Just starting out! Advice and feedback please!

[Mike Clear Windows]

So it’s been a couple of weeks guys! 
 

im now up and running for a couple of customers and have done some jobs! I’ve gone for a gardiner SLX 30 pole with a trolley system and have a work t-shirt with my logo on! 
 

CLICK HERE TO SEE MY FACEBOOK WORK EXAMPLES!

your feedback is most welcome! Many thanks to Ian on this forum for all his help and practical advice you’ve been a life saver mate!! 

 

[ched999uk]

So it’s been a couple of weeks guys! 
 

im now up and running for a couple of customers and have done some jobs! I’ve gone for a gardiner SLX 30 pole with a trolley system and have a work t-shirt with my logo on! 
 

CLICK HERE TO SEE MY FACEBOOK WORK EXAMPLES!

your feedback is most welcome! Many thanks to Ian on this forum for all his help and practical advice you’ve been a life saver mate!! 

Looks good. 

I don't really know Facebook well enough but it is saying ' Suggest Edits Is this the right phone number for this page? +447734209885' to me but that's not your number is it?

Seems like a good idea to post different location cleaning picys as shows you cover different areas.

Good luck and let us know how you get on.

 

[Jaygti]

Sorry to be an irritating pedant, but it should be “whether” not weather on your website. 
Nice site though. I’d be tempted if I needed a window cleaner ??

 

[Iron Giant]

You need to get rid of that Webador in your site address you need a better domain name without that in also anything on your site relating to that site builder 

 

[Mike Clear Windows]

I’m in the process of having a domain etc will be up and running within the week ?

 

[Ian Docksey]

So it’s been a couple of weeks guys! 
 

im now up and running for a couple of customers and have done some jobs! I’ve gone for a gardiner SLX 30 pole with a trolley system and have a work t-shirt with my logo on! 
 

CLICK HERE TO SEE MY FACEBOOK WORK EXAMPLES!

your feedback is most welcome! Many thanks to Ian on this forum for all his help and practical advice you’ve been a life saver mate!! 

Nice to see you up n running mate. Now it's the getting customers bit. Good luck on your new venture.

 

[K in Kent]

I hope for your sake the new site is being done on Wordpress?? ....by far the easiest to use and most SEO friendly CMS.

If it is install free Yoast SEO plugin.

On the current version of site the services listed under 'Other Exterior' should each have their own page optmised for the service and locations you want to rank in. (btw Other exterior  will mean nothing to a search engine).

I'd also suggest those other services appearing on main navigation or at least on a dropdown menu so people can see them easily. If services aren't easy to find they won't go looking for them.

You need to claim free listings on Google My Business,Bing Places, Yell, Yelp and some other authoritative directories, as well as location specific directories local to you. These help increase your local relevance but avoid too many low quality directories - and don't pay for links with so-called 'premium listings'.

Most of the business directories around nowadays only exist for SEO purposes and to sell backlinks to site owners. They serve no useful purpose as a directory and get very little traffic so Google doesn't value them as a citation source / backlinks and can penalise sites paying for too many links

 

[Mike Clear Windows]

Well after 6 weeks starting up I’m doing quite well! I’ve advertised lots on Facebook and in Facebook groups which has given me customers and also on the next door app! Haven’t really done any canvassing yet as I’m working as a chef 5 days a week And doing my cleans on a Thursday and Friday . Done some big jobs with Ian which has given me lots of advice and we are continuing to work together on big jobs (conservatory/ facias/gutter cleans) we both receive ! 
 

my website is a .co.uk now and fully up and running! Will be canvassing in the next couple of weeks! 
 

hope everyone’s safe and well ?

