ScrubPro News Articles

System Crashed on Cruise Signups but We Are Back Open

2011-12-06T17:45:00.000-08:00

Eeek, this is the emails I began to get a few minutes after the launch.

Renee,
I registered, but it just shut down….

Thankfully I went on the sign up system and got it corrected pretty darn quick. There are still lots of bonus gifts up for grabs. I believe we have a few of the FREE Audio sets, free wine tastings and more. REGISTRATION IS OPEN AGAIN.

https://events.r20.constantcontact.com/register/eventReg?llr=rpb7nniab&oeidk=a07e5a3a5uf61243489

You guys are doing perfect!!!!

Book Now http://www.smartwomenmaidrich.com/events/

Registration is NOW OPEN for the Cruise Conference

2011-12-06T17:00:00.000-08:00

REGISTRATION IS NOW OPEN!

https://events.r20.constantcontact.com/register/eventReg?llr=rpb7nniab&oeidk=a07e5a3a5uf61243489

Book Now http://www.smartwomenmaidrich.com/events/

Listen to Cruise Launch Updates Now

2011-12-06T16:05:00.000-08:00

All your questions will be answered. Listen to this quick audio and get ready to sign up for the cruise tonight at

8:00 pm Eastern
7:00 pm Central
6:00 pm Mountain
5:00 pm Pacific

Booking Information http://www.smartwomenmaidrich.com/events/

2012 Cruise Questions & Answers

2011-12-06T15:29:00.000-08:00

Q: What if I don't know who I will room with? I am not sure if I am bringing my spouse, etc.?

A: Just sign up tonight for yourself and add any extras later. If you decide you will travel alone, but want a roommate, then we can add that person later too.

Q: Can I bring my kids?

A: Yes, there is a kids club, and super deals on a 3rd and 4th person in your room.

Q: Do I have to be a Smart Women Maid Rich Club Member to come on the cruise?

A: No. If you are you get some nice discounts, but everyone is welcome to come and learn.

Q: What about men, can we come?

A: Yes. Although this is a Women's Conference on Professional Skills, there is much to be learned by all, and we want you there.

Q: What are the topics covered in the Cruise Conference?

A: Check out our awesome schedule http://www.smartwomenmaidrich.com/events/schedule.html.

Q: What do early registrants get?

A: Learn about our doorbuster giveaways of $5000 worth of Renee And Debbie's most popular products (see website for specific products and details), 90 Minute Private "Double Your Success" Sessions with Debbie and Renee, Complete Conference Audio Home Study Course, Private Wine Tasting, Swim with the Dolphins excursion and tons more at http://www.smartwomenmaidrich.com/events/schedule.html

Q: What if I can't sign up at the launch?

A: As long as there is space left you can still sign up. We do expect the cruise to SELL OUT.

Q: Do I have to pay for the whole Conference tonight?

A: NO. You only put $250 down to hold your spot and then we have payment plans to make things easy.

Q. If I register tonight, how much of my $250 deposit is refunable?

A: The entire $250 deposit is used to secure your spot (which may knocking someone else out), so it is 100% non-refundable. However as you make payments there is a generous cancellation policy for receiving some of your money back if you have an emergency.

Q: What time does registration open?

A: TONIGHT Tuesday, December 6 8:00 pm Eastern, 7:00 pm Central, 6:00 pm Mountain, 5:00 Pacific

Booking Information http://www.smartwomenmaidrich.com/events/

What Happened Behind Closed Doors on the 2010 Cruise?

2011-11-30T19:17:00.000-08:00

What Happened Behind Closed Doors on the 2010 Cruise?
Check out this never before seen video to see what kind of experience could drastically change your business in 2012.

Smart Women Maid Rich Cruise 2010

Educational Content

2012 Booking Information http://www.smartwomenmaidrich.com/events/

Smart Women Maid Rich Women's Professional Skills Conference

2011-11-30T15:02:00.000-08:00

Turks and Caicos & Bahamas Cruise May 14 - 19, 2012

The Big Announcement
Thanksgiving is over and you think you missed out on the biggest shopping events of the year? No way...THE BEST EVENT OF THE YEAR IS STILL TO COME. We (Renee O'Brien and Debbie Sardone) are so excited to announce the Smart Women Maid Rich Women's Professional Skills Conference onboard Turks and Caicos & Bahamas Cruise May 14 - 19, 2012!! Booking starts next week!

You may have heard what an incredible business changing CRUISE CONFERENCE event Debbie and myself put on in 2010 through our exclusive Smart Women Maid Rich Club. Everyone has been beating down the door to see all of the details and how they can get in on the 2012 cruise, so they do not miss out. THIS EVENT WILL SELL OUT.

EARLY BIRD INFORMATION NOW AVAILABLE,

http://www.smartwomenmaidrich.com/events/ . Find out early all of the details on

* Powerful Topics, schedule posted now!
* Amazing Takeaways
* Sneak Peeks Video into Last Year's Cruise ConferenceAmazing Doorbuster Giveaways for the earliest registrants.
* Jam Packed 24 hours a day connection, entertainment and business jump starts
* Top industry consultants together, at your fingertips

Your Business Could Use a Kick Start

It's time for you to be Focused, Inspired, Rejuvenated and ready to Kick Some Business Bootie!

You Are Invited to Celebrate!
Our Smart Women Maid Rich Club members have made some amazing achievements this year and it is time to celebrate. $40,000 contracts, business sales, accomplishing the systems that they have always dreamed they would have, free publicity, unique marketing strategies and tons more. We want to party BIG! Everyone should share in the celebration...Club members, Smart Women Maid Rich Cruise Alumni, and Cleaning Business Owners who believe in the power of constantly learning and inspiration.

Set Your Alarm: Tuesday, December 6th 8:00 pm EST
We have phenomenal Doorbuster FREE GIFTS for our first few registrants, including a $5000 value package for the very first person to book. So you are going to want to be first. See our website for details on these amazing Doorbuster gifts and more.

*$5000 worth of Renee And Debbie's most popular products (see website for specific products and details)
*90 Minute Private "Double Your Success" Sessions with Debbie and Renee
*Complete Conference Audio Home Study Course
*Private Wine Tasting
*Swim with the Dolphins excursion

Don't Worry, Be Happy
Even if you don't know exactly the configuration that you want you can sign up for your $250 deposit and work out the details later. The deposit is non-refundable but you can upgrade, add people, decide how to pay and make changes in the coming months after you have initially held your spot.

* Monthly Payments available
* Roommate List
* Upgrade Your Room Anytime
* Add Spouses, Kids and anyone else at Discount Rates
* Dedicated Travel Agent to Help Work Out your Details

EARLY BIRD INFORMATION NOW AVAILABLE, http://www.smartwomenmaidrich.com/events/

Black Friday...Small Business Saturday: An Offer They Can't Refuse

2011-11-16T17:54:00.000-08:00

We all know about Black Friday, the day after Thanksgiving when sales are abundant and Americana as a whole flocks to the stores to kick off the holiday gift giving season. But do you know what to do for Small Business Saturday? And even more important, do you know what to do as a small business owner?

This year Small Business Saturday will be widely publicized and recognized on Saturday, November 26th. In a nutshell, Small Business Saturday is an event created and endorsed by American Express aimed at benefiting both shoppers and small businesses, to encourage people to shop local and small...a recent trend with consumers. And on a larger scale, it's an effort to remind people to fuel the economy.

It offers holiday shoppers a chance to get a $25 credit on their statement when they use their American Express Card at a small business on Saturday, November 26th. The shopper can apply for a card in order to get this benefit, or they can register their current card by going to the American Express Small Business Saturday page at Facebook.com, found at http://www.facebook.com/SmallBusinessSaturday (you don't need to have a Facebook page to use this). This is important because it is the shopper that needs to register. How will the shopper know they need to register? Well, that's where you can help by providing you with all the information and tools for getting the word out.

Small Business Saturday is a chance to align yourself with a well-known brand, and get some free benefits such as $100 value of Facebook advertising discounts, FREE signage to put in your storefront, e-marketing materials tools, and and how to guides on setting up Facebook page or Youtube video to benefit your business.

Basically, it is a marketing campaign put right into your hands, and all you have to do is start using it.So what's the fine print? Well, not surprising, your business needs to accept the American Express Card to qualify. Fair enough. That being said, all of the tools and guides that the campaign steers you towards are ones that a small business owner would be wise to employ anyhow and will no doubt prove useful in the future.

What's that...Thanksgiving is next week and you are too busy to do all this? Then do what you do have time for. Notify your cusotmers of YOUR great Post Thanksgiving promotion with a quick 6 sentence email blast to your customers, a "Like" from your Facebook business page, of a "Tweet" to let people know you are participating.

In fact, take a few minutes today to start reaching out to your customers and friends to spread the word. Free campaigns like these don't come along every day.

HELP! A Small Business Financial Class is on its Way!

2011-11-16T14:00:00.000-08:00

Calling all Business Owners - Design your own Financial Advice!

For years I have been hearing from my clients that they would appreciate some tools or guides to help them in their finances. Here is your chance to create your own financial tools wish list. I have a client who is an accountant who is creating this very thing and wants input on what the small business owner needs to stay on task with profitability, organization, financial planning and responsibilities.

Now's your chance to tell the financial world how they can help you best. Maybe you want to know things like
"What numbers should I be watching?"
"How can I stay best organized?"
"How do I hire a bookkeeper?"
"How can I be sure that I am doing everything right?"
"What to do with my tax mess?"

AND whatever else you are interested in. These are the questions I have been hearing from you forever, and now is your chance to design a product to give you quick, easy and affordable answers.

Click through to the link below to let us to your wish list. In fact, we value your opinion so much that we offer the final product to you when it becomes available at a SIGNIFICANT discount in "thanks" for you giving us your input.

Financial Questions Every Small Business Owner Wants to Know the Answers to

I Am Sick of This Business – I Want Out NOW!

2011-08-11T17:14:00.000-07:00

By Renee O’Brien

“I am sick of this business – I want out NOW!” Ever been there? Maybe you have had a frustrating day, or maybe 40 frustrating days in a row, and you are just fed up and want to sell your business right now! Most business owners get to this point at least one time in their ownership career. And the good news is that it is often a turning point for your business. I have found that many people will not change anything in their life unless there is enough pain, and so your “fed up” feeling is just the energy you need to bring about some change. The question is “do you really want to sell or are your emotions hijacking your brain?” Here is your action plan…

Decision-Freeze
Don’t do anything for at least 72 hours. You can research but do not act on anything. You need time to really think through if selling your business is the best thing for you right now. You may be frustrated at the moment, but you have spent years building a potentially large nest egg (cleaning businesses can sell for 6 or 7 figure price tags), and this is not the time to sabotage your chances at a really great payday.

Get Fixin’
Often times the feeling to sell is strongest when we have just experienced a problem like an extremely critical customer, a serious financial blow that looks like no way out, a partnership blowup, a financial report that reveals the ugly truth that your hard work has not been paying off, or some other last straw trouble. The mirage is that I’ll sell now and all my troubles will be washed away. And, the reality is that selling may solve a lot of problems, but if you want to get a respectable sum for your business you are going to have to solve the pressing problem that drove you to this point. Find a solution, and then you can tackle selling the business.

8 Critical Questions
Before pulling the trigger on selling your business, ask yourself these critical questions and do some soul searching. This is probably the biggest sale of your life thus far, and you don’t want to blow it.

• Do I really want to leave?
• Can I deal with low-ball offers?
• Am I ready for someone else to be prancing around town in my business name doing things “their way”?
• Do I really want out NOW for Fire Sale Prices, or can I spend a few months fine tuning to get top dollar?
• Buyers are looking for turn-key operations, what will I need to do to get my business to that stage?
• If the last 6 months had gone differently would I still want to leave now?
• If I had different personnel would I still want to sell now?
• If I was released from all of my current obstacles would I want to sell now?

The Tipping Point
After your soul searching, if you are ready to move forward then proceed with gusto. Get informed and take action to get the best money that you can for your business. If you have decided that now is not the time, but maybe sometime in the future, get busy working on your business anyway. If you build your business to sell, you may find yourself with a much better business that delivers the profits and perks that you desire.

Flip This Business!

2011-08-11T16:58:00.000-07:00

By Sharon Cowan, CBSE

We’ve all heard of the popular investment strategy used in the real estate industry that was so popular during the housing “gold rush” of a few years back. It was called: house flipping. An investor would purchase a home at a good price, rehab it, put it back on the market and sell it for a handsome profit. Great strategy while it lasted. People all over the country were making a killing doing this. The timing and other conditions had to be right or the plan would go bust. But the careful investor knew what to look for, which houses to buy, which could be easily renovated and which to walk away from.

That’s basically what I did when I purchased my cleaning business in the late 80’s. I had come from Corporate America and knew that a service business I could grow would be something viable that I could get excited about. I researched and read about different kinds of businesses for months. I investigated franchise opportunities and mom and pops. I thought about starting from scratch. After much soul searching and more research, I discovered that for me, purchasing a business at a good price and growing it with the purpose of “flipping it” for a handsome profit was going to be my business dream.

Now came the task of finding the right business. One that wasn’t on the verge of bankruptcy or closing its doors was necessary. One that was doing so well that it wasn’t good deal was not in the cards either. So I sought the perfect business to buy. It needed to have a decent name and reputation, owners ready to move on and a viable income from day one. If not a great income at the beginning, at least the potential for greatness was a requirement.

Quite by accident, I learned about the desire of the owners of the cleaning company I used to sell their business. After many discussions and back and forth conversations, number crunching I was able to make the purchase (for 1/3 of the original asking price by the way).

My goal was to take my new little company to great heights, build staff, reputation, expand, make my mark, sell it for a profit and move on. I planned on this being at least a 15 year process. I put together a sketchy plan which changed throughout the years and forged ahead.

After a settling in period of less than a year, I began making gradual changes. My goal was to change from the philosophy of the previous owner which was “well, making a little on a job is better than nothing” to I need to make a certain profit margin on every job. So, I raised prices, lost some customers but the new ones were more profitable. I replaced some of the staff and hired additional people. I also changed the name of the company to better reflect my vision and image.

I redirected the target market to better enable the more rapid growth I wanted. Throughout this time, I learned the industry inside and out. I read and studied, attended everything I could afford to all with my vision of a profitable sale and the end of the rainbow.

One of the more important tasks was to systematize and streamline the operation of the business so that it would be a turnkey for someone looking to buy. I put processes into place for every operation and tested and retested those processes. I found new ways to do things and easier methods all with the goal of the future sale for profit. Everything I did moved me closer to my goal. I had financial goals to attain and I reached those earlier than expected so I just raised the goals to the next level.

Throughout the process, there was never a time that I didn’t think I would be selling my business and work toward that goal. There were times when I was ready to sell it earlier than planned, but I hadn’t achieved all I wanted so I kept going. Like the time when an employee cleaning a local community office accessed the computers during a cleaning and switched out all the hard drives. When this office turned on its computers Monday morning, another company’s information popped up. It just so happened that I served on the Board of Directors for this customer. That was a day I was ready to sell for sure.

Finally I was ready and listed the business with a broker. He was not successful bringing a buyer but one found be me while he was in search of a job. A deal was struck and closed. The price I received for my business was more than I dreamed I could get.

Here’s the secret: All owners will leave their businesses at some point whether they sell, retire, close the business or pass it on to family. At a point down the road, ownership will change by desire or by situations out of your control. The most important steps you can take today are the ones that prepare for that exit from your business. Every system, every process, every good will effort will count toward that eventual day. Your business is one of your greatest assets and unfortunately too many owners don’t treat it with the respect it deserves. No matter where you are in your business today or what plans you have for the future, putting into place the procedures and systems to build value will give you untold returns. It’s never too late to get started.

Critical Lessons Google Plus Has Already Learned

2011-08-09T17:16:00.000-07:00

Launched about 3 short weeks ago and only accepting a handful of invited guest users, Google Plus (often written as Google+) is already creating quite a buzz. Akin to the voiceover you hear at the beginning of the old superman shows we hear people asking "Is it a blog?", "Is it a social media site?" No, it's Google Plus!" but we still really don't know what that means. And maybe we don't really care what it is, unless of course, our businesses need to know. And so is the life of online marketing.

Coined as "real life sharing, rethought for the web" and with the ideal of letting us all share the right stuff with the right people, Google Plus makes an effort to roll it all into one thing, yet gives us more control. Let's face it, we all know managing multiple social media networking sites takes work and lots of time. You may have a Twitter account for your family, a FB account for your customers and business announcements and yet a LinkedIn account for your business colleagues. And if you are only using of one site or two you always run the risk of overlapping messages to say your customers and your mother, which is usually not a good thing. Among a few other bells and whistles, Google Plus aims to solve this for you.

But we can delve into all the nuances of its features later. After all, right now it has only been rolled out to a select few, and the business sites are yet to come. In fact, one of the Google bigwigs recently announced that all businesses should wait and use the business-friendly accounts when they are launched, and not try to rework one of the standard accounts.

There are plenty of things we can learn from Google now, even though we can't yet use Google Plus. The company basically put its all into this new development and companies like Google don't put their company on the line without doing some serious homework. Here five lessons that they have already learned, and what we all should know too.

1) Relationships count. Yes, yes, we all know this, but Google ventures to bet its company on this concept. "The internet is nothing but software fabric that connects the interactions of human beings," Gundotra, the main driver in the Google Plus project told Wired Magazine.

2) Breakdown your target markets. It's likely that your business already knows its target market, but do you know how your target market breaks down? Take a close look at your customer base. Whether you are looking at them in terms of reoccurring customers vs move-in customers or looking at them in terms of income bracket, they fall into groupings. Google says this is true you in terms of all the people you connect with, and it encourages us to connect with them using a different style based on who they are.

3) Embrace your team in a vision. This isn't marketing at all, it's good 'ol employee management. When the Team Leader of Google Plus set out on this huge project, the code name of the project was "Emerald Sea." Instead of just telling his employees about how the project related, he put it in front of their faces. A huge mural of the an 1878 painting entitled "Emerald Sea" was painting in the reception area of Google, so that as they walked into the office each morning, the Google Plus team was reminded, visually, of why they were there. How are you reminding your team of their purpose at work?

