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First canvassing experience

D

Dolf112

So due to living situations and other life troubles I had to put off starting window cleaning until now. So yesterday I went out and the first area I hit. Most had the same window cleaner for the past 20 years and others just didnt want there windows cleaned. If they did they were aware they could use the same cleaner as Thier neighbors. 

So I changed area completely. The people I was speaking to in this area either flat out just said not interested or they had a window cleaner and didn't want to change for any reason. I found that people seem loyal to their cleaner even if they can't even contact him. 

So I ended on zero and gathered information but I suppose the question I want to ask you guys is whether you find that it's the areas that don't already have a cleaner where you are successful?

 
I'm fairly new to it all but so far it depends. You can find the odd few dotted around in these areas but when told they have a Wc repeatedly or they do everyone's on the street your probably best to leaflet it & move on.

Usually there are still areas/clumps that don't have a cleaner - maybe newish area or existing guy has retired etc. Keep your chin up chances are there will be enough houses that want you it's just how close they are

 
So due to living situations and other life troubles I had to put off starting window cleaning until now. So yesterday I went out and the first area I hit. Most had the same window cleaner for the past 20 years and others just didnt want there windows cleaned. If they did they were aware they could use the same cleaner as Thier neighbors. 
So I changed area completely. The people I was speaking to in this area either flat out just said not interested or they had a window cleaner and didn't want to change for any reason. I found that people seem loyal to their cleaner even if they can't even contact him. 
So I ended on zero and gathered information but I suppose the question I want to ask you guys is whether you find that it's the areas that don't already have a cleaner where you are successful?
I'm probably the cleaner In the type of areas you've canvassed in, I've built up in these areas for 25 + years.

On a street of say of 60 houses I would do about 50, out of the remaining 10 there would be 5 who clean there own/don't have them cleaned.( Who I always exchange pleasantries with for the long game)

And the other 5 who are bad payers or a pita and generally best avoided.

So if I'm wearing your shoes I'd hit the new estates and (maybe a bit controversial on this forum) go in a little bit lower with the prices, build up and increase down the line.

Generally speaking, when people come into the areas I work, I'll see them over a few months and then they vanish, usually because it's not worth travelling to do the "odd" house and maybe they're compacting there own rounds.

Compact is key.

You don't earn money sat in a van.

 
Just the way it is I think. Dont think I've got any houses on the same street as another. But they are not that far apart either.

Over time if you keep advertising in the same areas you will start to fill gaps, most of my work involves a 2 min drive from house to house

 
It really depends on the way you want to build your round. Typically you'll come across the 20+ year window cleaner who has a high percentage of houses in the area,but charges less. 

Or you can become the window cleaner who charges more but travels a few mins per clean. 

What I realised is I'd rather be the guy who charges more and has a bit of traveling than the guy who charges £5 and has a compact run. Dealing with more people and having to clean 20 houses to make £100. 

Typically you want to pick up a house and then try canvious around that area and get another one/two meaning you will have a good hours work with 2-3 houses.

I'v found that getting customers from facebook and then just trying to pick up more work in that Street helps. 

Where I'm from you get glass only cleaners so me charging more but cleaning windows, frames,doors and sills is how I land alot of my quotes. Although Iv only went full time and my round is about 20% complete.

 
What Gazz says is true.  You can either be really cheap and have loads of compact stuff. Or be higher and more spread out.

But if your area is like mine already saturated with cheap work that's compact then you don't have much choice other than  to be more spread out.

Dont for get a lot of the cheap compact work is from rounds that were started in 30 years ago. Its hard if not impossible le to break into that market. Prices were low especially up north during the mining strikes and have stayed low since. Its just the way it is.

 
All depends on the area were are you based. Is their brand new houses been built

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There is some estates that are like 5 years old but not any brand new ones.

Thank you all for the helpful replies. It does give me an insight into what the best way to look at things are. I don't want to be cheap. I want to be fair and do a good job. Being contactable seems to be a huge thing as I had people say they were cancelling there current window cleaner because of money issues however they hadn't caught up with him yet. Going forward I'm going to look for the dirty windows and frames first rather than just going through all the houses trying to find that one customer. Thanks again.

 
I'm well established and I'm not cheap, and my prices have increased over the years and people are happy to pay.

