Struggling to make end meet

[AndyD]

This^

I’ve knocked on hundreds, and I can’t think of one who was upset. The odd one was very quick to the point, but no one was rude.
Its not just an excuse because your scared perhaps???

Far from being an excuse, I was looking forward to it tbh, engaging with customers was something I was really looking forward to. I’ve even mentioned canvassing to friends and family and before I’ve even finished my sentence they are shaking their head and frowning ?

 

[Jaygti]

Far from being an excuse, I was looking forward to it tbh, engaging with customers was something I was really looking forward to. I’ve even mentioned canvassing to friends and family and before I’ve even finished my sentence they are shaking their head and frowning ?

With respect, what your family and friends think is irrelevant , they probably haven’t done it.
Virtually every established window cleaner on here has done their bit of canvassing door to door.
They may not have enjoyed it, but it got them up and running, and has proven to be successful over the years.
And I doubt there were many who ever got told to clear off , or sworn at either. Most people are polite and friendly.

I don’t need anymore work, but if it makes my round more compact, better paying or closer to my house I’ll still knock even now.

 

[AndyD]

With respect, what your family and friends think is irrelevant , they probably haven’t done it.
Virtually every established window cleaner on here has done their bit of canvassing door to door.
They may not have enjoyed it, but it got them up and running, and has proven to be successful over the years.
And I doubt there were many who ever got told to clear off , or sworn at either. Most people are polite and friendly.

I don’t need anymore work, but if it makes my round more compact, better paying or closer to my house I’ll still knock even now.

I’ll still give it another go as I know not everyone is going to hostile, and there is no way I can possibly just rely on a website and FB. Just posting leaflets doesn’t seem to be very fruitful either. Might help if I had all the tattoos removed from face as well (joke btw) ?

 

[JEM]

At what point did I say I go on FB and warn people about people knocking doors?

at what point did I say I warn people on FB that there’s people in the area knocking doors?
Obviously it does matter where you live or you wouldn’t get local residents posting on Facebook warning others about people knocking doors.

I miss read how you posted it. my bad!

I really wouldn't worry about just a handful of people on Facebook who think they run the neighborhood. Ignore them I say

 

[scottish cleaning service]

They mostly have Police Scotland notice on door stating no cold callers. This is when needing a license is good.

 

[tommywilliams88]

Depends where abouts you live, round by me it’s a big no no, anyone seen knocking doors it goes straight up on Facebook warning all local residents to avoid them. And to be honest if anyone was to knock my door I probably wouldn’t even answer even though I haven’t a clue what they are selling. I did do some door knocking down the road from me and it was plain from their reaction they wasn’t happy with a stranger knocking their door, a lot had warning signs on their doors too. It’s just not the done thing these days round by me, seems to be ok in some places around the U.K. though.

You’re trying to build a business, not rob people or selling knock off goods asking people to hand over cash there and then on the doorstep.

Domestic window cleaning is very competitive, if you want to make it a success you should be knocking, canvassing, posting on Facebook, do the occasional free clean in exchange for a review, tell your friends family and anyone and everyone. Not saying you are, but If you aren’t knocking doors day in day out or at least leaflet dropping early on when trying to build a round, you’ll be selling all your tools and looking for a job sooner rather than later.

I’ve been knocking and canvassing estates when there are window cleaners working a few doors down. If anyone told me it was their “patch”, it wouldn’t bother me and I’d carry on. Likewise if I see another WC knocking any of my customers, I wouldn’t bat an eyelid.

Those houses you’re avoiding who already have a window cleaner, that same window cleaner probably knocked and took the job when someone else had it already anyway.

Good luck

 

[ched999uk]

I’ll still give it another go as I know not everyone is going to hostile, and there is no way I can possibly just rely on a website and FB. Just posting leaflets doesn’t seem to be very fruitful either. Might help if I had all the tattoos removed from face as well (joke btw) ?

If you didn't get a reasonable response from one area that you tried try a slightly different one that you cover or have work in. I have had people tell me that 'everyone uses the same window cleaner round here' but by just leafletting that area I gained customers! There is an area by me that has the council 'no canvassing' signs up and I just dropped leaflets and spoke to 1 elderly lady who was in her front garden, she accepted my quote and recommended me to 2 neighbours, so now 3 customers very close by! I wouldn't canvas where the council has put up signs, I think some of the elderly people were 'conned' into having new roofs at one point when they were not necessary, but I would miss any houses that had the stickers. Although I generally leaflet the 'no junk mail' stickered houses if their windows don't look nice and clean .
I have only canvassed 2 streets about 10 months ago and I gained 2 customers in about 1 hr which I was pleased with but due to covid still being around and the numbers going up after I did my original canvassing I haven't tried again. I'm still playing it safe with avoiding covid as much as possible (partner is very vulnerable). Hopefully the hospital figures are nice and low I'll do some more canvassing.