4) Mobile is important. This is a topic we will cover in more depth in future newsletters. The searching and shopping habits of people using mobile devices is changing rapidly. Being aware of and responsive to these trends should be a marketing priority to all small businesses, and especially small services business.

5) Learn from customer feedback. It has been said time and time again but it warrants repeating, Google hasn't fully launched its latest, customer-focused product in full swing yet because it wants to get as much information as possible from those who are trying it out. And when it gets it, it will make changes as its product grows and develops. Even on a smaller scale, your business can do the same: collect feedback, listen, and adjust as you grow.

So take comfort in knowing that the lessons that even mammoth Google are learning are lessons you can implement too. For more tips and answers on how to integrate these important techniques into your business, stay tuned for an all-in-one marketing product I am launching that pulls together the latest marketing trends across the board and gives them to you in easy-to-understand, bite-sized pieces that you can absorb and use immediately!

Smart Moves in Today's Economy

2011-08-09T17:14:00.000-07:00

What a rollercoaster of weeks for our economy! With the national debt debacle and the volatility of the stock market, the nerves of many of us are on edge. Yet if you take a step back you can see it's not all bad: the US dollar is up, oil prices are down, the job report recently released was better than expected, and interest rates remain low, which means no inflation for now. So what to do as a small business owner in the midst of all of it? Here are a few tips on keeping your boat steady amid the economic winds.

Stay calm. Don't panic. During these times keep a clear head, and do not act out of fear. The media will always be full of stories of drama because that is what makes the news. Recognize that there are many economic indicators and not just what is making that day's headlines.

Stay the course. That is not to say that you can control how your customers will react. But you can control the way your business runs, maintaining ongoing, positive contact with your customers, and continuing to provide consistent quality service that they value.

Market as smart as possible. Do not cut your marketing budget, but instead make it targeted. We learned that from the great recession because the companies that followed that strategy did the best. Make every marketing dollar count, and have an efficient strategy that is in line with your goals.

Do more. I feel this latest cycle will blow through as quickly as it came, but to cover your rear end do more. Grab an extra hour every day for a few weeks to market more, get more organized, hire more and get more productive action going in your company. It may be overkill, but that is ok.

Behind the Scenes Glimpse of Why the Smart Women Maid Rich Cruise was Business Changing, And Why People Are Clamoring For The Next Voyage

2011-03-01T13:55:00.000-08:00

It was 4-business impacting days, some fantastic women, 5 extraordinary VIPS, inspiring special guests, exclusive image building tools, and a never before seen team-up of popular speakers Renee O’Brien and Debbie Sardone. Combine that with exotic ports of call, lively connection with like-minded ladies, nightlife, dancing and tons of fun, and you have the May 2010 Smart Women Maid Rich conference held on magnificent Carnival cruise ship Destiny.

You may know the basic facts, but what really happened behind the scenes at the conference? Well, you can see some must-see video from the boat, and some chats with some of the attendees by clicking on the video.

For me, I had an all around blast, but also there were some real highlights that stood out that I would like to share...

First, I have to say I was so surprised at how moved and inspired I was with the VIPs. We selected five women cleaning business owners to speak as VIPs, that all were selected to show a different side of “success” of women leaders, and WOW were they powerful! I mean the room was laughing, crying, and truly moved by the personal stories of Cindi Bermudez of Maid to Clean in Washington DC (previously featured in publications like Washington Post, Bethesda Magazine, and more), Liz Trotter of My American Maid in Washington state (fantastic business and I think the most creative mind in the cleaning business!), Deanna Hains of Zen Home Cleaning in 2 locations New York and San Francisco (previously featured in over 10 major publications including, the Wall Street Journal, Daily Candy, and the Sundance channel), Lanette Richmond of Life Maid Easy in Arizona (award winning and a master at reinventing her business to adapt to a changing environment), and Carrie Kiser of Champagne Services in Virginia (award winning and one of the first trail blazers in the organization, connection and training of professional cleaning businesses; and a shining example of building a family owned business through adversity, and building a balanced life). Their stories were amazingly mindset changing. Also, these ladies were a ton of fun! The wine tasting event was a hoot, with maybe a little too much tasting on my part. Thank you!!!!

If that was not enough, we were super lucky to have special guest speaker Sharon Cowan, CBSE a 27 year veteran of the janitorial industry who owned and sold a successful commercial and residential cleaning company grossing millions. Sharon is a true woman-owned pioneer buying a cleaning business for pennies and building it into the millions, in primarily the commercial cleaning market. At the conference she shared her vision, and some real big picture planning tools. What I find with Sharon is that she thinks big…often the most silent in a room, but then thought-provoking words of wisdom that give you a new perspective are shared that makes you go “hmmm…I never thought of it that way.” Experts say that if you want to be successful then surround yourself with successful people, and feel very lucky to have Sharon Cowan in my circle of peeps. I can’t help but come up with good ideas around her, and be moved to go and do them!

And of course, another huge takeaway for me was the material and energy that Debbie and I built working on this project for more than a year. We were both very passionate about really capturing the material and an experience that would change businesses. We were both insistent that we cover never-presented-before professional skills topics that truly make the difference between success and failure of woman owned businesses. The amount that we wanted to cover was far more than what we could pull off in a 4 day conference so we battled, and fought for our topics until we arrived on the schedule that we did…and we couldn’t have been happier with the result. I’m just so proud that the topics were just what we wanted: “Extraordinary Success”, “Leadership Part 1”, “Taking Charge – Leadership Part 2”, “Self-Assured and Sensational”, “Show Me the Money”, “Fearless Sales Skills”, “Time Management”, “Having it All”, Debbie’s personal story, Renee’s personal story and tons more.

I find that the most memorable moments in anything are always in the mistakes and mishaps. You should have seen the look on Debbie and my face when we arrived on the boat to find that our carefully every-detailed-planned event was about to experience a mishap, and they have mistakenly moved our sessions to be held in a cocktail lounge. Eeek. I mean picture this…a black walled, mirror covered room with 12 inch across round tables bolted to the floor room that surrounded a piano bar. I personally watch grey hairs grow out of our heads. We did some fast talking and bargained our way into the not-yet-available conference room with a stunning view. We can laugh now, but our hearts both skipped a beat.

Everyone wanted to know “what’s next?”, “how can we keep the vibe going?”, and of course “when is the next cruise?” The answers to all of those questions is here. We are announcing that we are starting the Smart Women Maid Rich Club, which will keep the energy and action going all year!! And there will be another cruise (registration will be discounted or free to club members; see site for details)!!! For both opportunities space will be limited…and in the club’s case, space is limited to one business per state (nearly half of the states are already locked up now), so get involved quickly if you want to participate www.SmartWomenMaidRich.com .

“How Successful Women Think” Second Chance at a FREE Sneak Peek

2011-03-01T13:54:00.000-08:00

This is the second and final opportunity to catch a sneak peek tele-workshop for the Smart Women Maid Rich this Wednesday, March 2^nd at 5:00 pm Eastern time. Debbie Sardone will be presenting this session on “How Successful Women Think”. Pull back the curtain and your thinking on track to make this an amazing year in your career. Register now for FREE for this seminar that is sure to be full of surprises. Space is limited.

Websites That Click - 10 Tips to Making Every Click Pay Off

2011-03-01T13:12:00.000-08:00

SEO, PPC, RSS - is it just me or do we all need a translator these days to promote our websites? Have no fear. This newsletter offers Pay per Click tips that will address some of your burning online marketing questions.

1. Know the big players. Ever wondered which search engines get the most traffic? Well according to Hitwise research conducted in August of 2010, the traffic percentages were broken down as follows: Google 71.59%Yahoo 14.28%MSN 9.87%Ask 2.28% All other search engines 1%There are basically 3 major Pay per Click campaign locations: Google, MSN and Yahoo! Each has a network of engines that your ads will appear on if you choose. To get an idea of each go to their homepages and look for the words "Advertising Programs", "Search Ads", or "Advertise."

2. Do some research and look at a keyword estimator. One website that I recommend that you look into for this is http://freekeywords.wordtracker.com a free keyword suggestion tool. If you type in a word it will give you the top-ranking related keywords.

3. Watch those restrictions. Google restrictions will keep you from using superlative words like "best" and "#1". Review the guidelines on any search engine you use to avoid having your ad paused.

4. Understand how your money is spent. You can set a budget for the day, for a certain campaign, or for an ad group. One of your keywords may cost $4.00 per click and another $.50, you can get a lot more $.50 customers than $4.00 ones.

5. Aim for 3rd or 4th Place. You don't necessarily want to be in position #1 because that may break the bank. Try position 3 or 4 for more bang for your buck. Your ad will still be visible, but cost you much less.

6. Track your campaigns. The competition changes frequently so you need to check your campaigns often and adjust them as your competition does.

7. Test, test, test. Use the ad variations feature to test different copy on different ads. You will find that your potential customers will click through on some ad headlines more than others. The only way to figure out which ones work best is to test them out and track the progress.

8. Don't stress over the minutia. Yes some of your clicks will be wasted on your competitors clicking on your ads, or people who didn't mean to click or people who are looking to start their own business. But, that happens in any form of advertising, its just that in this type you are able to view things on such a small level that you needlessly worry about it. Just write it off in your mind as "the cost of doing business" and work on growing your business.

9. Plan with a results-oriented budget. Online advertising is replacing yellow page advertising, and yeah because you have more choices and control over your spending. So when considering your budget, be sure to think in terms of how much profit on an annual basis does one new customer bring me. I use the number of $625 for an efficient cleaning service. That means for a $625/month ad campaign you need to only get one good recurring customer from that month to pay for the ad.

10. Skip the learning curve and outsource. Don't speak much "online ad" lingo and can't imagine the headache of navigating yet one more program? Hire someone like us to do it for you for a very minimal cost. We know the tricks (and the treats).

Money Magazine Seeks Mom and Pop Busines for FREE Makeover

2011-02-23T09:39:00.000-08:00

Want a free business makeover and a little publicity? CNN Money is in search of a "Mom and Pop" business that has both spouses working in the business and has revenues over $100K a year to profile and makeover for an article. The requirements state that they would "prefer" one with no employees, but I noticed they did not say "require". Check it out and see if it is something you might be interested in.

Double Your Cleaning Business Formula

2011-02-18T20:49:00.000-08:00

Recently I did a SOLD OUT conference on how to double your cleaning business revenues in just 5 easy steps. We had more interest than room for attendees, so if you missed the call or want to hear it again please click on the audio button below.

The Tele-seminar was given as a sneak peek for the Smart Women Maid Rich Club, from Renee O'Brien and Debbie Sardone. Enjoy. And, if you want more great content like this month after month go to www.SmartWomenMaidRich.com and lock out your state.

Cleaning Business Q&A

2011-02-16T10:29:00.000-08:00

Question: Do I Have to Reimburse 51 Cents Per Mile for Mileage for My Staff Driving Their Own Vehicles? I am a company in California and an employee told me the other day that the $.25/mile we were paying them was against the law and I have to pay the $.51/mile that the IRS states on their website http://www.irs.gov/.

Answer: First let me say I am not an attorney so you should get your own legal advice on these issues that are relevant for your business in your state. A few things come to mind...

(1) Your employee is correct that that the federal government does has the legal allowable reimbursement amount set for 2011 at $.51/mile...your employee is not a federal employee. They work for you. And to my knowledge there is no federal law that requires that you pay that reimbursement amount, only the IRS states that if you reimburse higher than that rate then the employee may be subject to income tax on the amount exceeding the allowable reimbursement. To my understanding your company policy is what determines what you have to pay.

(2) You want to be sure that your reimbursement amount is fair and well explained to your staff. The amount should amply cover gas costs with a little extra for wear and tear, oil and insurance. Many companies in the industry pay somewhere between $.20 and $.51/mile.

(3) Now I noticed you are in California which does generally have some extra labor hoops than other states may have so I did a little poking around and found that there seems to be a California state law that says that you should reimburse your staff for actual expenses. So, you first want to check your state's labor laws for the exact requirement, and then you may want to do some calculations and documentation to be sure that you can prove that you meet that requirement if the question comes up again. Definitely get your own legal advice on this issue so you are comfortable. California Labor Laws http://www.dir.ca.gov/dlse/DLSE-FAQs.htm . More information specifically on Travel Time and Travel Expense reimbursement http://www.dir.ca.gov/dlse/wages.pdf .

(4) Look up your state laws and do your best to comply with your regulations, be fair to your staff members and consult legal advice for a quick once over of your policies and you will have the confidence to move forward.

Question: I have not done a price increase since spring of 2008 due to the economy, and I need to do one since my Worker's Compensation, Unemployment insurance and gas reimbursements have recently gone up. Do you think a price increase will be possible this year?

Answer: Yes, I do think that a price increase could be possible this year, depending on a few things. Price increases have successfully begun to occur for some of my clients starting about 6 months ago after the recession imposed moratorium on that sort of thing. It's not that it was not possible before, but may have been a little risky. If after checking your competitor's prices and the quality of results that your teams are producing in the field, you feel that it is time for you service to increase, then with careful handling it probably can. A recent poll showed that this is likely to be a rising year for prices. Food costs are expected to rise 6%, clothing 10% and gasoline 13% or more. With this in mind a couple things to consider

(1) Consumers have less to go around, so you better be worth the money, the amount of the increase should be fair and justifiable and you should handle the price increase very carefully.

(2) Increases in prices like this survey indicates mean that inflation across the board has a chance of sneaking its head into the economy where it has not been for a long time. That means you may have more expense hikes coming your way this year then you can see now. Calculate carefully how much your price increase should be since you will likely have one shot at getting it right and then have to wait another 12 months before another across the board adjustment would be accepted by your clients.

(3) Of course you can do this on your own, but if you are looking for a short cut to a quicker and easier price increase you may find my "Painless Price Increase" kit helpful. You can see from the description that the kit includes several sample letters for different circumstances, as well as detailed instructions about how to conduct the price increase, what to do if clients object and how to have the best outcome. Click here to learn more about the "Painless Price Increase" kit.

Don’t Settle For Survival

2011-02-15T16:04:00.000-08:00

Did you hear the screams? The screams of business owners around the world wrapping up their year end financials anxious to see their big successes on paper, only to find out that their estimates were way, wayyyyyy off. It’s funny, nothing has really changed in the money or success department by you doing your year end financials, except you seeing REALITY and matching that up with what you thought was reality.

So, how did you do? Did you achieve the goals that you would like? Are you feeling like you are spinning your wheels? Was your end of year financial tally an exercise in disappointment because you expected much bigger results than you actually achieved?

If you are trying hard but still squeaking by with the status quo, then maybe you should consider aiming higher. Ask yourself “what am I shooting for?”

Many times business owners will tell me that they want “more”, but the real question is “how much?” Without a target it is real difficult to hit the bulls eye. Often I find that business owners at the root of things are really only aiming for SURVIVAL…and then that is was they get.

It’s easy to fall into the rut of making the cash flow work for this week, filling the schedule just enough to keep everyone happy, just making it through the winter weather, and just doing at least as well as last year.

This year aim high. How about 20% growth, 50% growth, or even double your growth. What does your business need to look like in order to double what you are doing now? How many employees? How will you spend your days?

Think big and you are likely to achieve it. Sign up now for the FREE tele-seminar Friday, February 18th - “Double Your Business Formula” – Register Now.

“Double Your Business Formula” - Register for Free Seminar

2011-02-15T15:22:00.000-08:00

2011 is your year! Tired of just reaching for survival? Do you want a real game plan for doubling your business in just 5 easy steps? Increase your salary, eliminate your cash flow headaches, and have enough money to attract great staff through this simple game plan. No pie in the sky theory, just concrete steps taught by a 20 year seasoned veteran. Register now for this FREE tele-seminar. Seats will be limited to 75. Everyone is welcome to attend.

Friday, February, 18^th 5:00 pm Eastern Time

Everyone is welcome to this sneak peek event…women, men, alumni, non-alumni. The information is relevant for every cleaning business no matter how large or small.

Back By Popular Demand...Smart Women Maid Rich

2011-02-15T15:20:00.000-08:00

You have heard the rumors, you wished you were there…AND maybe you were one of the lucky ones to be there. In May 2010 the Smart Women Maid Rich Professional conference and cruise was a slam dunk success with attendees coming back and making some of the biggest changes ever in their business. Many told us that this was the best, most focused, business training and conference that they had ever been to…and “when do we get to do it again?”

Last spring for the first time ever Renee O’Brien and Debbie Sardone teamed up to deliver one of the most unique and powerful conferences. The women that came knocked our socks off!!! They were dedicated, creative, inspiring and eager to take their place as women leaders in the cleaning industry. The VIPS, Cindi Bermudez, Liz Trotter, Lanette Richmond, Deanna Hains and Carrie Kiser were outstanding!...And, their stories of success moving beyond words. Sharon Cowan, our mystery guest speaker was also impressive, and all together Debbie and I would like to give them a big “thank you” for giving such a kaleidoscope of examples of successful women.

The requests have been coming in for the group to continue and go to the next level, but if you know Debbie and myself, you know that we wanted to wait until we could really do it right…and deliver far more than asked for. So, Debbie and I have cleared our calendars (easier said than done) and have something even bigger planned for you! This Friday, we are going to give you a sneak peak of what we have planned, and YOU WON’T WANT TO MISS IT. Register now for our sneak peak event “Double Your Business Formula” and you will…

Hear a complete session that will be a glimpse of the type of high quality, business impacting content that you can expect from the Smart Women Maid Rich brand. Smart Women Maid Rich is about YOU, YOUR BRAND, AND YOUR SUCCESS.

Find out about the next Smart Women Maid Rich live fun business event, and how you might even be able to go for FREE.

How you can be invited to be part of Renee’s and Debbie’s exclusive club and develop a real bond with people that are becoming the leaders in the cleaning industry.

Get your hands on the newly released 13-part Complete DVD course with workbooks, Powerpoints and even added bonus audios for listening on the go…AND how you may be able to get this $597 value for FREE.

Learn how you can be a card carrying member of the most valuable professional club of your career

“Conviction Kitchen” – Spoonful of Business Wisdom on Employee Management

2011-02-15T15:16:00.000-08:00

What do you get when you take pinch of chaos caused by opening a restaurant in two weeks, a dash of employee mayhem when your entire crew are ex-cons and a splash of tv reality entertainment? The Green Channel’s “Conviction Kitchen” series! The show, in its second season, has a unique concept and is surprisingly entertaining and educational for business owners who have many employees to manage.

