Saturday, December 5, 2015

Home cleaning services

Most people think of janitorial type services when the words home cleaning are advertised. The typical dusting, vacuuming, window cleaning and mopping of hard floors.  These type of services are plentiful in most areas like Salem Oregon and surrounding communities. They have their place in every city. For the moment, let's consider a couple steps up from those run of the mill services. The kind of service providers who have invested thousands of dollars in the latest high tech steam equipment with a deep knowledge of chemical compounds.... Oh wait... There are not many of those type companies you say.  There is one such company that has taken 25 years of industrial experience and redirected that experience to a consumer level benefit. Fast Finish of Salem Oregon is one such company that has provided a residential/ commercial system of services.
Very few companies have such a diverse offering of cleaning services and if they do, they are not as highly ranked as Fast Finish.  They have been business of the year three years in a row for their exceptionalism in services and customer relations regarding those services. One of the main reasons for this is they never get into jobs or projects that would not finish well. If they take on a job it is always above expectation and satisfaction. This insures a greater return of satisfied customers. The customer base may be a bit smaller than some larger companies that rely on volume, but they are always top notch in relationships when finished with a long list of potential repeat clients and great references.
Check out their Angies list profile and Google fast finish for yourself. You will see that they are very popular for searches on pressure washing, sealing concrete, roof cleaning, tile and grout cleaning, natural stone cleaning, polishing and surface restorations utilizing polymer concrete overlays and epoxies.
Fast Finish one of Oregons best start up companies of the decade when it comes to cleaning.


Thursday, November 19, 2015

Moss & Mold treatments

About 25% of Americans are genetically predisposed to experience severe illness from toxic mold exposure. Because it affects  everyone, regardless of age, ethnicity, or overall health and fitness level, it's important to completely eliminate mold from your home and avoid certain foods if you have mold sensitivity.

Fast Finish has been successfully treating moss and mold in Salem Oregon homes since 2012.  We utilize advanced cleaning methods that help keep the spores from spreading, and eliminating the unsightly effects that cause property damage. For successful moss and mold treatment call Fast Finish today for a free evaluation. They can set up a program to reduce and eliminate the spores that cause allergies around the home...







Saturday, November 14, 2015

Successful roof cleaning


2013 was a breakout year for Fast Finish when we introduced roof cleaning as a service. We were getting asked to clean roofs on a regular basis in 2012, so we invested in the training and equipment to facilitate our customer base. We ended doing about 10 per month average in 2013. There are companies that do way more but given that we had other services we were focused on, we thought it was a great number for a new company. We also give a lot of credit to Oregons moss friendly weather and a ton of roofs that have never been touched. Timing was everything as the housing market was turning around and inspectors and insurance were putting the extra push we needed to get roofs in order to sell the property. It was the perfect storm for us. The average cost of cleaning a 2000sq ft roof was right at the $700 mark. Factor in smaller roofs and types of treatment against bigger roofs that required skilled anchoring, brushing and tarping of surrounding landscaping. The average cost makes a lot of sense. A cheap treatment can be as low as $300 to spray and leave. A complex treatment and complete clean out can be as much as$1900 or more from our experience.
Needless to say, not a bad service to offer in a second year of business. Plus there were many roofs,(about 40 total) that we couldn't or did not do that we could have added to that total..!that was due to physical limitations and injury etc..
So for those interested in how we managed such a business that grew so quickly in our first year, here are the five main components we acquired.,.
More on the how in our next post!


Saturday, October 31, 2015

Seasonal cleaning projects...

Salem Oregon rains usually sneak up on us and somehow keep coming. Next thing you know, the dry sunny days are few and far between. As a cleaning company the workload usually moves from outside pressure washing jobs to inside tile and grout cleaning work. Throw in an occasional carpet cleaning package to the mix as well. That is the way it is for residential services. More cleaning is done at or around the holidays, for those who want their company to know they are clean. During this time of year we tend to balance these residential customers with commercial cleaning accounts. For us it isn't a high volume business model. We are not looking for tons of clients. We are a bit more focused on quality of work matched to quality of client. This is the only way we gave insured repeat business. Before we got into the business for ourselves, we learned a valuable lesson. Every year we hired a carpet cleaner from the weekly paper add with a whole house special.  Usually it was around the $100--150 price range. We always took the cheaper deal advertised. What we didn't know is what we were not getting in the deal. Now, before I get into it, let me say we were never unhappy with the work that was done.. Visually it looked good and we always felt like we were taken care of after the job finished.
Fast forward to being in the business, I now realize I hired the cheapest price company who basically did a splash and dash. And every year we repeated the process, and it was with the next cheapest add listed in the paper. We never used the same company twice as far as I know and never had a real reason to remember.



In order to make any sense I had to explain the above real scenario as this is the type of company that Fast Finish did not want to become. In order to not jump in that "me too" arena we had to have specific marketing plans in place. We also had to have the expertise and services to match those plans. We had to make sure that there would be clear cut measurable differences that a client could understand and clearly see. This involved relationship building at the highest possible level. It also required a very focused market. Yes, there are jobs we actually turn down if it does not meet or exceed a preset expectation. It does not mean we are elite cleaning snobs. It means we have elite clientele that expect the best and get it. 
Every once in a while we get a client who expects the best for nothing, but not many. And usually they become our biggest cheerleaders for the business if handled properly.
We are entering our fourth winter, and business is growing. We are always looking at adding services that make sense. Services that bring value to the customer. Our type of cleaning is an art. It brings surfaces back to new or even better than new often times. There is a huge market in Salem Oregon that requires cleaning and maintenance constantly. Fast finish has carved out a niche market catering to the discriminating client. 