At the end of the day it's not just the service they are buying, it's you, and if they see a friendly, regular face and a smart van, they are happy to trust you on their property.

 
There is some estates that are like 5 years old but not any brand new ones.

Thank you all for the helpful replies. It does give me an insight into what the best way to look at things are. I don't want to be cheap. I want to be fair and do a good job. Being contactable seems to be a huge thing as I had people say they were cancelling there current window cleaner because of money issues however they hadn't caught up with him yet. Going forward I'm going to look for the dirty windows and frames first rather than just going through all the houses trying to find that one customer. Thanks again.


I dont think thats anything to do with being contactable, all my customers have my number, very rarely (can count on a few fingers) has anyone rang me to cancel. When people want to cancel they will mess you about, leaving gates locked and not pay you or respond to your requests for payment. When they want to cancel they will become awkward and hope you go away.

 
I'm well established and I'm not cheap, and my prices have increased over the years and people are happy to pay.

At the end of the day it's not just the service they are buying, it's you, and if they see a friendly, regular face and a smart van, they are happy to trust you on their property.


I'm well established and I'm not cheap, and my prices have increased over the years and people are happy to pay.

At the end of the day it's not just the service they are buying, it's you, and if they see a friendly, regular face and a smart van, they are happy to trust you on their property.
 yeah people buy people i get that. 

I dont think thats anything to do with being contactable, all my customers have my number, very rarely (can count on a few fingers) has anyone rang me to cancel. When people want to cancel they will mess you about, leaving gates locked and not pay you or respond to your requests for payment. When they want to cancel they will become awkward and hope you go away.
Another great piece of info. Now I'm aware the people who say this may just be troublesome customers.

 
You will develop the old "spidey senses" after a while where you can spot a messer at 100 paces.

When something doesnt seem right it usually isnt, a usually great customer starts being awkward its almost guaranteed they will cancel in the near future.

 
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In terms of being contactable calling cards should have a mobile number, website if you have one and a Facebook page addy all this helps and if a client is considering cancelling then a offer of switching from 4 weekly to 8 weekly is a option to offer them, Depends on the area some lads offer 5 or 6 weekly cleans. 

 
So due to living situations and other life troubles I had to put off starting window cleaning until now. So yesterday I went out and the first area I hit. Most had the same window cleaner for the past 20 years and others just didnt want there windows cleaned. If they did they were aware they could use the same cleaner as Thier neighbors. 

So I changed area completely. The people I was speaking to in this area either flat out just said not interested or they had a window cleaner and didn't want to change for any reason. I found that people seem loyal to their cleaner even if they can't even contact him. 

So I ended on zero and gathered information but I suppose the question I want to ask you guys is whether you find that it's the areas that don't already have a cleaner where you are successful?
Your experience is not new......that,s canvassing. You will get more no,s then yesses. That will be down to the area, your pricing, whether they have a window cleaner already, your system (wfp or trad) etc.

If there isn,t a windie in the area of course the odds are better in your favour, but also it is a numbers game, and not all window cleaners do the entire street or estate they are working.

Keep knocking and dropping flyers...remember if no one in they could be at work and may want a windie, and if they have your flyer on the doormat Bingo.

 
Getting a yes at the door is the first step. It's keeping then more than a few cleans that's the challenge. At least 50% will turn out to be time wasters in the first 6 months.  There's a whole list of problems to come with newly canvassed work.

Be prepared to be stressed out whilst building your round it's all part of the game 

 
One thing I sometimes do is look online at recent house sales for potential customers. I look in particular estates though to try and compact my work. Also I canvass regularly in the gaps between custys. Usually I only have to move the van once or twice a day. Even if it's a bit of a trek a new estate under construction is good as if you're quick to canvass as people move in, you can build a nice compact round with good prices fairly easily.

 
As above..i just fired out 85 letters to recently sold houses in 1 town today.

Hope to pick up 5 to 10 from this, and a couple of gutters potentially

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Thats a good return chris, i "only" got 5 customers from about 250 letters. Either im targetting the wrong area or i need to bang out lots more letters. Some good ones mind, need to get back on with this idea, i thought at the time it would be a huge success if you had the drive to stick out 1000s of them.

 

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