Hopefully you are not finding your staff to be 100% ex-cons, but some of the problems that every episode bring do start to look familiar, and owners Chef Marc Thuet’s and spouse and House Manager Biana Zorich’s approach to handling tough issues is often unique, and effective. One of the strongest appeals to the show for me is watching them in a delicate dance between hard-a$$ manager and comforting mother, in order to get to the greater good for the business.

The following is just a short list of some of the business observations that I found interesting watching this show.

Prepare for emergencies - One of the first things to note is the sheer number of staffing issues that occur. There is not a day that goes by that someone does not come in as much as two hours late, not show up, overdose the night before, mouth off with a blazing attitude or implode in some other way. To fight this and hope everything “settles down” would be useless since it is the nature of the beast. Instead they overstaff, roll with punches and don’t take any guff.

Mentor is better than dictator – Another thing to note is how they do spend quite a bit of time listening, mentoring and helping their staff out of the deep quick sand of life crisis that many of them find themselves in. There is a limit to this generosity, but the management duo’s first approach is to coach their staff to success before the cleaver is the only weapon left. Being that Biana and Chef Marc own many other successful businesses, I suspect they have developed this skill through years of practice. If for no other reason, watch this show just to see this management craftsmanship in action.

People rise to the occasion – If you watch enough episodes with an open mind you may start to realize that one of the best tools that the owners are giving to their staff is self-confidence. In one episode there is an employee named Atar who is struggling with remembering procedures, taking initiative and following through. Then in a short-staffed crunch she asked to train a new person, and really rises to the occasion to become a 100% better employee than she had ever been before. In my cleaning business I often used this practice of taking the under confident capable employee (who may be posing as a screw up) and promoting them to a training position, and really watch them blossom.

Keep the work steady, or be prepared to start over – Keeping staff is a touchy balance, and often any glitches in the plans can cause you to lose staff because they can’t financially survive the hiccups. In one of the episodes the restaurant has a ceiling leak, and much like the cleaning businesses in a blizzard, they had to close for a short time. In fact they only closed down for one day and 3 of their 12 person crew quit because of lack of hours. You may not be in control of these circumstances, but be prepared for staff changes after outages of work.

Not Perfect – I have to say that at times Chef Marc’s style is too rough for my taste. My opinion is that if you have to raise your voice at a staff member you have lost the battle…however I recognize the fact that busy restaurant culture is different.

Check out this interesting show and watch a little employee management theater and you decide what’s for you and not. Check your local listings for the Green Channel and tv times.

http://planetgreen.discovery.com/tv/conviction-kitchen/conviction-kitchen-season-2-episode-guides.html

Did You Miss the Free Money From the Government?

2011-02-15T15:14:00.000-08:00

Monday, January 31^st was your deadline to get your W-2’s out to all of your staff, so if you were like many it was a heart pumping scramble to the finish line to get that and your employment tax returns completed.

Since then discussing end of year activity with a few of my clients it seems that many were not aware (or only partially aware) that that federal government handed out thousands to business owners in 2010, and it is very likely in your cleaning business that you may have qualified. Don’t worry, all is not lost if you have not snapped up your cash yet, you still have time to made some amendments, but you better be fast.

The money that was available was through the HIRE Act which was part of the economic stimulus. How it worked was that employees hired between 2/3/10 and 12/31/10 who had a 60 day period of time during 2009 or 2010 prior to working for you where they worked less than 40 hours total then they may qualify to fill out a W-11 and you will receive 100% of the 6.2% that you paid for them in Social Security. There are some restrictions about them not being family members, etc. but in general many, many businesses in the cleaning industry should qualify, and make Social Security credits/refunds of thousands.

Had you been aware of these credits during the 2010 year you would have claimed the credit on your 941 or 944 federal employment tax returns. If you have a payroll company or accountant they may have told you if you qualified, but they may not have if they did not know you had qualifying employees. So, check you list of hires and see if you had anyone who potentially qualified, then look at your 2^nd, 3^rd, and 4^th quarter 941 returns, (or annual 944 if the government has assigned that to you),and see if you claimed that. QuickBooks helped some business owner’s out by having it automatically calculate the credit for those that qualified, BUT only with its latest versions of the software, and only if you knew to set an employee up as qualifying.

As always check out the federal government requirements here http://www.irs.gov/businesses/small/article/0,,id=220749,00.html

Get your W-11 here http://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/fw11.pdf

And check with your financial advisor for your specific business advice.

Now for the sticky problem of what if you did not know that you qualified and did not claim your refund. (1) Get a 2010 W-11 filled out from those employees that qualified. (2) Check with your financial advisor about how to amend your 941 (or 944) using the 941X or 944X return to claim your refund. (3) The extra step is that those qualifying employees should have a place on their W-2’s to state the amount that you qualified for, so you need to amend the W-2’s for those that qualified, and the W-3.

Will the government be issuing the same credit for next year? NO. It may appear as so, because employees are not having to pay their 6.2% in social security this year and the deductions are automatically calculating for everyone in payroll services and software. However, that credit is for the EMPLOYEE’s portion…last year was for the EMPLOYER’s portion for those that qualified.

Never leave money on the table!

Cruise Questions Answered - Shore Excursions and More

2010-04-01T19:26:00.000-07:00

Coffee Talk #9 "Cruise Questions Answered - Shore Excursions and More" by Guest Speaker, Craig Satterfield with SureCruise, as part of Renee O'Brien's and Debbie Sardone's Countdown to the http://www.smartwomenmaidrich.com/ Cruise. These 30 minute mini-workshops are free and you can sign up for the future ones at http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/MR6VNXV.

Download the audio

"Sending The Right Message - Marketing the Benefits"

2010-03-25T19:32:00.000-07:00

Coffee Talk #8 "Sending the Right Message - Marketing the Benefits" by Debbie Sardoen, as part of Renee O'Brien's and Debbie Sardone's Countdown to the http://www.smartwomenmaidrich.com/ Cruise. These 30 minute mini-workshops are free and you can sign up for the future ones at http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/MR6VNXV.

The Smart Women Maid Rich Conference Cruise still has room for you! If you are a women in business and own a residential cleaning business this is the cruise / conference of a life time. Don't be left out, there's still room but space is very limited. For more information go to:

http://www.smartwomenmaidrich.com/

Money, Debt and Profit

2010-03-18T19:07:00.000-07:00

Coffee Talk #7 "Money, Debt and Profit" by Renee O'Brien, as part of Renee O'Brien's and Debbie Sardone's Countdown to the http://www.smartwomenmaidrich.com/ Cruise. These 30 minute mini-workshops are free and you can sign up for the future ones at http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/MR6VNXV.

Travelling on a Dime - Audio

2010-03-11T19:02:00.000-08:00

Coffee Talk #6 "Travelling on a Dime?" by Debbie Sardone, as part of Renee O'Brien's and Debbie Sardone's Countdown to the http://www.smartwomenmaidrich.com/ Cruise. These 30 minute mini-workshops are free and you can sign up for the future ones at http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/MR6VNXV.

"How Do Your Sales Measure Up?"

2010-03-04T11:40:00.000-08:00

Coffee Talk #5 "How Do Your Sales Measure Up?" by Renee O'Brien, as part of Renee O'Brien's and Debbie Sardone's Countdown to the http://www.smartwomenmaidrich.com/ Cruise. These 30 minute mini-workshops are free and you can sign up for the future ones at http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/MR6VNXV.

If you were registered for any of the coffee talk seminars then you should be receiving Renee O'Brien's 27-Question list referred to in this audio. If you did not receive it within a couple of days then send me an email.

"Heart of Gold Leadership... Tough as Nails Results"

2010-02-25T11:46:00.000-08:00

Coffee Talk #4 "Heart of Gold Leadership...Tough as Nails Results" by Debbie Sardone, as part of Renee O'Brien's and Debbie Sardone's Countdown to the http://www.smartwomenmaidrich.com/ Cruise. These 30 minute mini-workshops are free and you can sign up for the future ones at http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/MR6VNXV.

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Lessons Learned From the Cafe

2010-02-18T15:01:00.001-08:00

These last couple of weeks have been so fun. The café is really getting a name for itself. We have tons of 5 star reviews from customers and critics. Yippee. And this is the fun part of business building for me, where we launch first (jump into the deep end), and then get our bearings and begin fine tuning.

GETTING THE COSTS DOWN - When we first opened, buying supplies/ingrediants in mass quantities from suppliers had big minimums way too big of minimums for us, and we did not know enough about our customers interests yet to anticipate purchasing quantities (nothing worse then buying a 30 piece case of cauliflower and then discovering nobody likes cauliflower). Now we have stats and reports and we were able to go the bigger suppliers and start honing in our purchasing and costs. Fantastic!!! We have a plan now that is projected to save nearly 100% over what we were paying in food/supplies before.

This reminds me of the cleaning businesses that I work with. Lots of times business owners are so busy building their business that they never get around to going back and reviewing their supplies list, their suppliers, and their costs. It's worth doing because I have seen it save a company thousands. For example, a $150,000/year owner shaved off 2.5% being excessively spent on supplies and that equals $3750 more a year in his pocket!! Is it time to take a peek at your supplies?

NEXT WEEK AT THE CAFE: We got reviewed recently by a Foodie from the "Thrillist" which I guess is a group interested in following "what's in", and we have got a ton of customers, and feedback that we have to be on Twitter. So, next week - the cafe gets on Twitter, and I'll let you know what happens.

"R.E.S.P.E.C.T."

2010-02-18T10:28:00.001-08:00

Coffee Talk #3 "R.E.S.P.E.C.T." by Renee O'Brien, as part of Renee O'Brien's and Debbie Sardone's Countdown to the http://www.smartwomenmaidrich.com/ Cruise. These 30 minute mini-workshops are free and you can sign up for the future ones at http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/MR6VNXV.

"Getting the Work to Live Attitude"

2010-02-10T08:59:00.000-08:00

Coffee Talk #2 "Getting the Work to Live Attitude" by Debbie Sardone, as part of Renee O'Brien's and Debbie Sardone's Countdown to the http://www.smartwomenmaidrich.com/ Cruise. These 30 minute mini-workshops are free and you can sign up for the future ones at http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/MR6VNXV.

Weather Got Your Business Down?

2010-02-08T15:09:00.000-08:00

Has the weather got you down? You are not alone! Snow, sleet, ice...STOP WE CAN'T TAKE IT ANY MORE is the cry I am hearing from many.

There is no doubt about it. When you see piles of snow, your balance sheet is likely to see RED...and there is nothing more depressing than that. Staff can't get to work, clients become indifferent, and the phone definitely stops ringing. What can you do?

Move, Don't Cancel - One way to reduce the pain of foul weather and to take charge with your clients and reschedule due to weather, and take no prisoners. Saturdays, Sundays, whenever. Nothing is off limits. Tell your staff, that you know it is going to be painful to miss out on the income, so you are scheduling extra jobs for them to make up for it. When your clients try to say "let's just skip it", then use your powers of persuasion to let them know that your staff who is counting on income is has room to on Saturdays, and we are even throwing in some free snow-day extras.

Become a Chauffeur - If it is safe jump in your car early and go pick your staff up and ferry them to and from the jobs. Clients will be impressed that you made the effort, and staff (though sad they did not get the day off) will be happy to not lose out on the revenue.

Money Talks - Do everything in your power to be sure that your staff does not come out of a two week period with no money. One year we had a big snow storm that hit Seattle between Christmas and New Years. What horrible timing! Clients all said "I'll just spend time with my family and see you next time". Oh dread. Nobody made money for ten days, and then came in the on-slot of resignations.

For Next Time - Make sure that for the future you have a "foul weather policy" that protects you from lots of losses. Make it your policy that in case of foul weather client homes will automatically be rescheduled, and that staff know exactly how they will be notified of what to do, so you don't scramble to fill schedules, only to find out that staff isn't coming into work.

Plan Your Spring Attack - Spring Cleanings can add tens of thousands of dollars onto your income, but only if they are well thought out. Take the time now to create a tantalizing package that nobody can resist. Think of 10-12 extra things beyond your normal cleanings that really make your spring cleaning a "must have" event for your clients. And, plan how you will get this message out. Press release, door hanger, direct mail, newspaper advertisement. How will you get fresh new leads in the door ready to spend money in the spring, and beyond.

The Sun Will Come Out Tomorrow - Hang on...I guarantee that the second it looks like spring that phone will ring and you can be ready to start making some money again.

"Why You Can't Afford For Your Business to Stay in a Rut!"

2010-02-03T09:04:00.000-08:00

Coffee Talk #1 "Why You Can't Afford for Your Business to Stay in a Rut" by Renee O'Brien, as part of Renee O'Brien's and Debbie Sardone's Countdown to the http://www.smartwomenmaidrich.com/ Cruise. These 30 minute mini-workshops are free and you can sign up for the future ones at http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/MR6VNXV.

Enjoy!

Quick Links to Improve 2010

2010-02-02T15:05:00.000-08:00

The Time Movie - This is still my all time favorite re-motivating minute on the web. Have you seen "the time movie?" http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?t=wfet5gdab.0.0.7rd4utn6.0&ts=S0447&p=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.thetimemovie.com%2F&id=previewCheck it out, and then email me how it re-motivated you. Literally it is only one minute, and it could be just the prospective you need to get your business building juices going.

Too Much Debt? Now that you head is in the right spot lets get down to brass tax. How are your finances? Is debt a problem? If so, I have two links for you. The first, is where you should look for a small business loan, or a consolidation if you need one. Do you know who is giving out the most small business financing? If you listen to the news it may be depressing because you see that small business has been slashed dramatically...However there are banks giving loans, and small business lines of credit. Of course the goal is to not need credit at all, but if you are in a whole it is better to have a good shovel. Wells Fargo is the leading lender right now, and I have several clients who have been successful in getting business lines of credit from them, as well as SBA loans. http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?t=wfet5gdab.0.0.7rd4utn6.0&ts=S0447&p=http%3A%2F%2Fmoney.cnn.com%2F2009%2F11%2F16%2Fsmallbusiness%2Fsmall_business_loans_evaporate%2F&id=previewThe second and maybe more important piece if you are struggling with debt is how do you devise a plan to pay down your debt? If you are like most small business owners, when you have needed credit you have financed your business on credit cards, and maybe lots of them. So when you do get an extra bit of dough, where should you pay it first, and how long will it take you to be out of debt? Here's a terrific calculator to print out a report showing you month by month what to pay where, and how long it will take until payoff with multiple cards and interest rates. CNN Money's Debt Reduction Calculator http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?t=wfet5gdab.0.0.7rd4utn6.0&ts=S0447&p=http%3A%2F%2Fcgi.money.cnn.com%2Ftools%2Fdebtplanner%2Fdebtplanner.jsp&id=preview.

No Health Insurance? Still going through life with no health insurance, or maybe you are paying too much because small business owner's generally get shafted on price for health insurance? If you are a member of Sam's Club, you may be able to utilize their health insurance for small business owner's. I have heard it is affordable coverage for entrepreneurs, that may be less expensive then starting a group plan. http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?t=wfet5gdab.0.0.7rd4utn6.0&ts=S0447&p=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.samsclub.com%2F&id=preview.

FREE Advertising? Could your business use some free advertising? Intuit is running a contest through the month's of January and February called "Love a Local Business", where businesses are nominated (I believe you can even nominate yourself) and then awarded by a random drawing free radio and other media advertising for the winners. You may not be the winner, but it is worth a shot! http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?t=wfet5gdab.0.0.7rd4utn6.0&ts=S0447&p=http%3A%2F%2Flovealocalbusiness.intuit.com%2F&id=preview

Another new business? Renee partners and opens Melt Café

2010-02-02T11:36:00.000-08:00

I have big plans with lots of cool projects in 2010. I want to share with you just one of the big projects that I have been working on. I partnered with one of my clients, Teresa Schulz in Seattle and we opened a café, and it has been great. You know I love running multiple businesses (some as absentee owner, like the café), and this one has been a real kick so far. We have already several positive reviews, over 100 loyal customers, lip-smacking food choices, and the excitement that comes from hearing the Cha-Ching of the cash register. I plan share with you in coming issues some of the rewards and challenges that we encounter, in addition to the great consulting/coaching advice that we love to present.

You may wonder what a café has to do with your housecleaning business...well, everything! I have been involved in service businesses now for about 20 years, and they all come down to this...

You need a formula for setting clear expectations and consistently exceeding them.

It's that simple (maybe not easy though), but every single service related business that I have been involved in and/or consulted in can attribute its success to this plan of action, and so far the café is no exception.

It may be also interesting for you to know that the café business was built with absolutely no money. No backers, no credit cards, no loans...absolutely nothing except sweat equity, trade-outs, craigslist and a very tiny amount of personal pocket money. The modest business plan that we prepared called for a minimum investment of $25,000 to take the retail space and turn it into a working café; this was not possible for Teresa, so we improvised on everything and put some fast talking to work. I can't wait to share with you the details as they unfold with the café business, and the other exciting business topics that we always have in ScrubPro News.

FREE Tele-seminars - Inspirational 100-Day Countdown to the Cruise

2010-02-02T09:09:00.000-08:00

Bring on the New Year! I have some exciting news...

As part of our countdown to the Smart Women Maid Rich cruise, Renee O'Brien and Debbie Sardone will be offering a series of FREE "Coffee Talks", weekly 20-30 minute inspirational and educational topics to help you CRUSH 2010, and make it your best year ever.

These mini-workshops are absolutely free, and open to any business owner (cruise registrant or not) that would like to attend...Yes, bring on the men too! Don't miss a minute of these 20 minute tune-ups that may turnaround your week.

SCHEDULE
Here is the tentative schedule for your weekly jolt that your business "must have". The schedule is subject to change, but here is what we have in mind. Each session will be hosted by either Renee O'Brien or Debbie Sardone (or sometimes both), and will be a quick dose of new ideas, proven techniques, and maybe even a smack down or to that will whip you into shape. Good News...there is no limit to the number of sessions that you can attend, so sign up for them all. The schedule is subject to change, but here is a sneak peek.

