My first day as a Windy!

[spruce]

The key to leaflet dropping is to target an area then judge the early response, if you start to get calls straight away then go back to that area and do more.  If you don't get a call from 150 leaflets, don't write the area off but do go to another area and do 150 to 200.  

Generally when you get several calls from an area then you are best targeting that area more.

150 leaflets a day is good.  That's 750 a week, 3,000 a month, 36,000 a year.  I usually get 1 customer per 200 to 300, that's a regular customer.  The return on them usually works out 1 pound per leaflet delivered, reason being there are a lot of one off big jobs, so one customer can end up being 300 pounds worth of work when they want fascias and conservatory roofs cleaning.

The key is to consistently go out and deliver small amounts.  You can go out and deliver 400 and spend 3 hours and walk probably 10 miles delivering them and feel knackered and feel like a sense of achievement, however if you don't do any the next day then you might as well have taken it easier and done 200 each day and used half the energy to do it.

Also note down the times you are delivering them.  I found mid morning can be good, you get people who are on a day off and on their own, good chance to catch those otherwise busy mothers.

I wouldn't right off what appears to be an unresponsive area too quickly. I would suggest @ched999uk knocks a few doors where he has leafleted and ask people directly if they have and/or need a window cleaner. It's only by talking to a few householders that you can ascertain what the situation is.

@ched999ukmust also ask each of his new customers for referrals. "Have you any friends of family living nearby who would benefit from my window cleaning services?" Most of our customer base has came from recommendations. It also keeps us on our toes as failing to satisfy one customer can have a knock on effect to our reputation. These have been the most loyal as well.

Some customers will go to the ends of the earth to help you; some won't. That's OK. We have never offered free cleans etc in lieu of referrals.

 

[ched999uk]

Referrals - missed that one thanks @spruce great advice.

Just had another txt for a quote from Fridays leaflet, popped round as it was only 3 mins away and another custy ?

So up to 7 now ? 

 

[scottish cleaning service]

Referrals - missed that one thanks @spruce great advice.

Just had another txt for a quote from Fridays leaflet, popped round as it was only 3 mins away and another custy ?

So up to 7 now ? 

I think I got to 20 fairly quickly and then stuck at that figure for a year and then it just grew week by week without doing much. I never got any of my relatives because they all had a reliable windy and I still don't.

 

[Cookie]

Had 1 customer email saying they had 12 windows but I said I would come and quote, turns out they had 17 windows and doors!

This made me laugh ?. I've had this on several occasions...

It's incredible how some customers just lose the ability to count when requesting a quote.

 

[Den]

Referrals - missed that one thanks @spruce great advice.

Just had another txt for a quote from Fridays leaflet, popped round as it was only 3 mins away and another custy ?

So up to 7 now ? 

You will find some people will put your flyer in a drawer and 12 months later give you a call. Especially folk that are planning extensions major build work etc ?

 

[Davy G]

Yeah @Cookie! The amount of times I have had that with phone enquiries. Also with neighbours next door or across the road from jobs I'm doing.
"How much? My house is the same as this one (they very rarely are the same). I always take a proper full walk round and do a mental rehearsal. I want to see the full layout and the run of the place. Gates, obstructions, delicate trinkets, extensions, conservatories, awkward windows (there's nearly always at least one). I never sign up for a pig in a bag. ?

 

[Part Timer]

This made me laugh ?. I've had this on several occasions...

It's incredible how some customers just lose the ability to count when requesting a quote.

I had one last week, next door to a regular customer, that didn't have an extension which meant she had one less window then the regular custy. She therefore expected a lower price, needless to say she isn't a customer ?

 

[ched999uk]

I had one last week, next door to a regular customer, that didn't have an extension which meant she had one less window then the regular custy. She therefore expected a lower price, needless to say she isn't a customer ?

Oh, this may be a silly question but why wasn't her price lower for less windows? Was it access etc?

 

[Chris34]

Referrals - missed that one thanks @spruce great advice.

Just had another txt for a quote from Fridays leaflet, popped round as it was only 3 mins away and another custy ?

So up to 7 now ? 

That's good progress that, keep at it and keep your head down.  Come January if you are struggling cash wise you will regret not pushing enough right now.  You get work all year round but generally it's harder during the winter, not least because of the lack of daylight and bad weather.  If you can get it to a point where the regular work is enough to cover the main bills by October then it will make winter that little bit easier and less stressful waiting for good weather.

 

[spruce]

Oh, this may be a silly question but why wasn't her price lower for less windows? Was it access etc?

