If you had clutter, would you respond to this letter?

Hey Tim...my opinion is that, most people who have "clutter"...don't know or even care...that they have "clutter"....unless they're "Virgos". And, I don't think people want anyone "messing with their stuff". IF your letter happens to grab their interest, the first thing that comes to their mind (imho) is, "I'm going to have to sort this stuff out myself anyway, so, why don't I just take it one extra step to the garbage can?'

You have 4 hours available from 8 till noon. Why not consider "Cleaning Parking Lots" of small strip malls, apartment complexes, bowling alleys, movie theatres, dept stores?

These people all have garbage and "clutter" in their parking lots that they'd like to have "outa there"!

1) Choose a certain section of your town that has some small strip malls, apartment complexes...etc

2) Look for a sign that gives the name of the leasing agent or property mgr....or you may have to call one of the tenants.

3) Phone them and tell them YOU would like to "give them an estimate of cleaning their parking lot.
You are doing what's known as "Introductory Calling"....where you simply are "introducing yourself and your service".
"Hello Mr_____ My name is Tim Thach. My business is "Cleaning Parking Lots". I specialize in providing daily or weekly parking lot litter cleanup to keep your property free from litter, debris and broken glass. I can provide you with daily or weekly service for less than you are paying now. Can I stop by and give you an estimate?"

Don't get discouraged if you get some "nos". YOU have a "Unique Service" to offer. One they may not have heard of before. There are "sweeping" services in most areas BUT, these are expensive and...they aren't done every day. Your service "should" be "Daily" to keep the cleanest appearance.

4) Meet with them...discuss their needs...look over the grounds and write up an "Estimate" based on Daily, Twice Weekly, 3 Times Weekly, once a week.

Stress the fact that your service is "Dedicated" to "Cleaning Parking Lots". Stress that a clean parking lot helps attract customers for their tenants.

Pricing: someone I know who's doing this now, charges $20 per day based on 5 days a week or $440 a month (22 visits/Mo) for Daily Service (He can service 3 properties an hour)....$360/Mo for 3 days per week ($30 per visit)... $300/Mo for 2 days per week...and $240/Mo for 1 day a week.

His "equipment" is simply a scoop shovel, broom, push broom, trash can and a special "Litter Catch" he made out of wire that holds a large plastic bag with a wide mouth that makes it easy to sweep the litter into.

Your available time is perfect for visiting new accounts and...doing the cleanup. As you get more jobs you can consider giving up your "regular job".

There are very few businesses that specialize in "Daily CleanUp" of Trash and Litter of Parking Lots. The "Sweeper" companies do BUT, they also charge plenty for their service...and...having a janitor or someone already on the payroll do this is NOT the best way for management to handle their Lot CleanUp.

I hope I've inspired you to look further into this. The guy I know who does this has 5 or 6 workers and he's making a BIG Chunk of cash every month.

Don Alm
Make Money providing MENUS to Restaurants
http://www.menubux.com

P.S. Also...re: "Mailing a Sales Letter to a Cold List" is a waste of time and money. I'd CALL first...tell what you do...give benefits to why they should consider your service....THEN....ask permission to either give an estimate or "Mail" them more information.

Since this Thread has come back from the Dead in one form or another...

Twist the Original idea from this thread Into a “Chatelling” Garage Sales business services and consulting Network...

Endless Opportunities & possibilities Simply by Studying, reading and Borrowing Smart ideas and Making them work...

Some Quick food for thought...

When you clean out, this crew cleans up
Two high school seniors are running a business that handles the nitty-gritty of Houston-area garage sales from start to finish
http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/...s/6754478.html
http://www.google.com/search?q=Grand...ient=firefox-a

Phil

[Dien Rice]

Originally Posted by Phil

Since this Thread has come back from the Dead in one form or another...

Twist the Original idea from this thread Into a “Chatelling” Garage Sales business services and consulting Network...

Endless Opportunities & possibilities Simply by Studying, reading and Borrowing Smart ideas and Making them work...

Some Quick food for thought...

When you clean out, this crew cleans up
Two high school seniors are running a business that handles the nitty-gritty of Houston-area garage sales from start to finish
http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/...s/6754478.html
http://www.google.com/search?q=Grand...ient=firefox-a

Hi Phil,

Thanks - great idea, and also great links too!

I love the article about the high school seniors who will handle everything about a garage sale for you, for $200 plus 30% of the takings... Of course, this is doable by anyone - not only high school seniors!

Another idea is a garage sale/yard sale book, on how to run a profitable garage sale/yard sale... The main problem I see with it is possibly with reaching those who would buy it. I think the idea would work especially if you can do a deal with various newspapers to regularly advertise your book in their garage sale classified section, for a percentage of the profits. Newspapers are hurting nowadays regarding profits, so more of them may be willing to do this kind of deal (especially if the book looks like it is an informative one - they won't do it if the book is "crap")...

There are a lot of newspapers around which advertise garage sales, so I'm sure some newspapers would be willing. You could mail out the book, so there's no need for the newspaper you're promoting in to be located in the same location where you live... You could conceivably have several newspapers in many places, all promoting your book... This could be quite big if you can do deals with enough newspapers...

Or even "license" the content of your book to each newspaper. Each newspaper-specific version of the book could promote advertising the garage sale in that newspaper, so the newspapers have even more incentive to promote it (since it could lead to more advertising revenue for them too)... Then each newspaper could handle orders, sales, and printing the book, and just pay you a licensing fee for the content...

You might be able to promote it in other places where garage sales are promoted too, like Craigslist and other similar websites... (Though you'd have to check their terms of service, etc., to make sure you don't violate them.)

By the way, here's a pretty interesting garage sale website...

http://www.yardsalequeen.com

Best wishes,

Dien