Debbie Sardone http://debbiesardone.com The Cleaning Expert Sun, 12 Feb 2012 13:52:54 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 Secret To Customer Loyalty http://debbiesardone.com/2012/02/secret-customer-loyalty/ http://debbiesardone.com/2012/02/secret-customer-loyalty/#comments Fri, 10 Feb 2012 04:20:57 +0000 Debbie http://debbiesardone.com/?p=1767 Today we’re talking about the SECRET to customer loyalty.

The secret to customer loyalty lies in putting the interests of the customer ahead of your own.

Customer loyalty is the key to profitability.  The math is simple.  It costs more to acquire a new customer than to keep a current one.  A maid service will spend between $150 to $300 to attract one REPEAT customer.  So, here are 5 secrets to customer loyalty:

Have a sales philosophy that emphasizes relationship building – Don’t focus on what you DON’T do.  Stop worrying so much about the customer taking advantage of you.  I don’t mean give away the farm or continually providing extras without charging.   But, let’s not focus on what we DON’T do, and find a way to say “YES” more often.  Windows?  YES—even if you have to sub it out, or refer it out.  Isn’t that better than “no we don’t”?  Ovens?  Fridge cleaning?  Why not?—for an extra charge that is!

Strong relationships are built when you are able to say YES more often than NO.

A philosophy that emphasizes relationships means you’ll send cards on occasion.  Or Periodically send a gift (we sent cookie tins out to our VIP customers just before Christmas).  Also you’ll think of ways you can make your customer’s life better—not necessarily things you will charge for .  How can you make that relationship with the client INDESPENSIBLE?  We had a customer that needed a Chimney Sweep service.  It’s not something we do, but we offered to find her one, at no charge.  She was so grateful, we helped her in a time of need.

Become the undeniable EXPERT to your customers, prospects, and community.  Promote that expertise.  Offer advice to news media, write articles for magazines, volunteer for the “Ask the Expert” column—or start one!  Teach a class of Speed Cleaning.

The secret to customer loyalty IS becoming the undeniable EXPERT.

Help your customers build their own business. – Refer them!  Mention them in your newsletters, cross promote, endorse, recommend.  This goes a long way with customers.  They’ll think twice about dropping you if you’ve sent them business or contacts.  HELP your customers succeed it means a lot to them.

Value the relationship more than making a sale.   This is not lip service.  It is a philosophy of your business.  Think long-term friendships, not end-of-month sales.  It may seem odd, but over the years, some customers become FRIENDS.  You were there when they had their first child, when they had surgery, when their son graduated, they got divorced, the death of a spouse, cancer.  Don’t just see your customers as a life-long paycheck.  See them now as the life-long relationship you want to have with them.  Don’t be a stranger, a “company”.  Be a person they know, like and trust and they will KEEP buying from you.  Start early—nurture the relationship.

]]> http://debbiesardone.com/2012/02/secret-customer-loyalty/feed/ 0 Speed Cleaning Saves Time For Other Things http://debbiesardone.com/2011/04/speed-cleaning-saves-time-for-other-things/ http://debbiesardone.com/2011/04/speed-cleaning-saves-time-for-other-things/#comments Wed, 27 Apr 2011 17:52:00 +0000 Debbie http://174.120.127.92/~debbie/?p=70 Quote from Jayme at the Speed Cleaning Headquarters: “A Speed Cleaning girl is highly fashionable because we have all that free time to go shopping and style our hair!” So true…..

If you want to have more time to do the things you love, read Speed Cleaning by Jeff Campbell. You’ll cut your cleaning time in half so you can spend the rest of your time doing…..whatever!
makes a great wedding gift. The new bride and groom will have to clean sometime, why not help them out! We weren’t born with a cleaning gene, so without a system to teach you how to clean, most people are utterly lost. We all want a clean house, but we don’t naturally know how to get it that way with little time, energy, and frustration. Speed Cleaning changes all that. Spotless results in half the time!
]]> http://debbiesardone.com/2011/04/speed-cleaning-saves-time-for-other-things/feed/ 0 Interview: Debbie Sardone, Author of Barternomics http://debbiesardone.com/2011/04/interview-debbie-sardone-author-of-barternomics/ http://debbiesardone.com/2011/04/interview-debbie-sardone-author-of-barternomics/#comments Fri, 22 Apr 2011 18:42:00 +0000 Debbie http://174.120.127.92/~debbie/?p=69 Interview: Debbie Sardone, Author of Barternomics