Thursday, October 29, 2015

Fast Finish Consultation

ROI or ROA = return on investment or asset. One of the first concepts taught at any business school or college. 


Fast Finish the cleaning and restoration service company has donated hundreds of hours in time and money back to the community for continued education. Daily we are asked for contributions to different local events. As a small company we are simply unable to address everything we would like to financially just yet. So, without guilt we came up with ways to give without breaking our own budget with the resources we have. Those resources being- the ability to clean, restore various surfaces and the ability to digitally market with a great SEO educational background.
Up until recently we only used our digital marketing background for Fast Finish use only. Makes sense. But after an unforeseen injury, that affected the physical laborious part of our industry, we had to focus on the marketing to keep the work flow coming. This created additional business needs that made us restructure how we do business.
Forced to market at the highest rate of return was essential. Knocking on endless doors and stuffing three jobs a day into our calendar wasn't going to work any longer!  We needed larger high quality jobs with less frequency to the tune of three to four days a week so the injury could heal in between. The 3-4 jobs 5-6 days a week was no longer viable. Although this had supported us early on it would only serve our business to an early grave. Now as a new TMT business owner, most would give anything to be that busy with that kind of work load. You can envision the hiring of help and expanding with multiple units etc., out cleaning tile and grout, carpets, cement and aggregate driveways forever. 
But as a prior new business development manager for a multi billion dollar company prior to starting Fast Finish, I saw a familiar already traveled road. The same road that made me start Fast Finish. I wanted to be a small succeful family business with no employees, no drama, no HR, no employee taxes, etc...
In order to make this happen I had to re structure quickly or not only lose the current work flow even shut down the pipeline of clients we worked so hard to attain. 
We did this through the magic of digital marketing and redirection to W9 sub contracting. This meant I had to partner up with like minded business in the same industry.( not an easy feat) as most would never engage a competitor. I carefully selected other small companies that would welcome the work in exchange for a small fee. Build trust and give more to them. We could carry on as before, build our reputation, and help another struggling business in return. As trust was being built my SEO time increased and allowed me to focus on all the web site items I wanted to get done but did not have time to do. I also saw a benefit in helping my business's  I mentored and partnered with as well. I could grow my income by growing theirs at the same time. After taking several of them under SEO wing we were able to survive the dreadful early years where most business are subject to fail.
Now today Fast Finish will offer private tried and true consultation for those in the industry.  It is very hyper focused on the cleaning industry! Unlike most SEO companies we are actually empowering business owners to take control of their own digital marketing and branding themselves. Because,in house is the only  way, that is agreed upon in any textbook or advanced class that creates the culture of your business that reflects you !
Not some other companies perception of you..,
Until next post- warm regards
For more information on private affordable one on one consultations 
Contact -fastfinish@comcast.net
We guarantee your return on investment!
Direct results that are measurable with money...

Thursday, October 22, 2015

SEO is a scam...to those that..

Jump into any forum and mention the word SEO and you will likely get the mob with pitchforks and torches ready to administer justice in unkind ways...
Why?  Frankly, it is because there are thousands of run of the mill start up companies peddling it like snake oil carpet baggers. There is so much static that no one listens to the message...And though they target a lot of start up companies, and small business owners, they are especially honed in on carpet cleaners, pressure washing and tile and grout type companies.  The calls are relentless about fixing your web site and the analytics they have run on your web presence and what you need to do to fix it. I get those calls, or at least I used to a lot more than I do now three years later. After a couple technical questions about what and how they are going go make me a better site, it usually turns into a learning experience for them. I guess the $ 200k budget I had for building a corporate web presence for a billion dollar company taught
 me a few things as far as what to do and what not to do. As an executive who inherited this IT department project, I had to track where all this money was going and the return on investment. It made me learn real quick the intangibles of marketing. I had to prove results in this performance based environment, and that meant understanding the details and workings of each change that money made. I look at it as my $200k education.
Even with a team of programmers and IT support people, we made mistakes and bad purchases. How? IT people are not always familiar with SEO and marketing. They might be able to write programs and move things around on a web site, but that does not mean they understand  how it impacts it. In fact I would say many have no clue. I learned that the expensive way. You can't just submit your site to a search engine processor and joila, have a top ranking page on Google....
The above collage of SEO option packages 
highlight the diversity of the culture. Note the pricing jumps all over the board, with what they offer. Each one with a good, better , best type format. But how do you know what to choose and why?
Most people just pass on SEO of any kind and label it a scam. 
And a part of me agrees with this assessment, but not for the same reason. It is a scam for people who actually do it for their own website. They understand how grossly over priced it is and can laugh at how much money they saved by doing it on their own and how much better they can impact it.
But to those of you who jump in on the same scam wagon mantra and have a few updated pictures, videos and rewording....(( Jokes on you)) seriously it is.
Now, if you are reading this and just shut down mentally on the criticism, then that is ok. Perhaps you built your business and have what you need all figured out. You generate enough income, get enough jobs, and did it without this SEO stuff. You are probably a type A personality who has figured out how to just get it done by hard work and relationships.  I applaud all your hard work, and yes you have just shown the rest of the world it can be done that way.
But what about all these new business owners, who don't have the time or resources and are pressed with financial payments...,?Will they have the same exact fortune? Can they afford to ignore the opportunity to drive the phone calls to them? Can they rely on door to door and  demo to demo with flyer in hand? Perhaps... 
I see a real need for SEO help that isn't overpriced and actually delivers measurable results. One that explains what they are doing and why it works and what you can expect by doing it.
I don't know if I am that guy to do that...
I help three new business owners now. The first one fell into my lap when I sold one of my specialty cleaning services to another business. He wanted his business to grow like ours and wanted our existing web presence and phone inquiries to just flow into his. He offered to pay extra on his 3 year contract to do it, so I agreed to take it on. I am very busy with my own business so we agreed to work on it for only a year and go from there. The first month we landed 10 new clients that we can directly attribute to SEO improvements. I suspect ,that winter may slow down, but that the foundation will be set for next year. 
I can't tell you how cool it is to see something translate so well so quickly.
This only confirms to me how important this tool is and will be in the future.
I can even boldly say that if Google searches didn't exist... Neither would my business...
But that's just us, in our pressure washing, cement, aggregate, cleaning and sealing Oregon world.
Until next post, peace to you!

