What do I do if I feel our business has failed?

Question

My husband owns a carpet cleaning cleaning business. He has been in business for over 20 years. I have a hard time convincing him to do some kind of advertising. He does not like debt, I can't blame him. But I feel that you need to go into some debt if you want to have your own business.
I have suggested hiring a flyer crew to put flyers out, but he does not want to worry about it and wants to do it himself, but I can't get him out of the house before 4:00 pm.
We have bills to pay. I offered to get a job, but he gets offensive and wants me to spend all my time with the business. I think about just getting one, but I had a job when I was 16 and 17. Somebody stole my ss card when I forgot my planner on the bus.
We have $30 left to our name, our account is $500 in the negitive. What should I do? I am not going to leave him. I think it is a stupid reason to leave.

We figured out that it takes $5500 every month with business expence and our bills and food every month before we can put anything away.

Should I be the one ready to walk out that door with the flyers?

We don't own a home, we are renting. We don't have any employees. We don't have any good credit.

Answer 1

People are generally careless and sloppy today, much more so than 20 years ago. Young men & women don't clean, and if they do.. they hire immigrants, who are MUCH more plentiful than 20 years ago. Hate to be obvious, but there's more Central Americans across the USA now, than ever before... even 5 years ago that cut into hubby's bizness. You HAD to advertise, and not simply to say "we do this" -- but to embarass or scare your market into NEEDING the service. Talk about carpet lice? dust ingesting by small children = asthma? What people bring into a home on their shoes?

Answer 2

Wow! That's really rough. Is there any other way you can cut expenses, i.e. can you work out of your garage instead of having an office? Do you own your home? You could use an equity loan to get you back in the black for a quick fix, and write off the interest on your taxes (until you turn things around). Do you have any employees you can lay off? If you do not, do some kind of marketing, i.e. flyers, coupons, partnerships, promotions, sponsorships, etc., how do you expect to get your name out there? You cannot rely on word-of-mouth or repeat business - you must get your name out there somehow. A famous PR/Marketing rep. expert once said, "there is no such thing as bad publicity." When things are rough it is time to put away pride and saddle up to do what it takes to get the job done. Is it possible to sell your client list to another cleaners or partner with them? Have you tried free advertising on www.craigslist.org? How about those paper things that go over hangers at the dry cleaners... or leaving flyers with 10% off coupons at the dry cleaners... or a local postage store (Postal Annex, Sir Speedy, Minuteman Press, UPS store) where people who would use your service might frequent. You can get the mail house/small print shop to make your flyers in exhange for leaving some on their counter for their customers and employees to utilize. A cheap solution to generate some interest.

Answer 3

You need to go to the SSA and check on your account NOW! Then get a job and do the company bookkeeping at night. In 20 years of business your husband or you should be able to go thru your old records and find anybody who hadn't had carpets cleaned within the last year and CALL them offering a Feb 10% discount. Call the carpet sales companies and offer them a 10% discount for their customers. And make sure you are charging enough for your work to offer discounts

Answer 4

I don't think flyers are a good idea. You can't mass market inexpensively and get a good return. You need to market directly to the people who will use your services. If you mass market with flyers, you won't know who gets them, how to follow up on leads and it is very expensive. You need to market to your target market.

You might want to start by contacting apartment complex owners (especially older apartment complexes) as there is usually a great need to clean their carpets, and there are lots of carpets to clean.

(Before you contact them, work up the basics of what you will say.)

I hope that helps a little bit. If you need more help, email me at [e-mail].

Answer 5

We need more wife's like you.

Good idea on the flyers, but He must LET u or use some of your advice for help.

I would do a flyer, let him change and approve it & go pass
them out girl.

other than that Pray that your husband will see you for the true help mate that you are.

Bless ya.
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