Interview: Debbie Sardone, Author of Barternomics

By sue on Apr 22, 2011 with Comments 0

Book Title:Debbie Sardone
Barternomics

Website URL:
http://thebarternomicsbook.com

Social Media Links:
Facebook: http://facebook.com/barternomics

What is your book about?

Barternomics is the most entertaining and insightful book you’ll read on how to fund your business start up, pay those business bills or fund your expansion project. I’ve had Lasik eye surgery on barter, I funded my daughters beautiful wedding on barter, and given my employees benefits using barter. So easy you won’t believe it!

What inspired you to write your book?
I wanted to share my story of how barter rescued my failing business when tough economic times threatened to undermine all that I’d worked for. Barter paid for my marketing, printing, the CPA, employee perks and more when there was no other way possible.

How did you come to do what you’re doing today?
I’ve owned one of the largest maid services in the country for nearly 30 years, but success did not come easy. Starting the business out of the trunk of my car I quickly graduated from the school of hard knocks. We now gross over a million dollars in annual sales and have more than 40 employees.

Can you describe a typical day in your life?
As an absentee owner, I spend my days working from home as a full time business consultant (to other maid service owners). I also have the privilege of speaking at conferences and holding my own seminars and conferences (on how to grow your residential cleaning business). But I’m most proud of the nonprofit I started 5 years ago that has gained unprecedented attention nation wide and has been mentioned on Oprah, ABC, NBC, CBS, & Fox News. At the Cleaning For A Reason foundation, we recruit maid services all over the country to give away free housecleaning to women battling cancer. In less than 5 years we’ve recruited over 850 cleaning companies in all 50 states. Over 4,000 women have received our help, totaling over 1 MM in donated services!

These are my businesses, all still in operation:

www.cleaningforareason.org
www.themaidcoach.com
www.bucketsandbows.com
www.thecleanteam.com

What do you most enjoy about what you do?
I love helping others in business and in life, sharing and teaching what I learned the hard way. I love solving problems, creating systems, and inspiring others to believe they can achieve.

Are there any people and/or books that have inspired you along your journey?
Many, too many to do justice, but here goes:

People:
My father-in-law Ron Sardone
Oprah Winfrey
Benjamin Franklin

Books:
E-Myth
Good To Great
Blue Ocean Strategy
Developing The Leader Within
Get Booked!
Leap! (of course!)

Can you share some business tips for our readers?
Marketing is 100 times more important than you think
Perfectionism in business is dysfunction, not quality
Never solve the same problem twice, create a system for it
Read good books on business continually
Working hard does not guarantee your success, but working smart will

Can you share something that people might be surprised to learn about you?
Even though I work long hours with so many businesses, I love sailing with my husband of 33 years, and we both have a motorcycle!

 

]]> http://debbiesardone.com/2011/04/interview-debbie-sardone-author-of-barternomics/feed/ 0 http://debbiesardone.com/2011/04/68/ http://debbiesardone.com/2011/04/68/#comments Fri, 15 Apr 2011 01:46:00 +0000 Debbie http://174.120.127.92/~debbie/?p=68 Did you know you can use Red Juice from http://ping.fm/lo64q as a vegetable spray? Spray, set for 60 seconds, and rinse away those pesticides!