Wednesday, October 21, 2015

Cleaning up, cleaners blog

Add Words...

We ran three adds with google add words,since basically late 2012.
The exact adds are shown above.
Moss and mold treatments, pressure washing, custom concrete surfaces.
I think that Google matched our $150 we spent at the time. They still offer this special all the time through out the year.
New business owners take note!
These very adds started the phone ringing much faster than going door to door and business to business... This is the first crucial thing we did. The second crucial item that we did was label each and every picture with the exact key words as the adds we ran. Every video and every page in our web site included these key tag words for the page.
I don't want to talk above the rim as they would say in basketball. It is important to understand that the names and labels you attach to your web site pictures is what Google looks for when it crawls through the Internet looking for relevant content.
Subscribe to this blog and I will continue some simple steps to making your cleaning web site a site that drives business to you like ours. The very same information that the SEO companies charge premiums monthly to companies who don't want to mess with the process  or just feel they don't have the ability to do it on their own..
Until next post! 

Tuesday, October 13, 2015

Surviving winter for contract cleaners

TMT new business owners have a challenge ahead of them once the first winter starts to set in.  That first year of business can be a back breaker for many who have chosen to step out and pursue their dreams of financial freedom.
It is especially difficult for those who live in areas where the weather becomes the biggest obstacle to getting out. Constant rain, snow or freezing temperatures can bring what little cash flow there is  to a grinding halt. To a new low cash flow start up that can be disastrous. 
For Savy customers looking for the best deals, it can be a gold mine of savings on the best services  available from these eager new business owners..the value of savings and the eagerness of new business owners coupled together is a recipe for success.  So how can we make that happen?
The blog post! This very post, explaining the obvious connection in writing and finding its way through googles magic search engine is starting that very connection. The fresh content that is written about fabulous deals and new TMT business owners will find its way to the top of a search page, when a customer looking for service types in: pressure washing, power washing, roof cleaning, moss removal, tile cleaning, concrete staining, concrete sealer, carpet cleaning, natural stone, stains, sealers, best cleaners, Salem Oregon , etc...( see what I did there?)
The only difference is that the customer will find the Fast Finish cleaning links at or near the top of the searches instead of the new TMT business owners. At least for local searches that is. A national representation is a whole new game. One that we don't need right now.
Within this post, Google will find key words, regarding new business, and all the services listed that Fast Finish provides along with the business name, winter deals, etc multiple times. 
The customer will type in one of those services and fast finish will be one of the options listed. As a new business owner, you don't care how the phone rings, as long as it does. Granted, there will be tons of solicitors trying to sell you their magical SEO services, and advertisement. But what you really need is a blog embedded into your web site that delivers content that is new. Let's face it, you don't have time to constantly change your web pages everyday with new photos and videos all the time. But you can make a post like this one every couple days. What is 15 minutes in your day when you are not working as a new business owner? Count it as blogging therapy that is tied to your success. Everyone can brag a little about their business and services they provide. Let's face it, as a new owner, you have some of the most innovative and awesome equipment available for cleaning just about anything. There is that, and you as a business owner have to be awesome, for taking the step to invest in it. All that is missing is making the customer see and understand it so they can experience how great your cleaning company is and will he for them.
Until your next cleaning needs are met..,
Fast Finish business mentoring...


Monday, October 12, 2015

Cleaning Crayon stains in carpet

Crayons or Candles= wax



-what to do -
Your customer calls you and frantically describes the mess her three- year-old has created with his crayons on her carpet. Not only did he grind his crayon into the carpet in an attempt to draw a pretty picture, but the sunlight coming in from the window seems to have melted his mess into the fibers!

