Central Iowa Roof Cleaning wrote:

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I see your point as to traction on the forum rankings and have to agree it will hold a top position given it's history and content.

So as forums go it will always hold a top ranking position. As to relevant content that will depend on the members and the subject matter.

I, personally, screen all the forums for relevant content pertaining to roof cleaning. I have found that all the forums have something to offer.

What will determine any forums status as a leader in the industry, to the home owner that fuels our services, will be the content.

Shear numbers may look impressive but do they product results? That is does the content of those numbers offer value?

Is the forum focused on the benefit to the industry members or to the benefit of the consumer? Maybe both?

What I see is a lot of forums are trying to benefit both. This is a very hard task and a fine line because of so much overlapping.

There are times you'll see a nice post about some service a cleaner provided and then see a post were there is a lot of negativity. In a open forum anyone can see that.

It is my belief that the forum that keeps the content clean and offers relevant content of added value will lead at the end of the day.

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 I used to think this too, until one day a huge residential customer pulled up a "fight thread" from me debating roof cleaning methods with someone who thought he knew "all about cleaning roofs".

This fight got rather nasty and personal too, because I handed this person his lunch. I made him look real bad, so unable to win a roof cleaning discussion with me, the only thing he felt he could do was to "call me a criminal" etc, etc, etc.

Well ..... guess what ?

A big time customer pulled up that old thread, and actually hired my company Because of it! 

This customer said he could tell our forum was REAL, and not an "Infomercial Forum" like so many others he had visited!

He told me he liked the fact that I was a roof cleaner "passionate about my trade"

In the real world, people do sometimes fight and disagree. In fact, our country was founded by people who sometimes had fist fights with each other.

Customers are not stupid! 

Fishermen are some of the most violent people there are, yet people consume tons of Fish.

The RCIA Forum is a trade forum, no different then any other trade forum. Blue Collar guys sometimes fight, it goes with the territory. 

My Auto Mechanic is just as well known here in Tampa for kicking butts in the local bars, and among many local women, he is know as a "womanizer"!

He is a big, bad azz, good looking Irishman, who gets "bad mouthed daily" by past girlfriends, ex wives, and guys who made the mistake of getting on his bad side.

But, guess what ? His garage is busy busy busy, because he is at the TOP of his Trade.

Raystown Roof Cleaning Central PA 1-800-236-0322 wrote:

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All roof cleaning forums have slowed down,.. PERIOD!! And pressure washing forums for that matter. There is only so much to discuss, or even argue about these services. I never counted on these forums for business,..I come here to exchange information with guys like Chris, Mike DeRose,..etc...not a bunch of political guys who are worried about page rank,..seriously?,...I haven't even been part of a good discussion lately,..it's all used up,..and done to death,..our information highway has hit a traffic jam,...not much left,...which is why arguments happen so regularly in the past few years. People are bored and don't have anything left to talk about.

Jeff

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 How about I start selling snake oil Jeff, maybe that will "ease the boredom" 

Central Iowa Roof Cleaning wrote:

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Apple Roof Cleaning Tampa FL (813) 655-8777 wrote:

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Central Iowa Roof Cleaning wrote:

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I see your point as to traction on the forum rankings and have to agree it will hold a top position given it's history and content.

So as forums go it will always hold a top ranking position. As to relevant content that will depend on the members and the subject matter.

I, personally, screen all the forums for relevant content pertaining to roof cleaning. I have found that all the forums have something to offer.

What will determine any forums status as a leader in the industry, to the home owner that fuels our services, will be the content.

Shear numbers may look impressive but do they product results? That is does the content of those numbers offer value?

Is the forum focused on the benefit to the industry members or to the benefit of the consumer? Maybe both?

What I see is a lot of forums are trying to benefit both. This is a very hard task and a fine line because of so much overlapping.

There are times you'll see a nice post about some service a cleaner provided and then see a post were there is a lot of negativity. In a open forum anyone can see that.

It is my belief that the forum that keeps the content clean and offers relevant content of added value will lead at the end of the day.

---

 I used to think this too, until one day a huge residential customer pulled up a "fight thread" from me debating roof cleaning methods with someone who thought he knew "all about cleaning roofs".

