[craig jwc]

Hi, i,ve been putting out flyers for about a month now and am not getting much response. I've managed to get about 10 customers so far and only do this part time but am aiming to do this full time.
I have lived in the area for almost 8 years now a never seen as a w/c but now seen around 5 or 6 and found out there are more.
I have spoken to one w/c and he told me of an area he dosen't want anymore and to leaflet that area. I have done this and about 4 days later when going back noticed that the windows had been cleaned.
Wasn't to happy about this.
He also told me that i had put flyers through his customers doors and told me that his customers wouldn't go elsewhere plus i was charging about £2 more than he was. He was charging £2.50 front and back on a small bungallow.
The only thing i can think is that the w/c's charge very little around here or the customers are very loyal to there w/c's or my flyers aren't effective enough.
Any ideas what i can do now as i'm getting a bit disheartened. I could always put my prices down but like i have read on other posts why work twice as hard.
Cheers
Craig

[kkawindows]

hi craig,i had this problem the first time i started window cleanning, all i used was flyers,to tell you the truth this is where you are going wrong, i was using flyers and for every 100 i was putting out i was only getting 1 customer and the customers that wanted me was all over the place, then i found out about this website, after reading all the forums i found out you had to canvass to get better results since i started knocking doors the response rate was excellent for every 10 doors i knock on i am averaging between 1 & 2 customers obvisouly if you can find an area with no w/c your laughin, as for your prices dont put them down remember you want this to be your full time job

[Ray Pickering]

Craig.
I don't really feel qualified to advise you as i'm pretty new to w/c myself.
To sway my customers & justify my prices i told them i would give the frames & sill's a quick wipe.
The prices in my area are relatively low but i can get £4-50--
£5-00 for bugalows.
I cleaned 8 bungalows yesterday in 2 & a half hours including cleaning frames & sills & even got phone calls complimenting me on my work.
Anyway you did'nt really want to hear me go on about myself.

Like everyone on here has told me try & get decent prices, it's not the easiest of jobs especially when it's hot.

I like you put hundreds of leaflets through doors it can be a soul destroying job.

I think you need to actually knock on doors & speak to people & tell them the service your offering them, then you can justify your prices.

Most people would'nt aggree about cleaning frames & sills but to get your prices up i think it's the only way.

I do 4 detatched houses close to me they was'nt happy with the previous cleaner--he charged £6-00 i charge £7-50.

So i'm only saying this works for me!!
Hope this helps. (don't lose heart)
Ray.

[Paul Coleman]

Hi, i,ve been putting out flyers for about a month now and am not getting much response. I've managed to get about 10 customers so far and only do this part time but am aiming to do this full time.
I have lived in the area for almost 8 years now a never seen as a w/c but now seen around 5 or 6 and found out there are more.
I have spoken to one w/c and he told me of an area he dosen't want anymore and to leaflet that area. I have done this and about 4 days later when going back noticed that the windows had been cleaned.
Wasn't to happy about this.
He also told me that i had put flyers through his customers doors and told me that his customers wouldn't go elsewhere plus i was charging about £2 more than he was. He was charging £2.50 front and back on a small bungallow.
The only thing i can think is that the w/c's charge very little around here or the customers are very loyal to there w/c's or my flyers aren't effective enough.
Any ideas what i can do now as i'm getting a bit disheartened. I could always put my prices down but like i have read on other posts why work twice as hard.
Cheers
Craig

Canvassing is a better way to up the response rate.  You cover less houses but you do get a better return.
Also, on the flyers, a mistake made by a lot of people is not giving enough contact information.  A name and a mobile number are not enough.  I don't know how you do it but I give my name, business name, address, landline and mobile numbers and an email address as a point of contact.  I feel that this is important because you will be walking around these peoples houses and they need to be able to find you if their TV set goes missing (just jesting but you get my drift?).  I also make it clear that I offer a 6-weekly service, that I'm already well established (not a Summertime cowboy) and that I have public liability insurance.  On the back there is a brief outline of my T & Cs - nothing complex.  I just mention that I have a payment by post system if I clean when they are out, that I don't run an appointment system, and that the minimum charge is a tenner.  That way, it cuts out a lot of responses from potential customers who would want the sort of service that I don't offer. One in a hundred sounds about normal from leafletting.  A lot more work comes when you actually start cleaning.  At first, if it's an area where you want more work, try cleaning on Saturdays so more people see you working.

