Canvassing Exposed

[Whizz-Bizz]

Canvassing exposed and what to ask to avoid getting ripped off

​

Firstly I would just like to introduce myself my names Mark Nicholson and I run and own www.whizzbizzsales.com. I’ve been knocking for window cleaners consistently for 5 years. In that time I believe that I have been innovative and progressive not only in the way that I work but the way I deal with my clients. Being the first, and only marketing team in this industry to have a strong presence across many online formats. I have looked to change the way things are done by launching a marketing package rather than the usual standard canvassing.

What I’m going to do is just highlight a few things that you should look out for to avoid hiring the wrong person or the wrong team for your business.

1: Do they have a telephone number?

2: Do they always answer their phone or if they miss your call do they contact you back?

3: Do they have a website?

4: Are they on facebook?

5: Are they on twitter?

6: Is there a contact address on any paperwork?

7: Will they produce photo identification?

8: Do they provide references that you can actually ring and verify using Google / Bing etc as genuine clients?

9: Have they been involved in window cleaning a long time or just starting up?

10: When paying money do they always insist on cash hence no papertrail?

If you’re considering hiring a canvassing firm and you have said no to 5 or more of these statements, be wary of hiring them and I would perhaps start small or not all.

Now here are some additional things you should ask your prospective canvasser / canvassing team and the things you need to hear.

Q: How soon can I start cleaning the work after you have booked it?

A: In traditional high pressure sales environments such as double glazing, kitchen, bathroom, timeshare sales the normal procedure is to service a customer as soon as possible i.e. same day or the next day this is done as the level of interest is at its highest point and doesn’t allow them to think about it, as time goes by the level of interest drops. Now in window cleaning as most people actually want that first clean your better off getting the customers to wait and to think about it, after all if they were really that interested waiting a week is no big deal. I also believe that if you allow the bookings to be made for the following day you’re letting the canvasser control your business. Also what if it rains? or van blows up? You end up looking unreliable.

Q: What exactly am I getting for my money?

A: If it sounds too amazing or over the top get your calculator out do the math, at that point if your thinking this team are not good business people i.e. not making decent money, chances are they are just trying to con you by offering too much.

Q: What is the canvasser’s liability on cancellations?

A: The minimum you should ask for is 2 cleans, if this is agreed the canvasser should be prepared to either re-knock or refund the difference if this occurs.

Q: How are they going to present the customer information?

A: This should always be presented on a spreadsheet if they just give you a scribbled in notepad it just says laziness’ if they are lazy on the paperwork what are they going to be like on the door or with representing your business.

Q: How soon can you get to me?

A: If they are ready to drop everything and take you on straight away it’s not a good sign, particularly if they have contacted you.

Q: How quickly can you knock the work in?

A: I would suggest £200 a day per man as an average ask how many people they have working at any particular time and again get your calculator out do the math.

Q: Ask yourself have I found these people advertising themselves in a clear and transparent manner?

A: You occasionally see canvassing teams advertising established rounds that turn out to be canvassed work. It’s not a great way to start a business

relationship. At this stage I would walk away.

In closing I really hope that people have found this helpful and that it saves a few people from parting with their hard earned money to any dubious canvassers or canvassing teams.

Many thanks for taking the time to read

Mark Nicholson

www.whizzbizzsales.com

Marketing solutions for window cleaners.

 

[Richard Barnes]

Good post Mark........

 

[Smurf]

Switched off at the first paragraph to be honest as if you can't gain your own work you should not be running a business. Simples :Image3:

 

[Tuffers]

Canvassing exposed and what to ask to avoid getting ripped off

​

Firstly I would just like to introduce myself my names Mark Nicholson and I run and own www.whizzbizzsales.com. I’ve been knocking for window cleaners consistently for 5 years. In that time I believe that I have been innovative and progressive not only in the way that I work but the way I deal with my clients. Being the first, and only marketing team in this industry to have a strong presence across many online formats. I have looked to change the way things are done by launching a marketing package rather than the usual standard canvassing.

What I’m going to do is just highlight a few things that you should look out for to avoid hiring the wrong person or the wrong team for your business.

1: Do they have a telephone number?

2: Do they always answer their phone or if they miss your call do they contact you back?

3: Do they have a website?

4: Are they on facebook?

5: Are they on twitter?

6: Is there a contact address on any paperwork?

7: Will they produce photo identification?

8: Do they provide references that you can actually ring and verify using Google / Bing etc as genuine clients?

9: Have they been involved in window cleaning a long time or just starting up?

10: When paying money do they always insist on cash hence no papertrail?

If you’re considering hiring a canvassing firm and you have said no to 5 or more of these statements, be wary of hiring them and I would perhaps start small or not all.

Now here are some additional things you should ask your prospective canvasser / canvassing team and the things you need to hear.

