Will You Come to Delaware?

I break down the numbers in this episode. If you remember, I was at a low point in "Broken Record", making the connection between average SMART goals and average results. I wanted 2020 to connect great SMART goals to great results. Therefore, I had to make a critical change. For the previous 10 years, I've been creating ACTIVITY & OPTIMIZATION SMART goals on my main business and GROWTH SMART goals on my side passion project. This wasn't fruitless as I optimized my solo cleaning business big time, sold it, and we got debt free. However, I left a lot on the table. What could have happened to both my main cleaning business and side business if I reversed the way I set up goals? That's what 2020 would be.

Carfagno Cleaning - Add 15 houses and 2 offices (to increase my cleaning revenue by $10,000 every 60 days) by 12/31/20. This is a growth goal and forces me to focus on achieving it.

SMART Cleaning Biz - To produce twice weekly Solo Cleaning School podcasts, send a monthly newsletter (and repurpose), run the Solo Cleaning School & provide the training they need, and run the SMART Cleaning Tribe & provide the resources they need by 12/31/20. There is nothing here about growth. It's more about maintaining.

Let's examine. I know how to earn over $100 per hour cleaning and could fill up the available days. My earning power is NOT as high in my side business yet. However, I was investing more time and energy for the past decade into the side. Why? It was emotional. It was preference. I didn't want to clean. 2020 is going to be different.

The next step was to determine how many leads I would need to get each month in order to hit my growth goal. Let's keep this simple. We've been in PA for less than 2 years and I've passively received 9 house cleaning warm leads (referrals) and 40 office cleaning cool leads (self-generated). I've closed on 4 houses and 3 offices, which translates to a 1/13 office cleaning closing rate and a 1/2 -1/3 house cleaning closing rate. I've already shown that I needed to invest into my most profitable business. That's my main cleaning business. Within my cleaning business, house cleaning through warm referrals is very effective. Thus, I determined that I would need to generate 30-45 warm house cleaning and 25 cool office cleaning leads or 5 warm office cleaning leads. When I break that down monthly, I need to generated 3-4 house leads per month and an office lead every couple months. Therefore, I would focus my marketing on acquiring house cleaning leads and continue local networking and some LinkedIn to get the necessary offices. If I do this action plan, I will hit my growth SMART goal for Carfagno Cleaning. Seeing this on paper energized me big time! I went from depressed with 10 notebooks to fired up with a plan!

If you'd like to learn more about SMART goals, check out my 5-part podcast series.

1. What is Your Why
2. Why Set Goals
3. Make Your Goals SMART
4. The Accountability Roadmap
5. Kill Parkinson

Now that I had a plan, I started viewing my time as an investment. 'How would I use my time best to hit my goal?' That's what changed. I updated my website, asked 6 former clients to leave me Google reviews, searched "clean" on NextDoor and commented, and asked more questions at my current clients to see if referrals were an opportunity.

Let's go there and to the title of this episode. I was back cleaning Erika's house. She gave me some wonderful feedback before she left for work. "Ken, I just love coming home to a clean house." That felt great. While I was cleaning, Erika's mom asked me if I'd be willing to come to Delaware to clean for them once their home was built. I thanked her. Then her dad came in from the garage and asked me the same question. This was a huge compliment. I said that I'd check my network of solo cleaners (PSST... That's you!) to refer them to a great cleaner in DE. Then I said (half jokingly), "What I'd really like is 4-5 more houses just like this one." That turned into... "Well, Erika told one of her friends about you." I followed up with Erika after her work and offered her a $50 credit for anyone she refers or anyone that hires me as a result of her recommendation. She was in, saying she's post in the Facebook Mom's group where my wife found her. I was excited. It was week 1 of the new goal and I was already moving the needle.