What customer numbers is classed as good round

[NorthumberlandWindowCleanr]

I know this question is like asking how long is a piece of string, I obviously know it’s how much you want it to grow and how many customers you need to give you an income that your happy with. I understand you can get customers by traditional methods of canvassing, word of mouth by doing a good job, or other methods of buying leads.

I have the luxury of having approximately a years salary of my current job saved as I sold my second house, so if I start this buissness I could hopefully afford to give it my all full time cleaning and canvassing.

Would 270 approx customers take long to build up in a year ? let’s say, I’m kind of looking at numbers like 270 x £15 average = £4050 this is if you had them all on 4 weekly ,so £4050 approx every 4 weeks

i obviously know that some customers might want 8 weekly and possibly some jobs might be less than £15 and some jobs might be more than £15 but just wanted some honest advice on here how long did rounds take to build up?

Again I know it all boils down to how hard you work and quality but I could put my full attention to this 6 or 7 days a week cleaning and canvassing to get me going

my only worry is money running out,i know some people starting off get a part time job a couple of days a week just to pay their bills until the round builds up so they can do it full time

Am I talking nonsense with the above? 

Any my advice please ?

I'm not the most active poster here, but I am in a position now where my experience and feedback from this past six months starting up may be useful 

I used this forum a great deal when starting up reading, reading, noting things down and more reading. So great to give a little back to the community

I started up in June 2018 after deciding window cleaning would be a viable business due to its recurring & regular work

In no particular order what I have learned, did, this past six months

1.  Work out what your "needed" daily rate is.  I don't have kids, big mortgage, debts. So I used for sake of simple maths of working towards making £100 per day my goal to work towards. 

2.  Set a minimum price for your job/time/to park up and get out of the van - again for the sake of simple maths £10 per job

3.  Don't chase or accept every job/house/bit of work that comes your way.  You are the one driving the bus, work on your terms. 

4.  Be prepared and happy to turn down and refuse work that doesn't fit the profile you wish to work to. 

"The price is £13 a month, if you can do it for £10 we have a deal. Sorry no we don't, the price is £13 you have my details if you change your mind"

5.  I have focused on just doing domestic houses only, no commercials (at present). Since losing one house is not the end of the world, but losing a days pay on one job is

6. Pick the schedule you wish to work to, I chose to offer monthly (85%core customer base) or bi-monthly (priced at 25% higher).  I think the psychology of offering monthly or bi this sounds better than saying x6 weekly or x12 weekly personally

7.  GoCardless, Direct Debit sign up is mandatory, not an option.  Since Direct Debits come out monthly in most cases for bills & payments, it makes it an easier sell to the customer, as another monthly bill.  

(quoting a job) "So to confirm Mrs Jones, I will be here to clean once a month, it will be £15 per month paid via Direct Debit.  Youll get a text the night before to let you know I'm coming & to leave the gate open, once I'm done I post you this "we've just cleaned your windows receipt" (hand customer receipt to keep) Any issue you have 5 day window to get in touch for me to resolve it.  If all is good, the Direct Debit leaves your bank 5 days later, just like your Sky or Vodafone bill"

This explains about GoCardless and how it all works, (hands Mrs Jones professionally printed branded Double side A5)  

8.  "Look the part, image is everything" use fivver.com to get someone to design yourself a "brand/image/logo" for yourself & business, your van signage, your clothing, your custom lanyard & ID photo card, your professionally printed stationery, leaflets, business cards, compliments slips.  All branding links together that make it so much easier the "sell" the GoCardless sign up. It screams professionalism.  If you and your van looks the part and is a cut above, you can have confidence selling your services at a higher price 

9.  ALWAYS go the extra mile to impress on a first clean and do an AMAZING job, but charge accordingly for doing so.  Explain it to the customer as "There will be a one-off first clean restoration charge to bring everything back up to gleaming again, this is due to the extra time, effort, chemicals, pure water used to restore your windows and frames.  Your ongoing maintenance cleans everything month will then be £15"  

By charging this one-off first clean restoration fee, not only are you getting fairly paid for the extra work it also serves as a natural filter to weed out those customers who are really just wanting a one-off clean out of the blue and not interested in an ongoing monthly clean

10.  By doing a superb and awesome job on the first clean restoration, it makes YOUR job SO MUCH EASIER & FASTER upon your return the next month, as nothing ever gets a chance to get really dirty again

11.  "Always be looking to drop the worst of your round"  You want as stress-free a life as possible, any job that gives you the slightest amount of grief begin thinking of adding them to the binned list. 

i.e. Dog **** in the garden this month, it WILL be there in months to come.  

