Canvassing in Winter?

[Dino]

Hi all.

So as the title says, canvassing in winter?  I am finding some of my existing customers are becoming less enthusiastic as winter cracks on.  Is now the time to get out there and knock doors in the cold at night?  I mean its cold, its dark, will people really want some hairy bloke knocking their door between 4:30 - 7:30 pm canvassing for winter window cleaning?  What ya reckon?  I have canvassed but only when the sun was shining!  First winter and all that.

Cheers,

Dino

 

[Chris34]

Hi all.

So as the title says, canvassing in winter?  I am finding some of my existing customers are becoming less enthusiastic as winter cracks on.  Is now the time to get out there and knock doors in the cold at night?  I mean its cold, its dark, will people really want some hairy bloke knocking their door between 4:30 - 7:30 pm canvassing for winter window cleaning?  What ya reckon?  I have canvassed but only when the sun was shining!  First winter and all that.

Cheers,

Dino

I've not canvassed, I've leaflet dropped for my customers so far (started in Late January), I didn't do any for late Sept early October, I did however drop about 600 in total last week and the week before on three separate days around 15:00 to 17:00 in the sunshine and only got one call.  This is not how it's been all year, usually I'd get about 5 or 6 calls.  Admittedly it was a new target area that was well serviced with what looked like a traditional window cleaner.  

Luckily the call I got turned into a job but it was insides only as they already have a long established traditional guy who does the outsides, they're not happy with his work but he's a nice guy who's been doing it for about 20 years so rather than create a fuss they would rather keep him.  He wouldn't do the insides but I think they wouldn't want him to do it anyway as his work is very poor.

If results don't improve then I might start to advertise insides only, could be a good way to keep in the warm during the winter.  The customer I got for the insides I told them I'd do it on a day that is bad weather, they fully understood this and didn't have a problem (at home most days).

 

[RWCleaning]

Hi all.

So as the title says, canvassing in winter?  I am finding some of my existing customers are becoming less enthusiastic as winter cracks on.  Is now the time to get out there and knock doors in the cold at night?  I mean its cold, its dark, will people really want some hairy bloke knocking their door between 4:30 - 7:30 pm canvassing for winter window cleaning?  What ya reckon?  I have canvassed but only when the sun was shining!  First winter and all that.

Cheers,

Dino

Yeh why not, I personally wasn’t a big fan of canvassing while it was dark, but did a few times. I started out in the middle of October, and canvassed quite a bit from Oct to the following summer. Any sunny Saturday is a great time too 

 

[Suhrly]

I started my business in the winter. Started knocking doors in December. If people genuinely want a regular window cleaner they'll be thankful you're knocking on the door no matter what time of year. 

From the years I've been doing this now I've normally always managed to pick up customers in the winter.

Good luck. 

 

[Pjj]

This time of year isn’t going to be as productive as the spring time but I started in November 1999 and steadily picked up work through the winter months , any customers you pick up this time of year are unlikely to complain or cancel due to bad weather , good luck with the expansion of your work 

 

[spruce]

You will find a lot of one off Christmas cleans disguised as regular cleans. That's OK if you have lots of gaps to fill. But just charge extra for the first clean and if they stick with you then you have gained a customer. If they don't then at least you have earned something, both monetary and experience wise.

 

[Pane]

Hi all.

So as the title says, canvassing in winter?  I am finding some of my existing customers are becoming less enthusiastic as winter cracks on.  Is now the time to get out there and knock doors in the cold at night?  I mean its cold, its dark, will people really want some hairy bloke knocking their door between 4:30 - 7:30 pm canvassing for winter window cleaning?  What ya reckon?  I have canvassed but only when the sun was shining!  First winter and all that.

Cheers,

Dino

Thats a Good Question Dino.Id ask the same for the same reason.Equally,potential Clients wouldnt want canvassing knocking on doors at 7.30am..How do we approach the Winter canvass ? 

 

[Korev]

Hi all.

So as the title says, canvassing in winter?  I am finding some of my existing customers are becoming less enthusiastic as winter cracks on.  Is now the time to get out there and knock doors in the cold at night?  I mean its cold, its dark, will people really want some hairy bloke knocking their door between 4:30 - 7:30 pm canvassing for winter window cleaning?  What ya reckon?  I have canvassed but only when the sun was shining!  First winter and all that.

Cheers,

Dino

Try contacting some local letting agents, leave your details, I get quite a bit of well paid work doing between lets cleaning, external and internal, plus gutter cleans / checks.

On a weekend drive around your local industrial sites noting units with dirty windows, work out a quote  leave a canvassing leaflet take their details and follow up with a phone call or visit.

Take your dog or borrow one for a walk around a wealthier part of town (no one queries a dog walker looking at houses). Noting only houses with dirty windows to target your canvassing later, also note all houses for sale in your area and keep tabs on them through rightmove website. As they conveniently provide photos and a ground plan you can calculate your quote from your desk. Canvass as soon as sold.

A lot of companies shun interior window cleaning of offices and there is an opening here too, Sometimes involves very early starts or weekends but most I do are normal office hours.

Generally homeowners get annoyed with cold call canvassers especially after 6.00pm, you need a thick skin.

Good luck with getting your business on track.

 

[Suhrly]

How do we approach the Winter canvass ? 

Weekends?

 

[Dave B]

Just knock the bleedin doors.. no matter what time of year if you want work knock doors.

I get as much work in winter as I do summer.

Not as fun to do but that's work.

 

[Pane]

Weekends?

Every other maybe or simlpy have some business cards on you when your going out 

 

[Robbo]

Personally, I wouldn't knock when it's dark. 

Saturdays are always good. 

I think you get a better quality of customer this time of year (but obviously less of them).

Having said that, beware the Xmas cleans. Any enquiries in December are done in January (or not at all).

Try 'Sold' houses. Go on rightmove, look for the sold houses in your areas (last 6 months) and knock all of them on a Saturday.

 

[dazmond]

i went canvassing on sunday 3rd jan 1993 and it was snowing!i picked up 3 houses on an estate.....26 years later i clean 90+ on there and have done for years.....just get out there....?

 

[harunh]

We pick up customers every winter without fail.

The winter in the UK isnt to bad if u think about it.. we have Nov/Dec as mild cold and Jan/Feb as very cold, but once it hits March the winter is on its way out.

New customers gained in the winter are the best customers.

I used to door knock in the winter when i first started up, a lot of people this time of the year are left without window cleaners cos ther old window cleaner who did it for a few kwid to get a few beers in only came out in the sunmer
months lol

Good luck.

 

[wezza13]

Picked up three new customers yesterday (after 1000 leaflet drops) and have to quote two at some point today. My mate delivers leaflets once a month and threw a load out for me. Just shows that leafleting can work.

As Haz said, customers will notice in the winter that their window cleaner isn't turning up and possibly take you on ?