"Why You Can't Afford For Your Business to Stay in a Rut" - Th. 2/4 12:30 pm ET(Hosted by Renee O'Brien)

"Getting The Work-To-Live Attitude" - Th. 2/11 12:30 pm ET (Debbie Sardone)

"R.E.S.P.E.C.T. " - Th. 2/18 12:30 pm ET (Renee O'Brien)

"Heart Of Gold Leadership Tough As Nails Results" - Th. 2/25 12:30 pm ET (Debbie Sardone)

"How do Your Sales Measure Up?" - Th. 3/4 12:30 pm ET (Renee O'Brien)

"CRUISE - Travelling on a Dime" - Th. 3/11 12:30 pm ET (Debbie Sardone)

"Money, Debt and Making the Profits You Deserve" - Th. 3/18 12:30 pm ET (Renee O'Brien)

"Sending The Right Message - Marketing the Benefits" - Th. 3/25 12:30 pm ET (Debbie Sardone)

"CRUISE - Shore Excursions" - Th. 4/1 12:30 pm ET (Travel Agent)

"Looking and Feeling Like a Million Bucks" - Th. 4/8 12:30 pm ET (Molly Klipp)

"The Business Marriage That Still Sizzles" - Th. 4/15 12:30 pm ET (Debbie Sardone)

"Making the Most of a Strategic Planning retreat" - Th. 4/22 12:30 pm ET (Renee O'Brien)

"Selling With Passion & Success" - Th. 4/29 12:30 pm ET (Debbie Sardone)

HOW TO SIGN UP?
For each session that you wish to attend, the seating may be limited. So to receive your invitation for FREE entry, sign up with our quick order form. click to SIGN UP NOW for FREE!

2010 Kick in the Pants

2010-02-01T11:46:00.000-08:00

Bring on 2010! I am so excited about this year and what it will bring for my business and yours. If you are like many entrepreneurs its time to reflect and renew your business and professional goals. After the hoopla of "Happy New Year" you have had time to make your New Year's Resolutions...and maybe even fall off the wagon. I want to encourage you jump start yourself onto a real plan to engineer the business that you want.

Cut away the clutter, the "I'Can't's", the obstacles and everything - and then ask yourself. "If I could buy a cleaning business with a steady stream of customers, that ran itself and I just got to the do the fun stuff (like growing into new areas), and make an easy 6 figure income, how much would I be willing to spend to get that?" The reality is that the business that I describe belongs to many business owners, and there is absolutely no reason why it cannot happen for you! You need only the right plan, and be willing to invest time and some money towards the RIGHT GOALS.

Make this the year that you don't spend your hours, weeks, and months just trying to "catch up". Make it the year that you are willing to lose a customer in order to build the dream that you want. Because this is the year that YOU decide I AM NO LONGER WILLING TO GIVE UP WHAT I WANT for someone else's needs.

You went into business for yourself to build your own schedule, make better money, open up opportunities, develop your career, and enjoy your life, right? And if you are not getting every bit of that...then I encourage you to take an hour to really map out what you want, and begin building a plan for how to get there.

This pep talk is not just for you. The great business minds do this all of the time. You need a strategy retreat (even if you can only eek out an hour) to clear your head and DECIDE what you want. I just let the cat out of the bag, but the real secret of consulting is helping clients decide what they want. Most people don't have problems achieving what they want, just deciding in the first place what they really want.

Need help? Let me help you make 2010 your best year yet. Contact me for a FREE 20 minute consult with Renee O'Brien.

Conference Cruise Not SOLD OUT Yet

2009-10-05T09:36:00.000-07:00

NEW Audio on Rooms/Price/Logistics

Find out what you can expect out of the conference

Hi, WOW! What an incredible launch of the SMART Women Maid Rich Conference and Cruise! At one point there were orders coming in 5+ per minute. I've been meaning to update you, but its been crazy and I didn't want to pester you with too many emails. Couple of things --

I know many of you have already secured your spot, but in case you didn't catch it, many of initial incentives (first registrant gets the cruise absolutely free, the first five registrants get one free upgrade or $125 spa/shopping bucks and the first 25 registrants get the DVDs for free) - all gone! BUT, we have another great incentive that you can still get in on, and that is that if you sign up for the Conference/Cruise before October 9th then you will be invited to attend the private wine tasting on the boat with Debbie Sardone, myself, the VIPs, and our surprise guest.

And, because the rush to sign up early was such hand to hand combat that Debbie and I have decided to allow everyone who has signed up so far, and 5 more people to receive the complete DVD set ($597 value - perfect for training your team) absolutely free - Heads up - only 5 spots left. Something to think about if you are sitting on the fence.

Also, we have decided to add a NEW PERK for you social bees, and here's the scoop. Invite someone who has not signed up yet to sign up for the Conference/Cruise and you will not only secure a spot for your buddy before we sell out, but you will also receive $50 value fun-bucks-goodie-pack (on board drinks, photos, spa, shopping) - AND sign up 5 people and get the fun bucks and $250 off of your own conference cruise fee. The person you refer does not have to be your roommate; those decisions are separate. And, I don't know how long we can do this for, so take advantage of it before we have to end the incentive.

We are still trying to secure more cruise rooms, but we don't know where we are at with that yet, so if you want to find out go to http://www.scrubpronews.blogspot.com/ , and we will post any updates on there about any additional spots.

Second, I forgot to mention in my previous email, but I don't know if you noticed that the starting price that we settled on for the launch of this conference is $200 less than what we had originally discussed. That launch price is going away soon, and if there are any remaining seats of the original 74 then prices will go up.

Have a good week! Register NOW - Easy Pay starts at $77/month

Price for Cruise Revealed

2009-09-29T08:17:00.000-07:00

Debbie Sardone and myself are so excited to invite you on this ladies only cruise! The power of getting entrepreneurial women together for great information, inspiration and a fantastic 4 night weekend cruise is going to be priceless.

So you have been emailing us like crazy wanting to know about all of the details

The schedule
The ship and cruise route
The image makeover that is included for you
What benefits you will gain (scroll down to read enormous benefits list)
And most of all, the PRICE - CLICK THE AUDIO BUTTON BELOW

Well, we weren’t going to reveal the price until tomorrow when registration opens, but we made our final decision yesterday and we are going to reveal it to you today in a ten minute audio. Click the audio button below to hear details on the conference and the unbelievable price.

Be added to the Early Notification List

More information at http://www.smartwomenmaidrich.com/

Early Bird Incentives For Conference and Cruise

2009-09-29T07:32:00.000-07:00

The Early Bird gets the worm. Only 76 rooms are currently reserved at our group rates, so for the best price and selection you must book early! Here are some numbers for you to TAKE ACTION on.

1 - The very first registrant will get their cruise and seminar ABSOLUTELY FREE! (super valuable)***

5 - The first five registrants to sign up will receive their choice of an upgrade to Balcony cabin or $125 spa/shopping bucks for the ship. (over $125 value)

25 - The first 25 registrants will get the Smart Women Maid Rich complete DVD set with over 12 hours of training materials for FREE. ($597 value)

October 9 - Sign up before 8:00 pm EST October 9, 2009 and you will be invited to a Private, Invitation-Only Wine Tasting with Renee O'Brien, Debbie Sardone, our VIP's and our surprise guest. (value $75)

February 10 - Sign up before February 10th, 2010 to book using the EASY PAY payment plan, receive our most preferred rates. After 2/10/10 if rooms still are available the non-preferred rates will increase your price by $100, and the payment plan option will be suspended. (Value $100)

Get on the Early Bird Notification List

www.SmartWomenMaidRich.com

Prepare to Score on Registration of Smart Women Maid Rich Cruise

2009-09-29T04:28:00.000-07:00

* Registration will open on Wednesday, September 30 2009 when you receive the "CRUISE REGISTRATION OPEN" email, that is expected to be sent around 8:00 pm EST. This is an estimate of open time and we will do the best we can to do this. In the first 24 hours no phone orders or fax orders will qualify for early incentives.

*We have an Early Notification List who will receive the Registration Open email 15 minutes early, and have a 15 minute jump on everyone else to get in on the $1845 Early Bird incentives including a FREE cruise and conference.

* How to Get on the Early Notification List - You are already on the list IF: (1) You have submitted a guess in the BIG SECRET Contest over the last 5 days, OR (2) You registered for Renee O'Brien's tele-seminar last week "The Crisis One Year Later: Why the next 12 months may be critical for your business", OR (3) You Registered for Debbie Sardone's tele-seminar last week "Women in Charge". Not On the List? Add Your Name to the Early Notification List.

* EASY REGISTER AND SECURE YOUR SPOT. To Register you will complete minimal information on our online form, put down only a $250 deposit /guest($100 is non-refundable), and then work out later with our dedicated Travel Agent the details of what kind of room you want (Your choice of Inside, Ocean View, or Balcony cabins) whether or not you will bring your family, the EASY Payment plan that you choose (up to 8 months to pay the balance) and finding a roommate with our easy-roommate-match forum.

* A Sneaky Extra Advantage - Registration for the Renee O'Brien and Debbie Sardone, Smart Women Maid Rich Conference, when open will be processed through SharpChip's secure shopping cart, exclusively for the first 24 hours so that we can have perfect fairness for all of the people racing for the early bird incentives. So to be ready and waiting be sure you have a login for the shopping cart. Go NOW to the http://rs6.net/tn.jsp?t=fsfg64cab.0.0.7rd4utn6.0&ts=S0407&p=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.sharpchip.com%2Fshop&id=previewshopping cart and create a login account if you don't have one, or resend your forgotten password if you don't have one. Of course, you don't need to buy anything but just remove one step during registration, so you can be the first person to sign up and win the FREE Conference and Cruise.

What's the Conference/Cruise Price?

2009-09-28T06:35:00.000-07:00

We’ve been getting tons of questions from people really excited and wanting more details about the upcoming Smart Women Maid Rich Conference. One of the big questions is: “What is the price???”

Now we’re still working on the final schedule, bonus surprises and more – however we do want to address your “price” concerns right up front. (I can tell you – you definitely won’t need to sell a kidney)

So, what kind of price tag should we put on this jam packed Women’s Conference / Cruise that will make 2010 your best year ever?

Frankly, this is going to be one of the biggest bargains you’re going to get from any conference. This Women’s Conference is a brand new event for women in the cleaning industry that we hope has more bells and whistles than every other event that either Debbie or myself have done before. The types of skills that we will be covering are things that are generally covered in private one-on-one coaching/consulting, and sometimes require an on-site visit. Some people have asked if the conference will be over $3000.00 since that is typically what consulting or on-site visits could cost for this kind of hands-on topics – or even more.

We checked into it and other professional skills Women’s conferences and found that $3000.00 is a comparable price and would a great value for this “Cruise” version (since participants will also get a great experience on the cruise, and be inspired with all of the successful women there). We seriously considered it, but decided that is NOT our style.

We want to make the conference accessible for all women in the cleaning industry WITHOUT price being a barrier.

We’re thinking for the entire cruise (including all taxes, meals on board and entertainment) plus the entire 4 day conference, and extra goodies, of only charging just around $1000.00 for an Inside Cabin and Conference ticket. That’s a big savings off the total cost of any other seminar in the cleaning industry that we know of (where you have to pay for hotel, food, entertainment and registration). Plus, to make it even more affordable we’re even going to try a payment plan. Make no mistake, payment plans are a big accounting headache (ugh!) but we think it would really help some people who are on the fence, especially since that makes monthly payments only around payments of $99/month.

Now none of this is set in stone yet so don’t hold us to it.

We’re not 100% sure about the price, or how beneficial the payment plan will be. However since we’ve had so many people asking me about the price – I thought I would relieve a little of the pressure and let you in on what we’re thinking. If you’d like to voice your opinion, please post your comments.

Renee O’Brien, (on behalf of Renee and Debbie)

What are people saying about the cruise?

2009-09-28T06:15:00.000-07:00

People are so excited and are saying that this is going to be a Conference like no other. Before we launched the Conference fully we had a fun contest to see if people can guess the details of the conference, and during the process we got some very excited comments from our peeps.

Check out some great comments:

http://scrubpronews.blogspot.com/2009/09/close-but-no-cigar.html

Check out the http://www.smartwomenmaidrich.com/ Conference.

Renee O'Brien and Debbie Sardone Launch SMART Women Maid Rich Women's Conference and Cruise

2009-09-28T05:46:00.001-07:00

The announcement is finally here. May 13-17 2010, Renee O'Brien and Debbie Sardone will be together for the first time, and put on a Conference to beat all conferences. We will host a Women's Conference on a Carnival Cruise, traveling to Miami, Key West, Cozumel Mexico, Miami, all over a long 4 night weekend. The Smart Women Maid Rich Conference will have everything, and I am sooooo excited!!!

Here's is what you have to look forward to:

* A Fun Women's Conference jam packed with terrific profit building information and hands-on help
* An opportunity to hone skills critical to 2010 success like Selling Skills, Communication Skills, Negotiating, Leadership Skills, Conflict Management, Financially Fit Skills, and tons more.
* Focus on "How to Have it All with a Balanced Life"
* Tons of fantastic food all included
* Lots of Star Studded Entertainment all included
* Terrific Destinations with simple, easy travel with a Western Caribbean Cruise route Miami, Key West, Cozumel Mexico, Miami.
* Opportunities for Massages, Spa Treatments and all kinds of pampering
* Hear the entrepreneurial stories of some of the great successes in the cleaning industry.
* Lots of take-homes that can be implemented right away, including a 30 second Commercial/Video starring YOU, for your business to be posted on your web site, and give your business a competitive edge.

*And, AN IMAGE MAKEOVER by 26 year Makeup and Image Makeover Professional, Molly Klipp
* Books, audios and other powerful reinforcers for you to take home
* One-on-One help with your personal financial plan
* Special Surprise Guest that promises to concrete strategies to add to your bottom line.
* One-on-One help with your sales plan
* Networking opportunities to build a network of advisors that you can rely on
* Special Prizes

Check out the http://www.smartwomenmaidrich.com/ Conference.

Clue #5

2009-09-27T09:13:00.000-07:00

We're getting close. You now know that it is a CRUISE, and we have one more clue for you to find the final Mexico destination to get the second place winner. Here's a tricky clue. Tomorrow the full conference will be revealed, but those of you following at the blog are the only ones that are "in the know".

Who: Renee O’Brien and Debbie Sardone

What: Hosting a Fun, Powerful and Strategic Conference for Women in the Cleaning Industry (Owners, Spouses, Managers, Administrators and Executives)

When: Thursday, May 13 – 17, 2010 (Oh, did we let that exact date slip out?)

Where: Cruise – Miami, Key West, AND ????? in Mexico

Enter Your Guess . You can enter one guess each day.

Clue #4

2009-09-26T09:55:00.000-07:00

No second place winner yet…Although you are getting very close. Yes, Key West is PART of the destination.

So let’s recap:

Who: Renee O’Brien and Debbie Sardone

What: Hosting a Fun, Powerful and Strategic Conference for Women in the Cleaning Industry (Owners, Spouses, Managers, Administrators and Executives)

When: Thursday, May 13 – 17, 2010

Where: Key West AND ?????

So here is your next clue:

Enter Your Guess . You can enter one guess each day.

Winner !?!?!!

2009-09-25T09:14:00.000-07:00

Well, we have a super smart cookie out there who has actually guessed completely and won the $100 prize. Congratulations Claudia Avery, Florida Cleaning Concepts. But, we are not going to tell you the answer! Sneaky, aren't we.

This is so much fun that we are going to keep going for second place winner. Keep guessing to see if you can win a $50 for a massage.

So, here are some things that have been established:

Who: Renee O’Brien and Debbie Sardone
What: Hosting a Fun, Powerful and Strategic Conference for Women in the Cleaning Industry (Owners, Spouses, Managers, Administrators and Executives)
When: Thursday, May 13 – 17, 2010 (Oh, did we let that exact date slip out?)
Where: ????

Close But No Cigar:

Click here to see just some of the guesses that have come in that DO NOT have location correct. A little more hints… not in Seattle, not in Dallas, not in Seattle and Dallas at the same time, not on the internet, not in Las Vegas, not in Chicago, not in Alaska – but these are some great guesses.

Clue #3

2009-09-25T09:00:00.000-07:00

Guess?

Close But No Cigar

2009-09-25T05:32:00.000-07:00

Here are just some of the guesses that have come in that DO NOT have location correct. A little more hints… not in Seattle, not in Dallas, not in Seattle and Dallas at the same time, not on the internet, not in Las Vegas, not in Chicago, not in Alaska – but these are some great guesses.

Here is just a handful of the dozens of SMART guesses you have given.

Fun Seminars, Debbie Sardone and Renee O'Brien in May 2010 in Seattle, Washington – You are right that we definitely will be including lots of fun.

Paris (I wish! We should have talked to you before hand)

You two are planning a weekend conference, I'm guessing May 8th and 9th?? 2010 in Seattle hosted by Debbie and Renee to teach us cleaning service owners how to get profitable -- even maybe RICH! and have more personal time... and I am SOOOO READY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! You GOTTA count me in!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Hugs! – I feel so energized from your comment that we should have lead!

It's called Smart Women Maid Rich, hosted by Renee O'Brien and Debbie Sardone, it is in May of 2010 and it will be in Vegas (between Washington and Texas). – We’ll have to lose our pocketbooks another year.

Educational Seminar - Women in the Cleaning Business - Having It All - Hosted by Debbie & Renee in May, 2010 in Seattle WOOOOOOO WHOOOOOO – No not Seattle, but YES bring your enthusiasm!

Presenting a new maid cleaning service franchise Smart women hosting in Seattle in May 2010 – Interesting….got me thinking…but no.

Work/Life Balance with Renee O’Brien and Debbie Sardone – The speaker part and the Work and Life in Balance is 100% right, in addition to Sales Skills, Communication Skills, Conflict Management, Leadership Skills and a heck of a lot of FUN!

May 2010; women in leadership roles, women learning to become leaders and wealthy through advanced systems, proven techniques and bartering. Who? Only the absolute best mentors in the whole world Renee and Debbie – LOVE the comments!!!!

You two are joining forces and developing an INCREDIBLE (COULD IT BE ANYTHING ELSE????) seminar for women in the cleaning industry – Oh boy, now we are starting to blush. It’s this great group of women that will really make this event!

