How to Enter a Cleaning Business Owner Forum...

That sounds silly doesn't it? Why would I have to learn how to enter a forum? I just sign up and post right?

It would seem on the surface to be that easy, but sometimes you see people have a real hard time getting off on the right foot...

Over time forums create a very tight community. Members learn the rules and looks out for each other...

That's the first thing... Read the rules. Different forums approach how you display links differently or even what you can talk about...

The other thing is don't come in gang busters!! Don't try to prove yourself and get to excited about proving everyone your knowledge etc....

Get to know the community first. Hang out for a while. Introduce yourself politely... Usually there is a separate area set aside for intros... And then start browsing.

Get to know the other posters... Remember a lot of these people have known each other for a while. They may even be doing business behind the scenes...

Once you have a feel for it, start helping out.

Helping out... If you have any knowledge to contribute, provide it... Help people with things you know about.

Learn... Read... Learn... Read some more... Ask questions...

Then let it rip if you want to.

The bottom line is very few people can go crazy right off the bat... There is an exception here or there, but usually the community wants to see you contribute for a while before you get bold. They need to get to know you.

Definitely don't provide a sales pitches to your favorite products or resources in your first post... You will getting flaming posts and anger the community. Everyone will see you as a spammer and you'll make it into their ignore list or worse,
you'll be removed from the forum. Remember cleaning business owners go to the forums to share their experiences with like minded people, they don't go to them to be sold to. If people don't know you yet, they can not be sure you aren't a
salesman.

What about debating topics or answers you don't agree with...
Debate is an art. If you have spent much time on cleaning business forums you know which members are able to debate their positions on topics without having it turn into personal attacks.

Debate is good, it allows members to see differences of opinion and if often times the beginning of great ideas being born.

If you are not able to debate without becoming upset, without issuing insults or taking it personal it is best you avoid the debate topics.

If you are new to the cleaning business and new to the forums ask questions but keep in mind the veterans in the industry learned on their own, thru their own mistakes and without the Internet to help them out.

If you approach your questions as if you are looking for handouts, looking for someone to tell you how to do everything, how to bid your jobs, etc. you may not get the responses you were hoping for.

Is there anything wrong with asking to see what a proposal or a contract looks like?

Not at all...if you've never seen one you've never seen one right?  BUT...you will be amazed at the differences in responses you get if you post the ideas you have (be it pricing, wording, format, your flyers) and ask for feedback on that. 

In other words, attempt it yourself and ask for feedback on what you have done.  As a cleaning business owner you will soon be making a lot of decisions so consider this practice.

Appreciate the answers and ideas that are given to you...

If you post questions you aren't obligated to agree with the answers you receive but don't argue the answers. What worked for one person may not work for your company... but remember someone gave their time to try to help you out.
Other community members learn quickly who enjoys exchanges of ideas and information and who handles advice in a negative way.
The seasoned people who may have ideas that will can help you may hesitate to respond to your questions if experience has shown them they will end up having to defend their answers.

Take the ideas you like, express your gratitude and move forward.

It's just like building any relationship. Easy at first until you get to know each other.

After becoming established in a few forums one of the first things you will notice is you see many of the same members on each of the boards you visit. The cleaning industry is more tightly knit than you may have imagined. It won't take you long
to realize a lot of these people already know each other and at some point you will most likely see a difference of opinion or a disagreement between people get dragged from one community to another. The members who handle themselves well do tend to get more assistance and guidance from their peers. Those who don't or haven't on one board may find they don't get much help on any of them.

Forums for the cleaning industry and the relationships that can be established from them are powerful things.

Your memberships can greatly benefit your business growth when approached with a little common sense, appreciation of the rules and the good manners momma taught you. :)