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Started Window Cleaning In Jan 14

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Sure2Shine

Sure2Shine

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14
Hi Everybody,

I started to build my new window cleaning business in mid Jan 2014, i must say after a tiny bit of research i got myself out there with just a some printed sign up forms that i designed and printed from our family printer and started to build my customer base from door knocking, people really don't like door knockers but i needed to see if i could make a success out of this new idea of mine so i was willing to bare the cold receptions to gain a customer or two. Ok so it began the most exiting feeling is getting your first one i mean it puts you on a massive high you feel like you could get a hundred more that day! i mean after getting that first "eeeerrr yes but how much?" i was so exited i just said oh tenner £10 without looking properly. Big 1st mistake it took me 3.5 hours to clean that house the windows had not been cleaned since her husband left 5 years ago ect ect they were bad. However i battled on they are now like brand new windows and i have been back to clean and now i can do the whole house in 15-20 mins so i feel is it worth taking a bit of a loss to get that customer in your books or not? well to be honest first time she gave me a £4 tip and the 2nd time a £3 tip plus a new customer who is a friend of hers so not all bad! But i can tell you this much it's hard work don't be fooled it's hard game getting a house up together. Anyway from then i now have 17 Customers i have pretty much done the same for and in some cases guttering as well.

well its nice to find a forum with people with the same interests as mine and its going be nice getting to know some of you in time.

until then i got other things to do this Sunday have a great weekend whats left of it

David

 
Welcome david. 17 customers so far is good. Door knocking is by far the most effective way to get new customers, although I have had plenty in the past by just dropping a business card through the letter box. To begin with, it can feel like a real battle to build up your customer base and you will find that they are spread all over the place. Just keep plugging away and you will soon have 50 customers and then 100 and things will really start to knit together. The more you are cleaning, the more you will be spotted by neighbours and asked to give quotes. Concentrate on doing a really good job. Customers really appreciate that. Make sure you have the right kit. You will make mistakes to begin with, particularly on pricing, but dont be disheartened. Always believe, learn and get better. There is plenty of work out there. All the best.

 
You started out at a bad time amongst the storms eh!

More work should come your way now though with brighter days & word of mouth

 
hi and welcome Sure2Shine me just joined the forum too they all very friendly on here and da boss man gav has just done a total reboot and its all going great..the more the merrier....as for new jobs i always lose on them but usually the custys realise and can tip even though i always quote a bit extra first time anyway....i have just done one this week and it was described to me over the phone and so i priced it blind.....and it was little squares and they were yukky but the money was left for me and if she phones back again they wont be bad at all next time...loads of advice on here to help you on your way...you have started windowcleaning at rather a bad point as the storms coated the windows and they are very hard to clean at the moment ,on the other hand it has made dirty windows even dirty so generating more interest in getting them clean so should keep you busy......and remember at the end of the day if windowcleaning isnt for you....you cant lose as you can always sell your round in gavs sell section....

 
Welcome david. 17 customers so far is good. Door knocking is by far the most effective way to get new customers, although I have had plenty in the past by just dropping a business card through the letter box. To begin with, it can feel like a real battle to build up your customer base and you will find that they are spread all over the place. Just keep plugging away and you will soon have 50 customers and then 100 and things will really start to knit together. The more you are cleaning, the more you will be spotted by neighbours and asked to give quotes. Concentrate on doing a really good job. Customers really appreciate that. Make sure you have the right kit. You will make mistakes to begin with, particularly on pricing, but dont be disheartened. Always believe, learn and get better. There is plenty of work out there. All the best.
Click to expand...
Hello mrtaytay,

Yes 100% door knocking i found to work best for gaining customers who live close to each other, u either get a no thanks or yes please how much or no i ant got a window cleaner and i dont want one or the worst one i had so far was a filthy house with a conservatory i spent 5 hours guttering as well for a £16 every 6 wks sign up and she never had the money to pay me that day, i was a bit gutted and after 2 visits and still no money i left me not being to bothered about my window cleaning business for quite a few days including a bad Feb 14 however i sent a txt saying how hard i worked and she txt back saying pop round get ya £16 so i did! the point to this is watch out for over keen customers when door knocking, you are right there is plenty of work out there if you are willing to go out and get it! thanks for your reply and welcome mrtaytay i am going to keep going and graft on for a bit and see how it goes. David

