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[CVD]

Hi all!!! I want to start canvassing. I want to be able to leave my current job by Xmas so want to have enough custys to make up at least £1000 pm by then. Is it possible? What is the best way of going about things? I'm just looking for tips and advice of how to gain custys the quickest way I can. Thanks in advance everyone. /emoticons/smile.png

 

[Smurf]

Don't run before you can walk I say as you need to hone your window cleaning skills first so the customers you get you keep happy by doing a good job. Which method of window cleaning will you be using?

 

[Dave B]

It's not too hard if you get canvassing only need to make 50 quid a day mon-fri 4 weeks a month

That's between 5 and 6 average 3 bed houses daily

I'm sure a few hours canvassing daily then clean em as soon as you get em and you'll be well on your way

 

[Dave B]

Smurf is right but i reckon 5 jobs a day at a slow careful pace and you can manage it

When it gets too dark start door knocking

 

[CVD]

I'm using the traditional methods... Been cleaning my family and friends houses and asked them for an honest opinion. And got all 3 as regulars.

 

[TolishAPurd]

Anythings possible in this game. You just need to dedicate your days to getting your name out there. Door knocking isn't my cup of tea but it does seem to get the best results so that would be a good start. Lots of leaflets, and a few adverts free and paid for should get a few people in. Facebook page and a website is a good idea too. When I first had my website made I hardly got any enquieries, but now its been livea while people are starting to find it in my area and I'm getting a nice little trickle of work from it. But the best thing about a website is that I can have people pay me with it, instead of having to go collecting. You need to put a lot of time and effort in to get things going but keep pushing and it will soon come. Good luck with it all, and let us know how you get on.

 

[boarcity]

once read about a bloke on the Channel islands who door knocked night and day and built up a stonker round in a short time, cant remember how long it took,but it was only months.

ruthless door knocking , and follow ups ,is the only way to build one from scratch in a short time

 

[Shiny]

I prefer the "slowly slowly catchy monkey" approach myself...lol

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[boarcity]

certainly if building a round up quickly ,you will attract a lot more of the sh/t customers , than if you built up slowly

 

[TolishAPurd]

I prefer the "slowly slowly catchy monkey" approach myself...lol

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Agreed, most of my best customers are the ones that came looking for me as opposed to me offering my services to them.

 

[Dave B]

I prefer the "slowly slowly catchy monkey" approach myself

It depends

I didn't go hell for leather at first as I was

already working but got to the point of just taking everything i could get

Time to cull and replace once got a round

Depends if you have a job already i suppose

 

[boarcity]

uve got to take everything when starting up , cos sometimes what seems a rubbish job can easily end up a goldmine [ such as a tuppenny ha penny job ,who then sings your praises everywhere she goes ].

but if at the outset they say "i dont want every month,specially over winter" you will be guaranteed theyre not worth bothering with, better to spend half an hour extra door knock ,than to clean theirs

 

[Scottie]

I have just started to look for custys and have a facebok and web site, the web site is not featuring on google yet well at all, but i have facebook and join groups and look out for people wanting a window cleaner. I have yet to find anyone on that in a week of trying non stop, but I will keep on it.

I have put just over 500 flyers out this week on my tod and will this week flyer non stop 10-3 and then door knock also and some days just door knock all day long until i can not walk. Just taking the view of so what if somone shout "pis£ off" i will just move to the next door.

I still dont no what kinda response I will get form 2500 flyers going out shortly and door knocking plenty, I should expect to get somthing lol - You can only try your harest and keep at it, people on here have given me the confidence to go for it, so if they feel it will work out you have to go with it as they on here no best, but it will take time I no that. Good luck mate.

 

[boarcity]

its a numbers game as everybody says over and over-but its true!

each single response to a flyer should be nurtured, milked for all its worth. first time they contact you,take your time, dont hurry your responses , also ask if they know others who might want you, thats doubled the numbers in the pipeline right away .

if the customer starts chatting about the weather,well add your ten penneth on it but always say its been lovely hasnt it

. if they mention their kids,well youv kids ,how old are yours? etc etc

they WANT to know you are ordinary and can be trusted .

 

[nick666]

Hi all!!! I want to start canvassing. I want to be able to leave my current job by Xmas so want to have enough custys to make up at least £1000 pm by then. Is it possible? What is the best way of going about things? I'm just looking for tips and advice of how to gain custys the quickest way I can. Thanks in advance everyone. /emoticons/smile.png

I loathe admin but if you are knocking on doors making a note of who isn't in and calling back at a different time really pays off as does keeping the details of customers names and house numbers on front page of notebook to be mentioned when calling.eg "we are cleaning Mrs Smiths at number 21 and Mr Jones at 37-you know him -chap with one leg and a squint,;-) and thought you might be interested". Also I find you are far better off separating canvassing from cleaning..Although it can be tempting to do job there and then for the cash,it can screw up your mindset by stopping and starting canvassing all the time.Boarcity's advice regarding referrals is spot on .Something I constantly forget to great cost.I should really ask them even if they have a cleaner do they know any of their neighbours who are looking for one.

