My canvassing blog!

[Chris33]

Been sticking some fliers in shops as I'm cleaning today, one guy wasn't gona put it in his window then I've offered cash and he done it for nothing this time and says he'll take double payment next time,bit random.

Started the morning with a good 100 leaflets dropped at 8am too, then done two houses in that patch.

Would have chapped but was a tad early, so after two houses I chapped a street and got two more monthly jobs there. Both a quid or more than usual.

Came home expecting a call or two from those leaflets (lots of dirty windows) but not today/so far. Have one Fb job pending, I've added a couple quid onto what I'd originally have done it for and will do this for every single house I now add to this round. I was thinking, since it's a decent sized round now why not just finish it off with all work being very well priced/borderline expensive (too expensive to some punters).

 

[Chris33]

Got a pm from someone last night,saying that local window cleaner has not been in area for five months. This happened to me in another part of a local town too (not the broken arm guy if you've been following past messages)

So I chapped this area today and got 7 all within reach, no moving van required. There is defo more work there but many people were not in (strange for Sunday chapping actually).

All work is now 7 quid bare minimum, a pound a window more above 7 windows etc.

I've been picking up the odd couple daily, and quotes are less accepted now as I said.. I'm bumping all prices up.

As per other thread, van is now sign written and looking ok. This only cost 25 quid via an eBay seller, and was cut to size for me.

Posted 20 odd letters out a week ago to newly sold property,nothing from that yet but I'll let you guys know how I fare with actually chapping them doors of said houses.

Current monthly work is now something like 2500, or a few quid short I think. Have about five slow payer's/potential arses so far but will keep chapping and replacing out the nuisance ones basically as I go

 

[Chris33]

This week has been hard to clean due to weather here,will Trad in rain but not really got the confidence up for that yet..so went canvassing on collection yesterday and picked up two last night.

Similar story throughout the week and there's pockets of current work areas I'm gona focus on canvassing next week (week 5, my build week)

And I'm dropping loose work so can build round around my established areas now, so most of next week will be heavy leafletting and chapping doors.. Gona draw up some kinda map with current areas I wana target more and get them upto at least 15 houses per small zone,so can get more houses done per day basically.

Also this week five has been advertised as a week for conny cleans,gutter jobs and facia cleans on buy and sell sites. Picked up one or two for next week so still have some income coming in, and eventually that week will fill up with window cleaning work like week 1 to 4

 

[adamangler]

So you're working 4 weeks of the he month and having the remaining days or week 5 off?

 

[Chris33]

Working a five week cycle,week five is getting built up now.. Others have at least 15 a day and some Saturday work going down

 

[adamangler]

ok that makes sense in that you have the 5th week to canvass or do extras...

but surely if you had a 4 week cycle you wouldnt need as many customers? so why bother with a 5th week? cant you just change everyone to 4 weekly and then you would now be full

not knocking you btw mate just wondering what the logic is behind it? :thumbsup:

 

[Chris33]

No insult taken mate,I think I can do a 5 week cycle for now and down the line covert it in four weekly basically.. As I build speed up.

Even without that.. week five allows me to target higher paying items ie conny jobs and stuff along with some windows, so cost effective that way

 

[TolishAPurd]

Again, well done mate. So many have come on here and talked about setting up, but you have actually delivered.:thumbsup:

 

[adamangler]

^^no doubt, your miles ahead of me and ive been messing about for nearly 2 years paying canvassers and procrastinating, youve just come along and banged it out in a few months. Just shows what can be done.

 

[Chris33]

Thanks guys means a lot, infact this blog and all your input has kept me motivated for months tbh!

Next week is gona be heavy going with regard to canvassing and I almost forgot the main reason for week 5! It allows me to focus on compacting all areas as much as possible... Times hard to find now so I can really use next week with that in mind..

Talking of systems boar don't u run a 6 weekly one? What were the advantages of that kind sir?

 

[Chris33]

@boarcity

 

[boarcity]

@boarcity

i do run a 6 week round yes. actually i advertize i do 2,4 or 6 weekly. reality is its 2 weekly for shops only and 6 for the rest . getting 6 by the custy sounds like hes getting the bargain deal over taking the 4 card and god forbid every 2 weeks surely thats the joker! .

i also have a 5 weekly very small 1 day round which is silly cos it keeps on clashing [like heads banging together] but we muddle on thru maybe a day late here n there

 

[Chris33]

Yeah there was a guy here doing two weekly, but they weren't so happy about it. Got the feeling it was two weekly or no weekly with him though!

Gona write to all customers and post through their doors as canvas for compactness next week, basically saying I'll be round the next week (week after they would have been due) . Due to growth of business it'll now be five weekly but if you have any issue with that do not hesitate to call me on xxx number etc as I am still flexible with regard to patterns of window cleaning.

May put a bit in about referrals of their close neighbours, and offer a half price clean or even maybe a free one for every successful referral. Explaining I'm also using this week for growth purposes and compacting my business. Any thoughts?

 

[adamangler]

I do 4 and 8, really want the 4wkly but offer the 8 at 50% more, most customers go for the 4 but the 8 will earn you more in the long run even though you need more custys.

Got a canvasser at the moment, hes got me 25 new custies this week so hoping to keep using him till im full, saves me having to do it and can just concentrate on cleaning

 

[peter rogers]

Mate say nothin. They won't notice ur week behind .. Cause in the winter wen weather shite. U fall a day or 3 behind.