Crayon is a greasy, waxy substance and can be tricky to remove, especially if it is melted into the carpet. But it’s not impossible!

Monday, October 5, 2015

Concrete sealer removal





Caustic strippers are a great option when removing latex, alkyds or enamel paints from concrete. However, They are not a good choice for removing acrylic, epoxy or polyurethane coatings because these resins have good resistance to caustic chemicals. A caustic stripper also doesn't work well when temperatures are low and thicker-build coatings will require many applications, more so than with other types of chemical strippers.

 An advantage of caustic alkaline strippers is that they are less harmful and easier to handle than solvent-based strippers. (Also less fumes and safer flash points) After the stripper has finished working, a neutralizing acid wash is required to remove the coating and any remaining stripper to prepare the concrete for the next process. Make sure to dispose of the waste material properly, as caustic strippers tend to stay active and can react with other chemicals even after they are removed from the concrete.

 Solvent-based strippers are by far the most common type of stripper used today for a variety of finishes..The reason they are so popular is because they work fast, and a small amount of stripper goes a long way. Methylene based strippers are very popular, and work very well on all resin types and thicknesses. Other types of solvent strippers include N-methylpyrrolidone (NMP), esters (DBEs) and combinations of toluene, acetone. Solvent-based strippers only work when they are wet, so taking steps to slow the evaporation of the solvent is important for product performance, so covering during dwell time is common in some surfaces. Once the coating residue and any remaining stripper have been removed, cleanup consists of scrubbing with soap and water followed by rinsing with clean water. Using a high-pressure washer on concrete is recommended with an alkaline cleaner.

Most professional applicators like to use solvent-based strippers because they are fast, aggressive and will remove almost all types of coatings or sealers in one or two applications. The common sealer resins used on concrete (acrylic, epoxy, polyurethane, polyaspartic and polyurea) are no match for a good solvent-based chemical strippers. However, these products are more effective when used in cool, draft-free conditions because heat and wind tend to cause rapid solvent evaporation and slow or stop the stripping process., a challenge on outdoor work. Extreme caution should be used when working with methylene-chloride-based strippers, as they can cause severe skin irritation and permanent liver damage if used excessively. The other types of solvent strippers are less harmful to work with, but tend to evaporate quickly and can be highly flammable. Good ventilation is always important when using solvent-based strippers, so open windows and doors, and keep fans running to circulate the air. Which can also be counter productive due to evaporation. Thus a battle to remove finishes. It is recommended to work in small manageable amounts..

 Biochemical strippers are the newest category of stripper, growing steadily in popularity and availability over the last five years. Their popularity stems from their sustainability (they are made from natural plant materials, most popular being soy and citrus) and low environmental impact (they contain no solvents or harsh caustic chemicals). The active ingredients found in biochemical strippers are typically acids or esters derived from plants.

 The professional will only use biochemical strippers if the work being done is in an environmentally sensitive area where solvent odors, stripper overspray or rinse water could potentially kill plant life...Biochemical strippers are the easiest of the stripper categories to work with, have the least offensive odor, and are often considered to be eco-friendly. However, they are the least aggressive type of stripper and need to remain on the surface for long periods of time to get the job done. Coating thickness also has a major effect on the amount of stripper needed and how long it needs to stay on the surface. I have seen it take overnight hours for a biochemical stripper to remove a thick-build epoxy from a concrete floor.

Sunday, October 4, 2015

Moss removal from roofs

Oregon has an endless supply of moss and mold. There are tons of companies that now offer a roof cleaning service. Our interest is in cleaning a roof and not selling the client a new one. Keep that in mind when hiring a roof cleaning company. We don't sell roofs! We clean them so you don't have to replace it!
Always a favorite company and two time award winner on Angies list! Great reviews on roof cleaning..


Monday, September 28, 2015

Free Services

Nothing is free anymore. We all know about anything offered for free and what really happens. 
As an experiment with our surface restoration business, I wanted to try and do something unique ( one of our regular services)for free. What I really wanted to know is what free would cost the business in total value. As an owner operator with no employees it important to put a value on your time. Time is worth  way more than the cost of materials in this business. My first opportunity came with a friend needing to replace a laundry room floor that had been gouged and destroyed by a water leak. This 12x14 room was the perfect opportunity.  The materials would only be $600 to turn this old wood subfloor into a concrete epoxied beauty. Plus I needed to shake off some of the rust with my trowel work.
The floor was pretty straight forward and easy to layout. The concrete though took a little longer to set and dry because of the high humidity of the Oregon weekend and rain. We were able to pour out the base of the floor on Friday, but couldn't get the last colored skim coat finished until Sunday. So after about 18 hours worth of labor (translated $1800) we finally had our floor in ready to seal. And of course, taking advantage of me being there, my friend had me professionally clean the carpets while we watched the floor dry...so add all this up and the weekend basically cost us about $2600 in Free services...
And I still have to take another couple hours to seal it two days later. 
So, there are a few free services out there, but they are unusual and have a "friendship" of some sort attached to them...,
Why couldn't he needed pressure washing and sealing of his concrete or deck? That would have taken half the time and money....?
Now onto a regular paying customer....