 

[Ian Docksey]

Well after 6 weeks starting up I’m doing quite well! I’ve advertised lots on Facebook and in Facebook groups which has given me customers and also on the next door app! Haven’t really done any canvassing yet as I’m working as a chef 5 days a week And doing my cleans on a Thursday and Friday . Done some big jobs with Ian which has given me lots of advice and we are continuing to work together on big jobs (conservatory/ facias/gutter cleans) we both receive ! 
 

my website is a .co.uk now and fully up and running! Will be canvassing in the next couple of weeks! 
 

hope everyone’s safe and well ?

Yep ,as we have both just started,  doing these jobs together, gives us jobs on days I have no regular windows,  Thursday's and Fridays. It's working ok. See you Thursday mate

 

[Mike Clear Windows]

Look forward to it mate ?

 

[dazmond]

Well after 6 weeks starting up I’m doing quite well! I’ve advertised lots on Facebook and in Facebook groups which has given me customers and also on the next door app! Haven’t really done any canvassing yet as I’m working as a chef 5 days a week And doing my cleans on a Thursday and Friday . Done some big jobs with Ian which has given me lots of advice and we are continuing to work together on big jobs (conservatory/ facias/gutter cleans) we both receive ! 
 

my website is a .co.uk now and fully up and running! Will be canvassing in the next couple of weeks! 
 

hope everyone’s safe and well ?

how do you purify your water?and what is your tap tds?

 

[Part Timer]

Yep ,as we have both just started,  doing these jobs together, gives us jobs on days I have no regular windows,  Thursday's and Fridays. It's working ok. See you Thursday mate

I think I'm doing gutters down your way in July, will let you know when and arrange to have a couple of sherbets on the Sunday

 

[Mike Clear Windows]

I don’t! I use spotless water a company that has many filling stations across the country they do all the hard work for me! All I do is turn up to my local filling station and obtain the pure water from there it’s like going to the petrol station??

I think I'm doing gutters down your way in July, will let you know when and arrange to have a couple of sherbets on the Sunday

Nice ? look forward to it 

 

[Dale Harries]

1) I do not have the funds to lease or buy a van currently... however I will have to invest in a WFP system and backpack, unfortunately the gardiner backpack isn’t currently available so was wondering what’s the next best alternative? (eBay and Facebook marketplace they are like gold dust!) 

I use a Blueman backpack and a hybrid pole. I did extend the hose a good 10-15 meters though - it helps to simply park up the backpack at the front/back and work your way around. It works fine and if you do decide to jump into a van mounted system at least you can earn your way up to it.

2) I will be combining traditional method and WFP ? Or shall I just use WFP? 

To be honest my first month was trad but I rarely do it now. I do like to do it now and again though because it's definitely a good skill to acquire and there are occasions where it's the right method to use.

3) I have created a website and Facebook page for now which I will post in local forums and Facebook pages once I have my liability Insurence etc - I’d like you all to look through at these and give me some feedback. The logo I’ve created on a professional logo design website and spent £35 to have it as my own. The website I’m still trying to tweak it and is no way complete but will give you guys an idea... 

https://www.facebook.com/Mike.CleanWindows/

www.clearwindows.webador.co.uk

Lovely Facebook page! I don't really bother much due to a background I have in IT/SEO (Google is my bag) but judos to you - it looks pretty decent!

You might want to check out Google My Business, it's how to you get your business in that little map section on Google if you search for a business. It takes a little knowledge and slow work for a few months but totally worth it if you live near a town/city.

4) marketing ... the only thing I can think of is door to door canvassing with a leaflet / business card? And local Facebook groups? 

All these worked for me, especially leafleting in the early days. You might find leafleting becomes a chore after a while but hopefully by then you might find customers start coming to you via walk ups/internet/referrals.

5) would it be worth investing in getting a polo shirt with my logo on also? I’ve looked but not so sure on vista print? 

Definitely! It's not quite a good as a sign written van which paid for itself after 3 days but it's definitely a help.

6) I’ve researched cleaning planner is good for record keeping but it’s expensive at £30 a month? 

I use Squeegee, works fine but I've only heard good things about cleaner planner on here.