]]> http://debbiesardone.com/2011/04/68/feed/ 0 Spring Has Sprung Tips To Cut Cleaning Time By Half http://debbiesardone.com/2011/04/spring-has-sprung-tips-to-cut-cleaning-time-by-half/ http://debbiesardone.com/2011/04/spring-has-sprung-tips-to-cut-cleaning-time-by-half/#comments Wed, 06 Apr 2011 20:50:00 +0000 Debbie http://174.120.127.92/~debbie/?p=67 8 Essential Tasks for Spring Cleaning
The crocuses are budding and the birds are singing. That can only mean one thing: It’s Spring. And time for spring cleaning! The best source for learning how get your home ready for spring is the Clean Team’s best seller, Spring Cleaning. But for the cheap-sheet version, here are the eight essential tasks to take you from dark and dusty to sparkly and new this spring.
1. Clean and/or replace filters If your furnace filters aren’t removing dust because they are dirty and old, guess where all that dust is going: Right back into your house. When you are busy replacing your filter, make sure you fully dust and vacuum in and around your furnace. Our flexible microfiber duster and ostrich feather dusters are ideal tools to make dusting a cinch – just swipe the area and the microfiber grabs the dust.
2. Wash your windows – and window treatments Now that the sun is shining more brightly, it’s a lot harder to ignore the dirt, rain, snow and fingerprints that have wrecked havoc on our window pains all winter long. Make your window cleaning job easier by investing in the proper tools, including our cotton cleaning cloths for a streak-free, lint-free finish.
3. Wash your walls and ceilings This is a big job, but it’s a lot easier and less expensive than repainting! Save yourself time and steps by working from the ceiling down, first vacuuming with the brush attachment on your vacuum. Prevent streaking by drying the walls as you go with lint-free cleaning cloths. If your walls feature wood paneling, you will love washing them with our Sh-mop - that long telescoping handle makes reaching to the ceiling a cinch. Don’t forget scrub your light switches and outlet covers. These seem to be magnets for grime – and germs.
4. Move it, move it – the furniture that is! You don’t need to move the couch, dresser and dining room table every time you clean the floors, but once or twice a year is a definite must. Remember, this is deep cleaning. The Sh-mop is ideal for tackling tile, ceramic and wood or laminate surfaces. (When using your Sh-mop on wood floors, remember the sh-wipe should be just barely damp.) Now is also a great time to consider having your carpets professionally cleaned – or renting a steam cleaner and doing it yourself. If you have wood floors, you may want to look into having them resealed this spring.
5. Vacuum and flip your mattresses Once you finish with your floors, it’s time to carry your vacuum into the bedrooms and power clean those mattresses. Suck up any dust – and dust mites – to help prevent allergies and prolong the life of your mattress. Unless you have a new no-flip mattress, this is also an ideal time to flip and rotate your mattress. Do it twice a year, with the clock change, so you don’t have to wonder when you last did it. (need Big Vac bags? Order more here!)
6. Wipe down the inside of kitchen cupboards and drawers It’s amazing how much dust and food debris can wind up inside those cupboards and drawers – after all, we are (theoretically, at least) storing clean dishes and silverware in them! Nonetheless, spring is a great season for removing everything and thoroughly wiping down the surfaces. Don’t neglect your cabinet faces and hardware. If you can find a buddy to help remove the items while you quickly spray, wipe and dry the cabinets, you will be done before you know it! If you’re working solo, strap on one of our cleaning aprons – that way all your tools will be right where you need them. No more wasting time climbing up and down the step ladder to get more cleaning spray, paper towel or sponges!
7. Deep clean the deep freeze If you have a manual defrost freezer, this is the perfect time to unplug it and let that ice melt away. Once it’s completely defrosted, clean out any crumbs and scrub any food-born stains before returning the contents. You may also want to set in a small dish of baking soda to absorb any lingering odors.
8. Refresh the Refrigerator Once you finish your freezer, it’s time to tackle the fridge. Take everything out, toss expired or questionable items, and wash all shelves and drawers with lukewarm, soapy water. While you’re at it, don’t forget to clean your refrigerator, too. By removing that dust and debris, you are prolonging the life of your fridge and saving yourself some money. A clean coil means a more efficient refrigerator – definitely a bonus. Once these eight tasks are completed, it’s time to pour yourself a tall glass of water and enjoy some of that sunshine! Happy Spring!
]]> http://debbiesardone.com/2011/04/spring-has-sprung-tips-to-cut-cleaning-time-by-half/feed/ 0 Smart Women Maid Rich Club http://debbiesardone.com/2011/03/smart-women-maid-rich-club/ http://debbiesardone.com/2011/03/smart-women-maid-rich-club/#comments Wed, 16 Mar 2011 04:57:00 +0000 Debbie http://174.120.127.92/~debbie/?p=66

Smart Women Maid Rich Club Still Accepting Applications – ONLY 13 SPOTS LEFT!