Tuesday, September 22, 2015

Angie's list roof cleaning

Just in time for the season! Get your roof scheduled today! Cleaning your roof is essential to its longevity. It will add years of life to it.

Cleaning concrete oil stains


Oil stains on concrete can be a real problem. Whether it is on a roadway, driveway, restaurant drive-thru, bank drive thru, mall parking lot, parking garage, large or small it can be an ugly mess. Typical cleaners and degreasers will have some affect, however, they do not go deep enough into the pores of the concrete to remove the black oil stains so only the surface of the oil is removed and a lasting stain remains - the results are usually less than satisfactory.
We utilize a " bug" that eats away at the oil stain for up to four days.it will do what even the harshest of chemicals can't. The differences can be dramatic visually.

The next time you have an oil spill or want to try and get rid of old stains from oils, remember to call a Fast Finish expert

Monday, September 21, 2015

Portland Oregon roof cleaning

Roof cleaning is a hot commodity in Oregon and there is an endless supply of it to go around. XtremeProWash  has the set up and experience and we utilize the soft wash method to avoid additional costly damage to those shingles.

https://www.facebook.com/patrick.rhea1/posts/10200903694949995



Wednesday, September 16, 2015

Google roof cleaning

Roof cleaning is one of those tasks that you know needs done, but usually wait until it's just a mess to do it. The home owner can get it done safely by using an experienced cleaner safer and quicker than any home owner typically can and with better results if they used the certified approved methods. Skip all the expensive do it your self box store treatments that partially work. You can find several companies on Angies list, yelp or through a Google search easily.
XtremeProWash is one that has aggressive pricing and the correct technique. After cleaning roofs for several years we have connected with Xtreme as they have the same great like minded way of going about cleaning roofs and communicating with customers. As a valuable extension to our existing clients and those needing their roofs cleaned. We will make sure you get it done right the first time. Call us today and schedule your roof cleaning. You will be glad you did!

Monday, September 14, 2015

Sealing Concrete



Concrete sealers. There are many and they are just as diverse as the surfaces they protect. So how do we pick the right one for our surface?  
Many manufactures have tried to make the super sealer that can cover everything. This concept is obviously attractive to the installer and home owner alike as it just keeps everything simple. But is that the best approach? And is the seal good enough for "every" surface or even most surfaces? Let's take a closer look at sealers, specifically the ones for concrete or exposed aggregate for now. I will go into other hard surface sealers in another blog post later on,.
First some background- with chemistry as hobby and 25 years in industrial chemical sales, it's safe to say that I have seen a few revolutionary products as well as complete disasters. Also , working with large general contractors that are eager to test products over the years has afforded me some grey hairs that remember what works and what failed over time. Sealers are one of the items that fall into that category. One of my first experiences was watching the de lamination of sealer on concrete that hadn't cured long enough to accept it.
That took a lot of sorting out as the manufacture gave some wrong information on its use as well as installer error and other various conditions causing multiple faults and failures.
But let's not get overly concerned about  failure of multi million dollar construction projects. Let's look at the simple home owner driveways, walkways, patios  and entry ways etc...
To make it simple I will skip over all the box store sealers that are made for home owners. Most contractors that do any amount of sealing most likely won't use them. The two basic types are silca and acrylic or water based and solvent based. The water based types are utilized indoor more often as the solvents are toxic with fumes that are also flammable and shouldn't be used in enclosed areas with spark or ignition sources. That said, they both have about the same longevity from my experience, and needs to be re applied after a couple years to maintain the look that is desired.
We have found that some people have applied these topical sealers made for concrete on their indoor natural stone floors even.. It would not be my first suggestion for sure as the stone sealers are usually a penetrating type over the topical types on concrete.
I will cover stone sealer at a later time and some of the potential issues with those...

Thursday, September 10, 2015

LinkedIn Cleaning




By now most people who spend any amount of time online in the business world have heard of LinkedIn. I call it the face book for business. It has more business related contacts within it than personal ones like Facebook.  As a business looking to get noticed linked in provides yet another layer that connects your name ( business name) with the cyber world. The attractive no cost free cyberspace also makes it easy to get it out there. We have yet to spend a dime with their next level marketing packages they offer with the rest of the marketing companies looking for dimes, but what you can put out for free has shown more than enough for google to find. 
With a new business, everything that you can get out there that is linked to popular sites creates more relativity. Granted, putting yourself out there will also produce more sales calls looking for your money, but the trade off of filtering through the calls is well worth the effort.
We will discuss how we have managed to filter out the unwanted solicitation later..
Stay tuned !

