How did you start out?...

[wink2202]

Hi all. I'm interested to know how different people started out to get to where they are now. Did you spend lots of time preparing before launch ie, all the best equipment, websites, business cards, leaflets, vehicles with livery etc etc etc. Before even entertaining your first customer?

Or did you find the customers first... go the minimalistic/learn as you go approach and hopefully build from there?

Just interested to hear your opinions and experiences [emoji4]

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[matt18]

Just do a good job mate, try and keep as many customers long term as possible.

Build from there.

 

[Dave B]

I've done this since i was 16 many moons ago

When i started for myself the first time i just shoved the ladders on the motor and knocked some doors and then knocked some more and then some more and did not stop until i had enough work..simple as that..1 brass 12" squeegee..1 applicator..black round bucket like the quid ones in asda nowadays..bin bag full of old scrims i had collected over the years and a bottle of fairy

No leaflets or cards etc

No marketing plan

Ended up with a very good round in an affluent part of london

Just proves that what you get out of it is proportionate to what effort you put in

 

[TolishAPurd]

My handyman business was already established and doing well, and the window cleaning was just meant to be an add on service. So I placed an order for the basic tools. Then I realised that I needed a pole for awkward houses, so I placed another order a few days later. Then I realised that windows came in all shapes and sizes, so I placed another order a few days later for a 10in tbar. This went on for a whole week until I finally had all the gear I needed, and yet no customers. Then I realised that there was no chance I was going to go around collecting money in the evening,so I got a website up and running. By now I had just a few custies and christmas was around the corner, so it was a bad time of year, and a slow start, but come springtime, work just took off. Got myself a killer round now, great payers and nice folk, lots of areas yet compact days, and its growing every week. Wish it was an easy ride, but the early days sucked.

 

[Diwrnach]

I was just doing pressure washing and gutter clearing, windows kept getting covered when pressure washing so bought some window cleaning gear to do a good clean up at the end.

Then a lot of them asked for regular and it went from there.

 

[wink2202]

I've done this since i was 16 many moons agoWhen i started for myself the first time i just shoved the ladders on the motor and knocked some doors and then knocked some more and then some more and did not stop until i had enough work..simple as that..1 brass 12" squeegee..1 applicator..black round bucket like the quid ones in asda nowadays..bin bag full of old scrims i had collected over the years and a bottle of fairy

No leaflets or cards etc

No marketing plan

Ended up with a very good round in an affluent part of london

Just proves that what you get out of it is proportionate to what effort you put in

But do you think if you were to start out the same way now, you'd be just as successful as you were then?

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[Dave B]

Definitely

It may take a while to build it up depending on area but if you try hard enough for long enough you can't fail to get the work

 

[Jake]

But do you think if you were to start out the same way now, you'd be just as successful as you were then?

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There's a thread on this that was done a while back mate, check it out, it's a good read (just search for it in the search bar)

I was like dave, started by walking round my local estate canvassing, used to walk round the houses with my ladder in one arm and bucket in the other, was bloody hard work! Started with 1 customer, that grew to two, and so on... I couldn't afford a roof rack, so walking was the only way at the time,

But...

I would do it differently now, I'd have got a website as soon as possible, good business cards and 'windows cleaned tickets' a uniform, and a sign written van as soon as possible as well,

I estimate my round would have built up 2x as fast as it did, if I'd have done those above things,

*all this is only possible if you have the money to do so though*

When I marketed and got all the things above done to a good quality standard, the round suddenly exploded, so the moral for me - don't waste time, go for it and it will reward you sooner!

However there is a lot of pride in building a round on nothing, I'm sure a lot of us are proud of the way we started, but that doesn't mean it's the fastest way to growth,

Up to you, either way if your out there canvassing and working, then your round will build up no matter what, but it will be much quicker if you do put the effort in, and do the things listed, also you'll have a lot more chance of picking up well paying commercial work with the website etc... I had zero commercial work, then when had the website done and all the other bits and bobs I've said, I got lots of commercial work, so it was really nice to be expanding in the commercial sector, after years of nothing but houses!

 

[Dave B]

Also give a couple of cards to each new happy customer (worth knocking to collect first time if not in when you clean..) little chin wag with em and ask them if they know anyone who needs you can they give them a card

About 25% of new customers i get actually get me another customer so they actually do some of your canvassing for you

Must do a perfect job though as I'm sure you will

 

[Diwrnach]

I'm getting a constant stream of work from recommendations.

 

[boarcity]

once u get the idea you need to start quickly or doubts creep in . i started the very next morning after getting the idea but by the lunchtime i already had serious doubts cos nobody i doorknocked wanted to know!