Oh man, I've sooo got it! You're holding the weekend conference at the Seattle Aquarium!!!!!!!! Fish, right? Ha! Such a wicked clue I couldn't go to sleep! – That would have been cool, but Seattle in May is a little cold. Oops, I did it again.

Funny Comments
This is going to be fun group, some of the comments that are too funny!

At the fish market, with the theme
F females
I intending to be
S super
H human

A Man

What does it need? A Location

One of male respondents was super smart and understood that this event, though geared toward women involves him because he likely has women in his business that can benefit from this. When asked what this event must have to be complete he said: Estrogen and a venue

Great ideas that we may incorporate

You are going to teach us how to have it all: riches, balance in life and business and how to make it fun for us and our employees. The theme will be based on the book FISH which will help us to transform a “toxic energy dump” (every company has one) into a workplace that adds value, productivity and profit to the company, thereby creating happier workers, employers, and customers!" to quote a review of the book which I LOVED. When we closed our (old business) we watched this video and handed out the book. IT WORKS I JUST HAVE TO BE REMINDED AND RE-ENERGIZED WHICH WOULD HAPPEN JUST BY BEING NEARING THE TWO OF YOU!!!!! :-) – WOW what a great idea and flattering comment. We hadn’t planned on using that book, but it is a great idea!!! And, of course with the FISH clue we should have thought of it.

Massages – Now you’ve got me giving away more secrets. Yes there will definitely be a possibility of massages.

Lots of great food – You bet! And, we might as well let it out that our conference will include several dinners and some entertainment that will all be part of your conference ticket!!

A Glass of Wine – Wouldn’t miss it!

Clue #2: The Big Secret Contest

2009-09-24T16:15:00.000-07:00

Take a listen here for clue #2. No Winner yet, but keep those guesses coming!

Clue #1: The Big Secret

2009-09-24T13:39:00.000-07:00

The BIG SECRET Contest

2009-09-24T13:30:00.000-07:00

I have a really BIG SECRET that I want you to know about, but first I want you to guess. We are going to start off small releasing information about the BIG Secret with a contest for the first person to guess the entire secret of "Who, What, Where, and When" .

Over the next few days you will receive Clues and the first person to guess "Who, What, Where, and When" accurately will win a check for $100.00. .. And, that is just for starters. After the person with the winning guess is released those that have submitted guesses will remain on the Preferred Notice List so that you have a chance at over $1895 in free items and early bird discounts.

All I can say right now is that the BIG SECRET is really big, and expected to SELL OUT so to speak. No purchase is necessary to make guesses, of course. So, watch your email over the next 7 days for some real excitement.

Enter your guesses of "Who, What, Where, and When" for the BIG SECRET and you can make one guess a day over the next few days. Contest ends Monday, 9/28/09 at 7:00 am EST or when the first person guesses the correct answer.

Also check out http://www.smartwomenmaidrich.com/ .

CHECK THE BLOG FOR CLUE UPDATES.

48 Hour Access Audio Class - "The Crisis: One Year Later - Why the NEXT 12 months will be critical for your cleaning buisness"

2009-09-22T14:57:00.000-07:00

AUDIO IS NOW AVAILABLE FOR SALE

Thanks for all for all of the great feedback, and let me know how I can help you best prosper.

RENEE O’BRIEN HOSTS FREE TELEPHONE SEMINAR: “The Crisis: One Year Later. Why the NEXT 12 months will be critical for your cleaning business”

2009-09-18T05:35:00.000-07:00

UPDATE – The free tele-seminar listed below is sold out, but IT’S YOUR LUCKY DAY! Thanks to an anonymous sponsor, if you register for the tele-seminar event listed below then we will be able to give you private access to the tele-seminar via recording for 48 hours after the event, so we can still get you in. BUT, YOU MUST REGISTER or else you will have to purchase the CD because the audio will not be public access. I don’t know how many people will sign up for this so hurray to register before we need to close it.

RENEE O’BRIEN HOSTS FREE TELEPHONE SEMINAR: “The Crisis: One Year Later. Why the NEXT 12 months will be critical for your cleaning business”

2009-09-15T19:14:00.000-07:00

BIG NEWS!!! Questions are still pouring in about the economy. When will the recession be over, and when can we "get back to normal"? Can I safely do a price increase? Is next February going to be as much of a blood bath as last February? It feels like things are picking up, but are they really - what do the numbers show?

I understand the urge to want to relax after the last 12 month bumpy ride, but don't let off the gas yet, your strategy over the next twelve months will likely be critical for your business. You may be surprised about some new trends and how they will affect your 2010 success.

I got such incredible feedback last year for hosting a tele-seminar on "Surviving and Thriving in the Recession" (nearly 300 people participated in the live tele-seminar and through recordings) that I am going to put on another seminar (sort of a Part 2: What's Next?) next week. MARK YOUR CALENDAR - Tuesday, September 22nd 3:00PM EST. REGISTER NOW

This seminar will be the recession-buster price FREE, but we can only accommodate 100 people in the live tele-seminar so you must register (may fill in less than 24 hours so don't delay). The value of this seminar is $49/ticket but because I don't want you to miss out I am covering the cost of your ticket. Because of hosting costs we will not be able to provide FREE streaming audio after the event, but THE SEMINAR WILL BE AVAILABLE FOR SALE if you miss the live presentation. We are going to uncover some strategies that you are going to want to know before your competition, so sign up now!

Not to toot my own horn, but after helping over 1000 cleaning business owner's I like to think I have my finger on the pulse of what is happening in the cleaning industry, and I don't want you to miss a beat.

Renee O'Brien is giving a timely tele-seminar that can't be missed! - I am going to share with you ...

* Trends, Numbers, Successes and Failures for Cleaning Businesses Over the Last 12 Months
* What 2010 will Look Like? A Business Plan for Today's Cleaning Business
* What Skills Will Be Essential in 2010
* Who Are the "New" Customers?
* What will Next Year really be like? When will things get back to normal?
* Can we resume with price increases?

Tele-Seminar Seats are very limited! There have been cleaning business casualties in the last twelve months, and unfortunately will likely be more as the recovery unfolds over the next twelve months - Be sure that your business is safe with this competitive advantage information. Part One of this topic, presented one year ago had more than 300 listeners, so act now.

FREE Live Tele-Seminar - Only 100 Spots
Tuesday, September 22 3:00 pm EST

Know what to expect in the next twelve months - REGISTER NOW

10 Steps to Swine Flu Business Preparedness

2009-04-30T10:03:00.000-07:00

Is the world facing a pandemic of Swine Flu? The details are not yet known. A new strain of a potentially deadly swine flu first reported two weeks ago in Mexico, where it has now infected roughly 2000 worldwide, and has taken the lives of over 50 people in Mexico and one person in the U.S. The flu is spreading around the world. Although in the U.S. roughly 36,000 people die from the typical flu each year, the swine flu is worrisome to the level of raising the public health alerts because it is a new strain that has mutated, and there is no vaccine at this time. Government officials do not want widespread panic, but instead a higher level of alertness about preventing the spread of disease. Up to date details can be found on the CDC's website (www.cdc.gov)

So, why am I writing about this? Because public health emergencies and alerts are likely to affect your business, your staff, and your clients. As I write this, more than 100 schools in the U.S. have been closed already, and these kinds of public policies may have rippling affects on your business. Preparing now could help you navigate the choppy waters that may be to come. Here are ten steps to get you prepared.

Review Your Safety Equipment - Do you have enough gloves, masks, hand sanitizer, etc.? If not buy it now because if a real health emergency does hit you will likely not be able to buy these things. Don't believe me? A couple of years ago in Seattle we had a power outage that lasted about 4 days and all of the grocery stores were stripped clean of batteries, firewood, propane and other emergency supplies...it was amazing.

Review Your Cleaning Supplies and Equipment - Take a look at your cleaning supplies and see if you need to make any adjustments. How many things do you share from home to home? During a health emergency the more disposable the better. You will need to proactively explain to clients how you WILL NOT be transferring germs from client to client. Disposable mop heads, washable dust rags, sanitization processes, etc. are the kinds of things you should think about. Be sure that you have a disinfecting cleaning product in case clients request it, or you decide to offer it. The CDC website gives a good description of the difference between cleaning agents, sanitizers and disinfectants http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/dhqp/ar_mrsa_Enviro_Manage.html#8 . You may also want to look at your equipment. Possibly a vacuum like Raycop UV-C Sterilization Vacuum (http://www.raycop.co.uk/) or others tout a bacteria killing feature that could really be a selling point to customers worried about disease prevention.

Prepare Your Commercial Clients - Contact your commercial clients and let them know how you are prepared to handle their needs. You may want to give them options for increasing their cleaning needs to decrease their risk of losing staff to illness, and maintain the healthiest work environment possible. Suggestions that you can make to your clients would be a supplemental disinfecting process where extra attention is paid to the high risk areas:

* Door knobs and handle area
* Sink faucets
* Toilet areas
* Kitchen surfaces
* Telephones
* Keyboards (recommend disposable keyboard covers)
* Highly used areas

Also, recommend the client stocks up on disposable hand wipes, hand sanitizer, disposable cups instead of dishes that collect in the kitchen and could pass germs. Your clients will be looking to you to recommend how they should handle their cleaning needs in a crisis.

Prepare Your Residential Clients - Don't scare your clients into thinking that they are bringing germ ridden strangers into their home with your cleaning service. Instead discuss the superior equipment, techniques and supplies that you use regularly (or are offering right now) for their "healthy home". Offer a disinfectant process that disinfects the high impact areas listed above in the commercial cleaning section. Discuss your illness policy requesting that when clients and staff are ill alternative plans need to be made. Be sure to only make honest claims that you can support.

Prepare Your Carpet Cleaning Clients - Check with your equipment vendor and your cleaning solvents for the bacteria killing effectiveness, and notify your customers. A health crisis could possibly be a business boost for your carpet cleaning business, because people are reminded that carpet cleaning can promote a healthier environment and is not just for beauty.

Prepare Your Green Cleaning Clients - If you are a green cleaning company a health epidemic could be a potential marketing mine field for your business. Clients and prospects may make assumptions about your company's abilities to really remove the germs. And, on the other hand some of your die hard clients may not understand why you might make recommendations for disinfectants and disposable options. As the pioneer of green cleaning companies I would recommend that you educate your customers on your non-cross contamination processes, and offer several disinfecting options that they could accept or reject. I would also refer to the need for these measures as temporary measures needed for the public health emergency. I truly believe that a green home is a balanced home; however, outside factors sometimes require different measures. (Factoid: I started my Seattle based green cleaning business as the first in the country that I knew of in 1991. People thought we were nuts - and now its all the rage).

Update Your Marketing Materials - You may want to make a memo or article for your clients or prospects to be included in your welcome kit, mailed to your clients, downloaded from your website, etc. where your healthy cleaning practices are discussed. You may want to mention in the description the effectiveness of your methods against bacteria and disease like "Staph, MRSA, Swine Flu", etc. but be cautious about putting those kinds of scare tactics in the title or headlines. Another marketing practice that you could implement is to create a little card with the extra "disinfecting process" that you are doing during this time period, and have the staff check off the items on the list and leave for the customer as an extra assurance that their health is being considered.

Meet with the Staff - Plan a meeting where you go over the plans for this and other health emergency alert times. (1) Do not come to work sick. Post the typical symptoms of the health alert and give everyone the responsibility to keep themselves home when ill. Of course, this is a great time to go over the call in procedure for illness. (2) Discuss the cleaning procedure changes, (3) Insist on all safety procedures being followed. (4) Reassure the staff with how you are protecting them by also prohibiting the cleaning of sick clients, providing masks and gloves, etc.

Stockpile Cash - If a pandemic does hit your area it is likely schools, work places, transportation, etc. will be closed for one to two weeks or even longer. Short staff, cancelling clients and public health policies may keep you from being able to perform work as usual during this time, so start stock piling some cash now so that a short term closure does not hurt you badly financially. In addition, if and when these changes occur instead of cancelling clients reschedule them so that you can resume with gang busters when you can.

False Alarm or Media Hype - If it turns out that the pandemic threat is a false alarm or media hype then all of these procedures are still very valuable since you will be prepared for any future threat. MRSA is a huge threat that is also as deadly and lurking out there. And, keep in mind that in the US we are exiting the flu season, and officials warn that this illness may slowly spread, and then re-emerge in the fall. Being prepared is never wasted energy.

OK, so get prepared, and stay on top of your local public health notices. Send me your questions and comments because I always love to hear them.

For more business articles and updates on the swine flu...

A Big Tax Bill??? This Year the IRS has a Heart

2009-04-15T09:06:00.000-07:00

Today, April 15, 2009, is tax day, and if you have not scrambled to file a return or extension yet, better hop to it. This has been a tough year for many, and faced with the possibility of a big bill you may be wondering what you should do. Let me clear it up... you should FILE! I'm no expert, but apparently not filing your return is a different and much bigger offense than not paying your tax bill. So even if you do not have the money experts recommend that you file. Payment plans can be worked out for the unpaid balance,and filing without payment will help you avoid fees. Another reason to file is that the IRS has stated that this year it has compassion for your recession related financial difficulties. IRS Commissioner Doug Shulman said in January that this year agents are being given new authority to waive penalties, negotiate new payment plans, postpone seizures and asset sales, for those that make good faith efforts to settle their tax debts. So, get that monkey off of your back and file your taxes or an extension. For individuals if you file an extension that gives you until August to get your ducks in a row.

Estimated Taxes Made Easy

One of the biggest things that entrepreneurs report to me keep them up at night is a hard and fast deadline where a big tax bill, an extra payroll, a hefty insurance down payment, or other big bill is due, and there is NOT ENOUGH CASH FLOW to cover it and have to borrow from credit cards or loans to make up the difference. In fact, I would say that over 50% of business owners that I talk with run into this problem regularly. One tip I have is for you is to open an additional savings account at your business bank, and physically move over a prorated amount of the bill/s that will someday soon become due, every week, or every other week. Figure out your estimates for what needs to be transferred each time, and then deposit that amount every time.
For example:

Bi-Weekly Deposits to Savings Account

Monthly 941 depositer = (average monthly deposit) / (2.165)
Large Quantity Supplies bought twice a year = (Supply cost) / (13)
Quarterly Insurance = (Insurance Cost) / (7.5)
Bi-Weekly Payroll 3 Pay Month = (average payroll plus taxes) / (13)
Quarterly Sales Tax = all of the money calculated in the QuickBooks Sales Liability account for 2 weeks.

I know this is easier said than done, but try this for just one month and you will be surprised how great it will make you feel - In control feels great! Even if you are worried that you may need that money, go ahead and transfer it, because if worst comes to worst you can always transfer it back, and if there is a money crunch, you will realize earlier that you need to make some changes

A Client Screamed a Four-Letter Word At Me Today!

2009-04-06T12:08:00.000-07:00

The other day a new client screamed at me with disgust a four-letter word! Can you believe it? Here's the whole story. Deep in financial trouble a new client came to me last week and explained all of the details of how he was struggling with trying to grow his business. He's working round the clock, clients are cancelling at the same pace as they are signing up, employees have him running ragged, the taxman wants money that he doesn't have, and his cash flow is in the toilet. "How can I fix this?", he asks. Careful in thought I say "We have to start with a good PLAN". "SH%!" he exclaims. "Do know how many times I have heard that?" "This is nothing new... every year I try a new plan...and every year I end up right here...what makes you think your plan will work any better?" He talked about the PLAN as if it was the dirty four letter word. He has a point - Best-laid plans have done him wrong before, how does he know this one will work? After ten years of helping businesses achieve their goals if I have learned nothing else, it is that "PLAN" is not the dirty four-letter word, but it can be if it is the wrong plan, or one that sets you up for failure. The more times you embark on a plan and fail, the more evidence you have for yourself that plans don't work. So, how do you set up a winning plan? Let me give you some tips so you can not only succeed, but put into place a plan that will begin changing your life starting RIGHT NOW!

1. Make a One-Page Plan. No wonder people think "PLAN" is a dirty four-letter word, because most believe that a plan needs to take reams of paper, and months to create. Why not try a one page business plan? All on one sheet mark out the basic details of how your plan will play out. What will your sales be? How many staff will that include? What steps will you need to take to get there? My favorite way of doing this is to make an Excel spreadsheet where numbers can be calculated and graphs can be made, and instead of long winded paragraphs, state the milestones. This ensures that your goals are measurable. Here's a QUICK TIP - Right click on the Excel cell that you have added a number to in order to write a comment for that cell. This way you can keep tidy notes on each of your numbers without taking up much room, or cluttering your plan with endless writing.

2. Focus Your Plan on a Specific Benefit. This may be one of my best tips for you for planning! In order for a plan to work you must implement it. And, in order for you to really focus on implementing the plan, you must remember from moment to moment exactly "why" you are doing it, or else life will get in the way and you will not accomplish your goals. What EXACTLY will you gain from doing this plan? How will your life change? Will you have enough money to pay your bills, buy a new home, work a shorter work day and be there for your kids during the day, pay off your debts, etc. THIS IS SERIOUSLY IMPORTANT! Your plan must be focused around the "why". Let me go through some examples so you can see how powerful this is. Let's say you were $26,000 in debt? An idea would be to set a plan to earn another $500 a week for one year, and put all of the extra money towards paying off the debt. For cleaning business owners that is only 20 new recurring clients. A few thousand door hangers, a few networking meetings, follow-up marketing to your whole list, and answering calls into the evening a few nights a week, and paying your debt off could be a snap. Or, let's say that you want to be available for your kids during the day to attend soccer games, etc. (they aren't getting any younger, you know!). In order to be available during the day you will have to have help in the office for at least 4 hours to take care of daily operations. By picking up 13 new clients you can nail that goal into action! Now you have a reason to do the marketing necessary to pick 13 new clients.

3. Break the Plan Out into Accountability Steps. Determine how often you will update your plan and make accountability steps - monthly, weekly, quarterly? You need a chance to take your actual numbers and match them up against the projected numbers to see how you are doing. The more frequently you do this, the more time you have to adjust your actions to avoid problems, and deliver the results you are looking for. For my clients this year we have weekly sales goals that include the number of holidays, seasonal changes, etc. so they waste no time knowing exactly what to expect in each week's deposits.

