My canvassing blog!

[Chris33]

CISS REFILLABLE INK CARTRIDGE REFILL KIT SET FOR CANON MP610 MP810 MP950 @Tuffers

 

[adamangler]

I've got a Canon MP610, will this kit be compatible?

dont think so mate, but just had a quick look on ebay and you can get cheap cartridges for yours

 

[Chris33]

@Tuffers @adamangler I was speaking to my old man about this earlier. He used these kits and the printer wouldn't recognise the cartridge or something..

Might work on certain printers mind,just giving your kind self's the heeds up!

Well 10 rightmove mansion letters fired out today, chapped doors here and got two new houses in my own town on the round now and one in an next town. That's three getting taken off the round from further afield now. 330 houses tops ya see.

New year,hunt for one or two more decent sized commercial jobs and two more of these big mansion houses would do braw on the round..

 

[adamangler]

My last printer i could get cheap cartridges off ebay about 12 for a tenner but they were hit and miss for being recognised, still worked out cheaper though, shall see still waiitng for delivery.

330 is an odd number @Chris33 , why 330?

 

[Chris33]

320 over 4 weeks is 80 a week,cos I am 5 weekly it can spill onto week five if needed or I'll use week 5 next year to full up with gutter cleans etc.

So..the extra 10 is my safety net,any drop off and I'll never go under 320 and can keep it at around 330 year round hopefully with chapping mate

 

[Chris33]

Well almost Xmas chaps and chapess'.

Are you all breaking off the 23rd?

I've decided to break off at least a week before that. Going to put a final effort into serious canvassing in my home town with the intention of starting the new year with essentially my town over 3/5ths of the resi round (got it upto bang on half as we stand), and three or four very compact areas and cull the rest. Think it's doable?

 

[adamangler]

Well almost Xmas chaps and chapess'.
Are you all breaking off the 23rd?

I've decided to break off at least a week before that. Going to put a final effort into serious canvassing in my home town with the intention of starting the new year with essentially my town over 3/5ths of the resi round (got it upto bang on half as we stand), and three or four very compact areas and cull the rest. Think it's doable?

Seems a good target snd why not you've obviously put the graft in this year so if you can have an extended break good for you.

I'll be working till the 23rd or as soon as I've got done that week,try to get done by the 21st if poss then have a decent break, and make some plans for 2017 and push on after the new year

 

[Chris33]

Means work will be two week behind at least but I'll drop round all first two weeks houses (first half of round is in my town see) and letter them re it's Xmas and I'm building business ppl!! only kidding but aye I'll let them know.

If I can get another 40 over that two week period to start in Jan,that would be a good target I think. Last chap Fri 23rd December.

@adamangler what is next year's plans mate?

 

[adamangler]

Well ive got a 1000 letters printed up but its slow going getting them all done and posted, should have them out by christmas.

The overall plan for next year is big investment to get a great window round built up, stop ******* about with valeting and all the bits and pieces and put all my effort into maximising profit form windows. Depending on results form this 1000 letters i will decide what way to do it, i also found a leafletting company to do 5k a month for £125 so that could be one option.

 

[peter rogers]

Il be working till 23rd then. Night shift on the 23rd also lol

 

[4Weekly]

im ending on the 19th dec and then going back on 3rd jan /emoticons/biggrin.png

 

[4Weekly]

i actually got that wrong its the 21st dec :gush:

 

[jay198127]

So here it begins!
One 15 pound house was picked up last week from the boss of who's company are embroidering my company gear. Wasn't really ready for this yet!

Seen a fb post re the local new gym looking for a windy, still wasn't read but had to grab the chance and so blagged my way to a 2 x monthly £15 cleans (only eight windows and a sign)

I live in a town with 3000 houses so made up fliers to target whole area. 2 x a5 fliers per sheet, and will be rolled up on coloured paper (see picture). I know a first clean free is often frowned upon here but I'm open to trial and error. These will be posted through doors next week and I'll follow with door Knock all (still awaiting council badge for that

Chris

think your not doing your self justice....when your first starting out you get a lot of messers, personally offering a free clean is not good idea....example what if you clean someone's house there windows frames are real filthy and takes you ages, next month you go round they don't want them doing or come out with excuses can't afford it now or worse still they recommend a friend they've had there windows done free and got a bottle of wine out of you...plus your offering 2 free inside cleans....when you start getting busy you will curse the day you offered this when you got a full on day and weathers not great so your pressed for time, you get one of your customers say by the way I want me free indoor clean....first cleans I tend to charge either double or near enough, for example if a house is going to be £15mth I'll say first clean will be £25 as will take me a bit longer to get your windows and frames up to standard then there after be £15...genuine customers are fine with that and as long as your good at what you do you will have customer for years...(sorry if gone on a bit )

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[Chris33]

@jay198127 thanks for the input but that post you quote is from the very start of my thread,round and business.