The exposed property next to busy road, front manky this month, it'll be manky next month.  Snotty or Arsey complaining type customer quickly show their true colours to

Just think of Customers are like buses, they come and go.  For each one you lose/drop, there'll be another one along in a minute to replace. Even six months in I have binned a few off already

12.  Only cleaning properties that best suit how YOU want to work. Again building your round how it suits YOU not the customer.  I have not seen this mentioned very often on here but I have chosen to only take on jobs that have "a one van stop, all-round access", again building things on YOUR terms.  It soon began to annoy me doing a mid terrace to then have to repack and move van round into alley to do the rear.  So I choose not to quote these sort of properties these days. Remeber again it is YOU driving the bus, you are not in the business to make EVERYONE happy. You work on YOUR terms, not there.  You dont have to accept every job that comes your way.  I now focus my efforts on getting new builds & estates, since they are nearly all cookie cutter "same design" type and council semis with gated sides (quick n easy, in n out 15mins jobs)

12.  "buy or not to buy a round"  For my own reasons above, I started from scratch.  I didn't buy a round and it didn't even enter into my head to buy work starting out as you are the one starting out you want to pick and choose the areas you wish to clean, and also aside from retirement or accident/ill health buying a round I would have it my mind why do they wish to sell it if they are earning good coin from it?  If you are buying **** or underpriced work, paying "x1 to x10" clean premium you are going to be pi$$ed off from day one starting out.  If you are doing everything on your terms, you get to be in full control of how you build it.

13.  Lead Generation.  I used Darren's lead generation service and built a round FAST.  Fresh leads were always there EVERY day, regular as clockwork new jobs just waiting to be sealed.  Whilst nothing in life is 100% perfect, there were messers in there, Jobs in **** areas, wouldn't sign up for GoCardless. But I picked up some real gems and lovely customers who I'm sure will be with me for years and net me in far more than the original lead cost me. 

My closure rate was about 65%, the other didn't fit around how I wanted to work.  Digital lead generation has built around 60% of my round at a cost of around £3k     

  
14. Facebook ads/boosted posts - Not without its problems and messers.  But I found uptake rate on paid for ads and boosted posts MUCH better than using local for sale boards/services. Keep trailing different photos/images and text on a x24 hour £5 boosted post/ad.  some work some don't, trail & error. 

Facebook local groups have brought me either the worst of the worst customers or also some total gems.
Use how a customer responds to your messages as a filter into what they are really like.  Avoid single mothers like the plague, worst of the worst. Bad spelling/grammar, misspelling words, txt spk. adding xxxxxxxxxx kisses to everything, calling people hun/dear, use of Instagram filters/animal ears/glasses in their pics etc   ALL red flags
When they message you a quick look of their Facebook profile you can usually judge what someone is like pretty quick. Also try to get off facebook messenger ASAP as you've closed the deal.  

15.  "learning the trade" Prior to six months ago, i had never cleaned a window in my life. Six months I am content cleaning windows on 7 bed detached £1,000,000+ houses. Darrens videos on youtube Green Pro Clean have helped me no end with the tricks of the trade. So grateful for all his content his has produced. I have learned EVERYTHING from youtube, this forum and a couple of facebook groups.  Every question has been asked before and there is an answer for it to be found.  Learn to use the search function and read read read. A mind is like a parachute it works better if it's open!
16.  "don't be afraid to travel"  Your postcode +10 miles/25 mins travel time in any direction is what I used. My first six months I have been here there and everywhere. Cleaning, quoting as an when work/queries came in.  Now, this past month I have had my first major reshuffle of work and squeezed down working x5 days out of x7 down to, x11 working days in a month to complete, an average of x13 cleans per day. What was previously random and scattered work all around this +10 miles radius of home, now it has made itself into a workable round with jobs now close to each other. 
In closing, 
My current position a few days over six months in, 148 customers, 144 on GoCardless.  
All jobs are one van-stop, all round access. 
Bringing in just under £2k a month, ALL work is priced £10 or higher. The average price per job is £13.17  (not fanatastic but im up t'north! and there are still lots of "£4 a semi" cleaners here)
To be at this position after six months I am in a pretty happy spot and pleased with my results so far. Im nobody special or talented so if I can do it I think anyone could!  I am bringing a half decent wage and still have plenty of scope to improve next year
Still lots to learn, still lots of customers to find, still lots of things to try, still have lots of neigbours doors to wrap in the new year, still have lots of new build estates to leaflet drop in 2019  