4. Make Your Plan Visual. Make your updates visual when possible. Looking at a listing of numbers will never tell you the full story of trends as well as looking at a graph with sharp changes. Pie charts to show profitability, Line graphs to show month over month sales, Two-Level Bar graphs to show client gains and losses, etc. will really give you a visual of how you are meeting your plan's goals.

5. Do Your Homework. When creating your plan start with real facts, and really think through problems and contingencies. For example, if you want to open another office by spring of next year then you will need to research where is the best place to put your office, how much will it cost, how will you man it, what are the best systems that you should be getting into place before opening another office, etc. Find out the real facts and put them into your plan.

6. Systematically be Accountable. Make accountability automatic, by working with a coach, setting up meetings with your spouse to go over your plans and results, or use good discipline tools with yourself like posting your results on the wall so that it will be obvious when you are ignoring your goals. If you make this accountability as automatic as possible you will not be able to put off to tomorrow what you want to do today. Go forth, PLAN and prosper!

The Pope is Hip to New Media -- Are You?

2009-02-03T07:00:00.000-08:00

5 Facts You Should Know about Social Networking Sites

At this point we've all heard about Facebook and Twitter and all the other social networking websites out there. But aren't they for all those youngsters that are strangely comfortable making and expanding their friendships over the internet? You know, the same ones that tap tap tap on their cell phones at record speed texting one another? Those Gen X's (or Generation Y's). Aren't those the ones hip to new media? Well, yes, them -- and oh yeah, the Pope. What's that you say? The Pope is hip to new media? That's right. The Pope announced last week that he will be using YouTube to transmit his masses, to well, the masses. The new YouTube channel, which is slated to be updated daily, will offer video and audio clips of Pope Benedict XVI's addresses, along with news about thePontiff. And this is not the only foray the Vatican has made into the world wide web. The Catholic News Services has a Facebook page which includes messages from the Pope. Not to mention, the Vatican launched its own website over 14 years ago. The Pope as well as many other visible people in our society, including the Queen of England and our new president, Barak Obama, are using blogs, online newsletters, video, and social networking to reach out to their audience. And they aren't alone. Professionals and leaders of all backgrounds are learning to use social networking tools and new media to gain exposure, learn more about their market and spread their messaging. Artists use new media channels to solicit feedback from readers about their work, writers blog about their upcoming projects and create stir of excitement before they release their new titles, and hundreds of smaller businesses are learningto use Facebook and other social sites to get inquiries and bid. And there are plenty of social networking sites to choose from - worldwide there are nearly 150 active major social networking sites with some of the bigger ones having a membership of over 120 million registered users. Now that is a lot of exposure. So where does your business fit in? Here are 5 Quick Tips on Getting Acquainted with the Social Networking World:

1. Review your choices before you choose a site. With over 150 active social networking sites, it is important to do a bit of research to see where your key audience is.

2. Keep your professional profile professional. That's right. Show your character but remember that some more personal facts don't need to be shared with potential customers.

3. Promote yourself and your business modestly. Most new media coaches agree that being tactful is much more effective than being pushy on networking sites.

4. Use your online manners. This is common sense, but it is amazing how much people forget to be courteous online.

5. Stay Interesting. Want to keep people's attention on you and your business messaging? Keep it current and keep it interesting.

Seattle Snow, Ski Pants, and Debt Nightmares

2008-12-19T11:55:00.000-08:00

A Lifeboat for Those Drowning in Debt

It was horrible, uncomfortable...and terrifying! A snow storm hit Seattle this week, and the city virtually shut down. No power, no schools, no nannies, no last minute Christmas shopping - but that was all ok. The real terrifying part was when the kids want to go out sledding and I had to have the annual battle of "will I fit into my ski pants?"

As I pull on my ski pants I tug, pull, and chagrin, and finally the pants barely go on, but only if I don't plan on moving around. How can I sled if I can't even sit? The dreaded day has come. I can't rationalize anymore. I have to face facts because no matter how you slice it, change must happen today! Yesterday I could ignore the problem, just like all the days before because there was not anything tangible screaming "ENOUGH!". Now it's obvious - the pants don't fit, and if I want avoid an embarrassing rip up the rear end, I have to make some changes, like it or not.

So, as this is occurring I realize that this is a small potatoes problem, but it is really very similar to an issue that 3 callers in the last two weeks have had with their business. I have had 3 separate distressed calls from people worried that they were drowning in so much debt that they felt that they may lose their business, or even declare bankruptcy. As you can imagine it is very stressful to know that you have built a business that would be very profitable, but debt is sucking the life out of it. How does it happen? Didn't they see it coming? NO! - and that's just how the credit system works. You don't see it coming. It sneaks up on you a little here and there, until one day you don't have the cash flow to make the minimum payment, and there is no more credit to be had - Your ski pants really don't fit, and they are cutting off your circulation!

Not to worry - this can be fixed. The solution may be a little uncomfortable at first, but it can be fixed and the solution is rather simple. Much like my ski pants I may want an easy miracle but the only way to make change is by adjusting the inflows and/or the outflows. In your business that means making more, and/or spending less.

Credit is a useful tool for businesses to get you through those tough spots and even out the ebbs and flows of cash flow. Credit is most useful when you start your business to buy a franchise or make those initial investments. However, you need to be alert of the credit gotchas. Here's a game plan that has worked for my clients that have succeeded in digging their way to debt freedom.

1. Budget - Have a budget and use it! Be alert and check your actual revenues and expenses with your budget regularly. When first starting this process I like weekly comparisons so that you find problems with enough time to fix them. I you are telling yourself that "I can't do that because I am too busy", I would tell you that if you only did one thing all week that is the most important things to do. You cannot change what you cannot measure, so you must do this.

2. Do a Backwards Budget - If your budget just isn't coming out positive, then you need to start from nothing and add things in. Most cleaning businesses could be run in a pinch from their garage, with the owner doing all of the administrative work, and buying cheap supplies at Costco. Done like that if you are paying your people in the field correctly you are likely making 50% gross profit. On our sample $40K/month business that means, business life without luxuries gives them $20K/month to pay themselves and debt. After calculating your needed salary and debt pay down, you can use the rest to pay for luxuries like an office, office staff, office supplies, etc. You may not think of these things as luxuries - but, if you are drowning in debt you are volunteering to give up your salary and financial peace for these things. When I ask clients "would you rather have a fancy office or a salary that will pay your mortgage?" the choice is very simple for most. Once you get your debt paid off, you can add in more luxuries, and know that you can afford it.

3. Increase Your Inflows - Although I want you to create a budget that assumes that your revenues stay the same, you can improve your situation by increasing your income. How many new people have you talked to this week about your business? You must get the word out, and set a goal for how many new people you will sign up with. The increased inflows can be used to pay off your debt faster, and get you to financial freedom sooner.

4. Legitimate Debt Only - For all future credit only use it for legitimate needs, and have a plan for immediate payoff. Things like emergencies, initial reasonable marketing investments, equipment that will be put to immediate use, building purchases, software or products that replace labor, etc. The most important thing is to not bite off more than you can chew. If business does not improve ask yourself "will I be able to handle the payments to pay the debt off quickly?" If not you don't expect that you will, then you can't afford it.

5 Business Debt vs. Personal Debt - Try to build credit in your company name instead of in your personal name. Your personal credit score may be adversely hit if it shows that you have $20K in debt in a year with very little personal income, but a business that revenues a consistent $250K a year, for example, it would not be a red flag because it is not that unusual.

6. No "Miscellaneous" Expenses - Nothing should occur in all of your banking accounts (checking, credit cards, etc.) that does not have a category on your budget. So, no "Misc." category. It is the small things that add up to big problems.

7. Never go over your limits or pay late - If you don't want to see your interest rates and debts grow exponentially then never pay late, go over your limit, or pay your taxes late. You may not realize that your credit card may allow you to go "over limit" and accrue sometimes double the interest rate without even notifying you that you are over limit, but it can.

8. Don't waste time feeling guilty - Things happen, and you can't spend time kicking yourself about the debt, instead you need to get busy with immediate action. Small changes applied with consistency will kill this demon. Emotional responses will only feed the beast.

9. Build an emergency fund - Once you have paid off your debt, begin to save an emergency fund. Try to build your budget around 5-10% of revenues going to your emergency fund per month. Think of if you had done that last year, how much would you have by now? 120% of your revenue monthly would be there waiting in your account for you.

It is possible, and I have had clients who have paid off tens of thousands of dollars in debt in a relatively short amount of time, and you can too. As for me, I am going to go eat a salad!

Sell More Services With Headlines that Stand Out

2008-12-12T11:49:00.000-08:00

What is the big deal about headlines? After all, aren't they just a title for your ad? Headlines are so much more. They introduce your company and your product or service. Can you really afford to lose your target marketing from the first moment? Whether you are taking out a full page advertisement in your local paper or sending a newsletter to a loyal customer, you can't afford to waste money and time with a dull headline that people ignore. Even worse, an ineffective ad can actually hurt your business.

With the holidays upon us, the residual mumblings of the presidential debate and the rollercoaster of news from our media, getting your headlines noticed is no small task. These three tried and true techniques will help you craft headlines that stand out in the buzz.

1. Keep it Short. Headlines need to quickly grab your audience's attention so keep your words to a minimum. A good guideline is to not exceed the following:

Tag line - 5 words
Email Subject Line - 8 words
Web page - 8 words
Direct Mail Letter - 10 words
Coupon - 6 words
Article - 10 words

2. Grab 'em with Words. You only get one chance to make a first impression. Open your advertisement with action words that create a call to action. While adjectives and modifying verbs can be poetic, they can also waste your ad space. Skip the fluff and get right to the money-maker-words. Today - Careful - XX Steps - Save - Now - First - New - Easy - Guarantee - to name just a few. Don't be afraid to sound cheesy if it gets you read!

3. Use Headlines in Everything. Subject lines for emails, letters to clients, every web page, etc. Everything should have a headline to describe quickly why the reader should read. You can even break up your copy with multiple headlines sprinkled throughout your piece.

4. Play to your Audience - is your audience serious? Do they appreciate humor? Do they just need the facts, straight and simple? Your piece should sound just like your audience...and usually simple is best. Don't clutter your message with big words to sound formal or important.

5. Stick to Your Messaging. What is the strategic message that you want every client to know about your company? How are you different? This is your messaging, and that messaging should be the same underlying tone in every marketing detail in your business. So, for example, if your strategic messaging is that your business is fast and easy online cleaning service ordering, and you have an article about microfiber in your newsletter you are going to want a headline regarding how microfiber helps you deliver fast and easy service, instead of how microfiber is chemically created. Your article can go into detail on both of those topics, but grab the attention of the reader with a messaging that they expect from you.

7 Things You Must Know About GROWING Your Cleaning Business in a Down Economy

2008-10-16T05:33:00.000-07:00

Renee O'Brien recently gave a timely tele-seminar to around 200 cleaning business owners, and it can't be missed! Forget survival - I talked about how you can actually GROW during this down economy. Get inspired and ready for anything. We talked about...

Solid Strategies and Tactics for Your Business to Grow During a Down Economy
What to Expect From a Recession, and What are Your Best Moves
How to Raise Cash Fast
What to do when Customers Think You Are Too Expensive
The Secrets of Successful Businesses During Slumping Economies
How to Prepare for a Market Comeback

Hear the call by clicking the link below (FREE and no opt-in).

http://scrubpronews.blogspot.com/2008/10/audio-class-7-things-you-must-know.html

Listen now because it will be posted for a limited time only.

Renee has set up a course and coaching group geared towards mobilizing you and your company to tackle any slowing economy that may be coming to you.

GROWING YOUR BUSINESS IN A DOWN ECONOMY BLUEPRINT

There is still space left, and you won't want to miss this FAST ACTION 3 MONTH COURSE/COACHING GROUP to get all of the instant tools you need to MAKE MONEY during a down economy. In addition to all that is listed we are going to do great business boosting things like audit your marketing materials to show you what is working and what is not...as well as give you marketing materials. We will do Site Reviews of your web site to fine tune it to attract the most customers.

3 Month Implementation Tele-Class with Renee - Inspiration, Focus and Accountability
Step-By-Step 13-weekly Simple Action Blueprint Workbook
Estimating and Productivity Spreadhseet Tools - NEWLY UPDATED
"How to Get Your Prices and Productivty Right" DVD and 2 other easy-instruction DVDs
Audio CD "7 Things You Must Know for GROWING Your Cleaning Business in a Down Economy"
"Carpet Cleaning FAST-TRACK" booklet for fast action lead generation for your carpet cleaning division.
Audio CD Tutorials of the "Private Closed Door" Monthly Tele-Classes as well as an introductory "How to" of all of your materials.
Instant Marketing Packet - Instant Templates for all the marketing materials you will need to kick the bad economy's bootie
FREE one-on-one consulting access during one of the 4 "open office hours" time periods. No appointment needed, first come first serve 15 minute mini sessions. (BONUS)
$100 Voucher towards any other SharpChip product purchases for a whole 30 days! (BONUS)

AUDIO CLASS - 7 Things You Must Know About Growing Your Cleaning Business in a Down Economy

2008-10-16T04:30:00.000-07:00

Hear the call by clicking the button below (wait a couple seconds before the audio begins).

Listen now because the audio button will be posted for a limited time only.

Marketing in a Down Economy: Where is the Business Grass Greener?

2008-08-21T12:26:00.000-07:00

Marketing in a down economy - who would do such a thing? After all, budgets are tight, clients are cutting back, why spend the extra money now? Well, several reasons. Contrary to your business instincts, marketing in a down economy is one of the smartest things you can do. There are fewer other advertisers to compete with, your marketing dollars are likely to go farther, and you will stay fresh in your clients' minds while your competitors lie low and are slowly forgotten. A study of marketing activity in the 1981- 1982 recession found that by 1985 the companies that were aggressive recession advertisers had grown their revenue over 2.5X faster than those that had reduced their advertising.

The key is to market effectively. Here are some quick tips to help you along the way.

Don't Be Forgotten. Sure, everyone is cutting back on marketing expenditures so why not you? Well, because it's human nature to forget. Your prospects will forget to follow up with you and your current customers may be enticed elsewhere. Stay seen. Even if you don't go full tilt on your direct mail campaign, keep yourself in the marketplace. Get a write up in your local newspaper. Send out appreciation letters to your current customers. Just don't fade away.
Emphasize Pain Points Your Company Solves. Since many consumers are cutting back on frills, reminding your clients why they NEED you is essential. Do you offer a service that saves your customer valuable time that they really depend on? Does your service maintain the quality of something that would need to be replaced without you? You know why your customers are committed to you - remind them.

Know Your Cost Per Customer. Sounds simple, but many of us forget this important step. No matter what marketing or promotion you are doing, you are spending something to get those customers. Maybe you have an referral system in place that brings in clients on a monthly basis, maybe its an online advertising campaign. Even if it is just you going to various networking functions talking to people about your service. Your time is money. Figure out how you are spending so you can wisely make decisions about your marketing plans.

Don't Forget Who Loves You. That's right. You have a slew of customers right now. When you have limited money and time to acquire new customers, it's always wise to re-establish your relationships with your current customers. Some initiatives that help you get the most out of your existing relationships include newsletters and online ezines to increase credibility and provide additional value and expertise, promoting expanded services to current customers, and offering "tell-a-friend" campaigns that encourage viral marketing and referrals.

Set Higher Goals than You are Used to. One of our tendencies when things aren't so good is to shrink our dreams to "well I at least need to make payroll", or "if we stay the same size I will be happy." I challenge you take your goal and double it! Think bigger than you have ever thought before. It's amazing how you may look at things differently when you are thinking bigger.

So stop spending your time peering over the fence at falsely greener grass. Now is the time to start watering your own grass and make it grow!

Discover the Art of the Painless Price Increase

2008-07-30T09:56:00.000-07:00

Put more money in your pocket! Sample letters, case studies, and a step-by-step guide to doing a price increase, getting the most you can, and avoiding the biggest mistakes. Plus NEW - We've just updated the Painless Price Increase to include a new audio CD -

"How My Client Added $30,000 to his Annual Salary With a Price Increase - a Formula for Success"

The topics included in the CD:

* Can I do a price increase now with the economy so tight in my area?

* How much is too much - what size of an increase can I get away with?

* What are the biggest mistakes people make with price increases that cause clients to cancel, and could keep me from getting the increase that I need?

* What if I haven't raised prices in years and I have people that are well below what they should be - like their price needs to double?

* Is there a way to avoid losing any customers with a price increase, and if not, how many can I expect to lose?

* What the price increase message to my clients MUST say to be a success.

* What if I am already at the top of the market, how can I still structure an increase to work for me?

* Should I raise everyone all at once, or how should I roll out the increase?

* Calls, letters, re-evaluation of property - what method of price increase delivers the best results?

* How often can I do a price increase?

* If clients call rejecting the price increase and want to cancel service all together, how do I save them without losing money?

Order the Art of the Painless Price Increase today!

Raise Your Prices or Your Clients Will Think They're Too High

2008-07-30T09:41:00.000-07:00

Sounds crazy, but it is important to remember that your price is part of your market brand and positioning. If you don't do a price increase not only do you get way below the market, but also price is a "feature" that clients use to measure your worth, and they will measure you poorly with a price that is too low. Clients don't know what kind of service they can expect, but price is an indication -- cheap price, "low end service that should be happy to have any business at all". If you have a lower than average price, people can assume your service may be lower than average. For example, would you hire a $40/hour attorney when everybody else is $200/hour? Even if the attorney had excellent references and a polished track record, you'd be suspicious about the low price.

We all know innately that there is a price ceiling for any service that most people won't pay above. Well, there is the concept of the rock-bottom pricing as well and we've talked about what kind of customers that pricing model attracts in our last ezine. When you get too far below the market with your price, people only choose/keep you because of price, not anything else.
The trick is to set a strategy and stay solid with your pricing, which includes adjusting for cost of living and market adjustments. Whether you are skimming the top of the high-end market or positioning yourself slightly under the highest competitor you need to make sure your pricing stays in line with your company's image and branding. Otherwise you too will look suspicious.

Here are some other tips to keeping your pricing and branding in line:

Market to the Emotions, Not to the Wallet.
Your clients care about price, sure, but more than that they have a slew of emotions that also influence decisions. Are you trustworthy? High-quality? Community oriented? Odds are you have some great features to market to your customers and they are related to pricing.

