The Roof Cleaning Institute Of America Training & Certification Forum
"Find A Certified Roof Cleaner Directory"

Nov 7, 2010

IS IT ME? AM I WRONG?

garyw · Nov 7, 2010

Roof Cleaning Long Island N.Y 516-763-4108 wrote:

Maybe it's me,maybe I am taking it to seriously,but why the hell are paid members answering non paid members questions? I was reading a recent post a guy is talking about brown streaks and his mix ratio and we have paid members as well as moderators answering his question.......Am I wrong,just let me know.

No, you are probably correct. Perhaps we should post an answer such as "professional info on this subject is available in the paid members forum". If we do this often enough, people MIGHT get the point and join.
Gary

Roof Cleaning Cleveland (216) 323-0552 · Nov 7, 2010

I'm more ticked off by all the cheapskates over there that are to cheap to spend $100.00. The information here is worth 10 times that. This website has been giving people knowledge to make a great living.

sweetwaterfish · Guest

In my limited internet knowledge, part of what makes us rank so high in search engines is the amount of traffic we have, posts and link backs to our own web-sites. So in essence its helps us individually to communicate with other members, as well as helping our association achieve high rankings.

I also think that now with a separate section, its even more important than ever to communicate with the newbies, to bring them into the flock and make them paying members. By sharing our knowledge, t will hopefully inspire them to join us.

I worry that if we close ourselves off too much, it will be just 20 guys sitting around and the impact of a large association will disappear.

Just my $.02

I don't know if there really is a right or wrong answer, but these are part of the growing pains we're going to feel as we take this new direction.

Nov 7, 2010

Ray you have a good point,but there has to be a solution. I assume they will not get certified and I hope they have lost certification if they have not paid,maybe Gary can let us know if that will happen. I also would like those in charge when working with distributors to give a discount or somthing to paid members.

garyw · Nov 7, 2010

Ray, you are right. there is a fine line between keeping post count up in the open area and driving new members to the paid area. The best plan I think is to help the new people as much as we can by being very nice to them and going to their defense if others start picking on them and make sure they are made aware that the ones picking on them are just guests and not members. We will have to keep a clode eye on this and see how things progress.
Gary

SEE OUR WORK HERE!!! · Guest

I believe we need to find that right balance. Pat, I know what your saying. That's how I felt also, but Ray has some valid points also. You have to keep potential members interested without giving to much info so they want to join to find out the rest.

sweetwaterfish · Guest

Also, this forum has been such a "freely shared" source of information for so long, I know I'm going to have to catch myself and stop giving out advice to non-members for free. Old habits are hard to break.

We need to give just enough information to keep them interested and make them WANT to become members. As we grow, we'll need to ask ourselves this question (among others) "Is it better to have lots of members regardless of professionalism, experience, etc ( and we hope these members grow into professionals), or is is better to have a smaller association comprised of only the best of the best"?

Its a hard question, and I don't know what the correct answer is. Both paths have their own pitfalls.

Nov 7, 2010

Ok fair enough but how about this, I know post counts do not matter anymore so those who are non paid high ranking post should be dropped to the rear pages. Let all paid members move up this way potential customers see paid members first....gary what do you think?

garyw · Nov 7, 2010

Don't think the software will allow it.

gutterdog · Nov 8, 2010

We will find the balance. I'm sure of it. Chris, Bill, Gary, AC, etc. have done a great job! When walking in uncharted territory one must be careful. Baby steps.

Look where we were a year ago!!! Very few guys had trailers. Or rigs on their trucks. I was still using pump ups!! Next year I'm going to have a second trailer or a small ranger pickup with a rig on back, a checklist to follow every time. (the check list when finished will be put in the paid forum for critique.

The RCIA has come a long way in a short time! Soon there WONT be pics of surface cleaners on roofs in Cleaner Times!!!

RCIA Founder

These people asking the questions should be encouraged to join, to get questions answered!

Mobile Prowash · Guest

When I found the RCIA (in Dec 08) the only thing I was doing was p/w houses and concrete. I had not even heard of roof cleaning. Even with my newbie questions there was no one critisising me. Everyone just gave good advice. I was lucky enough to have found this place and have the experts give me the advice of what to use and to buy first through their trials and errors. That advice alone was worth more to me than just a $100. I probably saved that much on my first order from pressuretek by not ordering the wrong equipment. When people start to realize the info they get will save them more $$ in the long run of things they will start to become paid members. Helping out the new guys will not hurt us if we can bring them in. Its the negative posts that will scare them off.

Nov 8, 2010

Ok,sounds reasonable don't want to scare them and baby steps it is then.

Guest

Well I know I answered a question about that last week on the open board, was unaware if a guideline had been set up on that, if so enlighten me on it, thanks.