Only 13 spots left. Is this going to be your year to really make huge changes? Will you be running your business next year while you flit off for a 3 week vacation? When I ran my cleaning business I used to take 6-12 weeks of vacation a year, and revealing the tools that I used to do so is just one of the benefits of being a club member.

I have heard about the cruise, will you be doing another one?

In May of 2010 Renee O’Brien and myself hosted the first ever Smart Women Maid Rich cruise and professional conference, and it was phenomenal ! Since then people have wanted to know when will there be another Smart Women Maid Rich cruise and conference, and until recently we were unsure …but it is official that there will be another cruise and club members have first dibs. Not only will they have a guaranteed spot, but also for club members who are cruise alumni (those that went last year) they will get registration for the next cruise absolutely FREE, and those that did not get to attend last year will get registration for the conference at half price (of course cruise and travel fees will still apply, but WOW what a savings). Holy Smokes!

What do I get for joining?

To get the complete list go to www.SmartWomenMaidRich.com , but here are a few.

Two monthly amazing interactive sessions per month for a whole year $2500 value

Free Smart Women Maid Rich Professional Skills Conference 10-session DVD set valued at $597

Complete set of Coffee Talk Audio series $297 value

Discount and/or FREE registration for the next cruise $500ish value

Official Smart Women Maid Rich Club card entitling you to some special industry discounts

Is it a Good Value?

Absolutely! It is the best value around. I can’t believe that we were able to offer you well over $4000 in value for a fraction of that price. The DVD series alone is half of the cost of the course. And, if you just pick up one idea that brings you JUST ONE new recurring customer you will make back more than the value of the club for the whole year.

What is the price and do you have payment plan options?

There are many payment options. Please go towww.SmartWomenMaidRich.com for more information. And, a quick hint that there is one payment option that was revealed only in the “Double Your Business Formula” sneak peek call so go listen to the end to read about monthly payments here: Double Your Business Formula.

Who can join? I heard that you are limiting membership to one business per state?

Any woman owner (or manager) of a cleaning business can join. Because we want this to be a close nit club that we have time to be thinking about each and every member we need to limit the size, and so we are only accepting businesses one per state. If you go to apply and the website says that your state is taken, please go ahead and continue to apply since we have a waiting list and our goal is to limit the size, but there may be some situations where exceptions can be made. We have only 13 spots left!

Are you still accepting applications but not for much longer for the Smart Women Maid Rich Club! The first official meeting is Wednesday March16th 4:00 pm Central / 5:00 pm Eastern. You must be a club member to attend. Here is what you need to know.

To sign up go to www.SmartWomenMaidRich.com

To listen to the sneak peak call “Double Your Business Formula” be sure you listen all the way to the end!

Sign up today!!


bonus

BONUS ADDED: Next Level Think Tank

I am adding another bonus to the Smart Women Maid Rich Club. For those looking for “next level” strategies I will be offering at least 4 special 2 hour clinics for club members on topics like “Franchising Game Plan”, “Managing Your Managers and Developing Leaders”, “Adding on New Profit Centers”, “Accumulating Money for Your Next Big Venture”, and “Extracting Maximum Profit from Your Sales”.

To sign up go to www.SmartWomenMaidRich.com

Don’t be left out!