Wednesday, September 9, 2015

Angie's list, Groupon, Living Social, Amazon



Angie's list, living social, Groupon, & now Amazon all work in a similar fashion by taking a percentage of the deal that you put out. Typically it is 25-35% of the deal. I have found that each of these have their own niches and benefits to utilizing their marketing services.. 
Doing a $100-$200 job can be a lost leader for a small business when the advertiser gets $30-$60 of the gross income. However, if you put any dollar amount ( budget) to putting out flyers, mailers etc... At all..You will find that it is money well spent ((( if)))you utilize the fringe benefit. 
-What are those fringe benefits..,?
What we have found is that most customers know how these value companies work on their deals. They buy the deal often times knowing that they will utilize the service provider for more service than originally purchased..Often times, the deal does not fit their exact scenario due to different limitations in size, quantity etc... And there is an up sell involved in the transaction. The upswell is usually minimal but makes up for the money list in the transaction to the advertiser... Now, that isn't a huge benefit in and of itself, but you as a service provider are:
1. In front of a client ( repeat customer)
2. Able to demonstrate other potential services you provide 
3. Able to get a positive review in return
4. Have the ability to grow online presence....
The last one (4) is the most important reason of all. The whole process just enabled you to link up with infinite opportunity through much bigger online presence than you could do on your own with thousands of dollars...
How does that happen?
You have a web site and business name attached or linked to a much bigger and well known business name. The search engines (google) looking for content find your unique name in multiple places at reputable and familiar sites already established. In the online world- more means more. The more people see you, visit you, spend time with you, the more you will be seen. Now granted, that is only one piece in the complex online marketing puzzle, but it is one that any online business must attain. 
Fast Finish was able to get there within three years organically. The phone rings to the point of almost needing an answering service now. We are even getting calls got peripheral services that people think we might be able to do and don't due to ( limiting ourself frankly)
But the phone rings! And we don't need to push trade shows, go door to door or run a bunch of places to book jobs. 
Now if you are a customer and found us, chances are you googled a key word with the service you were looking for and we popped up on the first page somewhere.
If you are another business reading about how to get there, you might have done the same thing..,
Fast Finish has provided top notch surface restoration services to clients all over the Salem Oregon area as well as helped other small business owners grow their online presence as a business mentor to them. This is what makes Fast Finish a great company-
PDR




Tuesday, September 8, 2015

Fall roof cleaning

It is that crucial time of year to get that last minute project of roof cleaning done.
Fall brings leaves and pine needles in overwhelming fashion for many home owners. This onslaught,clogs drains and gutters, collects in the valleys of the roofs and become great fertile places for moss and mold to take hold.  These xtreme conditions require attention to detail and the best methods to clean the roof properly. Go with a company that has a proven track record with great reviews. Fast Finish and Xtreme ProWash have combined expertise to bring you the best in roof cleaning for residents in Salem and Portland Oregon. We have even discounted the service with an Angies list customer discount and big deal so that you can get the roof done at a reasonable cost. We take the hassle out of roof cleaning and have great follow through on past visits to make sure you have the best service possible. 


Sunday, September 6, 2015

TMT business owners

We are certified TMT business owners. That means we have taken the step/s to try and be independent from working for someone else and running our own thing. 
After all the dust has settled and we finally look at everything we have in front of us to do, one of the most overlooked and actually the most important from my perspective is the marketing portion of the business, specifically the online piece of the puzzle.
I have been marketing for over 25 years and have watched it evolve. It is ironic that I got into the cleaning business with so much marketing background. It really does not matter what business you are in or how great you are at cleaning floors, if you can't market well, you will be back in the job force looking for work real soon.
Sadly, most owners fall towards the latter and end up selling out. I think that this can be changed through proper marketing... If you want to learn more, make sure and subscribe to my blog. I will be helping new business owners get their phone ringing. And I will be posting my tips and tricks along with updates on the cleaning business in general. Make sure and read some past posts regarding marketing when you can as well. 

Monday, August 31, 2015

Roof cleaning



We have a partner in roof cleaning that will be great for Salem Oregon residents.
Xtreme Pro Wash has taken over the Fast Finish roof cleaning services to better serve the local residents if Salem Iregon and surrounding areas. We will also start up Angies list specials once again to expand awareness. There has been great response in the past for this much needed service. Moss and mold seem to get ahead of most homeowners and cause thousands in damage to roofs and siding. Xtreme Pro Wash has dedicated the resources and equipment to take on these projects. Fast Finish is also involved with the optional business of cleaning and sealing to supplement a full service option for Salem Oregon residents..,

Friday, August 28, 2015

Business Phone will ring in 3, 2, 1...

It's 7am and I am actually looking at my OOma phone set up. What's an OOMA?you ask. Remember magic jack? That lil whatever device that plugs into.,,, anyways OOMA is a VoIP phone system that takes all my calls, it forwards them via text or vm to my cell phone. When I first got it and set up my two numbers, home and business, I had the handset on two different ring tones so I could identify if it was home or business. Of course I always picked up the biz ring tone in hopes it was a potential customer. I soon found out that most of my first year calls ( around 80%) were solicitors. They wanted me to spend money I had not generated yet. Advertisers, SEO, companies falsely representing google, penny savers, val-Pak etc etc etc..,
Anyways, all that to say this. The phone rings the opposite way after the third year  now in business with 80% of my calls are customers. I get so many calls that I had to change my VM and respond instead of picking up. Mostly because I am out the door now on jobs and bids to do future jobs. Do I miss calls? Not really because I get a text of all missed call numbers and that alone tells me if someone is calling from my area code as a client or just another out of area solicitor. If the out of area solicitor does not leave a courtesy VM  as to why they called I have the option to block that number through the system like a smart phone can. If a client does not leave a message then I just simply call their number back and tell them I am sorry I missed their call and then find out what they need. 
I am not selling OOma but it is the best $99 I have ever spent in the last three years for business. The only way I can out do that is an answering service that knows my business like the back of my hand and can answer all questions while on the phone.