Q: How soon can I start cleaning the work after you have booked it?

A: In traditional high pressure sales environments such as double glazing, kitchen, bathroom, timeshare sales the normal procedure is to service a customer as soon as possible i.e. same day or the next day this is done as the level of interest is at its highest point and doesn’t allow them to think about it, as time goes by the level of interest drops. Now in window cleaning as most people actually want that first clean your better off getting the customers to wait and to think about it, after all if they were really that interested waiting a week is no big deal. I also believe that if you allow the bookings to be made for the following day you’re letting the canvasser control your business. Also what if it rains? or van blows up? You end up looking unreliable.

Q: What exactly am I getting for my money?

A: If it sounds too amazing or over the top get your calculator out do the math, at that point if your thinking this team are not good business people i.e. not making decent money, chances are they are just trying to con you by offering too much.

Q: What is the canvasser’s liability on cancellations?

A: The minimum you should ask for is 2 cleans, if this is agreed the canvasser should be prepared to either re-knock or refund the difference if this occurs.

Q: How are they going to present the customer information?

A: This should always be presented on a spreadsheet if they just give you a scribbled in notepad it just says laziness’ if they are lazy on the paperwork what are they going to be like on the door or with representing your business.

Q: How soon can you get to me?

A: If they are ready to drop everything and take you on straight away it’s not a good sign, particularly if they have contacted you.

Q: How quickly can you knock the work in?

A: I would suggest £200 a day per man as an average ask how many people they have working at any particular time and again get your calculator out do the math.

Q: Ask yourself have I found these people advertising themselves in a clear and transparent manner?

A: You occasionally see canvassing teams advertising established rounds that turn out to be canvassed work. It’s not a great way to start a business

relationship. At this stage I would walk away.

In closing I really hope that people have found this helpful and that it saves a few people from parting with their hard earned money to any dubious canvassers or canvassing teams.

Many thanks for taking the time to read

Mark Nicholson

www.whizzbizzsales.com

Marketing solutions for window cleaners.

tl;dr /emoticons/tongue.png

 

[Smurf]

wtf does that mean tuffers :Image16:

 

[Smurf]

"Too long; didn't read.", meaning a post, article, or anything with words was too long, and whoever used the phrase didn't read it for that reason.

Good old google :Image13:

 

[Whizz-Bizz]

Well dont come boo hoo ing on here if you get clipped by a canvasser, what Ive been hearing in the last 2 days has made my skin crawl.

 

[Smurf]

I have no intention of using a canvaser myself so boo hoo to you too :Image13:

 

[Smurf]

Just kidding & thanks for sharing Mark :Image9:

 

[mark m]

Mark if you don't put :Image3: face on a post smurf wont read it :Image9:

 

[Smurf]

I don't know what you mean Mark :Image16: :Image3: :Image13: :Image10:

 

[Whizz-Bizz]

:Image3: Ah I get it now, the problem is I don't know what most of the faces represent, :Image4: I know the top part is a little bit look at me, only reason its in there is a while back my friends at the hub asked me to write an article http://www.thehub360.com/canvassing-tips.html and Id be quite happy if they featured this as well. Everyone knows me here :Image13: but they reach a different audience.

 

[Smurf]

Indeed :Image3: :Image13:

 

[Whizz-Bizz]

What I'm really trying to achieve is, if I could save a few guys from losing money then thats amazing. :Image9:

 

[Tuffers]

Too true bro /emoticons/biggrin.png/emoticons/tongue.png ;-)

Can't do them posh Smiley's :-(

 

[vespawho]

As i needed to build a round fast i used a canvasser while also doing it myself.

I cant complain about the work he gained me, it was good prices and a very compact round About a 2 mile radius (£1100 pm)

But i had constant battles with him over how this was gained and only continued with him because of my need to build quickly.

Just make sure if you use one, that he listens to what you want, how you run your business and what you want to offer on the doorstep. Mine said all the right things but it became apparent he was going to do it his way and not offer what i wanted.

I offer 4 & 8 wks.....he would only say 8 wks and i had quite a few who said they wanted 4 but were told no we only do 8 wks!!

He would not take on any one off cleans.

Best one was when we finally fell out......

He gained 10 houses on a new little estate (first phase) I said i would keep eye on the rest while i clean. He said no, leave all "marketing" to him! I said no i will keep eye on them and keep in touch with site agent etc. (makes sense as i am cleaning there and the surrounding roads). I was told by the agent people were moving in the next week, so popped some flyers through the doors ready to canvass the following week. I then got my weekly email of booking......yes all on the new houses!!

He had gone there two days previous and after my flyers....a nice easy 8 houses!

