[Sapphire Window Cleaning]

Do any of you guys draw up business plans for the year ahead, then stick to it?
for the first time I produced an indepth business plan, and WILL stick to it like glue.



Matt

[lee_dewing]

Hi Matt,  these are my thoughts for this year( don't know if it's classed as businss plan)
 When the weather was bad, snow

had a lot of thinking time, basically i want to make my round more compact and also finish my website,
which i want to push indoor window cleaning which is only to be done on phone call when weather is to bad to work outdoors.

For me that is the real problem in this job, have a good day then earn next to nothing on the next day.

I'm sorry but i find it real difficult beliveing posts on guys saying they work in all weather

last few years just been cruising along.

Got plans to speed my working life up: trying fan jets, getting aqua-adaptor.

Also CLX 22 or 27 foot pole (not sure which, don't know if can remove; replace quickly sections on 27 ft)

Get 100mtr 6mm micro-bore hose to convert freedom trolley to using as van mount as much as poss.

what were your plans Matt?

I must admit i am not intrested in employing people and putting teams of guys on the road.
For me i want to earn maxium cash for the least amount of stress as possible.

[ascjim]

lol my boss makes us working woteva the weather. - 10 C to snow storm. He just sits in the office with his feet up counting his money

[Sapphire Window Cleaning]

I am planning on having 5,000 flyers dropped every other week throughout the whole year.
I would like to employ some guys and have a couple of vans on the roads by the end of the year.
Its one thing planning it but another to keep to the plan.



Matt

[DaveG]

For me i want to earn maxium cash for the least amount of stress as possible.

Lee got my business plan right there!!

[lee_dewing]

Good luck on that Matt, i'm sure it will happen for you.

I remember reading when you moved from iswich(i think) to was it coulchester or is it chelmsford (sorry)

you built a round up pretty swift

was that just leafletting or followed up by knocking?

Lee

[lee_dewing]

Lee got my business plan right there!!

H2ose

[Caleb Morley]

Here is a good link for alot of stuff that a new or small business would need to consider. There's a section in there on business plans. Here's the link:

http://www.bytestart.co.uk/

Cheers,

Caleb

[Sapphire Window Cleaning]

I am in September, I am going to work very hard so that I have staff working for me by then.





Matt

[dazmond]

i started a 5 year business plan 2 years ago and im getting there slowly but surely.


lee i dont have that much time off due to weather.the odd day here and there.i use saturdays as a catch up day quite a bit during the winter months.

WFP has improved my earning power and im a lot safer than climbing ladders all day.

[Smudger]

Hiya Matt,

i did a full biz plan for year 1 - sales, costs, average price, etc..   also what effects the biz, weather, competition etc..
then did a forcast,  well i didn't hit the ideal as laid out BUT beat our expectations.

from april we will sit down and do another forcast using past figures.  WCP is good to show how your biz is doing

Darran

[MJHolmes]

Allways use a business plan, you have to in business....without it you have no direction  where you want to go. I wouldnt listern to some on here because they only want business for the life style they lead and want to make money to cover the bills and other things....But if you want to have a successful business then i would always doo a business plan

Matt

[Clive McDonald]

keep clean

I'm a bit lazy so i don't actually have a business plan at the moment.But i have studied every  aspect as i notice you are doing.The best people tend to be those who've done it a few times. Like groundhog day every time a saphire or an ian l restarts they are just that little bit better than the time before.Yet it's human nature to think what we do can't be improved on.

A few key points for me are.

This job has only three aspects,Marketing, oprerations, and admin

what i do should be as easy a possible for the customer- frictionless

The quality of doing business with me should be easy to discern (hint your other post)

My business should compel customer referrals

I have to be cheaper than everyone else

[MJHolmes]

what are you saying???

[lee_dewing]

lee i dont have that much time off due to weather.the odd day here and there.i use saturdays as a catch up day quite a bit during the winter months.

I believe you Dazmond, i try to limit time off due to rain, and i am now doing more saturdays.

I hate losing money to the weather, i do work in light rain (drizzle) that's about it though.

W/c i worked for when i first started had been doing the job for 30 odd yrs, his take on it if the rain was hitting the panes go home or wait till it stopped!

I think i agree on that one.

[Smudger]

Dazmond -   i thought you had only caught up from the pre christmas freeze last week

Matt - i know you are looking to get to 800 custy's - other than leaflets what else do you plan ?

before starting a leaflet campaign just look at the following ...

current custy size,  how long did it take to get them ( ie... 3 yrs ) last leaflet drop yielded x number of custy's per 1,000

number of customer drop outs per year.

you need to post any biz info on here but be realistic on what you can achieve, if it's any help i can put up
some % of what has worked for us

or drop me an email

Darran

[Sapphire Window Cleaning]

Smudger I worked my leaflet drop forecast on a return of 0.5% return
Once the leaflets go out I will be door knocking the roads the leaflets have been dropped 2-3 days after the drop.
I think the return on flyers this time of the year and upto May will have a return of 1%, as most people look for window cleaners during Spring, I haven't taken into account I will get gutter cleans and conservatory roof cleans as well.
I am going to drop 5,000 flyers every other week.

I am predicting I will lose no more than 10% of my customers by the end of this year.

As well as leaflet dropping and door knocking, I am advertising in the local paper and local parish magazines, writing letters to property management companies, nursing homes, schools, local council and business networking breakfasts and luncheons.



Matt

[Smudgeoff Cleaning Services]

Good on you Matt....

I have started a business plan and will get all typed up soon, just had 5,000 flyers delivered to me so I now have to get out there and get on with it....

Hope your plan all comes together Matt I need someone like you... A real go getter..

Cheers Darren

[Smudger]

Matt - but what was the return last time - predicting a 1% is fine but you already have the answer in
previous drops.

I'm not trying to put you down, but you are looking for big numbers so you can do uni.

we currently have several different advertising campaigns on the go,  but none of these touch door knocking

with leaflet drops falling to last place - even behind being stopped in the street


for every 10 door i knock the average is as follows :    
4 no anwsers
2 no thankyou
1 do myself
1 got a w/c
2 yes please could you quote me a price  ( ratio is 1.5 regular clean the other 0.5 got to think it over )

now all the 'outs' get a leaflet + had 2k dropped - so far 1 enquiry

sometimes the easy route 'leaflet drops' is a good way to burn money when face to face 'free' door knocking
can be better - a lot of people respond better to face to face than just 'another' leaflet.

also the gutter work is a one hit wonder - not regular income like a window clean.

Darran

[Sapphire Window Cleaning]

The last time I dropped in that area I was acheiving 1% return and some smaller areas were returning 2%

Essex on the other hand was between 0.005% and 1%
given the fact we paid for 10,000 flyers to be dropped and were certain they were not messed up the over all average.




Matt