Now the reason for this particular post- which is not OOma .., lol ( sidetracked)
It is now 7:34 and I usually will get one call just before 8 am. That is when the business officially opens and sometimes there are savy people who want to get a jump on the day early. It is Friday though and people are planning their weekends.
(So am I ) 
The most interesting thing about my calls now, is that because of my blogging and social networking, I am getting more calls everyday asking about services Im not focused on,in my surface cleaning business.  Here are some examples that if I choose to capitalize on right now it might require me to hire and expand just to meet the needs....
1) window cleaning
2) concrete polishing/ grinding/ cutting
3) pavers
4) concrete pouring
5) tile grout repairs
6) carpet dye
7) throw rug services 
And there are several others but these are pretty frequent requests. And they somehow found us by google,   The service request list has grown exponentially and organically. 
In the case of blogging about what we do, more means more. The more people visit our different web presences, the more google throws us into the search results..,, 
Happy blogging folks!






Google hates you


Yes- it is true google hates.... It does not hate you, just your web site. It is boring to google so it moves on over it rather quickly. You change a couple pictures and make new titles but your phone isn't ringing like you want it to. 
So what can you do to change your boring ness to Google? 
1) Google plus
2) blogger
3) Google add words
Get a Google online presence right away. Make a profile, get a gmail account and start tying all that together with a you tube account. Sign up with blogger and start talking about your business. Jobs you have done services you offer and if you want to spend a few bucks buy some keyword searches attached to your web site so people land there and have a reason to call you. Don't procrastinate and be lazy when it comes to blogging. Learn to do it daily if not at least weekly until your phone starts ringing looking for services. And when it does start ringing, start tracking how they found you. You might learn something. Yeah this might be oversimplified, but it needs to be for some of us to just get going. ( you know who you are)After you do this one highly effective but simple step then you can move on to loftier goals...or focus on cleaning.
Warm regards, and in your best interest...


Thursday, August 27, 2015

Why A Cleaning Blog

You are wanting to get that phone ringing constantly. That is good! It is why you are going to read this blog about how to do that organically...without paying a lot of money to SEO companies and web masters that promise you 25 different things by using them.
A blog embedded into your web site will provide daily fresh content with little effort. As long as you blog about your business and provide new content weekly. If you use blogger (which is a google product) it is even more likely that google picks up on it. Wordpress is also another blogging tool that can provide fresh content for your business, however everything within it isn't free like blogger. I happen to use both. The more the merrier right?
So for anyone new to blogging- get started if you have a business. The object is to get people looking and spending time on your site. This in turn pushes it up the ladder in search results. This is not the only free thing you can do for your business, but it is a very important piece of the puzzle!
Happy blogging! Start today by getting a Google plus account and adding a free blog about your business.
Www.fastfinishor.com


Monday, August 3, 2015

Cleaning carpets

http://www.angieslist.com/articles/6-signs-you-need-replace-your-carpet.htm?CID=SocialCarpet_New_080315
Clean it or replace it? 
Here is a great Angies list article on what to look for. 
We clean carpets because we have awesome tools that get it done right. It is not our company focus do we usually only do it as a package for existing customers. We rarely go out just to clean a house carpet. We will refer it to one of our carpet cleaning friends who need the business more than we do.. ( Carpet cleaning companies struggle) It's our way of giving back and supporting the industry.