 
Last edited by a moderator:
welcome to the forum @Sure2Shine
Click to expand...
thank you norm, i didn't expect to get so many replies so i got up early this morning to fit in getting to know you other window cleaners and take the time to reply! i like your profile pic norm its well cute and cuddly David

 
Hello and welcome to the forum

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
Hi Shiny, thank you for the welcome wow sent from your iphone i got to learn that, i left my iphone at home in Jan and swapped it for a £10 o2 nokia i was a bit scared in case i dropped it, have you ever had that? David

 
You started out at a bad time amongst the storms eh!More work should come your way now though with brighter days & word of mouth
Click to expand...
Hi Rice Rocket, yes it was cold and i got a pair of glove from 99p sores house hold blue ones and 99p thermal thin gloves it worked for a bit, but the work was well hard to do with gloves jumper coat i ran out of energy quick i must admit! and trying to get new customers when the weather is bad you just a well forget it and what i did was put bad weather days to admin days and worked on the website and stuff. Now March is here the Sun came out and yes i got 10 in 4 days so i was happy, word of mouth has not haapend for me yet but i hope it will soon, i do work hard at getting all hard to reach guttering dormers ect and i always leave it clean and tidy like its was the first day it was built. yer Rice Rocket i kept my chin up we got a summer coming up! David

 
hi and welcome Sure2Shine me just joined the forum too they all very friendly on here and da boss man gav has just done a total reboot and its all going great..the more the merrier....as for new jobs i always lose on them but usually the custys realise and can tip even though i always quote a bit extra first time anyway....i have just done one this week and it was described to me over the phone and so i priced it blind.....and it was little squares and they were yukky but the money was left for me and if she phones back again they wont be bad at all next time...loads of advice on here to help you on your way...you have started windowcleaning at rather a bad point as the storms coated the windows and they are very hard to clean at the moment ,on the other hand it has made dirty windows even dirty so generating more interest in getting them clean so should keep you busy......and remember at the end of the day if windowcleaning isnt for you....you cant lose as you can always sell your round in gavs sell section....
Click to expand...
Hi, cheapncheerful,

yes you are right! i have have a had a really warm welcome, ok so you think its worth losing on the first one as well thats interesting. What i have been telling my customers with really bad windows is over the year they will get better, first visit deep scrub, 2nd visit glass scrap with pint spots ect, 3rd visit chem clean with the magic plastic cleaner and the from from 4th visit its a case of a quick wizz to keep them nice! i have never priced blind but i have 100% under priced cold call new customers! i find the customers who call you from a marketing source you can get more money from 1st visit and 1st clean because they are active in finding a window cleaner and understand its a hard task getting windows clean which are covered with dirt. Funny you should say about selling my round, i have looked at that and i think its great to be able to sell your customers to other window cleaners! thanks for the welcome! David

 
Hi Shiny, thank you for the welcome wow sent from your iphone i got to learn that, i left my iphone at home in Jan and swapped it for a £10 o2 nokia i was a bit scared in case i dropped it, have you ever had that? David
Click to expand...
Aye its easily done mate, especially when it's cold and you can't feel yea fingers lol. Will you be out today? weather forecast for tomorrow not looking to good so I am going to try and get as much done as pos today. Goes like that some days all or nothing....lol

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 
Aye its easily done mate, especially when it's cold and you can't feel yea fingers lol. Will you be out today? weather forecast for tomorrow not looking to good so I am going to try and get as much done as pos today. Goes like that some days all or nothing....lol

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
not today matey for me i have been hurting for days now, i think i have over done it a bit /emoticons/sad.png i am going to work on the online stuff today including updating sure2shine website with all the new photo's i took when doing a couple of jobs.

 
Welcome @Sure2Shine If it is any consolation I hurt everyday bud.

Having your own before & after pics on a site works well for me also genuine customer feedback I think is invaluable.

 

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