[jsm]

Hi, i,ve been putting out flyers for about a month now and am not getting much response. I've managed to get about 10 customers so far and only do this part time but am aiming to do this full time.
I have lived in the area for almost 8 years now a never seen as a w/c but now seen around 5 or 6 and found out there are more.
I have spoken to one w/c and he told me of an area he dosen't want anymore and to leaflet that area. I have done this and about 4 days later when going back noticed that the windows had been cleaned.
Wasn't to happy about this.
He also told me that i had put flyers through his customers doors and told me that his customers wouldn't go elsewhere plus i was charging about £2 more than he was. He was charging £2.50 front and back on a small bungallow.
The only thing i can think is that the w/c's charge very little around here or the customers are very loyal to there w/c's or my flyers aren't effective enough.
Any ideas what i can do now as i'm getting a bit disheartened. I could always put my prices down but like i have read on other posts why work twice as hard.
Cheers
Craig

Canvassing is a better way to up the response rate.  You cover less houses but you do get a better return.
Also, on the flyers, a mistake made by a lot of people is not giving enough contact information.  A name and a mobile number are not enough.  I don't know how you do it but I give my name, business name, address, landline and mobile numbers and an email address as a point of contact.  I feel that this is important because you will be walking around these peoples houses and they need to be able to find you if their TV set goes missing (just jesting but you get my drift?).  I also make it clear that I offer a 6-weekly service, that I'm already well established (not a Summertime cowboy) and that I have public liability insurance.  On the back there is a brief outline of my T & Cs - nothing complex.  I just mention that I have a payment by post system if I clean when they are out, that I don't run an appointment system, and that the minimum charge is a tenner.  That way, it cuts out a lot of responses from potential customers who would want the sort of service that I don't offer. One in a hundred sounds about normal from leafletting.  A lot more work comes when you actually start cleaning.  At first, if it's an area where you want more work, try cleaning on Saturdays so more people see you working.

Totally agree with shiner - after many years of having it easy with to much work living in essex to moving to wrexham starting all over again I am doing the door knocking and leaflets again 
forgot how hard it is to knock out 300 leaflets then go back and knock on the doors - must be getting old 


heres our flyer - most will have a window cleaner , but  say thank you and knock next door - keep doing this and you will over time build a nice round .
Ive only done my estate so far this week ( aprox 200 houses) and got £60 's of monthly windows and A £40 conservatorie roof clean + £ 40 carpet clean with £150 carpet clean to do next week , a £20 gutter clean - all for 3 hours dropping leaflets and 4 hours knocking on the doors in a eve - over 3 days
 Ive counted 3 window cleaners just come down my road - so don't be put off by there allready being guys cleaning round your bit --- they won't do every house .

[craig jwc]

Cheers for the replies guys.
Just come in from putting another 100 flyers out after picking the kids up from school. I'll start knocking on doors aswell and see what that brings me.
I usually clean on Saturdays but the few houses i have at the moment i'm not around long enough for anyone to see me there.
I'll keep trying and thanks again for the advice
Craig

[steve k]

Craig,
do you have a free local newspaper? Put an ad in it and you should get responces from areas where there is no window cleaner. Then go and leaflet that area after giving the person who phoned a quote and an incentive: eg) "if you can find me 5  customers, I will give you your first clean free..10 customers and you get 2 free cleans" etc...
Do you have a local radio station who has a DJ who caters for the older generation who like listening to the old dance hall classics...?? If you do, find their site on the net, these usually have email contact details...email the DJ saying you are starting out in a particular area and are looking for customers...it worked for me!!
Definately knock on doors...it is a thousand times more productive than just putting leaflets through the door...leaflets have their place, but ensure they look professional and reflect on your image.
Ask other window cleaners if they have any work they want to pass on.
Find a USP...unique selling point...that sets you apart from the rest and sell it to your potential customers: eg) cleaning frames, inside cleans, public liability insurance, landline contact number, WFP/WAHD, etc etc.
Look the part...if you are selling professionalism make sure you look professional...park the clapped out banger round the corner and walk your potential area.
Above all, keep logging in here for motivation.
Best wishes
Steve

[matt]

door knocking is the way

or if you see a W/C'er stop for a chat, some will just ignore you or tell you to P off

if you find a friendly type who is willing to help, he might offer you some of his work that he doesnt need, thi sis how i started, i paid 1 X the round, i worked it with the various people once, thus i earned half of the money, i met the customers aswell

then i cleaned them again and paid the other half

job done

[williamx]

Craig

I have noticed that you live in Devon.  If I was you I would canvass houses that are out in the country with no other houses close by, the reasons for this is you will find that not many window cleaners do these, the houses are normally quite big and you can charge between £20 to £40 per monthly clean, and they only take take about 1/2 hour to do.

I would first leaflet drop and then follow up with a personal call about 1 week later (you will find that alot of people don't read leaflets or know that they had one delivered).

[williamx]

Jsm

Your leaflet is quite impressive but I would not put my full address on it as the bad boys might read it and they will know when your not at home.

