Making your network “work”

Making your network “work” Last week I met up with Steve Lawrence who runs a specialist cleaning business called “Dry and Clean”.  www.dryandclean.co.uk I have known Steve for a couple of years through  BNI (Business Networking International).  I knew that Steve made a substantial amount of his business through networking. However I was keen to learn more on how he turned “networking” into money. In under an hour, several key things became apparent:- Take networking seriously. Steve mentioned on more than one occasion that he regarded networking a core aspect of his business. He attended events regularly and has got to know the people in his network. This has helped him understand other people’s business and which helped him find referrals for others. It also meant that they understood his business and they found him referrals. Collect TestimonialsSteve understood that testimonials were a powerful marketing tool and he ensured that he collected and published them.  Examples of where he made use of testimonials included :-

• On his website
• On other 3^rd party websites where he advertised his services
• On leaflets advertising his services

Knowing where to advertise Steve knows that he needs to target local businesses and consumers (both B2B and B2C). He realises that he needs to reach them effectively without incurring excessive cost. Hence he has signed up for “BestOfRichmond” that helps him reach these people. The site also allows him to post his testimonials – which further boosts his credibility. Learn the art of collaboration He  said that one of the best ongoing jobs came through another cleaning firm in the area. They understood that he provided services that they did not – in the area of upholstery. Steve was more than willing to wear their “uniform” and provide his services under their banner. Letting it grow Steve has been networking for three years with his business.  Many of his customers start out with small jobs then as trust develops, ask him back for larger jobs and also refer to other people. The overall effect is that his turnover from networking as increased dramatically by word of mouth in the last few years.

Useful information when investing in a rug

There are a few basics you should know about rugs. Once you understand how to identify what makes a rug valuable, you’ll have a greater chance at purchasing a better rug.

Rug fibers usually consist of wool in most mid to upper end rugs. High-end rugs may also have silk. Synthetic fibers such as acrylic, polyester, nylon, and olefin (polypropylene) can be found in more economical rugs. Cotton, sea grass, and sisal rugs are often moderate rugs. Your most stain resistant rugs will contain synthetic fibers, but won’t feel as soft and luxurious. All other natural fiber rugs are susceptible to staining if spots aren’t cleaned immediately.What do you look for in a rug? Quality of wool, type of dye, and knots. Simply because a rug is expensive, doesn’t mean it has good dyes or is constructed well. Make sure you know what it is and shop around first.The quality of a wool fiber depends largely on the type of dye used. Fine wool is vegetable dyed with fruits, roots, and plants. Cheaper wools and nylons can be dyed with synthetic dyes.

A rug should always be tested for colourfastness by taking a damp white cloth and gently rubbing it into the fiber. If any color transfers on the cloth, the dyes are unstable. Also look closely at the fiber to check the integrity. Make sure it isn’t unraveling. Very fine wool fibers can often look as soft as silk even to an experienced rug professional.The construction of a rug is also a key factor. To determine if the rug is handmade, turn it upside down and look at the back. If you cannot see the pattern as clearly as on the face, the rug is not handmade. If the rug passes this first test, look at the fringe. The fringe should be an extension of the yarn inside the rug and should not look like it was sewed on separately. Many rugs that claim to be hand stitched are stitched by hand with a machine. You can expect to pay at least £250 for a small 3×4 hand made rug.

BEWARE of rugs with cloth backings. These rugs have something to hide. The cloth is covering either flaws in a handmade rug or even worse, glue that is holding the backing together. Glued backings have a tendency to get torn when the rug is moved or cleaned. If you are looking for an alternative to a handmade rug, you might look at a Karastan. These wool rugs closely resemble hand made rugs, are cheaper in price, and rarely have the problems associated with cheaper wool rugs. If you aren’t ready to invest several thousand pounds in a rug, these will be your best bet. Ask the right questions. Educate yourself. Good luck in finding your perfect rug. Rug cleaning london Carpet cleaning Richmond

Is Dry extraction better?

A Dry carpet cleaner is not completely moisture-free, but it is typically a process where foam, powder, granules or absorbent cleaning compounds are spread across the carpet and they absorb the soil.

