Have we ever thought, “can I run my business with a humanitarian thrust behind my concept?” I believe we can get our businesses launched and then we need to go back and take another look at what we have done and try and put a humanitarian aspect to what we are doing.

There are so many needs out there in the world that I believe that we can come up with some kind of service coupled with our business that will make a hugh difference to the people in our communities. It is then when we can say that we are launching a business with a concience.

I want to challenge you to think of ways that you could run your business that will make a diffence in the community or for that matter in the world in which you live. I would love to hear your thoughts on this issue and I would be more than happy to give you ideas on different ways that you can make this happen.

As an owner of one of the largest housecleaning service businesses in American, I have used my toilet cleaning business to reach out to women who are moms and single mothers who want to open their own housecleaning businesses and still be available to be home when their children return from school.

To me this is creating a business with a conscience. I am confident that you too can launch a business that makes a difference as well.

In times like these when businesses slow down, we need to rekindle that love in our hearts for our business and look at the dip in the economy as a time to trim the fat, regroup and come up with new and exciting creative ways to give your business a new face lift.  Instead of being stressed or worried, we need to embrase this time as a time when we need to get our inventory in order and reinvent a whole new way and outlook of running our businesses.

 I have found when clients are on the fence and deciding to renegotiate with us for doing more business with us, it is usuallly the little things we do for clients that means the most. 

Maybe sending some flowers, or giving an extra free bonus or something that you know would make a difference.  Even for the customers who are a little bit less desirable, it is at that time you need to turn up the customer service and also do something nice for them by giving them a better deal than what we anticipated for ourselves.  The reason for this type of good customer service when the economy is at a low,  is longevity for our businesses. Think about it in terms of running a marathon.  You have to pace yourself, and keep yourself consistent and most of all do not loose site of the goal of winning or even finishing the race you started.   Even at times when the economy is slow, it will be these memories that our clients will remember the most.  Because rest assured, if your business is feeling the pinch, so is your client.

So my encouragement forall of you is this.  Always have a positive attitude, have a lot of faith and trust that everything you have worked for will materialize in a positive way.  And most importantly, don’t loose your sense of humor and definitely don’t loose your smile. 

The thing I take to heart is that all of us who take on the challenges of running a business will all run into challenges not only in our businesses but also in our personal lives. It is normal and part of life on this planet as we know it.

There are days when the struggles in our lives cave in on us and we just want to give up. The good news is that as an entrepreneur, we all have something inside of us that just keeps us going. It is the drive to do better in life and continue on with that hope of free enterprise. In order to have the courage to step out there and take on the challenge to create, own and operate a business, that in itself proves that we all have the right stuff to make it through any difficulties that come upon us.

Owning your own business is the most fantastic gift we can give ourselves. It is through our struggles of building our businesses and the personal struggles that we go through in life , that produces the most courage,character and stamina which in return brings us the best results of becoming a sucessful entrepreneur, and an amazing human being. So my encouragement is for all of you to be the best you can be no matter what life throws your way. This will be the strong foundation that will not only build your business but also build your life.

I apologize for not blogging in the last several months, due to difficult situations in my life. I had to put all projects on hold. I am back now and have grown a lot and I am more focused and determined to run the best business ever, and to ensure that my housecleaning business will be a business with a purpose and a focus. It is amazing to think that a toilet cleaning business that has a great reputation in the Seattle area, has also been a business that launches low income single moms in their own housecleaning businesss and gives them the ability to have a piece of the rock, “The Great American Dream.” That is what running a business with a purpose when life around you is falling apart, is all about.

What I am trying to say, is that no matter what trials or tribulations you go through in your business or home life or any other situation that causes you grief; all we need to do is look around and look to others and see how we can serve those who have it worse than we do. It is a tremendous way of healing yourself, and also it is a very excellent way a building a strong base, and a great mission statement for your own business.

It is not enough to just build a business, however if you build a business with a purpose to help others, you would be surprised how much joy you will derive in your life, and how much happiness and enlightment you will bring to your soul.

Elaine Gordon Evans
owner of American Maid Service
www.elainegordonevans.com
www.elainesamericanmaid.com

Changing your mood is as easy as changing your mind. You have to decide to be happy and not let anything or anybody get you down. If you are not approaching your workday with a happy, positive attitude, it will consequently effect your business.

Positiveness and Happy faces with a smile is infectious. You be the one to change the people around you. You become the thermostate rather than the thermomitor.

I have found that when you smile in the face of adversary conditons, that is truly a great service industry formular for success.

Why not try it next time someone is unhappy with the service work you have done. Be pleasant, smile, and offer whatever sensible solutions that will remedy the situation.

Also, don’t forget to always smile for you and do something each day that is nice for youself. If you are not happy, it is really hard to convey that message of happiness to others.

Elaine Gordon Evans

www.elainegordonevans.com
www.elainesamericanmaid.com

Now that the holidays are swiftly approaching, and the demands are greatly put upon us, please always try and remember to take a moment and pause, breath, and smile…..