[simbo]

Hi all
I am in the same boat as Jsm, I think that you really do have to promote yourself as much as is possible eg offer upvc clean on your first cleans, just lately i have done this a lot and you are at the house for longer so people see you, i offer to either front frame cleans as well as whole house did one last week for £65  took me 2 and a half hours did a B****Y good job, looked like house had got new windows and doing neighbours this week just front bigger house £55, those 2 jobs are the same as cleaning 12 or so customers which i do not have "YET" get some help
deliver 10,000 leaflets and then you will see work trickle in nicely
remember for every 1 customer you will get , do a good job and more will def come
good good luck to all
simb0

[jsm]

Jsm

Your leaflet is quite impressive but I would not put my full address on it as the bad boys might read it and they will know when your not at home.

I find that the customers like it , also having 4 year old triplet  girls they have wrecked all our nice stuff - so not much to steal haha 

[JW2]

Hi i'm Tim (TLC)
been window cleaning 6 years now, best way to get new customers is to canvass and advertise in yellow pages/ bt phone book.
drop home made leaflets thru not homes , and if you pik up a few in one street, write down no's that aren't in and go bak, chances are there isn't a wc in the area.
dress smartly, smile, give them a card or leaflet as soon as u introduce yourself. people find it hard to say no to a friendly face. People like being sold to. NEVER undercut another wc. i ALWAYS get £50.00 in an hour or two at least. best i got is £230.00 in 1hr30mins

[s.hughes]

The way I always canvassed was to do leaflet drops. But I would then return on the doors I put them through the next night. It was easy because you then just say that you dropped a leaflet through and would they like a regular w/c.

Steveyboy

[craig jwc]

Thanks for the replies.
Been in touch with yellow pages today and sorting out an ad with them this week.
Managed to get a couple of new customers today and knocked on a few doors i put leaflets through last week. They have a w/c but said he's not been round for about 2 months. They said if he doesn't show in the next couple of weeks they will be in touch.
I hope this ad will work i'm putting in the Yellow pages plus i should be getting my magnetic signs i ordered for my car by the end of this week.
Been offered some work about 30 miles away but not sure if it worth my while travelling that far but have also been told there is an area in the town that hasn't had a w/c since christmas so i might take a look and see if i can get enough work to pay for the travelling.
Does anyone think travelling that far is worth doing, but i suppose if the work pays any work is better than none.
Craig.

[gaza]

knock ,knock, whos there?

DO YOU HAVE A WINDOW CLEANER?

REPLY:  NO                                                                                           do you mind if I gave you a quick quote? WITHOUT BREATHING HOW MANY WINDOWS DO YOU HAVE AROUND THE BACK .

LOOK UP AND START COUNTING THE SIDE WINDOWS,YOUVE ALLREADY WORKED OUT HOW MUCH THE FRONT IS.

IF THERE IS A GATE ASK HOW WOULD YOU GAIN ACCESS . HAND THEM YOUR CONTACT DETAILS.

IF THEY WONT BUDGE FROM THEIR DOORSTEP REMIND THEM THAT THEY HAVE YOUR DETAILS [NOW IN THEIR HAND]

bid them good night, good afternoon remind them if they change their minds you will call back at a time to suit themselves,

next door and the next its just a numbers game 100 houses later youve only got one nothing is ever a 100% failure

 say its a 10 squidone, youve just earned yourself 120 squid a year
GAZA

[windows_chepstow]

Craig,

Don't put your faith into the Yellow Pages or magnetic car signs; the work they'll bring is minimal.

If you need to get the work in quick; listen to Gaza (it's rare I agree with him), but his script is good.

This is the time of year prospective customers are actively looking for a window cleaner, so start knocking on those doors.

As for myself I started my round purely from posting leaflets.  I posted thousands and thousands of the buggers.  I even had my Missis and child posting them.  What I found was that it took around an hour to post 100 leaflets and from that hundred, I received ONE CALL asking for a quote.

The uptake with leaflets is very poor.  One to Two percent.  But I was lucky in a way because I had a lump sum payment to pay the bills (to a certain extent) from my previous employer (the army).

On the rare occasions I've been certain of a good response I've canvassed and the results were phenominal.  But I'm at that stage I don't need to canvass or advertise.  The work just seems to find me.

It's like the proverbial 'snowball effect'.  The bigger your operation gets, the more mouths there is singing your praises.

I do not know what your financial commitments are; but this influences the way you work and get customers.  I know you have children, so don't give up your present occupation until you're certain you have enough customers to pay the bills.

I had to do weekend security work (easy to get being ex-army) to fill the gap of not having enough customers.  It was long hours for very little pay (£6 per hour), but it came in handy at Christmas.

Dress smartly, use Gaza's script and start knocking on doors.  Don't underprice.

[geoffreyspecht]

just go knocking on doors shops houses factories anywhere thats got windows and u will get plenty of work thats the way i did it