So i decided to drive out in the country for a walk and forget it all [hide ladders behind mums shed ]

but then spied a lonesome house and thought to heck with it,call here and this be my last effort - hurrah she actually wanted me ! - and that got me going

 

[Jacob]

Got out of a depression Early this year decided i didnt want a boss anymore (Got 120 instead /emoticons/biggrin.png) or be on the dole, so windowcleaning was a easy decision to make as i have been doing it 1,5 years as employed, so know the trade.

Still fight my head sometimes, bit gets better.

Cant Think of anything other than windowcleaning i am Really good at /emoticons/tongue.png

 

[Leeds]

Bought a round while I was still in an office job, got a mate to work it so didn't lose customers, and canvassed in evenings until I had enough work to quit my job. Did that and then switched jobs, and still canvass when necessary. Minimal risk.

 

[NWP Cleaning Services]

I moved home and found finding a job again was a struggle. Applied for god knows how many before going to Job Centre for first time since mid 1980’s, only to find they don’t really exist anymore. But I guess Job Centre looks better on the high street rather than real title: Benefits Office.

I ended up doing a bit of zero hours security work. But they got a bit shirty with me because I refused to drive 2+ hours away from home, do a 12 hour nightshift, and drive the 2+ hours back again.

I did one job for them, sitting in my car all night guarding a wind turbine on an old WW2 runway. I did this every night of the week, 7-days, for 6 weeks, on minimum wage. Some may have found that to be their dream job, but it crushed me inside.

So I sold my car, bought a cheaper van so as to have some cash to buy gardening equipment and put a card in the local newsagent window. From there I worked on building a good local reputation which pulled in referral work.

After that I bought some traditional window cleaning kit, lots of practice on my bungalow and sold the service as an add-on to my gardening clients. This has now started to slowly expand into a standalone service and after adding a WFP trolley system I now earn more from the window cleaning than gardening.

I’m still at a point in my life where I have to watch every penny I spend, and work harder than your average employed person. But at least I can walk past the Job Centre and say ‘Thuck you very much for all your help’.

 

[Duncs]

my brotherinlaw was a windy gd grafter and he gave me the idea, i could see what he was earning.

the idea was already there , being head strong when I started i never stopped grafting

until my round was fully established so I had this gd round all trad never gave WFP any consideration then i came on this forum what with the help of all our brothers here went WFP I was prepared to loose 50% of the graft, it never happened just gained so much more graft

 

[Duncs]

I moved home and found finding a job again was a struggle. Applied for god knows how many before going to Job Centre for first time since mid 1980’s, only to find they don’t really exist anymore. But I guess Job Centre looks better on the high street rather than real title: Benefits Office.
I ended up doing a bit of zero hours security work. But they got a bit shirty with me because I refused to drive 2+ hours away from home, do a 12 hour nightshift, and drive the 2+ hours back again.

I did one job for them, sitting in my car all night guarding a wind turbine on an old WW2 runway. I did this every night of the week, 7-days, for 6 weeks, on minimum wage. Some may have found that to be their dream job, but it crushed me inside.

So I sold my car, bought a cheaper van so as to have some cash to buy gardening equipment and put a card in the local newsagent window. From there I worked on building a good local reputation which pulled in referral work.

After that I bought some traditional window cleaning kit, lots of practice on my bungalow and sold the service as an add-on to my gardening clients. This has now started to slowly expand into a standalone service and after adding a WFP trolley system I now earn more from the window cleaning than gardening.

I’m still at a point in my life where I have to watch every penny I spend, and work harder than your average employed person. But at least I can walk past the Job Centre and say ‘Thuck you very much for all your help’.[/QUO

would you say the window cleaning is easier than gardening

 

[adamangler]

For me, my ex gf left me with no home or **** all.

After a lot of wallowing i decided to do something about my depression and so started car valeting, and slowly started the process, im still in the process but bit by bit work is picking up

In terms of window cleaning, i decided i didnt want to use ladders and made a d.i.y trolley and harris pole setup, i got my first custie off facebook and just practised on the job

 

[Dave B]

Nothing like necessity to make a go of this windie lark

If you have no choice you will do whatever it takes

Good on you Adam keep it up

 

[Green Pro Clean Ltd]

I sparked up a Marlboro and took and deep long drag............ the rest as they say is history. /emoticons/wink.png

 

[NWP Cleaning Services]

In answer to your question Duncs “would you say the window cleaning is easier than gardening?”

Nope, and I’m not just saying that so as to stay on the fence and not offend anyone.

Last week I did my first ever paid WFP cleans. Both first cleans, one a bungalow with conservatory and the other was a large farm house. It felt pound for pound just as physically demanding as had I spent the time gardening.

 

[Dave B]

Once your muscles adjust to it it isn't much effort to use wfp

Just need to get conditioned to it