The number of windows will give you a starting point. A customer with one window will expect a price of £1.50 if you are pricing per window. I now work to a minimum price or customers expect you will do a front for peanuts. I didn't always work this way. I don't do tops only any more. If a customer want the tops doing only that's fine; I quote for a complete clean but just do as I'm asked.

Bolted side gates will add to the price. If you have been doing the neighbours next door for £10 and haven't raised prices then the same house quoted later must be more due to inflation.

We also are now working in full pounds (£9.00, £10 etc,) no 50 pence or 20pence prices like 30 years ago. It saves having to carry a variety of change. If I've been cleaning next door for £9 the new quoted price is £10. If they say that the neighbour is only £9 I thank them for reminding me I need to put their price up as I forgot. It quickly shuts them up.

 

[spruce]

The first winter is always going to be a tough one @ched999uk I started in late April/early May. I found I had enough customers to keep me busy winter cleaning in 'good weather days' but quickly realised that they weren't enough to keep me busy and financed during summer. I worked at filling up the summer schedule at the expense of the winter schedule. So every 4 weeks in summer might slip to every 6 weeks in winter because I couldn't get through all the work. A few expected me to maintain that cleaning schedule every 4 weeks in winter but not to clean when the weather was forecast to be bad in the following days. These customers just fell by the roadside.

 

[ched999uk]

We also are now working in full pounds (£9.00, £10 etc,) no 50 pence or 20pence prices like 30 years ago. It saves having to carry a variety of change. If I've been cleaning next door for £9 the new quoted price is £10. If they say that the neighbour is only £9 I thank them for reminding me I need to put their price up as I forgot. It quickly shuts them up.

The first winter is always going to be a tough one @ched999uk I started in late April/early May. I found I had enough customers to keep me busy winter cleaning in 'good weather days' but quickly realised that they weren't enough to keep me busy and financed during summer.

Cheers. I am only quoting whole pounds, so that's good. I get the price increase bit ? It will be a little while before I am at that point ? Cheers. I think my pricing is about right as have 8 quotes accepted and 2 not so although a very small sample 80% acceptance rate seems about right to me.

Winter will be an interesting one. I have quite a few things to do to be ready for winter, not least being water storage winterising etc. Good to be reminded that winter is slower going due to weather etc, for last 15 years have very seasonal income so have reasonable 'winter' fund. 

 

[HWCS]

Keep going @ched999uk the ones that tell you your to expensive i find quite often come back once they see you going to their neighbours regularly.

HWCS' top tips:

1: When youve got time 5mins chat goesalong way with alot of people especially pensioners remember alot of people dont get to see many people recently.

2: Even if you hate animals (like me) remember peoples pets names,they normally love them more than their kids.

3: Little things make people happy

"The 2 windows on the shed were dirrty so ive give em a rinse no extra mrs jones"

"Blimey hubby must be a busy fella, he hasnt had time to clean garage door, only took 2minutes ill go over ever 3-4cleans if its dusty, no charge just tell hubby he owes me a pint if he ever sees me in the pub"

 

[Part Timer]

Oh, this may be a silly question but why wasn't her price lower for less windows? Was it access etc?

Minimum price, the regular custys price is £8, front only, which is our minimum and she expected us to drop below it.

 

[Chris34]

We also are now working in full pounds (£9.00, £10 etc,) no 50 pence or 20pence prices like 30 years ago. It saves having to carry a variety of change. If I've been cleaning next door for £9 the new quoted price is £10. If they say that the neighbour is only £9 I thank them for reminding me I need to put their price up as I forgot. It quickly shuts them up.

I quote to the nearest £5 upwards and after £40 it's the nearest £10.  So a £17 job is £20, a £45 job is £50.  I just think quoting to the nearest pound in todays world is a bit like quoting to the nearest 20p from years ago.  That's just around where I am though, I can appreciate it might be different in poorer more tight fisted areas of the country.

When I price I try and price with inflation to cover the next two years.  So a £20 job that I quoted last year, would be £25 now and that price I will probably be quoting next year.  In 2023 it will probably be £30 with the way 'hidden' inflation is currently going.

 

[JEM]

I quote to the nearest £5 upwards and after £40 it's the nearest £10.  So a £17 job is £20, a £45 job is £50.  I just think quoting to the nearest pound in todays world is a bit like quoting to the nearest 20p from years ago.  That's just around where I am though, I can appreciate it might be different in poorer more tight fisted areas of the country.

When I price I try and price with inflation to cover the next two years.  So a £20 job that I quoted last year, would be £25 now and that price I will probably be quoting next year.  In 2023 it will probably be £30 with the way 'hidden' inflation is currently going.

all my prices are £10 for a ground floor flat ( 6 windows) then £15 for a two storey house with £20 for first clean. then £25 £30 ect.