 

[Stedon]

I'm not the most active poster here, but I am in a position now where my experience and feedback from this past six months starting up may be useful 

I used this forum a great deal when starting up reading, reading, noting things down and more reading. So great to give a little back to the community

I started up in June 2018 after deciding window cleaning would be a viable business due to its recurring & regular work

In no particular order what I have learned, did, this past six months

1.  Work out what your "needed" daily rate is.  I don't have kids, big mortgage, debts. So I used for sake of simple maths of working towards making £100 per day my goal to work towards. 

2.  Set a minimum price for your job/time/to park up and get out of the van - again for the sake of simple maths £10 per job

3.  Don't chase or accept every job/house/bit of work that comes your way.  You are the one driving the bus, work on your terms. 

4.  Be prepared and happy to turn down and refuse work that doesn't fit the profile you wish to work to. 

"The price is £13 a month, if you can do it for £10 we have a deal. Sorry no we don't, the price is £13 you have my details if you change your mind"

5.  I have focused on just doing domestic houses only, no commercials (at present). Since losing one house is not the end of the world, but losing a days pay on one job is

6. Pick the schedule you wish to work to, I chose to offer monthly (85%core customer base) or bi-monthly (priced at 25% higher).  I think the psychology of offering monthly or bi this sounds better than saying x6 weekly or x12 weekly personally

7.  GoCardless, Direct Debit sign up is mandatory, not an option.  Since Direct Debits come out monthly in most cases for bills & payments, it makes it an easier sell to the customer, as another monthly bill.  

(quoting a job) "So to confirm Mrs Jones, I will be here to clean once a month, it will be £15 per month paid via Direct Debit.  Youll get a text the night before to let you know I'm coming & to leave the gate open, once I'm done I post you this "we've just cleaned your windows receipt" (hand customer receipt to keep) Any issue you have 5 day window to get in touch for me to resolve it.  If all is good, the Direct Debit leaves your bank 5 days later, just like your Sky or Vodafone bill"

This explains about GoCardless and how it all works, (hands Mrs Jones professionally printed branded Double side A5)  

8.  "Look the part, image is everything" use fivver.com to get someone to design yourself a "brand/image/logo" for yourself & business, your van signage, your clothing, your custom lanyard & ID photo card, your professionally printed stationery, leaflets, business cards, compliments slips.  All branding links together that make it so much easier the "sell" the GoCardless sign up. It screams professionalism.  If you and your van looks the part and is a cut above, you can have confidence selling your services at a higher price 

9.  ALWAYS go the extra mile to impress on a first clean and do an AMAZING job, but charge accordingly for doing so.  Explain it to the customer as "There will be a one-off first clean restoration charge to bring everything back up to gleaming again, this is due to the extra time, effort, chemicals, pure water used to restore your windows and frames.  Your ongoing maintenance cleans everything month will then be £15"  

By charging this one-off first clean restoration fee, not only are you getting fairly paid for the extra work it also serves as a natural filter to weed out those customers who are really just wanting a one-off clean out of the blue and not interested in an ongoing monthly clean

10.  By doing a superb and awesome job on the first clean restoration, it makes YOUR job SO MUCH EASIER & FASTER upon your return the next month, as nothing ever gets a chance to get really dirty again

11.  "Always be looking to drop the worst of your round"  You want as stress-free a life as possible, any job that gives you the slightest amount of grief begin thinking of adding them to the binned list. 

i.e. Dog **** in the garden this month, it WILL be there in months to come.  

