getting jobs without canvassing

[neil fearnley]

Just after some ideas for getting gutter and fascia cleaning jobs without canvassing

I currently have a website,yell and leaflet but 90% of my jobs come from canvassing but I hate it!

Leaflets work out roughly 1 job every 100 but I know if I chapped 100 folk I would get half a dozen so leafleting feels a bit of a waste of time

Anyone have joy advertising in local papers,Gumtree etc?

 

[Smurf]

I get all my work through recommendations. repeat busines and new business through my site,

One thing I have not done yet as have no real need is try local parish mags as I've heard are quite cheap to advertise your services in on a regular bacis that is worth giving it at shot.

 

[Smurf]

I get all my work through recommendations, repeat business and new business enquires through my site,

one thing I have not done yet as have no real need is try local parish mags as I've heard are quite cheap to advertise your services in on a regular basis that is worth giving it at shot.

 

[adamangler]

Facebook should get 1-2 a week if youre consistent.

 

[Dave B]

Facebook should get 1-2 a week if youre consistent.

And the rest..got 3 in 2 days yesterday and this morning

 

[neil fearnley]

I've got a facebook page but to be honest I've no idea how it works and have yet to have any Jobs from it

Consistent??

Websites the same only had a couple in the last year,seems well placed on google seo

 

[Dave B]

Search on facebook things like

Businesses in wherever you are

Community sites

Swap and sell site

And you will find some local sites

Then post a message with your facebook web page link to each one daily

Write it out once then copy it and paste in each site saves time

You will be surprised how many sites run by local people are on there

We have one called "i need..." for the local area which is good as people are always posting does anyone know a windie

 

[adamangler]

Facebook is one of those things that depends where u live amongst other factors.

I have averaged 1-2 customers a week bumping my posts to about 40 groups twice a day.

Others have said its shite others see m to get a lot more.

Either way if u cant canvass like me its worth doing

 

[Dave B]

I am on about 12 sites and get work most days

How's it going adam??

I thought you were doing better at canvassing

 

[neil fearnley]

Thnx for the tips

Just to be clear I can canvass and I am very good at it

I've got 15+ years experience canvassing and running canvass teams

After so long I just hate doing it now,seems to effect me more chapping for myself as well for some reason

I still work part time canvassing for a local building firm but started my business so I wouldn't have to canvass anymore

Would love to get it down to 50/50

 

[Dave B]

It's worth biting the bullet and doung it for a couple of months tops

Then you will find work coming to you once you are out and about

 

[adamangler]

I am on about 12 sites and get work most days
How's it going adam??

I thought you were doing better at canvassing

Hi mate i havent canvassed for a couple of weeks.

Picking up a couple a week off facebook.

But I will be honest im really tired at the minute not sleeping or eating very well. I work 6am till 1 everyday then go out Window cleaning. Have my kids on a weekend and work sundays. Constantly knackered I just cant muster the energy

Im at the point where I need to go full time

Windows but cant really afford to.

Im contemplating going on sick from my job and get out there canvassing but id feel guilty doing that

 

[Dave B]

I was their mate

Full time driving job and windows every available minute

Can you not get some part time agency work instead of full time job

 

[neil fearnley]

Yeah I'm the same

Just trying to get the courage to leave my job and do it full time

Yesterday I signed up for another 5 free sites,free ads,vivastreet etc

What are these sites you mention that you can post daily links too?

 

[Dave B]

Local sites

I searched on facebook things like

Swap and sell

Businesses in stevenage

Business in hertfordshire

My town is broken in to areas so things like

Great ashby community site etc

You will soon get a list off the local community sites etc

Then i copy the link from my page as i have my own personal account and used that to make a seperate page

It is slow at first but then you soon find that someone posts " does anyone know a local window cleaner " and suddenly everyone else who you have got through facebook starts posting tour link or recommending your name

I post daily something like

Local window cleaner taking on new customers

Conservatories cleaned

Gutters cleared etc and then put your link

Give it a try as it is all extra work

 

[adamangler]

@daveyboy1 Im going to ask if I can reduce my hours at work. In middle of moving house next month so need money at minute.

want 100 custies first ideally I have 58 lol

Should be better off when i move as Im currently in a flat and have to travel to fill up with water. to try and organise my customers into areas as with using facebook there scattered about. Just installed a van mount going to get s nice carbon pole soon. All this combined should mean less tired and time spare to canvass. Also going to forget about car valeting for the minute as its more important to build regular work than doing one offs.

 

[Dave B]

I wish i hadn't done a full time job and the windows

If i had completely left employment i would have built it up a whole lot quicker

If you relied on it to put food on the table you would knock enough doors daily to do another days work the next day

Big leap of faith needed to do that

 

[Dave B]

It is surprising how resourceful we can be in times of need

I am treating it as though i am desperate for work even though i don't need much to 100% fill my round up

Aiming to need a helper by june..then it will be 12 months in and employing someone on a subbie basis..tenner for me..tenner for you

I think we need to have goals or we stagnate

 

[Green Pro Clean Ltd]

Exactly where I was some time ago Davey. I had no money, and no job, I s**t you not, we had 3 slices of bread left in the fridge,

I borrowed next doors ladder, called my mate Vince to borrow an applicator, squeegee and a couple of scrims and went out knocking doors and cleaning them on the spot.

Even though I was beyond desperate I never went cheap.

That evening, we put £20 on the electricity key, £20 on the gas card and blew a whopping £40 on food.

By then end of week one I had about £250 pm of business and by the end of the first month I was over £1k.

I had never before in my life been in a position where my actions would determine my survival or future but f**k me if I was gonna let my family go hungry!

That day I can't recall how many 'NO' 'NOT INTERESTEDs' I had but i didn't give a s**t it was sink or swim and I have never been a quitter.

Now I make over £60k per year cleaning windows. Had four calls today alone that I have to go quote up tomorrow.

What you do today may not have a result today or tomorrow sometimes I get a call six months later which is always nice as you can look back and know it wasn't time wasted.

 

[rshandyman]

60k on your own?how many houses/flats you clean each day...

 

[Dave B]

I grew up in w10 in a council shitehole..google trellik tower otherwise known as the tower of terror in the bbc documentary

I refuse to let my family struggle like that

I own my own house with only 25k mortgage left over 10 years and have worked my ****** off for everything i have

Now is time to think of a way to step back a bit and still get paid which is why i want a few employees within the next couple of years and spend my time sourcing work and checking on employees standard of work

I remember doing 78 hr weeks on the olympics contract to pay things off quicker

Time to stop killing myself