 

[ched999uk]

Oh well first mistake... Well first major one. Started a job and the realised I couldn't reach a rear bedroom window as the extension was so large. Oops. An slx27 wasn't long enough as the extension was tall and garden was a bit lower. Did the rest of the job and knocked the price of top window off. Then get home and realise I had laser measure in car so I could have measured to see how long a pole was needed. Doh... Looks like the extension is about 18ft deep and about 8ft high.  Couldn't get it from side either as again too far. Custy was fine about it.

I will have to go back and measure so I know how many extensions I need!!! Any guesses?

 

[Davy G]

Oh well first mistake... Well first major one. Started a job and the realised I couldn't reach a rear bedroom window as the extension was so large. Oops. An slx27 wasn't long enough as the extension was tall and garden was a bit lower. Did the rest of the job and knocked the price of top window off. Then get home and realise I had laser measure in car so I could have measured to see how long a pole was needed. Doh... Looks like the extension is about 18ft deep and about 8ft high.  Couldn't get it from side either as again too far. Custy was fine about it.

I will have to go back and measure so I know how many extensions I need!!! Any guesses?

Huh! Call that a major mistake!??

My first week or two in I put the pole down a bit roughly on a conservatory roof I was cleaning and knocked a hole in the  poly panel. Ancient, blue roof conservatory with what I found out when I called someone to replace the panel was a roof product called Everlite. Notoriously frail roofing once it's aged apparently. And nicknamed in the trade "Eversh..e!" A lesson learnt at a cost to me of about £300 or so if I remember correctly, though I could be wrong on the figure, it was around 7 years ago.

You made a major mistake. Huh! Nothing! ??

 

[Davy G]

Huh! Call that a major mistake!??

My first week or two in I put the pole down a bit roughly on a conservatory roof I was cleaning and knocked a hole in the  poly panel. Ancient, blue roof conservatory with what I found out when I called someone to replace the panel was a roof product called Everlite. Notoriously frail roofing once it's aged apparently. And nicknamed in the trade "Eversh..e!" A lesson learnt at a cost to me of about £300 or so if I remember correctly, though I could be wrong on the figure, it was around 7 years ago.

You made a major mistake. Huh! Nothing! ??

I can laugh about it now. ??

 

[Den]

Oh well first mistake... Well first major one. Started a job and the realised I couldn't reach a rear bedroom window as the extension was so large. Oops. An slx27 wasn't long enough as the extension was tall and garden was a bit lower. Did the rest of the job and knocked the price of top window off. Then get home and realise I had laser measure in car so I could have measured to see how long a pole was needed. Doh... Looks like the extension is about 18ft deep and about 8ft high.  Couldn't get it from side either as again too far. Custy was fine about it.

I will have to go back and measure so I know how many extensions I need!!! Any guesses?

Don’t put yourself under pressure, they now know you can’t reach it TBH I wished I had done that with many of my own customers it’s a pain getting a 44’ poke out at times just for one window I would rather take a couple of quid less. 

 

[Chris34]

Oh well first mistake... Well first major one. Started a job and the realised I couldn't reach a rear bedroom window as the extension was so large. Oops. An slx27 wasn't long enough as the extension was tall and garden was a bit lower. Did the rest of the job and knocked the price of top window off. Then get home and realise I had laser measure in car so I could have measured to see how long a pole was needed. Doh... Looks like the extension is about 18ft deep and about 8ft high.  Couldn't get it from side either as again too far. Custy was fine about it.

I will have to go back and measure so I know how many extensions I need!!! Any guesses?

You don't have to reach every window just because you're a window cleaner.  It's perfectly acceptable to just say that the window is inaccessible so you cannot do that particular window.

When I first started I thought it looked unprofessional not being able to do them, so I'd say something along the lines of 'I can't currently reach that window but I'll look into getting an extension and then I'll do it at a future date'.  Now I just don't bother, I tell them straight up that to do it will cost me 200 quid in kit so it's not financially feasible to do it, they tend to understand but it's quite rare you come across impossible windows.  

If I can't reach it with what I've got then I don't want to do it.  There is plenty of work that my kit can reach.

Also don't forget the aim is to make a profit.  If you keep buying kit you'll end up like Scottish, you will spend all the profits on more kit.

I started out with 1k of kit, I've since spent another 1k on gutter vac and a few other bits but until I'm earning 40k per year I don't intend to be spending any more.  Just not needed.