I get window business whilst knocking for gutters -I find quite a few window cleaners don't like doing them so if your happy doing them its well worth asking cos you often get 2/3 in a street.Then you say sod this windows lark I'm sticking to the gutters ;-) Then you have a couple of bad days knocking for gutters and think sod this I wish I'd stuck to the windows ;-) rinse and repeat

 

[nick666]

Don't know what you do for printing but we bought second hand Hewlett Packard hi-volume printer for about £100 off fleabay with refilled cartridges it works out at bugger allish. Photocopy paper £2,50 for 500 sheets.Would not bother using colour for reasons that are too tedious to explain.Nearly forgot you need a tolerant Mrs.cos they are the size of a small car -so my business partner told me cos he's braver than I am so hes got it and I've never seen it;-)

 

[boarcity]

Don't know what you do for printing but we bought second hand Hewlett Packard hi-volume printer for about £100 off fleabay with refilled cartridges it works out at bugger allish. Photocopy paper £2,50 for 500 sheets.Would not bother using colour for reasons that are too tedious to explain.Nearly forgot you need a tolerant Mrs.cos they are the size of a small car -so my business partner told me cos he's braver than I am so hes got it and I've never seen it;-)

spose that will last a lifetime. do u top up your own ink ? once you have a full round [maybe u already have?] will you continue printing and canvassing , is that the plan ?

i found that the normal home printers burn out after a season of hard use . i like the noise that an Epson sx makes when i keep hitting repeat print maximum load- a deep bellow its hard to describe but its as if its saying **** off youre overloading me

 

[Scottie]

Wonder how this chap got on, be interesting to hear, I am finding it painful getting custys. I did think the flyers would bring in some. But not getting any response at all. I have been practicing lots though as have had the time and got all the pro gear.

 

[Guybrush]

I hear ya @Whizz\-Bizz tips when I got back, deserves a shout out as I have learnt something important, never leave a business card and expect a call. The first road I done if I was to do it again I would have bagged 3 customers for sure by just pushing the booking for the first clean a little more. The first door I knocked on actually wanted a window cleaner how did I not book that! I was not expecting a yes at the first door I guess and caught me off guard and I left the card expecting a call.

Another woman said she hates her window cleaner, which had me in stitches, I should have persuaded her more and given her the idea of telling her windy i'm her nephew and there helping me out, worth a try and reckon she would have gone for it. Had another woman say she saw her window cleaner in the paper for attempted murder! she let him do the insides too and wondered why he had not turned up in a while. I had a long chat with her, left a card and was sure she would phone back, her mum lives next door too and wants her windows done. No ring.

I think the key is turning the maybes into a yes by turning that screw just a little bit more and pushing for that first clean, getting them booked and then your in. I'm going to knock those maybe doors again tomorrow which is ruthless and a bit desperate but they aren't going to knock on my door. Apart from that one road there was no interest at all and I ended up in the pub with a Guinness totally deflated.

Zero customers in those three hours but experienced gained feels massive. Suns out tomorrow and i'm gonna put my knocking glove on and smash it.

 

[TolishAPurd]

I hear ya @Whizz\-Bizz tips when I got back, deserves a shout out as I have learnt something important, never leave a business card and expect a call. The first road I done if I was to do it again I would have bagged 3 customers for sure by just pushing the booking for the first clean a little more. The first door I knocked on actually wanted a window cleaner how did I not book that! I was not expecting a yes at the first door I guess and caught me off guard and I left the card expecting a call.
Another woman said she hates her window cleaner, which had me in stitches, I should have persuaded her more and given her the idea of telling her windy i'm her nephew and there helping me out, worth a try and reckon she would have gone for it. Had another woman say she saw her window cleaner in the paper for attempted murder! she let him do the insides too and wondered why he had not turned up in a while. I had a long chat with her, left a card and was sure she would phone back, her mum lives next door too and wants her windows done. No ring.

I think the key is turning the maybes into a yes by turning that screw just a little bit more and pushing for that first clean, getting them booked and then your in. I'm going to knock those maybe doors again tomorrow which is ruthless and a bit desperate but they aren't going to knock on my door. Apart from that one road there was no interest at all and I ended up in the pub with a Guinness totally deflated.

Zero customers in those three hours but experienced gained feels massive. Suns out tomorrow and i'm gonna put my knocking glove on and smash it.

All is not lost on that one mate. I've given quotes and had people come back to me months later. What seems like a long time to you may not be to them. People get sidetracked with life, but they might still have your card on the fridge and one day they'll look out the window and think, "hmm, I need to get them cleaned".

 

[Guybrush]

Polish you are right. When you first start out like me from scratch one day feels like one month. Thanks for bringing me back down to earth, it's only Tuesday and I handed them out Friday lol keen. I should have still booked them in though when I had the chance. Lesson learnt.