Sunday, August 2, 2015

August is Cleaning and Sealing month

As the hot days of July spread into August, Salem oregon residents have turned to cleaning their driveways with basic pressure washers to save money. And if you are one of those people who like to get out and do it yourself then there are a few things to keep in mind and we offer some professional tips for the do it yourself types.
First there are there different types of concrete finishes. Most driveways are broomed concrete, exposed aggregate or stamped stained concrete. There area few that also have pavers. Each of these can be power washed but they are not all powerwashed equally the same. So after you identify which one you have here are some considerations. Aggregate is a very common choice in the Salem Oregon and surrounding areas. They can be beautiful but they are also one of the more delicate of all the surfaces so we will start with this type as it is so common and most often damaged. Aggregate is basically a finish where a layer of concrete is ashed off the surface to expose the rock. The finish is beautiful when sealed but very prone to damage due to the missing cement binder that usually covers the rock. This is why you will often see missing rocks after a basic pressure washing service from most pressure washer companies and home owner units. If the company has aggregate spinners it is less likely that damage will occur so if you hire a company ask if they have one or at least the nozzle that agitates while it cleans. even with the spinners rocks can and will come loose over time and multiple cleanings. This is why it is vital to protect your aggregate with the proper hydrophobic sealers that keep the pores of the concrete from absorbing moisture and creating the expanding and contracting effect over time, which eventually cause the rocks to break free. Hardened sealers can also color enhance aggregate and create a nice sheen to the finish. If the cheaper 25% acrylic sealers are used that can be purchased over the counter, you often will end up with aggregate that is not uniform in appearance on follow up cleanings. And last but not least, hire a company that has done hundreds with great reviews from real customers in the area like Fast Finish. They take the time to explain and point out potential issues with all jobs, as they want to retain their clients for future jobs.
So now you have tackled the hardest or should we say the most delicate and fragile of all the finishes(aggregate). lets move on to the stamped concrete. Stamped and stained concrete is a great addition to any home visually. It is not bullet proof however. The most common thing that happens to stamped concrete that is colored(and most are) is that they fade in areas that get the most sun. And I am here to tell you that there is no magic bullet that blends an old faded area into the non faded area. The basic colors that are usually used with stamped concrete offer little in UV protection. And the cheapest of all acrylic sealers are usually put on afterwards. The combination of the two is a bright lite that burns out quicker. There are nice UV stable acrylic colors that can be put over the entire area and re-sealed. This is how it is done. The partial color approach or just a re-seal is can often disappoint the home owner in the long run. Spend the money now or more later. there are cases however, that a good high performance elete crete sealer can darken up and enrich the existing area for a few more years before having to re stain it.
Last is the basic concrete and pavers. Pavers are the most durable of all the available materials with a much harder PSI than any of the others. it can be pressure washed with great success. It is just as important though to seal them as the sand packing material usually invites long term growth of weeds and mold which leads to moss growth in between them. There are sealers that keep the growth from occurring and also help with the efflorescence (white chalky) that happens from moisture.
The bottom line is that each of these can be cleaned effectively but never forget to have it sealed for the long life... All concrete will crack eventually. Left untreated, you can cut the life of it by 50% and causing costly repairs later. Fast Finish is the premier company for sealing all types of materials. If you want it sealed call them for an estimate. You can get the best sealers available to date for as little as 50 cents up to $2 a square ft applied. Ask abot their clean and seal packages and save even more. What you do now will save you money later...

Friday, July 17, 2015

Fast Finish Cleans Salem Oregon




  Fast Finish is a company that is known for cleaning a wide variety of different surfaces. In fact, in the few short years they have been open, they have went from cleaning tile and grout to elaborate decorative concretejobs, moss removal from roof and siding to restorative cleaning of decks with high end stains. Throw in graffiti and rust removal, and well, you get the picture...
But as with all things in business they evolve and change. Fast Finish is actually going to scale back a couple services to focus more on some core competencies... One of the services they are going to sell off is the roof cleaning set up. Many Salem area residents were able to take advantage of getting this highly demanded service of getting unsightly moss removed and treated, thus saving costly future roof repairs. But this will no longer be the case for the rest of 2015/ 2016. The difficult decision has been made to refer this service to a new company owner that will be utilizing the Familiar fast finish wrapped trailer set up. During the transition to the new owners, the roof service will be on hold temporarily....this is so the new owners can get up to speed on the proper methods of treating moss without damage to the roofs shingles. Fast Finish utilizes the safe wash method that physically kills the moss right before your eyes, eliminating future spreading of spores. 
Selling off this service will also allow more time and investment into the flat work they are known for on Angie's List. They have back to back business of the year awards as a result of their service and quality. And it looks like a three peat of this award is likely if their clients write in more reviews on it...
So, to wrap up a quick post- Fast Finish has become a premier surface restoration company in the greater Salem area and will become even better with more time and devotion to the pressure cleaning, pressure washing, staining and sealing of flat surfaces like concrete and aggregate. Stained and stamped concrete needs more attention than the basic landscape companies can provide and fast finish of Salem Oregon Has the newest technology to do those jobs correctly and with the least amount of damage at a fair price... They are also quick to respond in spite of their busy schedule which averages a two week lead time. Keep that in mind if you are in a hurry, if not, they are worth the wait..,

Friday, April 3, 2015

Roof and gutter



If you have been procrastinating with cleaning your roof, you might want to consider the cost of waiting... Cleaning a roof is much easier if done on a regular basis. Many property owners put it off until the absolutely have to clean it... 
Doing it this way is expensive  and also takes additional years of the roofs life span...

Monday, March 23, 2015

Moss Removal- just get it done

Do you live in western Oregon?..Hope that you like moss because you are doomed to have it. It is inescapable in our climate. It is perfect for staying green. Unfortunately, moss causes untold millions of dollars worth of damage throughout the Pacific Northwest. It cuts the lifespan of many homes sidings and roofs in half. One of the caveats to warranties regarding roofing and siding is moss removal and maintenance. Home owners are in luck though. There are several companies that are skilled and trained in the proper treatment off moss and mold. Fast Finish is one such company based in Salem Oregon. Hiring expensive roofing companies to come out and treat with zinc powders and brushing with a crew is no longer a handcuffed expensive endeavor. Save those companies for the time you need that roof replaced not cleaned... Why pay some company to cause damage by scrubbing or inferior dusting of your roof line with ugly powders that just streak? These methods are expensive and timely. Because they take to much time is why companies have to charge more. When Fast Finish treats the moss you can see it die right before your eyes within minutes... Often times, an extra rinse or even just wind and rain takes the rest off. However, full service means that it can be lightly broomed or blown off with a leaf blower for a nominal charge. There is even a full gutter cleaning service as well...and while we are there you can have us treat all your Homes siding for extra protection and value as well for a complete package.