The exposed property next to busy road, front manky this month, it'll be manky next month.  Snotty or Arsey complaining type customer quickly show their true colours to

Just think of Customers are like buses, they come and go.  For each one you lose/drop, there'll be another one along in a minute to replace. Even six months in I have binned a few off already

12.  Only cleaning properties that best suit how YOU want to work. Again building your round how it suits YOU not the customer.  I have not seen this mentioned very often on here but I have chosen to only take on jobs that have "a one van stop, all-round access", again building things on YOUR terms.  It soon began to annoy me doing a mid terrace to then have to repack and move van round into alley to do the rear.  So I choose not to quote these sort of properties these days. Remeber again it is YOU driving the bus, you are not in the business to make EVERYONE happy. You work on YOUR terms, not there.  You dont have to accept every job that comes your way.  I now focus my efforts on getting new builds & estates, since they are nearly all cookie cutter "same design" type and council semis with gated sides (quick n easy, in n out 15mins jobs)

12.  "buy or not to buy a round"  For my own reasons above, I started from scratch.  I didn't buy a round and it didn't even enter into my head to buy work starting out as you are the one starting out you want to pick and choose the areas you wish to clean, and also aside from retirement or accident/ill health buying a round I would have it my mind why do they wish to sell it if they are earning good coin from it?  If you are buying **** or underpriced work, paying "x1 to x10" clean premium you are going to be pi$$ed off from day one starting out.  If you are doing everything on your terms, you get to be in full control of how you build it.

13.  Lead Generation.  I used Darren's lead generation service and built a round FAST.  Fresh leads were always there EVERY day, regular as clockwork new jobs just waiting to be sealed.  Whilst nothing in life is 100% perfect, there were messers in there, Jobs in **** areas, wouldn't sign up for GoCardless. But I picked up some real gems and lovely customers who I'm sure will be with me for years and net me in far more than the original lead cost me. 

My closure rate was about 65%, the other didn't fit around how I wanted to work.  Digital lead generation has built around 60% of my round at a cost of around £3k     

  
14. Facebook ads/boosted posts - Not without its problems and messers.  But I found uptake rate on paid for ads and boosted posts MUCH better than using local for sale boards/services. Keep trailing different photos/images and text on a x24 hour £5 boosted post/ad.  some work some don't, trail & error. 

Facebook local groups have brought me either the worst of the worst customers or also some total gems.
Use how a customer responds to your messages as a filter into what they are really like.  Avoid single mothers like the plague, worst of the worst. Bad spelling/grammar, misspelling words, txt spk. adding xxxxxxxxxx kisses to everything, calling people hun/dear, use of Instagram filters/animal ears/glasses in their pics etc   ALL red flags
When they message you a quick look of their Facebook profile you can usually judge what someone is like pretty quick. Also try to get off facebook messenger ASAP as you've closed the deal.  

15.  "learning the trade" Prior to six months ago, i had never cleaned a window in my life. Six months I am content cleaning windows on 7 bed detached £1,000,000+ houses. Darrens videos on youtube Green Pro Clean have helped me no end with the tricks of the trade. So grateful for all his content his has produced. I have learned EVERYTHING from youtube, this forum and a couple of facebook groups.  Every question has been asked before and there is an answer for it to be found.  Learn to use the search function and read read read. A mind is like a parachute it works better if it's open!
16.  "don't be afraid to travel"  Your postcode +10 miles/25 mins travel time in any direction is what I used. My first six months I have been here there and everywhere. Cleaning, quoting as an when work/queries came in.  Now, this past month I have had my first major reshuffle of work and squeezed down working x5 days out of x7 down to, x11 working days in a month to complete, an average of x13 cleans per day. What was previously random and scattered work all around this +10 miles radius of home, now it has made itself into a workable round with jobs now close to each other. 
In closing, 
My current position a few days over six months in, 148 customers, 144 on GoCardless.  
All jobs are one van-stop, all round access. 
Bringing in just under £2k a month, ALL work is priced £10 or higher. The average price per job is £13.17  (not fanatastic but im up t'north! and there are still lots of "£4 a semi" cleaners here)
To be at this position after six months I am in a pretty happy spot and pleased with my results so far. Im nobody special or talented so if I can do it I think anyone could!  I am bringing a half decent wage and still have plenty of scope to improve next year
Still lots to learn, still lots of customers to find, still lots of things to try, still have lots of neigbours doors to wrap in the new year, still have lots of new build estates to leaflet drop in 2019  

Great advice pal you have done very well great achievement onwards and upwards ??

 

[Lemming]

@NorthumberlandWindowCleanr great post mate, full of good advice. I've got a few questions if you don't mind answering them.

Where do you get your a5's from? Vistaprint?