We have to remember in having a successful service business, one of the keys to keeping our joy, peace, and sanity through the holidays, is being in the moment. One of the things that really helps me when I am dealing with many people, timelines and a lot of tense customers, is to stop and visualize how to be calm and see everything coming together with a peaceful and happy scenario.

It is really a matter of just thinking how you would like to see everything work. Also, keep in mind to always have the right attitude no matter who is having a meltdown. It is also in your best interest to smile, and at the end of the day be sure to do something nice for yourself.

The first thing you need to understand is that the customer wants to feel that they gotten good service and secondly, they don’t want to feel that they aren’t getting their money’s worth. So when they start to complain, be a good listener and let them get it all out. Don’t take what they say personally and really listen to what they have to say.

In answering them, be soft, a soft answer calms their anger. That does’t mean that you still can’t keep your boundaries up while still being soft. If someone is irate and starts to use profanity, you can still say, “Excuse me, please don’t talk to me that way. I’m listening to what you have to say but you have no right to speak to me like that.” If you’ve done all you can to give them the best service you can and they hang up on you, call them back and see if you are able to talk to them. If you can’t get a hold of them be sure to leave a very polite voice message still offering to work with them to fix their problem. Remember, hold your ground but be nice and don’t ever retaliate in any way.

Often times when I’ve had a customer surprisingly angry over something minor, I stayed on the phone with them and continued to talk to them in a soft way. In many cases, it’s not just the small things that they were dissatisfied with, but there were usually other things going on in their life they were upset about and that exacerbates the situation. Nine out of ten times they, the client (without realizing it) will have the tendency to take out their frustrations on the service industry. That is why listening, really listening and understanding your clients is so critical. Once you’ve let them vent, you need to figure out a solution to their dissatisfaction. Offer to fix whatever they are unhappy with for free. It’s their choice whether they let you come back or not. You don’t necessarily have to give a refund.

In our next blog we will discuss how contrary to popular opinion, the customer is not always right. Dealing with unhappy customers is one of the most difficult aspects of running a service industry business. If you have any questions or experiences you would like to talk about don’t hesitate to email me.

That’s all for now, be sure to go and do something good for yourself!

Elaine

Word of mouth is a great free way of marketing yourself but if you want to grow your business, you are going to have to reach more people.

A great introductory marketing tool is putting up flyers. You can often save money by printing copies of your flyer at your local library or at business centers like The UPS store or Kinko’s rather than printing them out all on your printer at home.

Now get out there and put up your flyers starting with your own neighborhood. A lot of grocery stores and other businesses often have community bulletin boards where you can put up flyers as well.

Another great and inexpensive marketing tool is putting a little ad in the classifieds section of your little local newspaper. Advertising in the classifieds section usually doesn’t cost much and many people prefer to use an independent, mom and pop type service business right in their own neighborhood.

So don’t be afraid to look like a small business and advertise using your first name. Between word of mouth, flyers, and a classified ad, you may find you have enough work to keep you busy.

Of course the very best marketing tool you have is happy, satisfied customers who are willing to act as references and give you referrals. 

Well that’s all for now, be sure to go do something good for yourself!

I started my first maid service while I was just a nineteen year old a single mom on welfare in Florida and subsequently, I was able to get off welfare and grow my business to be one of the largest maid services in South Florida.

Years later, I was able to start from scratch again, this time I was homeless with five kids and my youngest was a newborn.

So where do you begin? First of all, decide what kind of service business you want to start. To do that you have to figure out what you like, what you are good at, and what you think you can be successful in.

Next, get yourself a sole proprietor business license from your state’s Department of Licensing. Those usually cost around twenty dollars. I recommend that you use your name as your business name because then you have the flexibility to do whatever kind of business you want and even change what services you offer without having to change your business name. You can always “do business as” another more specific name.

Then you will need to test the market and see if there’s a need. Of course if you are going to start talking to people about offering them a service, you need to be ready with prices so figure out what you are going to charge first.

Call up other businesses offering the same service and find out what they are charging. I recommend that you undercut the market a little bit just to get started, then, once you are established you can raise your rates up to current market prices.

Now you are ready to ask your friends, family, and people in your area, if they have a need for this service. Word of mouth is one of the best methods of marketing your new business and it’s free!

So there you have it, you are off and running. For the cost of a business license and whatever supplies you need to provide your service, you have yourself a business. Next post we will discuss marketing your business on a shoestring budget.

That’s all for now, remember to go do something good for yourself today!

Elaine

Of course a lot of this advice will be helpful no matter what sort of business you’re in, service industry or not. I want to be sure to cover the topics that concern you most, so please send me any questions you may have, and I will be happy to answer your questions in my future blog postings.

To learn a little bit more about me and my experiences, please see the about me page or visit my website at www.elainesamericanmaid.com and read about how I went from being a single mom on welfare and at one point homeless, to becoming a successful entrepreneur.

But for now, a few of the most important points I want you to leave you with are: that running a service business requires perseverance and humility, but, if you have the ability to serve, you have the ability to lead.

That’s all for now, be sure to visit here often and ask me any questions you have about myself or the service industry. Now go out do something good for yourself!

Elaine