heard about or seen more often, no matter what their performance record is. It is your quality of service that will make a repeat customer and makes your next word of mouth advertiser.
2. Advertising shows customers that your services are needed and stand the test of time.
When people see that you are advertising and can identify with the services you provide, they are more likely to remember you when that service need comes up for them. If no one owned a car then no one would need an auto repair shop, but most people do, so knowing that a repair shop is in their neighborhood will at sometime come in handy for that business in the future.
3. Advertising lets your previous customers know you are still in business.
Repeat business is a large part of every bottom line and if your previous customers are unsure that you are still around, because they have not heard from you in a while, they might go to someone else they have seen advertising that they know are available and use them instead. People are lazy and many times will take what they currently know instead of taking the time to find out for them selves, like looking up your number and placing a call.
4. Advertising lets new customers know you have been around and will continue to be here.
New customers that can see by your advertising that you have been in this business for a period of time will feel better knowing you are not a fly by night operator, that you must have a level of quality associated with your service, and that you should still be around to stand behind your service in the future. That is why testimonials are very important in service advertising.
5. Advertising keeps you working while others are not.
Businesses that are sitting back waiting for an old or new customer to come to them because they do not want to spend the money for advertising during a down turn time, may just be waiting until they close their doors for good. If you are not out there looking for new business, contacting past customers to ask for their work and competing for the few available dollars customers have, you will be holding an empty money bag at the end of the day, week, month or year.
Here is to hoping you had a good 2009 and that you will have a very prosperous New Year in 2010.
Many people do not seek out services until they need them. All funeral directors know this and your business has to be advertising so when these new customers need arise, you are on their mind. Most people gravitate to the company whose name they have heard about or seen more often, no matter what their performance record is. It is your quality of service that will make a repeat customer and makes your next word of mouth advertiser.
2. Advertising shows customers that your services are needed and stand the test of time.
When people see that you are advertising and can identify with the services you provide, they are more likely to remember you when that service need comes up for them. If no one owned a car then no one would need an auto repair shop, but most people do, so knowing that a repair shop is in their neighborhood will at sometime come in handy for that business in the future.
3. Advertising lets your previous customers know you are still in business.
Repeat business is a large part of every bottom line and if your previous customers are unsure that you are still around, because they have not heard from you in a while, they might go to someone else they have seen advertising that they know are available and use them instead. People are lazy and many times will take what they currently know instead of taking the time to find out for them selves, like looking up your number and placing a call.
4. Advertising lets new customers know you have been around and will continue to be here.
New customers that can see by your advertising that you have been in this business for a period of time will feel better knowing you are not a fly by night operator, that you must have a level of quality associated with your service, and that you should still be around to stand behind your service in the future. That is why testimonials are very important in service advertising.
5. Advertising keeps you working while others are not.
Businesses that are sitting back waiting for an old or new customer to come to them because they do not want to spend the money for advertising during a down turn time, may just be waiting until they close their doors for good. If you are not out there looking for new business, contacting past customers to ask for their work and competing for the few available dollars customers have, you will be holding an empty money bag at the end of the day, week, month or year.
Here is to hoping you had a good 2009 and that you will have a very prosperous New Year in 2010.
Thursday, December 3, 2009
Are you part of the new digital age?
I hate to text, I even have texting blocked from my phone. I never saw the need to twitter, yet I just got us signed up before going to Texas and have sent out some tweets, but I do have a personal facebook page besides our business one and business listings on Linkedin.com and MerchantCircle.com. But there are some new social networking ideas that I think every business person should atempt even if they are not a big player in this new digital wave.
I spoke before about a company Bookfresh.com, and they just asked me to join their group on MerchantCircle.com. A business to business only site not unlike facebook.com and very close to Linkedin.com. Merchant Circle puts you in touch with other local business that might use your service or that could help you network to find new customers. Bookfresh is doing something like what I had mentioned in a previous blog about getting a virtual office to take calls and make appointments for you and your business.
They also use the social network feature of linking you into facebook that allows new customers to find you and book jobs right from thier facebook page. How cool it that. You do not even have to pay for the marketing to find these new customers, your freinds and their freinds on facebook does it all for you! And if you still have not made yourself a website like I have written about in other blogs, they have a simple single web page for you that you can customize or if you already have a web site (good for you) that you can link to, increasing your exposure for SEO.
