[colley614]

Hi Guys,

I'm stuck at home today and was wondering whats the best thing I can do to find new work. I've called a few local stores and they don't even seem interested in answering the telephone never mind talking tome. I just wondered if anyone has any ideas of what sort of people I can call to go a bit of canvassing over the phone. Whats the best type of people to contact?

[Trevor Knight]

Pick up the phone, call them and just say, we are a local window cleaning company, the reason for the call is to enquire if you would be interested in getting a quote for your windows to be cleaned? yes/no - if yes book a time and date if no thank them for their time and call the next person. If answer machine just leave a message asking if they are interested in a free quotation to call your number?

[colley614]

Thanks mate,

Just being doing it all day. Tried some high street retail, office blocks and hotels and stuff and also a few facilities management teams. No of which sounded like they wanted to talk to anyone and were no help at all. Bit annoying really trying to be as polite as possible and then people basically saying things that may as well be " I can't be bothered talking to anyone today." I've even asked if I could contact at a future date and they have " But we have a window cleaner."  Surely they could be more help than that.

[colley614]

Sorry for moaning about it but it really gets to me spending hours trying to find new work and not being able to sort anything basically because people can't be bothered doing anything they don't have to. Bet when the contract runs out they panick and get on the phone to the biggest picture in the phone book or something.

[Trevor Knight]

phone calls are mostly more aceptable for domestic houses, letters then phone calls following up your letter for businesses.

The APWC will be doing a Buinsess Development workshop in the near future covering the 10 most effective ways to increase your business, may be worth having a look at?

[colley614]

Yeah that sounds a really good idea!

I found since starting that I have problems getting commercial work but then once through the door they are easier to satisfy than domestic. I've only been water fed a week or 2 and already from my domestic I've heard "Oh not that daft stick with water coming out the top."

[gsw]

has anyone ever tried carding/leafletting cars in a supermarket carpark.... i figured you could hit a lot of potential customers with little legwork, do you think it would work?

[russ_clark]

Only prob with that gsw
Is that you cannot control where the customers houses are.
So they may not be on your patch
You will be amazed how many people will drive to a supermarket
further away than their local one to save tuppence on their frozen peas.

Wish my missus did 

[colley614]

From past canvassing I would have to say a leaflet is a leaflet and is not going to attract much attention weather put through a letterbox or under a windscreen wiper. Thats just my personal opinion though. What works for one may not for another. For example my friend spent a bit of time doing some telephone canvassing and quoted on £140k worth of work. I tried about 2 dozen companies today and didn't get one quote to do.

[gsw]

blimey i would pay your mate to get on the phone for you how much of the 140k did he get?

[colley614]

well 3 months ago he was a sole trader now he is limited with 8 staff!

[gsw]

in that case i would say that your friend has been extremely fortunate. In my experience to gain the go ahead on commercial work has taken anything from 3 months to ten months before i have been able to start cleaning so if he has managed to canvass the work, quote it , win it and expand from sole trader to ltd with 8 staff in just 3 months we could all learn from him.

thats why well priced domestic is good business, canvass, quote, win it, start it, all in the same week! in my opinion.
get paid (most of the time ) before next clean, not 30 60 or 90 days!!! or having 4/5 invoices outstanding where the company owes you an arm and a leg!

[colley614]

To be fair the guy was a manager at some cleaning firm before he went on his own
I know a lot of people with read this post and think " This guy is talking through his ***" But I am telling the truth. Most of it is offices and things and he does sub of quite a few cleaning firms but I wish I was in his shoes.

[dave0123]

so do i  whats the name of the company fella?

[colley614]

Adapt. He advertises as facilities management but only cleans windows and cleans carpets.

[Rogue Trader]

has anyone ever tried carding/leafletting cars in a supermarket carpark.... i figured you could hit a lot of potential customers with little legwork, do you think it would work?

i put 400 leaflets on cars in supermarket car parks and only got one job and that was from a woman who i stopped and asked as she was walking to her car ..... the hit rate of knocking on doors and leafletting if noone is in is easily the best way ...... i have often thought that standing outside supermarkets and stopping shoppers/mums after school would be a good thing but i have never done it .... always given myself an excuse and door knocked instead

[Trevor Knight]

I am not sure if this is nationwide but a comapny near to me did leaflets on cars in all our major carparks. Because the owners of vehicles discarded the leaflets generally on the floor the company in question was ordered by the council to collect the leaflets that had been discarded or face a fine for littering.

May be worth checking with your local authority before putting yourself into that situation?