Make Sure your Image Matches Your Price.
It's human nature to have pricing and image coincide. You expect casual service and décor when you walk into a Motel 6 and high-class service when you stay at a Four Seasons. Take a step back and make sure all your communications and marketing (website, brochures, customer service, leave-behinds, billing) are in line with your image and pricing combination.

Don't Introduce with the Price.
Just like a candidate interviewing for a job doesn't walk in and tell them how much he'll work for, you don't want to start off introducing your company with the costs first.

Look up Your State's Minimum Wage

2008-07-24T11:21:00.000-07:00

According to http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_U.S._minimum_wages and http://www.dol.gov/esa/minwage/america.htm we have compiled this list as of July 24, 2008. We have done our best to ensure accuracy, but verify with your state labor department for the most up to date numbers. You will note several states have a minimum wage lower than the new federal rate of $6.55, according to the US Department of Labor where Federal and state law have different minimum wage rates, the higher standard applies.

Arkansas $6.25
California $8.00 (San Francisco currently $9.36)
Colorado $7.02 (adjusts regularly as tied to the Consumer Price Index)
Connecticut $7.65
Delaware $7.15
District of Columbia $7.55 (will automatically reset to be $1.00 above federal wage level)
Florida $6.79 (tied to inflation)
Georgia $5.85
Hawaii $7.25
Idaho $6.55
Illinois $7.75 ($7.25 for under 18)
Indiana $6.55
Iowa $7.25
Kansas $2.65
Kentucky $6.55
Louisiana Federal
Maine $7.00 (increasing to $7.00 on 10/1/07)
Maryland $6.55
Massachusetts $8.00 (significantly lower for tipped employees and agriculture employees)
Michigan $7.40 (significantly lower for tipped employees and agriculture employees)
Minnesota $6.15/$5.25 (small employers allowed lower wage)
Mississippi Federal
Missouri $6.65 (adjusts regularly as tied to the Consumer Price Index)
Montana $6.25
Nebraska $6.55
Nevada $6.33
Nevada $6.33
New Hampshire $6.50 (Increasing to $7.25 on 9/1/08)
New Jersey $7.15
New Mexico $6.50 (Increasing to $6.50 9/1/07, and then $7.50 1/1/09; $9.50 currently in Santa Fe)
New York $7.15
North Carolina $6.55 ($5.25 for small employers; $625K annual receipts or less)
North Dakota $6.55
Ohio $7.00 (adjusts regularly as tied to the Consumer Price Index)
Oklahoma $6.55
Oregon $7.95 (rises with inflation)
Pennsylvania $7.15 ($6.65 for companies with fewer than 10 employees)
Rhode Island $7.40
South Carolina $6.55
South Dakota $6.55
Tennessee Federal
Texas $6.55
Utah $6.55
Vermont $7.68 (rises with inflation)
Virginia $6.55
Washington $8.07 (rises with inflation)
West Virginia $6.55
Wisconsin $6.50
Wyoming $5.15

How Will the Federal Minimum Wage Change Affect You?

2008-07-24T11:18:00.000-07:00

Today, Thursday, 7/24/08 enacts another phase of the federal minimum wage requirements from $5.85 per hour to $6.55 per hour. Currently 1.7 million people make $5.85 per hour or less, according to a 2007 Department’s Bureau of Labor Statistics. A boost to those workers’ wages to the new minimum wage will deliver them an annual salary of $13,624 (2007 federal poverty line for singles is $10,210).

As an employer its important to keep up on these regulations, and be proactive on how it might affect your company – even if you pay higher than $6.55 per hour.

HOW WILL THE FEDERAL MINIMUM WAGE CHANGE AFFECT ME?

If your state’s minimum wage is too low
Obviously, if your state’s minimum wage (whether for all businesses or just a certain size or industry) you will need to comply immediately with the federal guidelines, if you are not already. The minimum wage requirements apply to all official “hours worked” as defined by the federal labor and industries standards. Non-commuting drive time, some waiting time, certain types of on-call time, and more, are considered work hours and must comply with the minimum wage laws.

If you are already paying more than minimum wage, will this affect you?
Yes. The regulations will still affect your business at least for one reason, and that is as an employer you must have current federal wage posters at your location. These can be found for free at http://www.dol.gov/esa/regs/compliance/posters/flsa.htm, or there are a number of commercial companies that charge for posters that combine several of them in one big poster. Beyond the posters you may still be affected by one of the following situations.

When your state minimum wage is lower than federal, but you pay higher than that
Watch out for a potential chain reaction. You should be aware that all of those companies in your local area with minimum wage entry level jobs will now be competing with you for the same workers. Previously what you paid looked great to people making minimum wage, but now that they are making $1 or $2 more an hour, your wages may not look that much better. What evidence is there to the potential ripple-effect raises? Not much hard research has been done on it, but there are plenty of personal stories of how it affected individual businesses. Only time will tell, but be prepared just in case you have to pay more to find the same help.

If you pay by percentage
In the service industry many people pay by percentage or piece meal if it is allowed in their state. When doing so it is important to protect yourself by protecting your employees and verifying that the actual work time, non-commuting drive-time, call-in time, etc. of the longest jobs that your employees spend time on, still come in at an equal amount or more than the minimum wage. That regulation is an employee right ensured by our federal government.

If you pay a different rate for travel time
Not to sound like a broken record but check your travel time wage, and/or travel stipends to be sure they are still within the new guidelines.

Watch what happens in other states
Even if this change does not affect you much you may want to watch what happens in other states where they had to adjust the state wage requirements, to see how it affected companies in your industry, or that pay similar wages to your business. Did it cause wages in general to go up? Did companies have more people available to choose from? You need to watch because there are some more federal minimum wage changes coming up that will affect employers in more than half of the country. The federal minimum wage will increase to $7.25 on 7/24/09.

If you hire subcontractors its time for a review
Companies that legitimately hire subcontractors may not be subject to employer/employee regulations, however this would be a great time to check again and be sure that your team can truly be defined as “sub-contractors”. It only takes one disgruntled contractor to do some math and feel that they are not even meeting minimum wage requirements to lodge a complaint that they are truly an “employee” and not a contractor. Who needs that kind of headache? Follow all of the federal and local rules to the letter, and be sure that you are being fair about compensation, and you will sleep better at night.

I am Giving Away a free Dell Inspirion Laptop!

2008-07-22T14:52:00.000-07:00

We are giving away to the lucky winner FREE a brand new Dell Inspirion laptop...Pick your own color and we will order it for you.

What's the catch? No catch really, except that I may be a slacker. Over the years I have received tons of emails about how happy you are with the products, services, publications and presentations, but, like a SLACKER I have not been taking the time to ask for testimonials (like all savvy business owners should!). I know you are busy, so I thought wouldn't it be fun to have a Testimonial Sweepstakes - I request testimonials and throw all entries into a fish bowl and give away a nice prize as a thank you for your time!!!

You can enter the sweepstakes by answering our testimonial survey, and we will draw out one winner to pick out their favorite color and get a brand new laptop! The drawing will take place following the last day of the sweepstakes August 15th, and the winner will be announced directly and in the ScrubPro News ezine. SO EASY!

To enter here's what you do:

1. Go to the following link to answer some quick questions , and answering just a couple of questions makes the testimonial submission easy, and takes only minutes. Be sure to include your email address so that we can contact you if you win.

http://www.surveymonkey.com/s.aspx?sm=eVYcDrb1zgwfZOxIIXnqeg_3d_3d

2. Note - You can even submit a testimonial if you have not bought a product, but have enjoyed the ScrubPro News, a presentation, a recorded tele- seminar, etc. NO PURCHASE IS NECESSARY.

3. Additional chances to win are possible if you sign up before the Extra chances deadline of July 29th 2008 for our "Preferred Client Email Notification List", a free listing that gives you advance notices of specials and promotions

4. All entries will be thrown into a bowl, and in August we will select one lucky winner of the Dell Inspirion Laptop. We will notify the winner directly, and publish it in our ezine, ScrubPro News.

5. You must submit your testimonial by Friday, August 15th to be eligible.
For official rules of entry visit: SharpChip 2008 Testimonial Sweepstakes

That's it! Thank you so much for your feedback! Comments from my clients and subscribers is what has made our materials such good solutions since we make what you ask for!

2008 SharpChip Testimonial Sweepstakes

2008-07-22T14:38:00.000-07:00

**Official 2008 SharpChip Sweepstakes Rules**

1. TO ENTER: NO PURCHASE IS NECESSARY TO ENTER OR WIN. PURCHASE WILL NOT IN ANY WAY INCREASE YOUR CHANCES OF WINNING. The SharpChip Consulting Testimonial Sweepstakes begins at 12:00 AM Eastern Daylight Time on July 22, 2008 and ends on 11:59 PM Eastern Standard Time on August 15, 2008 ("Sweepstakes Period"). To enter Sweepstakes, logon to the website http://www.surveymonkey.com/s.aspx?sm=eVYcDrb1zgwfZOxIIXnqeg_3d_3d , or other official sweepstakes entrant application locations, to enter your testimonial for the Sweepstakes entry. The first time entrant accesses the website to enter the Sweepstakes, entrant will be required to create an account to become a registered subscriber of “ScrubPro News”. Each entrant must be a registered user of “ScrubPro News”, and complete the Testimonial survey. Each entrant's account must contain first name, last name, e-mail address, and all of the survey questions. Optional information may also be collected. Those unable to enter online may contact SharpChip, Inc. for a alternative entry form. Creating an account does not automatically enter entrant into the Sweepstakes, and all information must be provided on a SharpChip Sweepstakes entry to be eligible to win. Once entrant completes the online survey, entrant will be entered with one standard entry ("Standard Entry") into the Sweepstakes. All eligible entries, regardless of Promotion Code, will be entered for a chance to win. All entries for the grand prize must be received by Friday, August 15, 2008, 11:59 PM. You can get four (4) additional entries (“Additional Entries”) by registering for, or already being a subscriber of our “Preferred Client Email Notice List” by Tuesday, July 29th, 2008, 11:59 PM. Limit five (5) entries per person, per e-mail address (1 Standard Entry per person per sweepstakes, 4 additional entries for those that meet the Additional Entries requirements). Each entrant must be the rightful owner (or have authorized use) of the e-mail address identified in the entrant's entry. In the event of a dispute as to the identity of a winner, the winner will be deemed to be the natural person in whose name the e-mail account governing the e-mail address was opened. A potential winner may be requested to provide the Sponsors, as hereinafter defined, with proof that the potential winner is the account holder of the e-mail address associated with the winning entry. If a dispute cannot be resolved to Sponsors' satisfaction, the entry will be deemed ineligible. Entries become the property of the Sponsors. Void where prohibited.

2. ELIGIBILITY: Sweepstakes is open to legal residents of the U.S. and Canada excluding Rhode Island (Rhode Island residents not eligible), twenty-one (21) years of age and older as of July 29th, 2008, and an owner, contractor, or be employed by a business in the commercial or residential cleaning or restoration industry. Employees of SharpChip, Inc. (collectively, the "Sponsors") and their respective parent companies, sales representatives, distributors, directors, officers, governors, owners, subsidiaries, affiliates, related companies, and advertising and promotion agencies and the immediate families and/or household members of each of the above are not eligible to enter.

3. DRAWINGS: A random drawing for one (1) grand prize winner will be conducted beginning on or about Friday, August 22, 2008 and will be conducted and supervised by Sponsors, or its designee, whose decisions are final and binding in all matters relating to this Sweepstakes. Odds of winning depend on the total number of eligible entries received. Winner will be notified by telephone and/or e-mail, and/or overnight mail during the Sweepstakes Period using the contact information provided at the time of entry. If a Canadian resident is selected as a potential winner, he/she must correctly answer a time based mathematical skill testing question administered during the aforementioned notification call to be eligible for a prize. Sponsors are not responsible if any potential winner notification is not received for any reason. If the potential winner is contacted and complies with these rules, he/she will be declared the official w inner. If, however, the attempted notification is not confirmed to Sponsors within three (3) days, or the potential winner does not comply with these rules, or declines any prize, Sponsors may select an alternate potential winner at random from among all correct entries received during the Sweepstakes Period.

4. PRIZES: Grand Prize: One (1) grand prize winner will receive one (1) Dell Inspirion Laptop.

5. PRIZE ACCEPTANCE/RELEASE: Prize is not transferable. No substitution or cash redemption allowed except by Sponsors, who may substitute a Prize for a Prize of equal or greater value if advertised Prize become unavailable. Federal, State, and local taxes on Prize is sole responsibility of Winners, who may be issued a 1099 IRS tax form (Winner is advised to seek independent counsel regarding Prize winnings). Winner may be required to complete, sign, have notarized and return an Affidavit of Eligibility/Prize Acceptance/Liability and a Publicity Release Form (except where prohibited by law) immediately following notification and receipt, or Prize will be forfeited and awarded to an alternate winner. By accepting Prize, Winner consents to use of their name and likenesses for advertising purposes by Sponsors, but not the obligation to do so, without limitation and without additional authorization, remuneration, and compensation, except where prohibited by law. By accepting Prize, Winner further agrees to release SharpChip, Inc. and their respective officers, directors, employees and agents (the "Sweepstakes Parties") from any and all liability, loss or damage of any kind arising out of or in connection with the Winners' participation in this Sweepstakes, or with respect to awarding, receipt, possession, use and/or misuse of any Prize or participation in Prize-related activities. By accepting Prize, Winners further acknowledge that the Sweepstakes Parties have neither made, nor are in any manner responsible or liable for, any warranty, representation or guarantee, express or implied in fact or in law, relative to Prize or to any portion thereof, including, but not limited to, their quality, merchantability, mechanical condition, or fitness for a particular purpose.

6. GENERAL: By participating in the Sweepstakes, each entrant unconditionally accepts and agrees to comply with and abide by these Official Rules and with the decisions of Sponsors, whose decisions shall be final and binding in all respects. Winner hereby releases and agrees to hold the Sweepstakes Parties (defined above) harmless from and against any and all costs, injuries, losses or damages of any kind, including, without limitation, death and bodily injury, due in whole or in part, directly or indirectly, to participation in the Sweepstakes or any Sweepstakes-related activity, or the receipt, use or misuse of any prize. The Sweepstakes is subject to all applicable Federal, State and local laws and regulations. By entering the Sweepstakes and/or accepting any Prize, entrants/Prize winner agrees to be bound by these rules and the decisions of the Sponsors, and waive any right to claim ambiguity in the Sweepstakes or these official rules. Any person attempting to defraud or tamper with the Sweepstakes will be prosecuted and will not be eligible for any Prize. Any depiction of any Prize is for illustrative purposes only.

7. LIMITATIONS OF LIABILITY: Sponsors are not responsible for lost, late, misdirected, incorrectly addressed or incomplete on-line entries due to system errors or failures, or faulty transmissions or other telecommunications malfunctions and/or on-line entries not received resulting from any hardware or software failures of any kind, lost or unavailable network connections, or failed, incomplete or garbled computer or telephone transmissions, typographical or system errors and failures, or faulty transmissions, or for any problems or technical malfunctions(s) of any telephone network or lines, computer online systems, servers or providers, computer equipment, or entries not received by Sponsors on account of technical problems or traffic congestion on the Internet, or at a Website, or any combination thereof, including any injury or damage to entrant's or any other person's computer related to or resulting from entering the Sweepstakes or downloading any material for the Sweepstakes, or other telecommunications malfunctions which may limit an entrant's ability to participate. Sponsors may prohibit an entrant from participating in the Sweepstakes, of winning any Prize if, in its sole discretion, it determines that said entrant is attempting to undermine the legitimate operation of the Sweepstakes by cheating, hacking, deception, or other unfair playing practices (including quick entry programs) or intending to annoy, abuse, threaten or harass any other entrants or Sponsors representatives. Entrants who violate these official rules or engage in any conduct that is detrimental or unfair to Sponsors, the Sweepstakes or any other entrants (in each case as determined in Sponsors' sole discretion) are subject to disqualification from entry into the Sweepstakes. If for any reason this Sweepstakes is not capable of running as planned, including, but not limited to, infection by computer virus, bugs, tampering, unauthorized intervention, fraud, or any other causes beyond the reasonable control of Sponsors which corrupts or affects the administration, security, fairness, integrity or proper conduct of the Sweepstakes, then Sponsors reserve the right, at their sole discretion, to cancel, terminate, modify or suspend the Sweepstakes. CAUTION: ANY ATTEMPT BY AN ENTRANT TO DELIBERATELY DAMAGE THE WEBSITE OR UNDERMINE THE LEGITIMATE OPERATION OF THE SWEEPSTAKES MAY BE IN VIOLATION OF CRIMINAL AND CIVIL LAWS AND SHOULD SUCH AN ATTEMPT BE MADE, SPONSORS RESERVE THE RIGHT TO SEEK REMEDIES AND DAMAGES (INCLUDING ATTORNEY'S FEES) FROM ANY SUCH ENTRANT TO THE FULLEST EXTENT OF THE LAW, INCLUDING CRIMINAL PROSECUTION.

8. WINNERS: For Winner's name, available after August 22, 2008, send a self-addressed stamped envelope, to be received no later than (February 22, 2009) to SharpChip, Inc., 444 NE Ravenna Blvd #200B, Seattle, WA, 98115.

SharpChip Consulting Given the 2008 Apex Award for Publication Excellence

2008-07-01T10:26:00.000-07:00

We are pleased and proud to announce that SharpChip Consulting has been awarded the 2008 Apex Award for Publication Excellence in recognition of our "Excellence in Communications and Editorial Content" for our email newsletter "ScrubPro News".

Hurray! We are thrilled to receive this kind of recognition. As you know, it is always our mission to deliver real quality and expert advice to our customers. "ScrubPro News" is an email newsletter published approximately 35 times per year and is jammed packed full of unique, informative original content for cleaning business owners to build their businesses. The Apex Award is awarded to businesses who demonstrate excellence in communication and editorial content, and we are proud to be among other such prestigious 2008 winners as The Walt Disney Company, Accenture, Marriott International, and Costco Wholesale! The sponsor of the award is Communications Concepts, and this is this is the twentieth annual year of the competition. There were close to 4,500 entries, and according to the awards committee the "competition was exceptionally intense."

