[Gutter]

Hi all, i rarely post on here... to be honest i dont have that much time to get on here as much as i would like?

However, during the past couple of years or so i have read many of the claims that in order to build a good round fast, then you have to canvass?

This comment is probably going to make a few of you guys curl up with laughter, but... i have never canvassed (residential ) in 12 years of trading and i strongly believe that had i done so then i would not of reached where i stand today... why?

Because
1 - in the area that i live there is virtually no lamp-post without a notice warning against cold callers
2 - the clientell i target do not take kindly to canvassers
3 - i truely believe that you can get as many clients as you need from well drawn out letters & good flyers.
4 - Everybody reads what said on the forums and gets out canvassing... it has become swamped and very hard to get quality clients following this route, clients that call you because they read your letter will very likely accept your quote, because you unlike the rest of the herd stood out showed some class and tried something different... heck i even state on all advertising that we never cold call.

it's been said that a flyer will bring in around 0.5 - 1% yet canvassing will bring in 1 - 2%
this difference is big yes... but the time spent knocking doors waiting for the likely NO,  could be spent putting leaflets through the box and doing this repeatedly all year round.

many newbies are affraid to canvass yet everyone goes on about it being the only way to build a round quickly,
yet i and many others have built a good round never having canvassed once???

carpet cleaner rarely canvass,  same for pressure washing, roof washing, domestic cleaning, ironing ETC, ETC, ETC.

it's just like commercial contracts, it seems to be taboo on here WHY?
if any of the newbies want advice about gaining commercial work or even residential please drop me a line and i will be happy to help where i can (time permitting)

No i have not got the biggest and best company by any streach of the imagination, nor do i claim to be a marketing guru,
what i am is an hard working individual who continually tries new thing things in order to learn, making many mistakes along the way... but hey the harder i try the luckier i get 

so for any newbies who still dont know where they are heading yet, my advice is get out there and do anything, dont over analyse and dont give up, there are many doing just the same as you guys are but those that take the knocks and learns will be the ones still standing (& earning) when the dust has settled.

[Sseddon]

I don't know if you are correct in everything you say, but I reckon well over 40% of the houses around here have "We do not buy at the front door" stickers out from the local police force. I seem to be doing ok with leaflets so far. It feels better to be called in rather than cold calling.

[wpclean]

I have tried leaflet drops and door knocking and in my opinion door knocking wins hands down !
People who receive the leaflets just forget to ring !  I know this because after a leaflet drop I have called back on the properties and they always say " I was going to ring but I forgot " .
Door knocking is hard but if you are thorough and persistent its the best way of quickly establishing a good round .

[David Kent @ KentKleen]

HERE HERE GUTTER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
old hat that knocking IMO.
A good leaflet does the job!!
Good advice Gutter, Newbies listen up!!

[darren clarke]

some one please put up a good flyer that works as well as knocking then?

[Klean07]

I've just had 5,000 leaflets delivered. So far I've had £300 worth of new business from them mostly regular calls but some one off gutter and facia cleans. Leaflets cost £50 to print and £100 to distribute.
So I've got my costs back plus a whole lot more.
I still reckon canvassing is best but if you don't have much time like me then leaflet.

[R W C™]

This time last year I leafleted a area from 9-6 with not one phone call, Just canvassed the same area with £519 of new work now on my books, and this area has no cold calling signs at the entrance of every road,
I had a email from a woman asking me to do her windows but this area was 25 mins away, I tried to get her another window cleaner with no luck, she said she would really like me to do them as id gone out my way to help, canvassed the area and picked up £345 of new work, now if id of leafleted the area id of been sitting around for months trying to get a days work to make it worth while....

[darren clarke]

This time last year I leafleted a area from 9-6 with not one phone call, Just canvassed the same area with £519 of new work now on my books, and this area has no cold calling signs at the entrance of every road,
I had a email from a woman asking me to do her windows but this area was 25 mins away, I tried to get her another window cleaner with no luck, she said she would really like me to do them as id gone out my way to help, canvassed the area and picked up £345 of new work, now if id of leafleted the area id of been sitting around for months trying to get a days work to make it worth while....

this is why i dont leaflet any more,  had 10000 leaflets and got more from knocking,  would rather spend my time knocking

when u say xxxx amount of new work is this per month or year

[R W C™]

The £345 work I will be doing 8 weekly and the £519 is 6 weekly reason being is becaus I didnt want to do 4 weekly as wanted all customers on the same time, didnt want to drive out there for 1 or 2 4 weeklys then back 4 weeks later to do the whole lot.

[Ian101]

We've had no wfp V trad arguments for a while ... Looks like the leaflet V door knocking posts have replaced them

IMHO opinion they both work just 1 works faster than the other personally I knock cos tried leafleting and got low numbers and as I need a round fast I door knock

[David Kent @ KentKleen]

Why not do both and see which one works for you. I know the one i prefer. But, this will be differrent to the next man. I reccomend a good leaflet.