]]> http://debbiesardone.com/2011/03/smart-women-maid-rich-club/feed/ 0 Free Teleseminar for Cleaning Business Owners http://debbiesardone.com/2011/03/free-teleseminar-for-cleaning-business-owners/ http://debbiesardone.com/2011/03/free-teleseminar-for-cleaning-business-owners/#comments Wed, 02 Mar 2011 21:09:00 +0000 Debbie http://174.120.127.92/~debbie/?p=65 Free Teleseminar today! March 2, 2011 4:00 CDT / 5:00 EST
Join us TODAY in one hour for a FREE Teleseminar: “How Successful Women Think” by Debbie Sardone with SMART WOMEN MAID RICH. To register for this free call and to receive the dial in info, simply register Here.

http://myemail.constantcontact.com/Free-Seminar-On-Wednesday-at-4-00-CDT—5-00-EST-For-All.html?soid=1101653092401&aid=6uUnpFyGe84

]]> http://debbiesardone.com/2011/03/free-teleseminar-for-cleaning-business-owners/feed/ 0 http://myemail.constantcontact.com/Free-Seminar-On-Wednesday-at-4-00-CDT—5-00-EST-For-All.html?soid=1101653092401&aid=6uUnpFyGe84 http://debbiesardone.com/2011/03/httpmyemail-constantcontact-comfree-seminar-on-wednesday-at-4-00-cdt-5-00-est-for-all-htmlsoid1101653092401aid6uunpfyge84/ http://debbiesardone.com/2011/03/httpmyemail-constantcontact-comfree-seminar-on-wednesday-at-4-00-cdt-5-00-est-for-all-htmlsoid1101653092401aid6uunpfyge84/#comments Wed, 02 Mar 2011 05:01:00 +0000 Debbie http://174.120.127.92/~debbie/?p=64 Free Teleseminar on Wednesday, March 2, 2011 at 4:00 pm CDT / 5:00 EST.
Please join us!

http://myemail.constantcontact.com/Free-Seminar-On-Wednesday-at-4-00-CDT—5-00-EST-For-All.html?soid=1101653092401&aid=6uUnpFyGe84

]]> http://debbiesardone.com/2011/03/httpmyemail-constantcontact-comfree-seminar-on-wednesday-at-4-00-cdt-5-00-est-for-all-htmlsoid1101653092401aid6uunpfyge84/feed/ 0 Free Seminar From Smart Women Maid Rich http://debbiesardone.com/2011/02/free-seminar-from-smart-women-maid-rich/ http://debbiesardone.com/2011/02/free-seminar-from-smart-women-maid-rich/#comments Thu, 17 Feb 2011 12:56:00 +0000 Debbie http://174.120.127.92/~debbie/?p=63 Two BIG Announcements Today! Free Seminar & The Clean Team News:




#1 Debbie Sardone and husband Steve Sardone are the proud new owners of The Clean Team Catalog and the Speed Cleaning brand! Watch for exciting details about specials, new products, and services! The Clean Team Catalog and all the amazing products are MOVING TO TEXAS! March 1, 2011 will be our first day in business in Texas. There could be a few glitches with the transition, but we’ve been working hard to make the transition seamless and hopefully you won’t notice a thing!

Steve and I have been in California training and packing the truck to move our first load of inventory to Lewisville Texas. All toll free numbers and website will be the same, but watch for our GOING INTO BUSINESS ANNOUNCEMENT & SALE coming soon!


#2 Back By Popular Demand From

Smart Women Maid Rich

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 Debbie Sardone and Renee O’Brien 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 Renee 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 Renee and myself, you know that we wanted to wait until we could really do it right…and deliver far more than asked for. So, Renee 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 Debbie and Renee’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, for women only and exclusively for the cleaning industry!

Register for our FREE sneak peak event now.

“Double Your Business Formula”

Register for Free Seminar

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 my friend Renee, 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, 18th 4:00 pm CDT / 5:00 pm Eastern Time

Register Now for Free

Everyone is welcome to this sneak peak event…women, men, alumni, non-alumni. The information is relevant for every cleaning business no matter how large or small. REGISTER NOW it’s this Friday!

]]> http://debbiesardone.com/2011/02/free-seminar-from-smart-women-maid-rich/feed/ 2 THE DIGITAL STORY OF THE NATIVITY http://debbiesardone.com/2010/12/the-digital-story-of-the-nativity/ http://debbiesardone.com/2010/12/the-digital-story-of-the-nativity/#comments Mon, 27 Dec 2010 04:51:00 +0000 Debbie http://174.120.127.92/~debbie/?p=62

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