Now Where Do I Start

[Reach For The Glass]

Hi guys

Now really wanting to get my buiseness off the chalk board and into practice.

I do not know where to start if I'm being honest. I aim to do residential only and wfp backpack. I will be buying water.

I have no gear at all or customers.

What order do I start in. I don't have loads of cash on the hip ready to blow but need things in order. Here's what I need and your opinions and experience would be invaluable here.

-van

-wfp backpack and pole

-insurance

-customers

-tank for van

-ladders

-trad gear

-uniform

-advertising etc

What order do I do this in??

Also how much is PL insurance ?

Guys really want to move now but 8n a bit if a maze.

Thanks for your help.

 

[Diwrnach]

Use the vehicle you already have and start trad, really cheap for gear that way, then knock up some flyers, join facebook etc and get some customers in first, see if you enjoy it etc, then add WFP, I did it this way and only did trad for maybe a year.

 

[Simply Business]

Hi @Reach For The Glass, congrats on taking the plunge and starting your own business, you'll learn plenty from the guys on here! As @Diwrnach said, social media can work wonders for you - especially if you're on a budget, and canvassing with flyers always seems to work well for the bulk of the chaps on here.

With regards to public liability insurance, if it's just you (no employees) you'll likely be looking at under £100 for the year. Let me know if you'd like any more help/info etc with the insurance /emoticons/smile.png

 

[JClean]

I'm just going through the same process

1. Designed flyers and cards, sent to printers ( waiting at moment)

2. Bought gear ( great fun , arrived today!!)

3. Ordered Ladders (delivered next week)

4. Sorting workwear ( logos)

5. Started canvassing. ( positive results so far)

6. Sorting Vehicle , roof rack etc.

7. Insurance (got to do next week)

 

[Simply Business]

Great to hear your canvassing is going well so far @JClean - seems like half the battle is getting that right! As with @Reach For The Glass , just give me a shout if you'd like any more info etc on insurance.

AS guys just starting out, what made you choose window cleaning @JClean @Reach For The Glass ? /emoticons/smile.png

 

[JClean]

Work situation changing, and the draw of being my own boss and getting the rewards if I work hard! Not somebody else

 

[Reach For The Glass]

Hi simply buiseness Thanks for the message.

I chose window cleaning because of its flexibility. I also work full time shift and need extra income. It looks like a decent earner if you graft at it.

Also hopefully will give me a better family life financially. Most importantly it allows my wife to look after my children and be there for them.

 

[Dave B]

If you want to not use ladders and ypu can buy water @Reach For The Glass then do a diy trolley or get a backpack and trad the bottoms to save water

Then you can do a days work from your car with 5 or so 25l drums and build up before the expense of a van etc

I have been slacking at looking for a van and need to sort one soon but i can earn a couple of hundred quid in a day with my car and drums

I do have the advantage of my water guy being in the middle of the area i cover and only ever need to drive 2 miles maximum to refill if needed as i make sure i have enough if I'm in the villages

 

[Reach For The Glass]

Cheers guys.

Thing is my cars absolutley knackered anyway so looking at a new car may aswell look at a van with a 3-4 hundred litre tank in the back ... no?

Also I looked at a back pack it's only £70 recommended on here so that's all good. Just need a pole.

I will get ladders and trad gear as will always be useful.

I suppose question is do I get the gear then the customers.or do I get the customers and then the gear?

Fear of the unknown I guess. Will I recoup my outlay. I've always been quite synical about being self employed "oh there windows already look clean on this road" " that roads covered already" "too many windys in the area to make it work"

Need to just do it I guess

 

[Dave B]

You will always find work if you want it bad enough

Buy the basics and then while waiting for delivery get door knocking

Then clean in the mornings and when finished get looking for more work..soon adds up

 

[TolishAPurd]

Cheers guys.
Thing is my cars absolutley knackered anyway so looking at a new car may aswell look at a van with a 3-4 hundred litre tank in the back ... no?

Also I looked at a back pack it's only £70 recommended on here so that's all good. Just need a pole.

I will get ladders and trad gear as will always be useful.

I suppose question is do I get the gear then the customers.or do I get the customers and then the gear?

Fear of the unknown I guess. Will I recoup my outlay. I've always been quite synical about being self employed "oh there windows already look clean on this road" " that roads covered already" "too many windys in the area to make it work"

Need to just do it I guess

This is why people are telling you to go trad for a little while. Minimal outlay, and if it doesnt work out you can just sell it on and put it down to experience, no harm done. We all make this job sound good on here, but make no mistake, it is $h*te in the early days- loads of first cleans, loads of messers, driving all over town for minimal money, and you're generally getting the customers/houses that no other windy wants.

 

[Dave B]

On the flip side once you have slogged your guts out for a while it becomes a very lucrative business

You have to remember that when you're having a bad day and get home completely knackered at first

 

[Reach For The Glass]

Cheers guys.

I suppose outlay isn't even that bad I mean wfp gear is only couple hundred quid.

Car/van makes no differance as need one anyway.

Just having the belief that I will get custys and not knocking 1000 doors for 1 customer. It's because I've never done it I can't see how people react to me knocking asking if they need a windy. I just in visage every door I knock they will have one or don't want one. Self belief is needed i think.

Where I live south London it's built up, very built up I mean most roads are 2 -3 hundred houses a road and there's hundreds of roads.

Surely some will want me

 

[MrBump]

Daveyboy that dreamy picture you paint seems like a long way off for me, I'm still firmly in Tolishapurd's finger-painting /emoticons/biggrin.png

Assuming both you newbies are up north, then good luck! :laugh:

 

[Dave B]

If you're looking for customers in saarf london it is purely a numbers game

There are enough houses in a tight enough area that if 1% of doors knocked needed your services you could have a few jobs in each road

I would be tempted to leaflet during working hours and knock in the evenings

You could get a whole heap of houses leafletted in an afternoon round there

 

[Dave B]

@MrBump we all started somewhere

It is hard graft at first but at least you are getting paid while also building your business..every week should lead to an annual payrise

100 quid new monthly work equals £1200 p/a payrise

 

[adamangler]

prepare for pain, its not easy. messers, low ballers, non payers, depression, anxiety, stress, panic, wanting to quit, doubt etc. Just keep moving forward no matter what.

 

[Reach For The Glass]

Yea Mr bump I see where your coming from. 1 % wouldn't be too good though 1000 doors and 10 houses. At that rate ill be knocking 10,000 doors.

My feet won't go that far mate haha

 

[MrBump]

Daveyboy everyone just wants one-offs or at best to "try before they commit" but at regular prices, which I'm sure after i have scrubbed and sweated over then the first time they will say "thanks, I'll call you if they get dirty again" Its getting the regulars thats the hard thing. Still work is picking up, getting an enquiry almost every day or every other now, I can see a possibility that this time next year hopefully I'll be looking back at this year thinking it was all worth the effort! :thumbsup:

Reachfortheglass it was daveyboy that said the 1% thing not me lol. Thats about what I'm getting for leaflets though. But it appears most on here get far better results than that from canvassing, I really should pull my finger out and do some of thst myself!

 

[Dave B]

Can't beat cavassing bumpy

1% was just to show that minimum uptake would still get you work in a densely populated area

But you will need to wear out some shoe leather

 

[Reach For The Glass]

Sorry bump I had tired eyes reading that mate.

Dave boy1 what "how longs that bit of string again" would you say is the average conversion rate from canvassing. 5% maybe 10%