This fight got rather nasty and personal too, because I handed this person his lunch. I made him look real bad, so unable to win a roof cleaning discussion with me, the only thing he felt he could do was to "call me a criminal" etc, etc, etc.

Well ..... guess what ?

A big time customer pulled up that old thread, and actually hired my company Because of it! 

This customer said he could tell our forum was REAL, and not an "Infomercial Forum" like so many others he had visited!

He told me he liked the fact that I was a roof cleaner "passionate about my trade"

In the real world, people do sometimes fight and disagree. In fact, our country was founded by people who sometimes had fist fights with each other.

Customers are not stupid! 

Fishermen are some of the most violent people there are, yet people consume tons of Fish.

The RCIA Forum is a trade forum, no different then any other trade forum. Blue Collar guys sometimes fight, it goes with the territory. 

My Auto Mechanic is just as well known here in Tampa for kicking butts in the local bars, and among many local women, he is know as a "womanizer"!

He is a big, bad azz, good looking Irishman, who gets "bad mouthed daily" by past girlfriends, ex wives, and guys who made the mistake of getting on his bad side.

But, guess what ? His garage is busy busy busy, because he is at the TOP of his Trade.

 

 

 

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 I wasn't trying to say good or bad, right or wrong, just pointing out the obvious that perception matters. Your point makes that case, as one person did give you work. I guess my question would be how many have just turned away because of the same issues. We'll never know. We do know how many members have left. Your right customers are not stupid and if something smells they run. LOL Call it gun shy if you like.

In the end I have to agree with Jeff on this one. I pay my dues here to support where I came from, but there isn't much to discuss that hasn't already been discussed many times over. Nice to stop in and visit once an awhile. Pass on some leads. Every once and a while get a ring side seat for entertainment.

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 I am not sure most people will go through this forum like a fine toothed comb, reading each and every thread.

They will do a specific search like Slate Roof Cleaning In Erie Pennsylvania, and perhaps find us that way.

The question on if it is up to the RCIA to educate consumers about roof cleaning has many opinions.

LOL, I guess it is all up to if you are a Democrat, or a Republican ?

Democrats want a national government to run the states, and Republicans want more power to the states.

My Personal feeling on this is that it is the responsibility of the individual roof cleaning contractors to educate their own marketplaces, about roof cleaning.

We will teach, so you can Preach 

That's a good one Chris. LOL

To bad more don't go back and read some of the old threads, a lot of good stuff there. I did last winter and took a little from this thread and a little from that thread and came up with some new things to experiment with.

The threads/posts back in 2009/2010 has some really good stuff and advice to offer. In my opinion. Then 2011 became the year of AC. Need I say more.

Anyway I am done for the season. Won't work again until next April. Took 2012/2013 to build my branding/service. Had a banner year this year.

I remember when I started in 2010 I couldn't give a roof cleaning away. Now I turn jobs away or pass them on. Already booked for next spring.

I brought 4 other roof cleaners in over 2012/2013 for next season and they have worked with me in my niche cleaning. 2014 we will all network together throughout the Midwest and are expanding to the East and Northeast.

Of course we focus on cedar and they are very good at the process themselves now. So these are exciting times. For me the winter months are nothing more than marketing and getting the word out through education to the home owner.

I learned my training/service through this site. I even remember I was the first one to who paid to be certified under the new certification I believe back in 2011 to help promote such. Though I don't promote being certified now, don't have to.

Given this is a training/certification forum and I don't train or certify others per se I pay my membership to help support the forum. There are many who wish to throw stones and forgot where they started. Welcome to reality. LOL

So my mind set is more focused on educating the home owner than training. I'll leave that to the experts. So if I come off out of left field sometimes that is most likely why.

Speaking of other forums, Kim sent me a link to yet another new forum which I won't name. I noticed a number of people on there or a few that had been on here or maybe still are?

They had a discussion about cleaning wood roofs and my name came up, which is fine, they were talking about the cleaning process itself. Was interesting reading, but different from what I use or how I clean them.

From what I read if I was a home owner looking for a cedar cleaning I would be reluctant to hire one because the discussion was more about what to use not so much how to do it.

From a forum stand point those types of discussions should be kept private not in open forum in my opinion because, again, of the perception given. Though I do feel the discussion is healthy for the industry.