I'm regards to point 11 where you talk about dog poo in the garden, how would you react to something like that when conducting an inspection of the property? Would you approach the problem head on and mention it the customer or price it way higher than usual in hope they say no?

I myself am just over a month in since starting my window cleaning business. I've found that I tend to rush my quotes and have subsequently missed a particularly dirty window here and there, or not checked the whole property and miscounted the amount of windows. Therefore, I'd advise anybody just starting out to take their time and properly access the property. I'm planning on creating a checklist that I'll fill out during a quote to make sure I don't miss anything. I think it will add to the professional image too.

I'd also suggest taking pictures and start to build up a portfolio of before and after images. Obviously get the customers permission first. These can be good for advertising and your website.

 

[NorthumberlandWindowCleanr]

@NorthumberlandWindowCleanr great post mate, full of good advice. I've got a few questions if you don't mind answering them.

Where do you get your a5's from? Vistaprint?

I'm regards to point 11 where you talk about dog poo in the garden, how would you react to something like that when conducting an inspection of the property? Would you approach the problem head on and mention it the customer or price it way higher than usual in hope they say no?

I myself am just over a month in since starting my window cleaning business. I've found that I tend to rush my quotes on new properties and have subsequently missed a particularly dirty window here and there, or not checked the whole property and miscounted the amount of windows. Therefore, I'd advise anybody just starting out to take their time and properly access the property. I'm planning on creating a checklist that I'll fill out during a quote to make sure I don't miss anything. I think it will add to the professional image too.

I'd also suggest taking pictures and start to build up a portfolio of before and after images. Obviously get the customers permission first. These can be good for advertising and your website.





3

Thanks for the kind comments

To answer your queries

1. I used a UK firm called https://www.instantprint.co.uk/ for all my startup printing & leaflets, not the cheapest but not dear for the quality they provide. Great pricing once you order a good few.  Great online editor software so you can see 100% what everything will be like when printed. I made a bi-folded six panel  A4 super funky full info leaflet in about an hour and it looked like a professional had designed it. Awesome. Reorder stuff again in a couple of clicks, job done

2.  Re: Dog Poop.  It a difficult one as you are walking into a stinky situation pardon the pun. Realistically it won't be a job you want to keep long-term for that reason, as it will always be in the back of your mind.  As the saying goes a leopard doesn't change its spots so don't expect customers to change there.  Overpricing the quote for the hope of a refusal is the best case scenario for me.  If they accept the quote, fine do the clean, get your cash.  The first time the mess is there again, don't begin work on the rear garden, just do fronts only at half the price/half the house. Drop the "we've cleaned DD slip" With note to the customer on a branded "with compliments slip", explaining exactly why. Then the balls are in YOUR court and you choose not to return on YOUR terms, they call to say "where have you been/when are you coming again?" You can professionally reply, "I work insides and out with my clothes and equipment and can't risk dog poo messing up my day, im afraid you cleaning slot has been filled already, bye thanks for the custom"

3. A homemade branded A4 laser printed quote sheet on clipboard with window/doors/patio doors/extensions/conservatory panes/additional add-ons at end for garage doors is a great upsell +£2 for 2 mins job

I have trailed working off a fixed pricing based on no of bedrooms for  "estate houses" since most are more or less the same sizes/number of windows and brought in excellent results/conversion rate compared to an individual quote.  I think working off a fixed price and its professionally printed in front of them shows you are not pulling figures out of the air or trying to con them.  As Del Boy used to say "what cant speak, cant lie".  But some fixed price estate houses you can be ending up working harder for your cash.  

4.  images help a lot on socia media. good way to keep your pages active for organic fresh content to.  pictures rank more favorably with facebook than written a posted comment I learned to

 

[P4dstar]

You can get 5000 leaflets for circa £50 with Helloprint.co.uk. They have basic templates you can edit yourself and for what we need in our industry they're more than adequate.

I agree with you @NorthumberlandWindowCleanr when you say price high if there's dog ? but I would just use the backpack. If someone is in the early days they may not be in a position to go charging half the price. I normally pretend I nearly stood in it when I am doing the quote, the customer will nearly always tell you it will be cleared up before you come.

I'd also suggest taking pictures and start to build up a portfolio of before and after images. Obviously get the customers permission first. These can be good for advertising and your website.