 

[Chris33]

So this week I've been drumming up new business in my bits.

Remember those letters I sent out to recently sold property, well I'd only sent 20 odd off really. It wasn't until checking the sheet of recently sold property I'd printed off, that I noticed a tick beside a recognisable address.. Turns out that house was on my round and had came from the letters.

Perhaps more have too. I'll need to start asking people how they heard of me, when they call.

This house is a 25 quidder too,45 for gutters and ten to rinse gutters off. Done yesterday evening.

This spurred me on,so fired fifty more such letters off today.

Anyway that area has nice modern houses so I chapped away yesterday and got 6 ten pound ones and two 12 quid ones. Big company here kinda folded as previously mentioned and lots of work has been neglected really..

While collecting cash I've probably had six or seven 7 quid jobs, and at least three walk ups since van was sign written.

More houses were picked up at the start of week while trying like a bear to compact work more. Don't think I'm needing to stress about that though,finding it kinda happens naturally as the round grows.

Not added up round this week as going to transfer everything over to cleaner planner anyway and try get into go cardless too..but it's easily about 2800 per cycle I reckon, maybe more.

There have been three arses on the round,two of which I've dropped but will still chase the money. As @Green Pro Clean Ltd pointed out on another post, it's the principle here and what could in turn happen to another windy if left.

Those hotels that called, well I quoted high cos they are out my way and look a right pain to be honest. Quoted that big one at 250 and other at 150, don't expect jobs but we will see.

New round target is 500 customers by end of the summer.

 

[adamangler]

Nice one mate. A lot of work and reward there.

500 is a lofty target. Your reckon you can clean 25 a day?

Got 12 new custy myself this week, had them canvassed for me whilst I watched emmerdale lol.

I'm at 150 custys now at £12 average but I only want 300 as going to get into carpet cleaning a bit more seriously.

 

[Chris33]

Those are good prices there @adamangler

Do you still have that guy canvassing then?

He sounds pretty good by the numbers you've mentioned lately. This carpet cleaning then,what made you go for that and how are you advertising it? Sounds a smart move for poor weather work.

My smaller houses are all seven and above apart from a few earlier on ones that I almost begged for, as you do on day one! but what can ya do when want to compact work and they are used to getting it done at 3/4 quid! Not so good.

Finding cleaning doors and mentioning cleaning all frames takes the edge off them lol 7 quid on small houses is still a bitter pill for some to swallow up here though.

I'm running a five week cycle mind and so reckon 20 a day is achievable. I've a mate helping out, and so maybe eventually 25 a day will be doable on certain days as we get past all first cleans and build speed more.

As per 500 customers, aye am dead set I'll get that figure mate.

 

[adamangler]

Those are good prices there @adamanglerDo you still have that guy canvassing then?

He sounds pretty good by the numbers you've mentioned lately. This carpet cleaning then,what made you go for that and how are you advertising it? Sounds a smart move for poor weather work.

My smaller houses are all seven and above apart from a few earlier on ones that I almost begged for, as you do on day one! but what can ya do when want to compact work and they are used to getting it done at 3/4 quid! Not so good.

Finding cleaning doors and mentioning cleaning all frames takes the edge off them lol 7 quid on small houses is still a bitter pill for some to swallow up here though.

I'm running a five week cycle mind and so reckon 20 a day is achievable. I've a mate helping out, and so maybe eventually 25 a day will be doable on certain days as we get past all first cleans and build speed more.

As per 500 customers, aye am dead set I'll get that figure mate.

Yes my prices are pretty good for round here.

I've said it before but I could have had a full round by now by lowering prices but I refuse to lower my average.

Yes he is still canvassing but didn't do much this week as he had a few issues. But hopefully next week get more.

With carpets Im not really advertising it that much at the minute to be honest only on facebook and doing the odd job. Main reason being it will need a big investment to really push on with it. I need the windows first then I can fund it. The money is good obv depends what you charge but I did a £75 job this morn in just over an hour and I priced it pretty cheap at £20 a room so lots of potential in it.

I can do about 15 a day but a lot of mine are spread out and my day would be 6 hours so reckon 200 a day once it's all in order and running smoothly at the moment it's all over the place as I keep shifting jobs around to fit in other bits n pieces.

No doubt you'll get the 500 mate. I don't know if I'd want that many it would be a nightmare if bad weather or delays. I've always been of the mind that I would like to not be rammed out completely so have time to do other things or room to deal with delays or even have a day off. But we all want different things from this game

 

[Chris33]

I wouldn't have any round here with your average prices mate lol sign of the post code variety though. I take pride up here that my prices are higher than everyone local to me ,come on the forum and get a reality check haha.

That said I have made a conscious effort to target bigger houses and new builds more now. Have no issue with this round developing as it is, and raising prices or exchanging cheap for better priced work as I move on however.

I remember you saying you basically spilt your city north,south,East,West.. Must be some area you cover @adamangler?

 

[Chris33]

Well this was my thinking on bad weather, I've people I could call on with smaller rounds to help if need be for a worthwhile cut.. Just to keep my round up and running

Or due to running 20 a day over five days,I don't mind using weekend as catch up. Been working many Saturday and Sundays since started, doesn't bother me as long as get good sleep and a day off here and there