Roof Cleaning Virginia 540-949-6277 · Roof Cleaning Institute of America Premium Member/MODERATOR

As a newbie I have to agree with Ray. If it wasn't for the help of a few people, willing to go the extra mile, telling me to call or PM I'm pretty sure I would still be on the free side, reading and searching. (Ok, I'm still doing that!) I know there is a fine line and I'm sure that you guys know where that is with your vast amount of knowledge. It was pretty easy for me to see that my $100.00 would go a long way, part of the "set up" costs of getting things going. Mike suggested that I join as a paid member. It wasn't but a few hours and it was done!

There's even better stuff on the paid side, maybe that's a good way to work it too!

I got my web site up and running. www.brrcofva.com

Roof Cleaning Cleveland (216) 323-0552 · Nov 8, 2010

Brett nice website, by the way you're not a newbie anymore you're a member. Good luck to you.

sweetwaterfish · Guest

Its got to be a "stick AND a carrot" treatment to get the new guys to sign up. Remember we "sell" on the basis of two emotions: 1) FEAR OF LOSS ( if they don't join they are missing out on info) 2) HOPE OF GAIN( if they do join there busieness will be postitvely impacted and grow) . With that in mind, as paid members of this association it helps us all to see the RCIA grow with quaility memebers. We can become the eminent body in roof cleaning and licensure.

If you remember, one of the big catalysts for this change was the DB( yes the initials stand for an appliance) who was threatening to "shut us down" with an "envormentally safe soltion". If there is going to be regualtion in this industry I'd like it to be OUR assocation who sets those guidelines! There is strength in numbers.

SP Cleaning · Nov 16, 2010

Roof Cleaning Long Island N.Y 516-763-4108 wrote:

Maybe it's me,maybe I am taking it to seriously,but why the hell are paid members answering non paid members questions? I was reading a recent post a guy is talking about brown streaks and his mix ratio and we have paid members as well as moderators answering his question.......Am I wrong,just let me know.

Pat I agree with you that it is a problem.....

I joind the RCIA in May of 2009. I was expanding my business services and there was much to

learn here. Within a week or so I donated $100 as I thought is was well worth supporting the owners

of the group for servers, bandwidth etc. I looked at it as a cost of doing business.

Due to some unforseen circomstances with family illness and business I have been away for a year.

I just recently am back, and gladly paid my membership fee today. I am proud to be a member of this great association again. roof cleaning

I see there are many many new guys here, wow.....and some perssonel and moderator changes as well.

I know there was a big push in the summer of 2009 for a closed forum for members. It was my understanding

that the open section would be for our customers to lookup certified ROOF CLEANERS in there area. They

would also get to see a "Portfolio" on that company with certifications, insurance certs. etc. This

area would also contain some "Teaser" info for those looking to learn more about getting into the business

of Roof Cleaning. This info was to be just enough to get them to join as a member and learn form the Master

Roof Cleaning Experts inside the paid section. I see this has taken much longer than expected, and I'm

sure there have been many lurkers that have taken the info and ran. It has no dout hurt some of the

professional Roof Cleaning companies around the country. We are never going to get rid of the lurkers,

but we can limit the information they get from here. Maybe strategicly take certain posts out of the

open area that have "TOO much info" a little at a time.

I had the oppertunity to talk with Gary on the phone today while paying for my membership. In talking

with him I see changes in the future for the RCIA. I think they are working on this problem but there

are some technical underlying issues to making such an overnight closed forum. Page rankings search engines

etc. if I am not mistaken. As stated above, we need to get the word out to EVERYONE that is a real part

of this Association to point the new guys looking to get into the business to become a member. They will learn

from the MASTERS as a benefit to joining. They can learn step by step as they study for their

Certification test, instead of learning some things the hard way.

I think maybe the association, and the paid members need to "Market" this Certification and the benefits

of becoming a paid member. All of us here know the importance of marketing our Roof Cleaning business, I

think the same should apply to the building of our Association membership. We need to stop spoonfeeding

the non members on the open side, and market and sell them on the real benefits of being a part of this

great brotherhood. I think this should be the responsability of all of the current Association members. I want to see this

Association explode with professional Roof Cleaning Businesses!!!!

Sorry for a long post but been away for a while and making up for lost time LoL.....

Lets market and sell some memberships.

PS: Tucker, it's been a while... I hope all is well in Flaorida Brother. It's great to be back!!!

I got alot of catching up to do.

Chris Madden

sabercatt · Premium Member Roof Cleaning Institute of America

SP Cleaning wrote:

We are never going to get rid of the lurkers, but we can limit the information they get from here. Maybe strategicly take certain posts out of the open area that have "TOO much info" a little at a time.

I think this to be a good idea as well. Maybe even just have one or two simple sections for general info on roof cleaning (very general info) and all other sections be for paid members only.

The Roof Cleaning Institute Of America Training & Certification Forum "Find A Certified Roof Cleaner Directory"

The Roof Cleaning Institute Of America Training & Certification Forum
"Find A Certified Roof Cleaner Directory"