This is a good idea but dangerous ground if done incorrectly. Send the pictures to the customer via email and ask them if they would mind you using the pictures on their website and wait until you get a written response. I don't know how this will sit with GDPR etc if you don't have expressed permission to use images of the customers property.

 

[Jjs window cleaning service]

I'm not the most active poster here, but I am in a position now where my experience and feedback from this past six months starting up may be useful 
I used this forum a great deal when starting up reading, reading, noting things down and more reading. So great to give a little back to the community
I started up in June 2018 after deciding window cleaning would be a viable business due to its recurring & regular work
In no particular order what I have learned, did, this past six months
1.  Work out what your "needed" daily rate is.  I don't have kids, big mortgage, debts. So I used for sake of simple maths of working towards making £100 per day my goal to work towards. 
2.  Set a minimum price for your job/time/to park up and get out of the van - again for the sake of simple maths £10 per job
3.  Don't chase or accept every job/house/bit of work that comes your way.  You are the one driving the bus, work on your terms. 
4.  Be prepared and happy to turn down and refuse work that doesn't fit the profile you wish to work to. 
"The price is £13 a month, if you can do it for £10 we have a deal. Sorry no we don't, the price is £13 you have my details if you change your mind"
5.  I have focused on just doing domestic houses only, no commercials (at present). Since losing one house is not the end of the world, but losing a days pay on one job is
6. Pick the schedule you wish to work to, I chose to offer monthly (85%core customer base) or bi-monthly (priced at 25% higher).  I think the psychology of offering monthly or bi this sounds better than saying x6 weekly or x12 weekly personally
7.  GoCardless, Direct Debit sign up is mandatory, not an option.  Since Direct Debits come out monthly in most cases for bills & payments, it makes it an easier sell to the customer, as another monthly bill.  
(quoting a job) "So to confirm Mrs Jones, I will be here to clean once a month, it will be £15 per month paid via Direct Debit.  Youll get a text the night before to let you know I'm coming & to leave the gate open, once I'm done I post you this "we've just cleaned your windows receipt" (hand customer receipt to keep) Any issue you have 5 day window to get in touch for me to resolve it.  If all is good, the Direct Debit leaves your bank 5 days later, just like your Sky or Vodafone bill"
This explains about GoCardless and how it all works, (hands Mrs Jones professionally printed branded Double side A5)  
8.  "Look the part, image is everything" use fivver.com to get someone to design yourself a "brand/image/logo" for yourself & business, your van signage, your clothing, your custom lanyard & ID photo card, your professionally printed stationery, leaflets, business cards, compliments slips.  All branding links together that make it so much easier the "sell" the GoCardless sign up. It screams professionalism.  If you and your van looks the part and is a cut above, you can have confidence selling your services at a higher price 
9.  ALWAYS go the extra mile to impress on a first clean and do an AMAZING job, but charge accordingly for doing so.  Explain it to the customer as "There will be a one-off first clean restoration charge to bring everything back up to gleaming again, this is due to the extra time, effort, chemicals, pure water used to restore your windows and frames.  Your ongoing maintenance cleans everything month will then be £15"  
By charging this one-off first clean restoration fee, not only are you getting fairly paid for the extra work it also serves as a natural filter to weed out those customers who are really just wanting a one-off clean out of the blue and not interested in an ongoing monthly clean
10.  By doing a superb and awesome job on the first clean restoration, it makes YOUR job SO MUCH EASIER & FASTER upon your return the next month, as nothing ever gets a chance to get really dirty again
11.  "Always be looking to drop the worst of your round"  You want as stress-free a life as possible, any job that gives you the slightest amount of grief begin thinking of adding them to the binned list. 
i.e. Dog **** in the garden this month, it WILL be there in months to come.  
The exposed property next to busy road, front manky this month, it'll be manky next month.  Snotty or Arsey complaining type customer quickly show their true colours to
Just think of Customers are like buses, they come and go.  For each one you lose/drop, there'll be another one along in a minute to replace. Even six months in I have binned a few off already
12.  Only cleaning properties that best suit how YOU want to work. Again building your round how it suits YOU not the customer.  I have not seen this mentioned very often on here but I have chosen to only take on jobs that have "a one van stop, all-round access", again building things on YOUR terms.  It soon began to annoy me doing a mid terrace to then have to repack and move van round into alley to do the rear.  So I choose not to quote these sort of properties these days. Remeber again it is YOU driving the bus, you are not in the business to make EVERYONE happy. You work on YOUR terms, not there.  You dont have to accept every job that comes your way.  I now focus my efforts on getting new builds & estates, since they are nearly all cookie cutter "same design" type and council semis with gated sides (quick n easy, in n out 15mins jobs)
12.  "buy or not to buy a round"  For my own reasons above, I started from scratch.  I didn't buy a round and it didn't even enter into my head to buy work starting out as you are the one starting out you want to pick and choose the areas you wish to clean, and also aside from retirement or accident/ill health buying a round I would have it my mind why do they wish to sell it if they are earning good coin from it?  If you are buying **** or underpriced work, paying "x1 to x10" clean premium you are going to be pi$$ed off from day one starting out.  If you are doing everything on your terms, you get to be in full control of how you build it.
13.  Lead Generation.  I used Darren's lead generation service and built a round FAST.  Fresh leads were always there EVERY day, regular as clockwork new jobs just waiting to be sealed.  Whilst nothing in life is 100% perfect, there were messers in there, Jobs in **** areas, wouldn't sign up for GoCardless. But I picked up some real gems and lovely customers who I'm sure will be with me for years and net me in far more than the original lead cost me. 
My closure rate was about 65%, the other didn't fit around how I wanted to work.  Digital lead generation has built around 60% of my round at a cost of around £3k     
  
