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Building a Round From Scratch

Best to see if anyone is selling a round or put an advert in local paper. Once you have a couple of dozen customers it tends to just grow especially when you have a van signed. All it takes is one customer in a scheme and you can bet your boots others will ask you.

 
Are you trad? The idea is to keep your round compact, so you're not walking or travelling too far in between jobs. So with that in mind just concentrate on one or two areas, and canvas them. Keep a note of all calls and make sure you get back to the ones not in. I used to say to people that someone along the road has asked me to do their windows and I'm just seeing if I can get enough to make it worthwhile. Of course, you would be better buying a round, but be careful if you go down that road. Don't give any money up front and insist that the person selling goes round with to every customer to let them know you are taking over. I've bought and sold rounds, and anyone genuine would not mind.

 
I initially bought my work and have built on that, mostly from referrals and walk ups. These tend to be the most solid and reliable customers. 5 or so years in and I’m still not were I want to be with still plenty of room for improvement.


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I think that's the same for all of us Dave, no one has the perfect business.  A window cleaning business is a project and it takes years of refinement. Still make mistakes now! 

In answer to @JM WINDOW CLEANING , I developed my business slowly, with an add in a local magazine and by canvassing.  Once I'd got about 50 customers, I stopped canvassing and allowed the business to grow slowly on it's own as that suited my circumstances at the time.  I would definitely say canvassing, and free online adverts (yell & google) brought it in the most work at the start.  If you do a good job, recommendations will start to flow and they now form a big part of new work.  The other thing I would add is I was willing to travel up to 20 miles to get work rather than settling for a smaller area.  As the business has grown I've only developed work in the strongest areas where it's more concentrated and dropped work on the fringes.  

 
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I started my round from nothing first few months I canvassed every 3/4 days cleaning them customers on day 5 and kept doing that for 3 months which by then I had around 100 good customers , routine every other day posts on FB and it just grew from there im not full days yet or full month but consistent 14 days on the glass and I just keep adding as it grows

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I started my round from nothing first few months I canvassed every 3/4 days cleaning them customers on day 5 and kept doing that for 3 months which by then I had around 100 good customers , routine every other day posts on FB and it just grew from there im not full days yet or full month but consistent 14 days on the glass and I just keep adding as it grows

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I wash windows for local businesses. If they can’t pay in cash/credit, then I barter. My wife and I take various couples from church out to the IHOP ( pancake house ) every week. I get a free meal for 4. I get pizzas free and gift certificates, etc. works out well and I don’t have to move furniture or climb through bushes!!!


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I started trad 20 years ago , just went canvassing myself untill I built up enough work and got a good reputation then lots of new work came from recommendations , haven’t bothered canvassing for over 15 years as reputation and web site bring in more work than we can handle Ime now wfp with two vans . I think it’s probably a lot harder to build a round now than when I started as there was only one other guy and he a bad job and was unreliable, just keep on door knocking Ime sure you will get there , it’s the cheapest way to get work and the customer gets to see you the one who will be doing the work so sell your self as a professional, be knowledgeable about your subject and look for other potential earners from your customers ie plastic cleans , emptying gutters conservatory roofs , conservatory insides ( price this very well )ask do they have friends/ family that would like a quote , be honest with them when I started I had been made redundant and Ime sure some had me do there windows beacause they felt sorry for me , as long as you get the customers and do a good job it doesn’t matter how you get the work 

 
I'm a fine example, not really looked for work since I begun two years ago but I'm a great communicator. Now have 50 customers and I have never chapped a door but that's changing. Chapping doors is the best way to build a round especially if you have a customer in the street. I am now feeling the momentum building and desperate for a new estate to begin building. I want to be the only windy in that estate which would take my a month to complete. Let you know how I get on in the summer. 

 
I started years ago when areas weren’t so saturated with cleaners and over time have built a good solid compact round. I may be wrong but I wouldn’t imagine it to be so easy these days. There’s always good work out there though especially if your willing to travel. Just make sure you incorporate any down time travelling into your prices and it shouldn’t be a problem. I’d say the larger the area you cover the more you will have to charge. I know lads that are still charging less than a fiver for small houses but are making a killing as they cover a very small area. 

 
Flyers made. 

Push bike out. 

Knocking and talking to them or dropping flyers thru. 

Non stop every bit of free time. 

Two years to get a decent round 

 

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