Good luck.

 

[Pjj]

With respect, what your family and friends think is irrelevant , they probably haven’t done it.
Virtually every established window cleaner on here has done their bit of canvassing door to door.
They may not have enjoyed it, but it got them up and running, and has proven to be successful over the years.
And I doubt there were many who ever got told to clear off , or sworn at either. Most people are polite and friendly.

I don’t need anymore work, but if it makes my round more compact, better paying or closer to my house I’ll still knock even now.

Quite agree , that’s how I started off knocking doors haven’t needed to now for over 15 years but that’s how our work is so compact it’s not an accident that we have weeks work ware the vans don’t move more than half a mile , best way by far to get customers. From memoire I never got told to clear off or had a bad response most wished me well with getting customers Evan if they didn’t want my services .

 

[Yogi1872]

Google where there building new homes within a certain mile radius from you, if you manage to get them home just after moving in then I've found you get a higher % picked up. Everything's in a new condition and in there heads they tell themselfs there going to look after things etc. They all seem more approachable too as there usually excited about moving into there home etc. They have a feel good factor about thereself.

Even when answering the door slip in something about I know youl have 100 things to do the now but..... when ppl have been excited about something then are experiencing it they usually can't wait to tell ppl how it's going etc and will literally tell a stranger as its a step in life they feel they have achieved something and are proud of themselfs.

Always try get the woman too, the guys usually won't care if the windows are dirty or not.

 

[Yogi1872]

I've went into the office at the show home before and left cards, they say they will put them on the desk but I've never had a call from them so I think they get binned as soon as I walk out.

When they move into a new home they get a welcome pack booklet thing. I told the office staff that if they were willing to put my cards in with the pack, I'd get new cards made up for it offering the first clean is free with a no obligation to continue the service. They didn't get back to me though. I said they could even make out that they were covering the costs so it looked like it was a freebie supplied by them.

If you get the company building the houses to agree to that then there basically you're to loose. You will end up doing work for nothing but it would be worth it in the long run as the ones who will go get someone to do it will already have you.

 

[Part Timer]

I've went into the office at the show home before and left cards, they say they will put them on the desk but I've never had a call from them so I think they get binned as soon as I walk out.

When they move into a new home they get a welcome pack booklet thing. I told the office staff that if they were willing to put my cards in with the pack, I'd get new cards made up for it offering the first clean is free with a no obligation to continue the service. They didn't get back to me though. I said they could even make out that they were covering the costs so it looked like it was a freebie supplied by them.

If you get the company building the houses to agree to that then there basically you're to loose. You will end up doing work for nothing but it would be worth it in the long run as the ones who will go get someone to do it will already have yoyou.

I would be very surprised if any builder would do this as it would appear they're recommending you so if you do something wrong it would look bad on them

 

[AndyD]

I've went into the office at the show home before and left cards, they say they will put them on the desk but I've never had a call from them so I think they get binned as soon as I walk out.

When they move into a new home they get a welcome pack booklet thing. I told the office staff that if they were willing to put my cards in with the pack, I'd get new cards made up for it offering the first clean is free with a no obligation to continue the service. They didn't get back to me though. I said they could even make out that they were covering the costs so it looked like it was a freebie supplied by them.

If you get the company building the houses to agree to that then there basically you're to loose. You will end up doing work for nothing but it would be worth it in the long run as the ones who will go get someone to do it will already have you.

I did a first clean on a new build on Saturday but Being as they are still building they were caked in dust, thought it would be a good idea to put a few leaflets through some doors as the front doors and windows on the other house were filthy because of the dust. Not had any calls yet though. Should’ve knocked on a few come to think about it.

 

[Yogi1872]

I would be very surprised if any builder would do this as it would appear they're recommending you so if you do something wrong it would look bad on them

I did think that aswell tbh, it was when I didn't have enough work though so was trying to think of ways to get custom. Looked into the hiring of a billboard but the cost to maybe get nothing didn't make sense.

 

[Yogi1872]

I did a first clean on a new build on Saturday but Being as they are still building they were caked in dust, thought it would be a good idea to put a few leaflets through some doors as the front doors and windows on the other house were filthy because of the dust. Not had any calls yet though. Should’ve knocked on a few come to think about it.

