[mark mann]

  hi guys

often have customers tell me about folk that will refer me too and seldom happens or cerainly not as frequent as i thought (neen going just a few months admittedley)

do you have any way of generating good referrals from your customers coz if you averaged 1 from each customer youve doubled your customer base so worth some thought.

any one got some good methods or strategies on this?

[darren clarke]

i offer free cleans for every custy they get me,,  try puting it on your flyers when u say there windows have been cleaned

[wpclean]

Offer a free clean for every new customer rccommended 

[mark mann]

do they give you a good refferal or a messer out for a bargain tho? lol - god im sounding sceptical - wonder why (oh yeah all the so called regulars that turned out tobe one offs cleaning all the poope green off thier frames - lol)

[Richard BF]

they get the free clean once their referral has paid up

[Crystal-clear]

Im not so sure about free clean its something im thinking about, but for now i like to just say "oh by the way" etc etc

Maybe this free clean thing can work thou,
oh yea , my referrals Havant been great but Havant been bad again not as many as im hoping for.

[Spruce]

Hi

Just ask each of your customers when you see them if they have any friends who are looking for a good window cleaning service. If they say they will but don't, ask them politey again the next time. It's in their interests to help you expand your round, as if you can't make a living from window cleaning then they will have to look for a new window cleaner. You don't have to offer incentives, but a quality box of biscuits/chocolates is always a good way to say thanks.
I recon that 80% of the business we have acquired in the last 5 years WFP has been with referrals. Some customers are good at it, some won't give referrals.

But the thing is that your standards of work have to be good to earn recommendations. The only down side to this is that you must expect your customer base to be very fragmented as friends are not usually next to each other.

If you get a new customer in an area of town you haven't done before, canvass a few doors either side. Remember, it's your customer's windows but it's your advertising board.

It takes time.

I am always amased at the number of people who know who I am but who I have never seen before in my life. We have 2 vans, father and son business and neither of the vans are sign written. People talk.

Spruce.

[mark mann]

Hi

Just ask each of your customers when you see them if they have any friends who are looking for a good window cleaning service. If they say they will but don't, ask them politey again the next time. It's in their interests to help you expand your round, as if you can't make a living from window cleaning then they will have to look for a new window cleaner. You don't have to offer incentives, but a quality box of buscuits/chocolates is always a good way to say thanks.
I recon that 80% of the business we have acquired in the last 5 years WFP has been with referrals. Some customers are good at it, some won't give referrals.

But the thing is that your standards of work have to be good to earn recommendations. The only down side to this is that you must expect your customer base to be very fragmented as friends are not usually next to each other.

If you get a new customer in an area of town you haven't done before, canvass a few doors either side. Remember, it's your customer's windows but it's your advertising board.

It takes time.

I am always amased at the number of people who know who I am but who I have never seen before in my life. We have 2 vans, father and son business and neither of the vans are sign written. People talk.

Spruce.

thanks spruce and all for comments -taken on board and just grind it out - ona  2-3 hours stint canvassing door knocking - i get between 0 and 3 customers and may be the odd quote which mostly never go anywhere even tho i know my prices are fair and quite reasonable

[simp]

I never do a free clean! Just knock off a few quid if you want. My custy's are always over the moon when I do that. Very often they refuse the discount, but the thought is there!

[david watts]

if ever tha does owt for nowt alluse do it for thisen
wouldnt like too meny referrals owt goes belly up you lose out twice or more;
think about it when you fall out with one all the family follows

[prestige cleaners]

what if the new customer only wants it done once?

[supernova77]

Offer a free bottle of wine for each referral - It will only cost you £5... Then add the £5 on to the initial first clean price - Everyones happy!

[prestige cleaners]

good idea andy, free pressies or discount,

i just say thanks for the referral.

someone did ask for discount once, i just laughed and pretended he was joking.

you are risking custys getting you rubbish referrals for free cleans.

[suds window service]

its the vino for us too

[Clive McDonald]

Funny you ask about this mark because this is my field and i read the reply's with interest.

Your theory side was good, doubling your customer base, and it's fairly easy to do. You just have to know how.If it were known on an open forum everyone would do it.So keep thinking and when the light bulb comes on in your head, that's it, you're pretty much king of the world.

Except of course if you ever spell it out on here.

[mikecam]

ona  2-3 hours stint canvassing door knocking - i get between 0 and 3 customers and may be the odd quote which mostly never go anywhere even tho i know my prices are fair and quite reasonable

Now there's a quandry. If you're getting quotes and they're going no where that should set an alarm bell ringing. Its ok you knowing your prices are reasonable and fair but if your potential customers don't, then your wasting your time and theirs. Try experimenting with your prices in different areas/streets /roads. You will find that if you can get a lot together its suprising how low you can go and still ahcieve a fantastic hourly rate. Try not to take to much notice of what guys tell you should be the price of a house on here, ask your potential customers what they would like to pay. If its lower than you thought maybe suggest you could do it for that price if they got a few neighbours together and they all had it done.
 I know i'd sooner pull in a close and do four houses for £9 each, rather than do one at what i thought was the 'correct price' at £14. There are no rules, you just gotta get what you can get however you get it.

[chopsie]

its the vino for us too

have you had much success with this?

[chopsie]

Funny you ask about this mark because this is my field and i read the reply's with interest.

Your theory side was good, doubling your customer base, and it's fairly easy to do. You just have to know how.If it were known on an open forum everyone would do it.So keep thinking and when the light bulb comes on in your head, that's it, you're pretty much king of the world.

Except of course if you ever spell it out on here.

go on slumps tell me how to do it?

[Clive McDonald]

If you saw it you'd know and you'd think it pretty obvious, but it took me huge effort.

[KLEENAWAY]

I do the free clean thing but i only do it if the new custy is equal or more in price than the existing custy and i only give the free clean furthur down the line when i know they will stay with me. I write it down to make sure i remember because i wouldnt want the existing custy to think i was lying

Danny