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Has anyone done the maths?

Kenny Q

Member
Messages
107
Location
Nort west
Hi guys and girls. I'm about to take on more work, as I now have more time. Does anyone know the best and most effective way to get new business. I've always canvassed my work, is this the best and quickest way forward? Thanks in advance.

 
Hi guys and girls. I'm about to take on more work, as I now have more time. Does anyone know the best and most effective way to get new business. I've always canvassed my work, is this the best and quickest way forward? Thanks in advance.
You could buy some?

Personally buying work is against my principles. I want a business that I can say I've built up from scratch.

 
You could buy some?
Personally buying work is against my principles. I want a business that I can say I've built up from scratch.
I'm like that too tuffers. I would recommend getting in the local newsletters and on yell, also anywhere that will let you stick a card on the wall. but really all of those are slow burners, so you can't beat getting out knocking. Just make sure you have a good leaflet to leave weather people are in or not!

 
I'll do that PJ.... I'm with you Kenny and Tuffers on buying. If it's well priced then it'll be expensive, and if it's cheap work it'll need all the prices putting up. I think for quick results (so long as you have the time) canvassing is probably the best. Just seeking confirmation on that from you guys.

 
when canvasing there are houses/areas I walk strait past. I have an idea of what Im looking for. It may take longer but overall its worth it for me. canvasing is the only method for getting the exact work I want in the areas I want it. Great thing is when you make a round for yourself its just that. best of luck with extending the round.

 
Thanks Bigfoot. You're spot on. I have five areas with good work, and want to double what I have in each of those areas (very doable). Sometime you just need to confirm what yout know, especially with canvassing as it's so time consuming!

 
Thanks Bigfoot. You're spot on. I have five areas with good work, and want to double what I have in each of those areas (very doable). Sometime you just need to confirm what yout know, especially with canvassing as it's so time consuming!
I found canvassing to be effective but mind numbingly boring so I would recommend doing no more than 2 hours a day in-between jobs, but each to his own

 
If u want to expand canvass open ur areas to more people and don't pass customers. Remember if u don't do them someone else will then that another window cleaner in the area

 
Agree with Pete. Widen area for now, focus it into areas you prefer over time and drop/sell the further out work as you adjust

 
Good tip I found productive was. My wife came out with me for a day when I was cleaning she went door knocking on the other houses in street I didn't clean. Picked up a few this way.

 
Good tip I found productive was. My wife came out with me for a day when I was cleaning she went door knocking on the other houses in street I didn't clean. Picked up a few this way.

 
Canversing if you do it yourself is by far the cheapest way of gaining new work but time is money and think how long it would take to build a good round of say 3-4k?

Depending on where you are the compertion is a lot harder now the days of picking up most houses on a street are long gone so buying a good compact well established round is money well spent in my eyes.

 
Well your either gonna pay in time or money so whatever you do is not going to be easy or cheap.

Personally if I had the funds say 20 grand.

I'd just spend the lot on a round or canvassing and have done with it no more worry or trudging round streets posting leaflets and knocking doors.

 
I'd be happy to buy a good round, but they just don't seem to come up. I think my way forward has to be canvassing. I like the old dears being in and having that kind of hastle free work, or the C1s who pay direct into the bank.. very time consuming to establish, I know, but to have a hastle free day, every day would be bliss

 
I've found the best way to expand business is to do a little of everything all at the same time. So, you promote your facebook page everyday, you keep your flyers handy in the van and post them to neighbours of custys, you canvass when you can, you put up flyers in newsagents.

I must say though that my top tip is this: colour photocopy your flyer and save it to your desktop. Then keep posting it on your facebook groups EVERYDAY. That way your not knocking on doors like a lemon for hours on end and people but people are seeing it. Just make sure all the info is on the flyer and easy to read. You'll get people messaging you for quotes.

Have to thank @Adams0211 and @Chris33 for helping me realise this

 
Good tip I found productive was. My wife came out with me for a day when I was cleaning she went door knocking on the other houses in street I didn't clean. Picked up a few this way.
This is always a good point. Women seem happier to talk to woman. We got a few walk ups when the wife was with me for a couple of days a month many moons ago.

We had a woman sales lady at Reg Vardy and the women would stand around waiting for her rather than be looked after by a male salesman. That saleslady was absolutely useless, but she did better than most of the blokes because of her gender rather than her ability.

Door to door knocking is the only successful way of getting new business provided its done correctly IMHO. If there isn't anyone at home, leave a leaflet, but call back until you have a response either way. If they have a windie just casually ask his name when leaving. Make a note of that along with all other details you have gleaned from each house you door knocked. Keep those records. One day maybe Fred the window cleaner gives up and you have a list of a few of Fred's old customers to tap if you are still looking for work.

Accidents happen. A trad cleaner in the area we work recently fell off his ladder and broke his leg rather badly. He is giving up window cleaning as he can't afford wfp apparently. I got this info from a customer's daughter who now wants her address added to our schedule. If you have your business ears on (reminds me of the old CB radio days) you will be tuned in to any info that you can use to grow your business.

If you are short of work, don't forget to offer your existing customers add-on services such as fascia and gutter cleaning, cleaning the garage door, conservatory roof etc. We asked every customer for a referral. Do any of their friends who live close by/in the area need a window cleaner? One our original customers we got when we bought a trad round was responsible for adding either directly or indirectly another 20 customers to our cleaning schedule including a commercial job. All we did was to simply ask.

Nowadays, some windies only seem to want a website presence and don't want to involve themselves of the foot slog that comes with starting a new business. Leafleting has such a small response rate I'm surprised its still the choice of advertising by some windies. Even the motor trade has given it up except for special invitation days.Leafleting works for some in some areas, but not for all in all areas.

When starting up or growing your business you have to eat and sleep window cleaning. Forget about how your team is doing in the Premiership. Greet everyone you see in the area you are working in. Don't be afraid to ask anyone working in the garden if they need a window cleaner. I saw a guy once struggling to clean the front windows of his Victorian semi. I stopped the van and asked him if he wanted a window cleaner. We cleaned his windows for the next 5 years until his circumstances changed. Stopping the van that day cost me nothing.

You never know when and where the next 'yes please' is going to come from, so you need to ask anyone with a heartbeat if they need a window cleaner.

.

 
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Wow.. this is much better than that other forum. Thanks guys. Some great tips, some I was aware of, but some I would never have thought of. Thanks again...

 
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