Leaflets will get you next to no call backs. What do you do when you get home and see a leaflet ?. It's binned without looking most of the time. You have to chap and talk to them. Inside your embarrassed and your nervous but if the worst happens and they say "not for me" . They don't close the door and all start laughing saying look at that daft bar steward chapping doors . After you get a couple telling you know you sort of don't really care after that as you realise it's all in your head thinking you someone how daft doing it. When you start getting a fee saying yes though you start feeling more and you get a wee buzz out of it. Thinking your salesman of the year as you go to chap the next one lol. That's how I felt anyway when I done It years ago.

 

[spruce]

I would be very surprised if any builder would do this as it would appear they're recommending you so if you do something wrong it would look bad on them

One windie once said that he cleaned the show house for free and in exchange for his cards being added to the welcome pack for the new homeowners. I personally couldn't see myself doing that. I think I would rather spend time knocking doors than cleaning a show house.

 

[spruce]

I did a first clean on a new build on Saturday but Being as they are still building they were caked in dust, thought it would be a good idea to put a few leaflets through some doors as the front doors and windows on the other house were filthy because of the dust. Not had any calls yet though. Should’ve knocked on a few come to think about it.

We found on a new estate we knocked that timing was everything. Most were quite happy to leave their windows dirty while building work was going on around them. For us, we were told the magic moment was when the council finishing tarring the roads on the estate. According to some customers, they had had plenty of leaflets and door knocks earlier, but we canvassed at exactly the right time.

We also found the woman of the house was eager to have their windows cleaned, but the bloke shut it down. "Why clean them now, as they are just going to get dirty again?"

We also found that no one quoted to clean the outside of the gutters or fascias after the builders had done. The fascias were dirty on just about every house on the estate. That could be a way in, as cleaning the fascias would also mean cleaning the windows, which could lead to a regular window clean. I never thought of that angle at the time.

 

[spruce]

@AndyD.
My other suggestion on new estates is target leaflet drops. You have done a clean and found out the surname of the people you have cleaned for. I would design a leaflet to drop in around the neighbours that specifically mentions the job you do. "We have just finished cleaning the new home of the Gibson's at No 10 and would be happy to quote to clean your windows as well."

I would ask the Gibson's first if they minded me using them as a reference to their immediate neighbours to cover myself. If they don't agree, then I would just change the leaflet to read that we clean your neighbours at No 10 and would be happy to provide you a free quotation to clean yours.

 

[Scots lad]

One windie once said that he cleaned the show house for free and in exchange for his cards being added to the welcome pack for the new homeowners. I personally couldn't see myself doing that. I think I would rather spend time knocking doors than cleaning a show house.

I know area sales manager for persimmon homes she offered me a similar deal but I politely declined as I didn't need the hassle of travelling further afield

 

[Phil at Pure Sparkle]

Have you tired facebook groups ?

When i started in 2014 it was really slow, i didnt know anything about advertising or marketting and i spent most my money paying canvassers or leaflets. I did a bit myself but struggled to have the confidence to do it so it was slow. It wasnt until about 3 years ago when i discovered facebook did i realise what i was missing.

Ive had 30/40 customers in one nights posting ads before, in fact ive probably had 100 new custs this year all for free from posting to fb...very unusual not to pick up a handfull every time i decide to post on there. I dont do it anymore as too busy. Also paid for facebook ads work well, i average £5 a lead or about £10 a customer and have build plenty of work that way.

Try the next door app as well.

It took me 2 years to build 200 customers the classic way, i bet i could build that in a couple of months now just from facebook ads/groups alone.

Please tell me more! What Facebook groups work best? 30/40 customers from one night's posting ads? Do you mean a paid for advert or just posting your own ad?

 

[Pjj]

One windie once said that he cleaned the show house for free and in exchange for his cards being added to the welcome pack for the new homeowners. I personally couldn't see myself doing that. I think I would rather spend time knocking doors than cleaning a show house.

When I first started I did a few show homes for builders and they would recommend me to the new house owners , personally wouldn’t do it now but was good at the time I did charge for doing the show homes but looking back not enough ????

 

[adamangler]

I tried to canvass when i first started, absoloutely hated it, i used to put it off and off and off lol. On the very few occasions i managed to do it i did pick up a few jobs. I ended up paying a copany to do it then eventually found facebook which is much much easier.

Im so glad i dont have to go back to those early days of struggle it was horrible, work comes in so eaily now its easy to forget the early days it took me 18 months to get to 100 customers mainly because i was reluctant to canvass. I could get 100 customers now in probably a week or two by running online adds (at a cost of course) but in the early days without the experience and benefit of hindsight its hard to see where the next customer is coming from.