14. Facebook ads/boosted posts - Not without its problems and messers.  But I found uptake rate on paid for ads and boosted posts MUCH better than using local for sale boards/services. Keep trailing different photos/images and text on a x24 hour £5 boosted post/ad.  some work some don't, trail & error. 
Facebook local groups have brought me either the worst of the worst customers or also some total gems.
Use how a customer responds to your messages as a filter into what they are really like.  Avoid single mothers like the plague, worst of the worst. Bad spelling/grammar, misspelling words, txt spk. adding xxxxxxxxxx kisses to everything, calling people hun/dear, use of Instagram filters/animal ears/glasses in their pics etc   ALL red flags
When they message you a quick look of their Facebook profile you can usually judge what someone is like pretty quick. Also try to get off facebook messenger ASAP as you've closed the deal.  
15.  "learning the trade" Prior to six months ago, i had never cleaned a window in my life. Six months I am content cleaning windows on 7 bed detached £1,000,000+ houses. Darrens videos on youtube Green Pro Clean have helped me no end with the tricks of the trade. So grateful for all his content his has produced. I have learned EVERYTHING from youtube, this forum and a couple of facebook groups.  Every question has been asked before and there is an answer for it to be found.  Learn to use the search function and read read read. A mind is like a parachute it works better if it's open!
16.  "don't be afraid to travel"  Your postcode +10 miles/25 mins travel time in any direction is what I used. My first six months I have been here there and everywhere. Cleaning, quoting as an when work/queries came in.  Now, this past month I have had my first major reshuffle of work and squeezed down working x5 days out of x7 down to, x11 working days in a month to complete, an average of x13 cleans per day. What was previously random and scattered work all around this +10 miles radius of home, now it has made itself into a workable round with jobs now close to each other. 
In closing, 
My current position a few days over six months in, 148 customers, 144 on GoCardless.  
All jobs are one van-stop, all round access. 
Bringing in just under £2k a month, ALL work is priced £10 or higher. The average price per job is £13.17  (not fanatastic but im up t'north! and there are still lots of "£4 a semi" cleaners here)
To be at this position after six months I am in a pretty happy spot and pleased with my results so far. Im nobody special or talented so if I can do it I think anyone could!  I am bringing a half decent wage and still have plenty of scope to improve next year
Still lots to learn, still lots of customers to find, still lots of things to try, still have lots of neigbours doors to wrap in the new year, still have lots of new build estates to leaflet drop in 2019  

Great post as someone who also has only been going a few months this is great advice...especially the Facebook advice

Sent using the Window Cleaning Forums mobile app

 

[AJ Fry]

@NorthumberlandWindowCleanr What a great post mate. As I'm in my very early days I found this post informative and inspiring. Appreciate you taking the time to share it. Ive re-read it a few times and its jam packed with tips.

 

[P4dstar]

@NorthumberlandWindowCleanr you should get more involved on here mate. Some good solid advice there! ?