[prestigeclean]

those that leaflet are scared to knock its as simple as that  , both RWC and me use the same canvasser and he also got me £200 plus of new work last saturday , now please carry on leafletting , when the canvasser goes round you will have warmed them up for him , newbies take notice unless you have a good bit of money in the bank and can afford to wait forever to build your round , you do need to get on the knocker regards alan

[David Kent @ KentKleen]

What sort of round can you build up in 6 months knocking? Any takers? How did you do? Leaflet only anyone?
Come on lets have ya results

[Smudgeoff Cleaning Services]

Hi all, i rarely post on here... to be honest i dont have that much time to get on here as much as i would like?

However, during the past couple of years or so i have read many of the claims that in order to build a good round fast, then you have to canvass?

This comment is probably going to make a few of you guys curl up with laughter, but... i have never canvassed (residential ) in 12 years of trading and i strongly believe that had i done so then i would not of reached where i stand today... why?

Because
1 - in the area that i live there is virtually no lamp-post without a notice warning against cold callers
2 - the clientell i target do not take kindly to canvassers
3 - i truely believe that you can get as many clients as you need from well drawn out letters & good flyers.
4 - Everybody reads what said on the forums and gets out canvassing... it has become swamped and very hard to get quality clients following this route, clients that call you because they read your letter will very likely accept your quote, because you unlike the rest of the herd stood out showed some class and tried something different... heck i even state on all advertising that we never cold call.

it's been said that a flyer will bring in around 0.5 - 1% yet canvassing will bring in 1 - 2%
this difference is big yes... but the time spent knocking doors waiting for the likely NO,  could be spent putting leaflets through the box and doing this repeatedly all year round.

many newbies are affraid to canvass yet everyone goes on about it being the only way to build a round quickly,
yet i and many others have built a good round never having canvassed once???

carpet cleaner rarely canvass,  same for pressure washing, roof washing, domestic cleaning, ironing ETC, ETC, ETC.

it's just like commercial contracts, it seems to be taboo on here WHY?
if any of the newbies want advice about gaining commercial work or even residential please drop me a line and i will be happy to help where i can (time permitting)

No i have not got the biggest and best company by any streach of the imagination, nor do i claim to be a marketing guru,
what i am is an hard working individual who continually tries new thing things in order to learn, making many mistakes along the way... but hey the harder i try the luckier i get 

so for any newbies who still dont know where they are heading yet, my advice is get out there and do anything, dont over analyse and dont give up, there are many doing just the same as you guys are but those that take the knocks and learns will be the ones still standing (& earning) when the dust has settled.



Can you send me some advice on gaining commercial contracts. smudgeoff@gmail.com

This would be most kind

Darren

[Jonathan Spencer]

those that leaflet are scared to knock its as simple as that  , both RWC and me use the same canvasser and he also got me £200 plus of new work last saturday , now please carry on leafletting , when the canvasser goes round you will have warmed them up for him , newbies take notice unless you have a good bit of money in the bank and can afford to wait forever to build your round , you do need to get on the knocker regards alan

How can you say they are scared?  Some people are not as confident and do not feel comfortable knocking on peoples doors.

[Klean07]

They also dont have the time like me. I would sooner pay someone to deliver them than door knock. Plus in a few weeks time whos going to want to knock doors when its dark at 5pm?

[Londoner]

leaflets do work and I don't think you need a fancy shiny leaflet either. Something simple from a poor but honest window cleaner is sufficient. Too good and it puts people off if anything.

However, if you only put a mobile number on it you will halve the number of responses, same with just a first name as opposed to your full name. And your address makes a lot of difference, huge in fact.

Knocking is quicker but gets more idiots and time wasters.

[Gutter]

Ok guys,  stop thinking like a window cleaner and start thinking like a business?
it's great that you got so much work from knocking compared to leafleting 12 months prior... but whats to say you wouldn't have got similar margins from leafleting again?
( remember window cleaners often jack it in come winter and never go back)

also the back-end marketing which leaflets provide is often untold, at about £50 for 5000 leaflets you can easily deliver just 1000 a week for 52 weeks a year to keep that steady stream of interest and making sure that you are the first name they think off when they eventually need a cleaner?

admittedly knocking does bring in work faster.. but having said that it also keeps window cleaners in the dark ages?  we need to be more professional, how many of us like door knockers? it brings up thoughts of travellers, double glazing and other dodgy looking characters, so why keep window cleaning amongst these dreaded few?

just because this is what we are told we have to do , does not mean that it is the only way.   the vast majority of business grow without the need to canvass... yet the vast majority of window cleaners are and always have been- one man bands, which makes you wonder as to how can this be the very best way to build a round when most are just self-employed and not actually running a business?

i really do not intend to offend anyone, but if you want a real business and not just an income then you need to stop doing the same as everyone else and start thinking like a business?  

[R.M. Window Cleaning]

Can i ask where everyone gets there flyers from and the sort of prices people are paying for them.

I have always canvassed never just flyer droped so going to give it a go.

Whats the worst that can happen

[A & J Owen Window Cleaning]

Most people want to see you - simple as that! We picked up a customer yesterday because she saw us doing the neighbour. She showed us the flyer that another window cleaner pushed through and asked if it was us - she'd kept it 'just in case' but she obviously wasn't going to bother to phone!

We had 4 window cleaners try and canvas a £12.50 clean of ours (takes hardly any time at all). Highest price was £30 - I think some people take the mick. It was only a semi and no conservatory!