Though this forum is the home base. I do like the .org format better. I see that having some legs going forward. Good job.

Raystown Roof Cleaning Central PA 1-800-236-0322 wrote:

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Yea, I still stick around here, and dig up info sometimes. Alot was learned on this forum by many,..thought as I stated,..this along with most forums on roof cleaning/house washing has run out of topics. Used to be there could be major changes in cleaning,..now it's little tips and tidbits that come out at best.

The nuts and bolts of roof cleaning in particular are simple, everything else now is just tweaking on other ideas mostly.

Jeff

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 Jeff, you, me, Mike Sullivan, and a few others forever changed roof cleaning, years ago!

But thgere are STILL "undiscovered discoveries" out there, waiting on us to discover, like this http://www.olivenation.com/Pure-Lemon-Extract-P110.aspx?gdftrk=gdfV21779_a_7c145_a_7c4385_a_7cELE128&gclid=CK6G2a28l7sCFSEV7AodGQwAmA

I JUST got a call from a fellow florida tile roof cleaner, and he told me a story about going to a florida grocery store, and buying several bottles of Lemon Extract, and how well it completey hid the scent of the roof cleaning chemicals!

And, I am currently looking at a REAL (not a repackaged plant fertilizer) Protective Spray Coating for plants, that forms a protective film the plants can actually breathe through.

And Jeff, since you use TSP, please be aware that you can buy chlorinated TSP !

Bruce, I appreciate your friendship, and your loyalty Brother! 

So many people who learned the art of roof cleaning here, have seemingly forgotten where they came from. 

I have always said, when your children grow up, never allow them to have a roof cleaning forum! 

It is well near impossible to make every poster happy, and over a period of time, feelings get hurt when people don't get their own way.

At AA Meetings, we are taught to place "principles before personalities"

This means "listen to the message, and not the messenger" 

Apple Roof Cleaning Tampa FL (813) 655-8777 wrote:

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Raystown Roof Cleaning Central PA 1-800-236-0322 wrote:

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Yea, I still stick around here, and dig up info sometimes. Alot was learned on this forum by many,..thought as I stated,..this along with most forums on roof cleaning/house washing has run out of topics. Used to be there could be major changes in cleaning,..now it's little tips and tidbits that come out at best.

The nuts and bolts of roof cleaning in particular are simple, everything else now is just tweaking on other ideas mostly.

Jeff

---

 Jeff, you, me, Mike Sullivan, and a few others forever changed roof cleaning, years ago!

But thgere are STILL "undiscovered discoveries" out there, waiting on us to discover, like this http://www.olivenation.com/Pure-Lemon-Extract-P110.aspx?gdftrk=gdfV21779_a_7c145_a_7c4385_a_7cELE128&gclid=CK6G2a28l7sCFSEV7AodGQwAmA

I JUST got a call from a fellow florida tile roof cleaner, and he told me a story about going to a florida grocery store, and buying several bottles of Lemon Extract, and how well it completey hid the scent of the roof cleaning chemicals!

And, I am currently looking at a REAL (not a repackaged plant fertilizer) Protective Spray Coating for plants, that forms a protective film the plants can actually breathe through.

And Jeff, since you use TSP, please be aware that you can buy chlorinated TSP !

Bruce, I appreciate your friendship, and your loyalty Brother! 

So many people who learned the art of roof cleaning here, have seemingly forgotten where they came from. 

I have always said, when your children grow up, never allow them to have a roof cleaning forum! 

It is well near impossible to make every poster happy, and over a period of time, feelings get hurt when people don't get their own way.

At AA Meetings, we are taught to place "principles before personalities"

This means "listen to the message, and not the messenger" 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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 Bob & Steve did some experiments with lemon a few years back. I don't know if they still use it or not.

Because I have moved away from the SH in a lot of my cleanings I don't have the issue anymore, though would be handy for those times it is used.

I really like the plant idea as it would be a big thing for the industry as a whole. One of the first questions I get is " will your solution hurt my plants".

I didn't know there is chlorinated TSP, I still use it myself and would like to get some.

Yes, shoot the messenger not the message. The human ego is a powerful thing.