Now maybe i am wrong and some will disagree with me.....But i told him i was not happy, his job was to break into new roads not go back on ones i am now cleaning and have been for the past 14 weeks. Told him i had flyered them ready and that he had wasted his time. I didnt want to pay him anything but did offer him £5 per house instead of the £20 it would have been. Major arguments, that i cant exclude him from a road, that he found that estate and without him finding it in first place i wouldnt have them......True. But he also states he dont re visit roads once he has canvassed them. So why this one.....easy money thats why!!

He maintained he did not work for me, he works for himself......we all work for ourselves, but our customers pay our wages, so we work for them! And as long as what they want is not un reasonable i will do what my customer wants.

Arrogant!! ....we parted ways! lol

I accept a canvasser has a way of doing things that works for them, but offering the services i want them to offer i think is the basics to look for in a canvasser......If they wont do that walk away!!.....at end of the day they are representing you. ......And i am sorry its a numbers game, thats all canvassing is.... be polite, ask the question and thats it...not rocket science!!

 

[Tuffers]

A good read that was.

 

[Whizz-Bizz]

Bit of a nightmare, it is important to listen to the client and my theory behind only booking in 2 monthlys is,

1:he knows its a long time until it comes on top if the jobs not great

2:its an easier booking

3:you can charge more for 2 monthlys

I've had instances with cleaners where they have sent me to top dollar houses demanding minimum order values of £40+ but you get there and theres an old boy there doing them for £12.50 and everyone loves him, the best you're ever going to get is £25 and you try and explain that to them and its like what am I paying you for ? I think thats quite delusional expectations.

What your saying wanting predominantly monthlys is fine.

With me if I get a good street I just keep going back again and again until its exhausted and I dont envy anyone knocking a street after me, its his own hard luck for not getting in sooner and he should of just got his down and moved on.

One thing I think is a bit out of order with cleaners is I think they should pay the canvasser when a customer comes out with a flyer they were handed by the canvasser saying I said no to him but after thinking about it can I have it please, and after going on first cleans with my Portsmouth cleaners that does happen a fair bit. After 2 cleans its fair enough thou, you guys do have alot of ongoing expenses and I don't begrudge it.

Ive worked alone for a long time now for the simple reason canvassers are a nightmare.

 

[vespawho]

Hi Whizz

My issue was that i wanted him to offer 4/8 weekly....but to be honest i also said that if on the door a customer wants it done weekly or 6 weekly then you dont walk away from them or tell them that you can have it 8 weekly only.

His reason for this was wfp will last 8 weeks so it cuts the cleaning bill down for a customer. I get that, but i would say a good 80% of the places i do on 8 weeks are filthy. not quite a first clean again, but do take longer. I know that i get a small amount more for them being 8 weeks rather than 4.

He also maintained it built a stronger round as other windys would find it hard to canvass my customers?! ....never did get this one.....I maintain that if a customer is happy with a price, then happy with your work you will keep them.

I think you are right its is more to do with the fact he would earn more per house on 8 weeks and an easier sell. Plus if they cancel after 2 cleans you probably have stopped using him by then anyway.

Maybe i am wrong. ....But after he handed over the small estate to me, i saw no point in him spending time keep going back to the same road when i was cleaning there. What annoyed me was that we had spoken at the time about the fact i would keep an eye on the second phase of houses and canvass them myself. ....Like i say, maybe i am wrong in saying why should i pay him to go back to a road 14 weeks later when i am there anyway. He didnt keep going back to other roads, just this one. which he knew was an easy canvass.

From the start i knew he was going to be hard work.....he was recommended but i was told....he is a Kn*b and will do it his way only! but get good work.

Well he will not listen that is for sure. I might not have been in window cleaning for long, but i have worked for myself 18 years and not stupid. But he knew best!!

And ive worked in sales years ago. I think he was to hard sell at times too as i had a few complain they signed up then cancelled later just to get rid of him.

He asked me at the start what my target was, how many cleans a week i wanted to do. I told him my target was 150 - 200 customers and i wanted at least 15 first cleans a week from him. Which i would do on a friday and saturday. Not once in 14 weeks did he ever hit the 15 a week. Had lots of excuses, how hard it is out there etc. Said he aimed for one job and hour. Well i said you obviously are not putting in the hours needed to find the 15 houses!

He even slated me saying how lucky i was and that its never happened in all the years hes done this, when i told him i canvassed a few roads and in 1 1/2 hours i picked up 8 houses. Then another day in an hour picked up 4..........Apparently i am just super lucky!!

Like i said in other post......biggest thing for me was he didnt listen to what i wanted him to offer on the door. And that at end of the day i pay his wages.

Wouldn't use him again thats for sure and would never recommend him.

 

[Whizz-Bizz]

Did you speak to Martin he said was going to call you as was considering his services.

 

[vespawho]

No he didn't call me?