Another great new thing that just came out late October is an 'app' to Valpak.com. Here is an article that tells about it. http://blog.kudzu.com/?p=1775. Many of you might already use or know about Valpak, a national company that sends out local coupon sheets in a blue envelope to homeowners in the zip codes you want to market too. Well they have recently added an on line version and are giving out this free app to link phones and hand helds to Valpack on line to instantly get their users coupons. Go here to see it or get it. www.itunes.com/appstore/. What a great way to be on top of the list when a customer deceides that they need their house washed, deck, driveway or roof cleaned, or maybe even help with holiday light instalations (if you offer that) here is how to contact them http://www.valpak.com/advertise/index.jsp.
Also you do not have to be using the local Valpac blue envelope program to use the on line one. You can do them separatly or together.
Here's to you, your business and better marketing the digital way in the new year.
I spoke before about a company Bookfresh.com, and they just asked me to join their group on MerchantCircle.com. A business to business only site not unlike facebook.com and very close to Linkedin.com. Merchant Circle puts you in touch with other local business that might use your service or that could help you network to find new customers. Bookfresh is doing something like what I had mentioned in a previous blog about getting a virtual office to take calls and make appointments for you and your business.
They also use the social network feature of linking you into facebook that allows new customers to find you and book jobs right from thier facebook page. How cool it that. You do not even have to pay for the marketing to find these new customers, your freinds and their freinds on facebook does it all for you! And if you still have not made yourself a website like I have written about in other blogs, they have a simple single web page for you that you can customize or if you already have a web site (good for you) that you can link to, increasing your exposure for SEO.
Another great new thing that just came out late October is an 'app' to Valpak.com. Here is an article that tells about it. http://blog.kudzu.com/?p=1775. Many of you might already use or know about Valpak, a national company that sends out local coupon sheets in a blue envelope to homeowners in the zip codes you want to market too. Well they have recently added an on line version and are giving out this free app to link phones and hand helds to Valpack on line to instantly get their users coupons. Go here to see it or get it. www.itunes.com/appstore/. What a great way to be on top of the list when a customer deceides that they need their house washed, deck, driveway or roof cleaned, or maybe even help with holiday light instalations (if you offer that) here is how to contact them http://www.valpak.com/advertise/index.jsp.
Also you do not have to be using the local Valpac blue envelope program to use the on line one. You can do them separatly or together.
Here's to you, your business and better marketing the digital way in the new year.
Monday, November 9, 2009
How to forcast marketing, Tea leaves, crystal balls, or data?
This problem is one that I am working on here at Soap Warehouse and one that I am sure most of you have to deal with at least a few times a year if not monthly. Where do I spend the money I have on advertising? How to I figure out what is working and what new to try?
I read this short article yesterday that got me to thinking of a plan of action.
BUSINESS MARKETING: Tea leaves, crystal balls, or data?
Maybe it can help you as it hopefully will help us here at Soap Warehouse.
This along with a program I love FreeMind, these I hope will help keep our marketing fluid, impactful and as cost effective as possible.
With the FreeMind application I will enter in all the options we have found this year for marketing. I will put in all the dates (when I have to have work orders in or closing dates) and costs of all the opportunities we might want to try this year. Even if I doubt we will be able to afford a few of them. At least they will be on the radar as ideas to shoot for later.
Then as the year progresses and results are measured with each marketing program I will be able to see if something worked and we need to continue on this path, that will cause us to negate other programs, or if we will stop one method or avenue, leaving open the time and money to try another tack on our marketing course.
This way I can start out this year with a set budget but not a definite place where all the resources will go so that we can make changes during the year or even each month as things change.
I hope these can help you as well.
I read this short article yesterday that got me to thinking of a plan of action.
BUSINESS MARKETING: Tea leaves, crystal balls, or data?
Maybe it can help you as it hopefully will help us here at Soap Warehouse.
This along with a program I love FreeMind, these I hope will help keep our marketing fluid, impactful and as cost effective as possible.
With the FreeMind application I will enter in all the options we have found this year for marketing. I will put in all the dates (when I have to have work orders in or closing dates) and costs of all the opportunities we might want to try this year. Even if I doubt we will be able to afford a few of them. At least they will be on the radar as ideas to shoot for later.
Then as the year progresses and results are measured with each marketing program I will be able to see if something worked and we need to continue on this path, that will cause us to negate other programs, or if we will stop one method or avenue, leaving open the time and money to try another tack on our marketing course.
This way I can start out this year with a set budget but not a definite place where all the resources will go so that we can make changes during the year or even each month as things change.
I hope these can help you as well.
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