This highly-absorbent cleaning solution, or compound, will be vacuumed-extracted, requiring about a fifth of the water that is used in steam cleaning or hot water extraction carpet cleaning methods, if done professionally.
Some carpet cleaner service providers use a machine that features an electric brushing method to scrub the carpet, which also fluffs up the pile. At home, the foam or powder will absorb the soil and debris, but your vacuum will depend on how much cleaner your carpet is.Advantages of Host Carpet Cleaning
Although customer reviews for the Host dry carpet cleaner are difficult to find, they are out there and people who have used this product really seem to feel it does a great job on their carpet.
Actual users give this product a 5 out of 5 stars. Here are some of the things they had to say about the Host dry carpet cleaning kit.

• No wet carpet
• you can walk on the carpet when the cleaner is down and immediately after you have cleaned your carpet.
• Excellent at removing stains and odors one customer wrote: “I’ve used HOST for over 20 years…it’s been great for my carpets.”
• Easy to use
• Cleans natural fiber rugs that you can’t use wet cleaning methods on
• All natural biodegradable ingredients

Disadvantages
The few reviews that could be found were all overwhelmingly positive so there seems to be few real disadvantages to using this product though several reviewers did reveal two or three problems.

• The Product is difficult to find
• somewhat messy
• clogs up some vacuum cleaners.

Of the three disadvantages that consumers listed, the most problematic one is the difficulty in finding this product. However, there seems to be plenty of sites that sell the Host dry carpet cleaning kit online and the official Host website does list distributors that handle their product if you type in your post code.
As for the other two disadvantages some reviewers stated that using a wet/dry vac to do the initial vacuuming after using the Host dry carpet cleaner helps prevent clogs in your home vacuum and it does appear that dry carpet cleaning would be less messier than emptying those dirty buckets from traditional carpet cleaning.

So, It seems the answer is a definite  YES!!

A few testimonials

 Many thanks, I wanted to let you know that, since your visit and work on my fitted sisool carpets at the weekend, what a pleasure it is for me every time I come home to see my carpets restored to their pristine and fresh condition. I really, really appreciate the care you took and want to thank you for being so professional and enthusiastic about your work. It will be so easy to recommend you. As we discussed please contact me in 12 months so that we can keep up the good results.

Lillian

Steve is so passionate about his work. My very old pink carpets came out wonderfully, all the little staines vanished. The carpets were dry straight away and were so much fresher. It was a pleasure because steve is such a nice, trustworthy person. I was totally happy to pop out and leave him too it. I can’t recommend dry and clean more highly. Fantastic! 5 stars.
Heidi Wells

“Steven’s friendly approach and excellent results mean that I would recommend his services to anyone.

Maggie Stewart.

“What Steven has done has sayed me a fortune. The wife was complaining that the carpet never came clean, and so new carpet was the next expense, then Steven did his magic. No new carpet, just the old one as new.”

Richard Agar

“I engaged Steve from Dry & Clean to do some home carpet cleaning for me in 2010 and we have benefitted from his services a number of times since then.
The results that Steve can achieve are truly excellent, and the dry system minimises interruption to our home lives. We also value the peace of mind that the system gives us when Steve cleans our child’s bedroom, knowing that there will be no adverse environmental or health effects.
At all times he is professional, industrious, tidy, thorough, honest and friendly. I have recommended him to friends, who have also been delighted with his services, and I will continue to pass him referrals whenever possible.

C Townndrow

Mechanics floor

Carpet clean using HOST, Our client is a mechanic, As you can see from the photo we did one part of the floor to give him an idea of what his carpet should look like.

Grout sealer

Grouts are porous and, as a result, they easily absorb grease, dirt and lime scale. Spillages such as wine, lemonades or greasy substances will cause marks and patches in the joints in the floor. Grout between wall-tiles, particularly in damp areas like bathrooms, will become dirty and unattractive as a result of Mould, Mildew and Limescale.

Mould is one of the most unsightly problems, which usually starts off in the wettest area of the room, this could be the bottom of the shower or bath, then starts to spread and if left unchecked could cover a large area of the wall.

Discolouration of grout joints in bath or shower areas due to continued use of acid formulated shampoos and soaps. This causes yellow orange and pink stains to the grout over even a short period of time.

The answer is obvious, protect the grout using a sealer. Although relatively unknown in the UK, protection awareness is growing. Sealing forms an invisible barrier between the grout and the surface, this will then protect your investment for years to come.