We are very proud and we want to thank you, our loyal readers for all of the ideas and participation that you give to help make this publication great. Thanks!

8 Life-Saving Ideas for The High Cost of Gas in the Service Industry

2008-06-17T18:20:00.000-07:00

"It's Killing Me" one client said to me this week regarding gas prices. With gas prices nearly doubling over the last year, and no end in sight for the incline, service business owners are shaking in their boots about how to tackle this problem.

Just how bad is it? I just checked this morning and at their highest location (California) the price is reported to be $4.57/gallon! Sheesh! What happened to the good old days?

Well, that's enough moaning and groaning from me, let's get some serious action on this problem. First, I know we are freaked out about what the news is constantly screaming at us about gas, and how it is affecting us, but let's look at the numbers for our industry and see what it is really costing us. And keep in mind, that for the purpose of this article I am writing as though your company owns company cars and pays the costs, however even if you don't and your staff is paid mileage, or they pay for the expenses themselves, they are worried about this and it is affecting their pocket books, and the perception of their financial stability every day.

How much does it cost in gas to travel to each home? Let's assume you have a car that gets 20 miles to the gallon, your average travel is 7 miles, your local gas is $4.00/gallon and a team uses that car to go to 5 homes each day - that is a cost of an average of $1.68/client. Not as bad as you thought, right? That's only 1.68% of revenue. But, figure that for 20 homes a day and you have a nearly $800/month gas bill, so I can see why we might want to make some changes.
The news is full of all of little helpful gas savings tips (http://www.edmunds.com/advice/fueleconomy/articles/106842/article.html ), but I am going to focus this article on big changes that you can make. You may think I am whacky, but give it some thought.

Go Biodiesel - Run your car on cooking oil??? Around the northwest where I live this is not a new idea (cause we're born greenies), but it is becoming a surprising trend across the country. You will need a diesel engine vehicle, and then you are pretty much good to go from what I understand. There are several biodiesel clubs that can give you all the dirt on how this works. One advantage for us service business owners is the marketing opportunity to be running your business on "green" cars. Signage on the cars, press releases, participation in green business organizations, are all business boosting options. Some disadvantages are (1) Biodiesel congeals in low temperatures, so in winter months you will have to use biodiesel mix that is higher in actual diesel, (2) Some people say that your car will smell like French fries, although with the commercial grade fuels now that is not really the case, (3) You don't save as much money as you might like since $3.50/gallon is still not cheap, and the cost food oils is increasing due to the high transportation cost to growers. All in all, I think it could be a brand shifting switch for your company to consider biodiesel.

FUEL COST - $1.00/gallon home mixed, $3.50/gallon commercially available

AVAILABILITY - Available most everywhere through private clubs and some stations

RESOURCES -
How Bio Diesel Works http://auto.howstuffworks.com/biodiesel.htm
Bio Diesel article http://www.eastoregonian.info/Main.asp?SectionID=13&SubSectionID=350&ArticleID=38119
Biodiesel buying guide http://www.biodiesel.org/buyingbiodiesel/guide/
Bio Diesel Car Guide http://www.biodieselamerica.org/biodiesel_car_guide

Go Electric - We are all waiting with bated breath for the new generation of long running electric cars to come out, but it could be years before you could really get your hands on some. Why wait? Did you know that you can go electric right now?! Yes, apparently you can convert any car to electric (though there are some that convert more easily than others). The savings for this kind of thing is big, with the cost per mile being estimated by conversion experts at 1.5 cents per mile (equivalent to $.30/gallon of a 20mpg car)! Wowee, I'm going to Disneyland!!! And with a conversion you are replacing your entire engine so repair and maintenance costs are eliminated as well. Some disadvantages though are (1) Finding a licensed technician, and waiting the several months that it takes to do the conversion could be tedious, (2) Registering your vehicle and obtaining insurance should be something thoroughly checked out for your area first before embarking on this. You are replacing your entire engine with a high voltage battery, and there may be some restrictions in your area about how this is handled. (3) For many outside of the service industry some disadvantages may be that the cars typically run at 45 mph or below, and can go only about 100 miles before needing to be recharged. However for the service industry, no problem because bopping between clients should be fine, I would think. (4) Lastly, the cost of a conversion can be hefty starting at a DIY price of $7000 or so, up to as much as $20,000 for the whole shebang. Another option is to buy an already converted car http://www.eaaev.org/eaaevsforsale.html . Call me crazy, but if I owned a cleaning company today I might do this just for the marketing power alone.

FUEL COST - 1.5 cents per mile (equivalent of $.30/gallon for 20 mpg car)

AVAILABILITY - EV clubs are nationwide, however already converted cars and technicians seem scarce.
RESOURCES - Electronic car conversion forum http://www.diyelectriccar.com/forums/
Electric car society http://www.didik.com/evlinkb.htm
Electric cars for sale http://www.eaaev.org/eaaevsforsale.html

Go Japanese - Japanese "Kei Trucks" are getting more attention these days and they are tiny utility trucks, that get around 50 mpg, and cost about $5000-$7000 a piece. Sounds great! Only one catch, for makes newer than 1980 they are not street legal in most states. Check with your state to see if they are able to be registered for road use. Dealers in some areas are buying the older cars by the container load and selling them in the US. The average Japanese vehicle apparently drives less than 5,000 miles per year, so even though the cars are over twenty years old their mileage is not so bad. I didn't do a ton of research on this, but thought it was an interesting option, again for short in-city travel.

FUEL COST - 50 mpg averages $.08/mile

AVAILABILITY - You need to Google for a dealer in your area, and verify carefully the registration standards.

RESOURCES -
Kei Car article in Seattle http://www.king5.com/localnews/consumer/stories/NW_061108CNB_savemoney_cars_SW.204a26cd.html Kei cars
http://spiralbound.net/2005/09/20/little-japanese-trucks
Kei car purchase http://www.minitufftrucks.com/about.htm

Go Used - When I owned my cleaning company we owned a 1990's Geo, a not very fancy, tiny, get around town car, that got around 45 miles per gallon!!! The car was cheap, around $7000 new if I remember correctly. In fact during that time, when buyers didn't seem to care about fuel economy, there were lots of very fuel efficient cars out. For example, the 2000 Honda Insight getting 70 mpg on the Highway, wow! Maybe you should be in the market for a great used car. Here is a list of used cars that range in gas mileage from 47 - 70 mpg on the highway http://www.autohopper.com/fuel_economy_cars/result s_gas_mileage.asp

FUEL COST - 60 mpg averages $.065/mile

AVAILABILITY - Available if you know what cars to look for

RESOURCES - Older car gas mileage http://www.autohopper.com/fuel_economy_cars/result s_gas_mileage.asp Search cars fuel economy or non-gasoline
http://www.fueleconomy.gov/feg/best/bestworstNF.shtml

Check the Prices - How close are you actually paying attention to prices at different stations in your area? I have noticed a price difference sometimes as much as $.20/gallon just by choosing a different station near you. Twenty cents is 5% of gas prices, and in our example above that could mean a difference of $40/month just by telling your staff which station to use. There are a number of places on the internet that compare gas prices by station. The figures are reported by other internet users so its not exactly scientific data, but worth a look. Check out your area Check gas prices http://www.gasbuddy.com/.

Add a Fuel Surcharge - Many companies across the country are doing it, and not just cleaning companies. Fuel costs are going up so everything from pizza to building materials is baring the cost. If a price increase is not feasible for you then consider a fuel surcharge so that your prices still look competitive, but you are compensated for the rising fuel costs. $3-$5 seems to be about the going rate.

Watch Your Consumption - Your gas bill is not the only thing that goes up with rising fuel costs, but also everything else. It's a great time to get wise about reducing unnecessary driving and needless consumption. Make arrangements with your clients for backup vacuums and supplies so that extra trips are not needed in emergencies, consolidate closely located clients, use the post office to mail items to clients that you would normally deliver (like returned keys). Also, see what items in your budget that you could do without. Could you decrease your cleaning supply list, office supply list, or other extra products?

Take the Marketing Opportunity - I believe that with every problem comes opportunity. How can you make lemonade out of this situation? Could you use a "we're all in this together" marketing angle to prompt neighbors of your clients to sign-up and share the transportation savings with their neighbors? Could you advertise your green vehicle solution? Could you change your service hours to meet easier commuting options (say a 4 day work week), and get lots of press for your unique green solution? Think big, and let me know what you come up with.

Renee Joins the Board for Cleaning For a Reason

2008-05-28T13:29:00.000-07:00

I am so honored to report to you that I have been asked to join the board of Cleaning For a Reason, a non-profit foundation that partners with hundreds of cleaning services nationwide to provide free cleaning services for women with cancer. The foundation has been growing at a record pace, gaining national sponsorship, receiving prestigious awards, and many other things that move towards its mission to provide as many women with cancer access to free housecleaning, to make their lives just a little easier.

I am proud and honored to join the board and contribute in anyway that I can.

If you own a residential cleaning service and would like to find out more about the foundation and how you can participate please go to http://www.cleaningforareason.org/ .

Tax Rebates - Create Your OWN Economic Growth Package

2008-05-06T11:19:00.000-07:00

Whew! Tax deadlines have passed and so has all the stress of getting your filing in on time. Now is the fun part of waiting for that tax rebate money that will soon be coming to most filers. Those rebates for 2007 taxes will be $600 - $1,200, and some families with children possibly getting even more. And they are already in the mail. Which means this is the perfect time to decide where that money will go.

Now, our government is hoping we shop 'til we drop and stimulate the good 'ole US economy. And most of us will. But how about taking some time to figure out how to grow your business with your spending this year.

Here are some 5 suggestions for starting your own economic stimulus package with a bright shiny $1,000 check from Uncle Sam:

1) Generate leads with an online pay-per-click campaign. The great thing about pay-per-click online campaigns is that you can see the results. Say you put your $1,000 toward a new campaign and you managed to get your cost-per-click to about $1. That's 1,000 new customers taking a look at your business. And suppose a fourth of them are converted into paying customers. That's 250 new customers. Wow.

2) Get Your Operations Organized. Save some of that money to make sure your business is running as efficiently as possible. According to a Reuters Study, "Of Managers surveyed, 49% feel they are often unable to handle the volumes of information received; 38% waste substantial time trying to locate information; and 47% say collection of information distracts from their main job responsibilities." Where are the inefficiencies in your office? Invest in plugging up those leaks of valuable time and money.

3) Sharpen Your Saw. I love Steven Covey's book "The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People." Number 7 is "Taking the time to sharpen the saw". And, basically it is the concept that if you are a woodsman chopping wood all day, you must stop occasionally and sharpen the saw, or else your ability to cut would will start to diminish, and eventually you will be completely ineffective. As business people we too must sharpen our saw. For $1,000 you could take a class or two from one of the many online education websites such The Small Business Association , Skill Path or World Wide Learn.

4) Update Your Website. As we all know, the sky is the limit when designing your company's website. Browsing the web will show you that each website has a personality of its own. What is your site telling your customers about you? $1,000 can be put toward updating your website to CLOSE MORE SALES, add some interesting information about your company, a way of collecting emails and new prospects online, or simply a snappy new look.

5) Motivate Your Staff. Plan a staff motivational party where you provide the staff with a budget and let them plan what they would like to do. If the rules are "no shop talk allowed", then everyone should have an opportunity to bond as a team and have fun. Happy people work harder, and you'll enjoy getting to know your staff more too. With $1K you can set yourself up for the whole year and your staff can look forward to quarterly celebrations.

5 Tips to Handling Employee Stress and Turning it Around

2008-04-03T11:07:00.000-07:00

Rising gas prices, murmurings about the economy, all those foreclosures -- the news out there these days is a bit stressful. Sure, as a business owner and entrepreneur you are stressed with all the negative media, but what about your staff?

According to the American Institute of Stress (yes, there is even an association for stress, folks!) work stress costs employers an estimated $300 billion a year in absenteeism, turn-over, lower productivity, and more.

So what to do? Well, first recognize that often work stress is linked back to tight deadlines, unclear job responsibilities, long, unproductive meetings, micromanagement and other structural challenges in the company. Make sure you are addressing those items first and foremost. Once you feel confident about the structural changes, consider some of these appreciated and low-cost perks to strengthen staff moral and motivate individuals.

1. Offer flexible work schedules. Many employees, especially those with families, may be stressed by the time they arrive to work with all the preparation they do in the mornings to get their families off to school and work for the day. Recognize this and allow employees to select a start and end time to their day that is consistent with the needs of the company. What is better? To have Jane rush in at 8:00 in a state or disarray, or at 8:20 with a smile on her face and a calm disposition?

2. Update your Employee Bulletin Board with Stress-Freeing Financial Information. Low-cost housing, free checking accounts, resonable child-care, coupons and discounts, social work help, landlord tenant help, and other information and affordable services for staff in financial crisis can be very helpful.

3. Give employees time off to take family members (or themselves) to doctor and dentist appointments. Just the fact that family members are sick can be a stress and can lead to more employee absenteeism. Whenever possible, let employees take some time during their day to make their important visits to health professionals.

4. Cater an occasional breakfast, lunch or afternoon snack. This can be as elaborate or as simple as you would like it to be. After all, who can be crabby while enjoying milk and chocolate cookies for an afternoon snack?

5. Introduce an employee newsletter with "hero stories" recognizing employees for accomplishments in or outside of work. Even if you only have a handful of employees, offer a monthly or weekly newsletter to both inform and inspire your employees. Include photos and positive stories about people's accomplishments (with their OK, of course). This can serve to build confidence within individuals, and also help your employees get to know and appreciate one another.

Let's face it, happy and motivated employees are more loyal and productive. They share their contentment with the company, and that spreads to other employees. Negative vibes can be contagious, but then again, so can smiles. You might be surprised by the results.

Cleaning Business Paparazzi

2008-03-14T10:49:00.000-07:00

Congratulations Mechelle Fain of You've Got it Maid in Oklahoma for your spotlight news article in the Oklahoman paper on Wednesday! Being highlighted as a small business success can give you very good positioning, and good leads. I guess so since this was Mechelle's email to me this morning: "We made the paper --- and I have had several calls already!"

Why I brought this up in this Issue is that now is the time for you to be getting your spring cleaning, earth day, green cleaning, and get organized for spring articles out. Editors will be searching now for filler for their upcoming spring home editions, so get on it!

If you want your press releases to be accepted with open arms and not squirreling fists then follow then avoid these press release No-No's and make them say "Yes" all the way to the bank!

1. Don't have your press release read like a resume. They want stories of human interest and different angles, not a sales pitch.

2. Don't submit a story angle to a publication that you just read about in publication earlier. Stuff that's old is not "news", so you will need to be innovative at least with your spin.

3. Don't forget to check out who the best editors in your local publications are, and contact them to build a relationship and see what kinds of stories they need.

4. Don't stop at just one article. Use that article or refer to it in your other marketing like newsletters, tip sheets, link to it on your blog, audio recordings, web site, and other media. And, of course, multiple press on different topics is always good.

5. Don't use other people's content. Editors are not going to take kindly to plagiarized materials; and remember that just because you found something on the web does not mean that you can go ahead and use it.

6. Don't forget to make the story enticing by including photos, quotes from clients or resources. They may not use your actual photos, but seeing what's possible may send a photographer out.

7. Don't neglect double checking your contact information. What a bummer to get a 1000 eyes reading about you, only for them to call wrong number.

8. Don't forget to have fun. Yes, lots of your releases may not get picked up, but it sure is fun when they do.

Tele-Seminar BONUS has ONLY 2 Spots Left - Act Now!

2008-03-12T17:32:00.000-07:00

Hi there, It's been some crazy times, and I have been meaning to update sooner, but have not gotten a chance.

I know that many of you have already secured your copy and seat, but just in case I wanted to let you know that there are only 2 spots left in the Implementation Tele-Seminar Series (one of the Bonuses from the Self-Running Business Operational Procedural Package). That's 6 monthly sessions to make sure that you implement this product, and inspire you to really knock it out of the park!

I'm looking forward to these seminars because it is a really outstanding group of businesses that will be participating. I am also thinking of doing something fun like having a contest to motivate everyone to produce fast results.

Anyway, I will add more to this blog later, but wanted to let you know that now's the time to act. Everyone gets the recordings of the Course after the sessions, and I am still trying to get more seminar seats, but no promises, so if you want to be part of this group make your purchase tonight.

More later... thanks everyone.

http://www.sharpchip.com/OperationsMadness2.html

Half the Tele-Seminars Spots Are Gone

2008-03-11T13:44:00.000-07:00

I have two updates.

(1) Over half of the 6 Implementation teleseminar spaces are gone, and there are several people are just getting back to me soon. So, hurry if you want to get in on that. We are still trying to negotiate more lines, but if you want to be certain that you got your spot, contact asap.

(2) We had our second technical snafu of the day. There was blunder with the price on the shopping cart and it wasn't reading the price you expect. We fixed that about 10 minutes after launch, so hopefully that did not catch you. But, if so try again, and contact us by phone if its easier. 206-522-8473.

Thanks, guys this is a very exciting day. We are going to have a lot of very organized, self-running cleaning businesses out there. Be sure to be in on the excitement.

http://www.sharpchip.com/OperationsMadness2.html

We are LIVE!

2008-03-11T12:05:00.000-07:00

The Self-Running Cleaning Business Operational Procedures product is live, and available to order, so have at it before they are all gone!

http://www.sharpchip.com/OperationsMadness2.html

Order by clicking the links on the page listed above, or call the office at 206-522-8473.

Couple More Questions & Answers

2008-03-11T10:31:00.001-07:00

We are getting down to the final wire here, and there have been tons of calls and emails this morning. I may not have a chance to get back to you on everything just yet, but there were a couple of things that I wanted to update you on.

First, The countdown timer had to be taken down - BUMMER! It turns out that East coast people were seeing a different time from west coast, etc. Anyway the product is available at 3:30 pm tEST oday, 3/11/08.

Second, a couple of people have asked about relevance to Canadian laws and practices. There shouldn't be much conflict, but I am going to put a supplement out after the launch just for our friends up north.

This is great fun! Remember you can order on-line or call 1-206-522-8473 when ordering is open.

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