When Natoma Canfield wrote an email letter to President Obama last December about the need for health care reform, she had no idea how quickly her own crisis would arrive. The cancer patient had to be rushed to the hospital last Sunday.

Wearing a blue hospital gown, Natoma Canfield had just finished most of her dinner at Medina General. Her slender arms were bruised from repeated attempts to take blood samples. Her smile was warm but tired after a long day.

“It’s frightening having no insurance and being in the hospital since Sunday night,” said Canfield.

As a hospital staff member cleared her trays, Canfield said, “I worked hard my whole life to take care of myself.”

She added, “Now I’ve fallen behind. I have no health care and now I’m going to have a humongous hospital bill.”

The 50-year-old, self-employed cleaning woman gained national attention last week. President Barack Obama read Canfield’s letter at a White House briefing urging health care reform.

White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs said, “This is a letter the President will likely take with him to meetings today and throughout this period to remind everyone what’s at stake with the final push for health care reform and what happens if we walk away.”

Canfield wrote the letter to the President on Dec. 29 after she struggled to pay for health insurance. But last weekend, Canfield’s cancer symptoms flared up and she was rushed to Medina General Hospital.

“I am getting great care,” said Canfield, “but without insurance, I have no way to pay for it.”

She said she was notified by Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield that her premium had been increased over 40 percent to $8,496.

Canfield dropped her health insurance Jan. 1.

She told Channel 3’s Mike O’Mara, “I can’t tell you that since I’ve been in the hospital, in this room, how many people have come in to tell me that they have a story just like mine.”

Canfield added, “Some of them even have stories worse than mine. I feel so humbled to be able to share my story with the President of the United States and to have him listen and understand.”

At home, President Obama’s thank you letter is already framed. Now Canfield hopes that she will be strong enough to join the President on the stage at the Walter F. Ehrnfelt Recreation and Senior Center in Strongsville on Monday.

“I told my sister that she may have to fill in for me, but I am really, really hoping to be there!” said Canfield, with a grin.

Amy Boggs, owner of Sparkling Palaces, Portland’s Premier Green House Cleaning Company shares 10 Great Tips for Home.  Yet another professional ARCSI Member taking Home Cleaning to the Next Level!

Your “Dream Client”

Identifying your “Dream Client” is critically important.  The process of defining your Dream Client pushes you to become far more clear and specific about the nature of your business and your marketing focus.  The creation of your Dream Client allows you to identify exactly the client with whom you want to work the most.   This simple yet powerful concept will empower you to make better decisions for your business as well.
Highest Profit, Most Enjoyable, Best Client Relationship, Least Problems, Most Referrals

For instance, knowing that X is your Dream Client, helps you stay focused upon their issues, needs and likes/dislikes.

You can make better decisions about where to spend your marketing dollars and your efforts.

Who do you want as your Client?

What are your most profitable services?

What frequency is most profitable?

What is the “3-D Picture” of your Dream Client?

• Home Value $XXX,XXX.00
• Bedrooms/Bathrooms/Square Footage
• Age of Home
• Services Provided—Cleaning with Carpets, Windows & ?
• Household Income
• Dual Income or Single Income Couple
• Children
• Pets
• How many cars
• Professions or Careers of Homeowners
• Own Additional Homes
• Travel Volume per month
• Pay by Credit Card; Pay for service in advance–# of months
• Phone Estimate or In-Home Home Health Audit
• How many Affiliate Services Used in One Year

Here are some examples of actual Dream Clients

Actual Dream Client (middle-income buyer)

$195,000 Home

2BR/2Bath

1780 sq. ft.

Weekly Service is $105 (averaged)

5 year old home

Weekly Cleaning with Windows 2X/yr., Carpets 1X/yr.

$78,000 Annual Income

Dual Income-Both Full-time

2 Children under 10—daycare or school full-time

1 dog

2 cars

Teachers, Engineers, Computers, Office, Paralegals

No additional home

Travel less than 2 weeks per year

Pay by Credit Card (pays two weeks in advance)

Phone Estimate

Uses 3.5 Affiliate Services per Year—painter, landscaping, lawn service, pest control, carpets are the most commonly used

Refers 3 or less new Clients per year

Residential Cleaning Service Owner loves this and only hopes to improve this Dream Client by:

1. Increasing Carpets to 2X/yr.
2. Pay by Credit Card with one month in advance
3. Uses 5 Affiliate Services
4. Refers 5 or less new Clients per year

So now the Owner has a focus upon which to work in terms of what they are targeting as their best Clients, along with “stretch goals” upon which to focus with their existing Dream Clients in order to maximize annual revenues from these current Dream Clients.

Actual Dream Client (Affluent Buyer)

$550,000 Home

5BR/3.5Bath

3450 sq. ft.

Weekly Service is $265 (averaged)

10 year old home

Weekly Cleaning with Carpets & Windows 2X/yr., Pest Control monthly, Outdoor Pressure Washing 2X/yr., Two cars washed/detailed 12X/yr.

$310,000 Annual Income

Single Income

2 Children—16 or older

2 dogs

4 cars

Business Owners, Lawyers, Doctors, Executives, Old Wealth

2 Additional Homes

Travel 8 weeks per year

Pay by Credit Card (pays 6 months in advance)

52% are Gold Plan Service Clients (Silver, Gold, Platinum)

24% are Platinum Plan Service Clients

Phone Estimate

Uses 6.5 Affiliate Services per Year—painter, landscaping, lawn service, pest control, carpets, party servers/bartenders/valet parkers, and home theater or computer tech support services most commonly used

Refers 3 or less new Clients per year

Provides team members $500 Holiday Cash Bonuses annually

Residential Cleaning Service Owner loves this and only hopes to improve this Dream Client by:

1. Pay by Credit Card (pays 9 months in advance)
2. 35% are Platinum Plan Service Clients
3. 60% are Gold Plan Service Clients
4. Use 8 Affiliate Services per Year