It's moved on substantially since then as the blog suggests. To the point I have a full round priced higher than any in my area, don't even do insides now,charge a premium for first cleans,have sold off excess work and have a clear plan of the next year ahead.

 

[jay198127]

@jay198127 thanks for the input but that post you quote is from the very start of my thread,round and business.
It's moved on substantially since then as the blog suggests. To the point I have a full round priced higher than any in my area, don't even do insides now,charge a premium for first cleans,have sold off excess work and have a clear plan of the next year ahead.

yes sorry mate realised this was a old post after messaging...glad your doing good...keep it up..

OK,this was a draft from earlier but yes I'll check all grammar over cos don't want to look amateur. Cheers.
I had not put prices on leaflets Jim but I'm now thinking that may be a good idea.

Be weary mate. Big mouths etc u shud go and be like oh it's free or the first lean of front but can do the whole house monthly for xxx

Two houses that I'd stupidly pre posted free first clean fliers to,pulled me up on that deal when canvassing area again yesterday. Felt inclined to offer it still,but they r getting left I've decided
Both big houses after a service for nothing and doubt they'd stick about anyway.

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[Chris33]

Thanks Jay. you just starting or just new here? @jay198127

 

[jay198127]

Thanks Jay. you just starting or just new here? @jay198127

been going just over year. and new on hear just stumbled across it..started Oct 2015...fortunate enough to be struggling to keep up with work some weeks so can't complain.

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[RichieRich]

Update please @Chris33

/emoticons/smile.png

 

[Duncs]

chris I bet your not giving free bottles of wine away now, or even first cleans.

and eating all them chocs yourself

 

[Chris33]

@Duncs a box of toffifees a night keeps eh the doctor away?

Well guys it seems like longer ago than I started. It's really only been 10 months I think since first being on glass. It's been mental!...in a good way,mostly.

Where I am now is quite far on from where I was but not where I want to be. I'll break this down into sections

Canvassing.

I rarely door chap at the moment. I'm full for one man. I did send about 100 letters out to recently sold at Xmas though,this got me around 8 or so houses now and a conny roof clean.

I boosted a how to clean your interior windows post I made, on FB. This ended up being seen by 5500 people and got me maybe 4 repeat jobs.

Promoted the business page the week after and maybe got two houses.

I'd emailed all local care homes and followed up with a phone call recently. Most were taken by the nationals but I got one at 120 quid. First clean due soon.

I didn't quote on the spot as I felt the admin woman I spoke to would have to get clearance anyway. So rather than her just stating a price to her boss', I went home and wrote up a nice professional letter and emailed various price break downs and all about my services to her. This i assumed would have been forwarded to HR, and gave me a chance to get right in there!

Work load

When I started I was over about 13 towns, this was mainly down to fb buy and sell sites. I now have the round over maybe 5 towns max and half in my own town at least. Sold off some work as it built up more locally to me.

Prices

At the start I had loads of 6 quid houses,not great. In the town I stay in the average is maybe 7/8 quid which btw is about 3 quid more than the others...it's still my worst priced area but is very compact so that helps.

In out of town areas I am hitting better prices, a good bit more than 7 quid. This came with confidence to price higher now,and also when your full why would you take anything cheap? So I'll rinse and repeat with that situ! My business page is now where most work comes from and they probs see my reviews (I hope) and so I feel justified to price better now than perhaps as a newby.

Work changes

I have been tradding it from day one. Have a backpack that came in handy for awkward windows but I think full on wfp (van mount) was always om the horizon when I felt ready. My tool of choice is the liquidator or flipper when trad and grade a scrims still.

Have a 450 litre van mount going in soon. Floor of van is stripped and ready to be protected with protectakote from daqua. The pole I have is an slx 27 and I can tell you it's loads lighter than the **** one that came with my facelift backpack deal.

I'm confident in wfp cos I have so much work now that any drop offs will be quickly replaced with better priced work too may I add!

Round size

I had about 450 houses on the round by autumn and tried a few guys out. This didn't work so well and I think this had a lot to do with finding workers that take time in making sure the details are done well..scrimming edges etc.

Anyway so I sold off and dropped some, and got down to around 320 odd..this has crept up again. I'm probs over 350 at moment but keeping it top heavy cos with the wfp transition it'll give me a safety net. Any drop off and I've still got plenty. The round is 5 weekly so is manageable at this size but only just.

Commercisl wise I've a gym care home activity centre and residential unit. Mansion wise I've about 4,these are well priced per hour...I price big things at an hourly rate that makes me smile. These things help to offset the not so good house prices here.

Sorry about the big post but you did ask lol

 

[RichieRich]

Very inspiring dude. I was there when you first started and have followed it until now. 450 houses is incredible. Keep us updated on how you get on with WFP as I will be taking the plunge soon too. /emoticons/smile.png