[colin bird]

been window cleaning for five years,based in west sussex ,now looking to gain new business,ive been out canvassing but really struglling to get new work.
it seems like every where i go the windows are clean !.
is any one else experiencing the same ?
last time i did a lot of canvassing was about three years ago,and got good results,between 1-5 jobs in three hours,have things changed ?
i appreciate its a numbers game,but cant get my head around how diificult it is at this time.
posotive feed back and ideas most welcome.
does anyone know of a canvasser in west sussex ?
thanks for reading

[Michael Peterson]

if i actually speak to around a hundred peolpe i will normally get between 5-10 houses in most areas , if you go to an area which you think will be a great area, every other window cleaner before you will have also thought so

[colin bird]

thanks for the that,yes maybe i need to try a different area,if the windows look dirty and no one is home do you make a note a call back at a different time ?

[C o z y]

There's a few things wrong here mate. What's everyone having clean windows got to do with it?. It means to me that window cleaning must be important to the owner. It's the houses with minging windows that aren't bothered about window cleaning IMO. Maybe they have a windy and he's not that good. Or he's unreliable . etc etc. We ALL have the same potential custies as you.We knock the same doors and canvass the same people. The difference is our attitude. If you expect a crap result, that's what you project.

Stop expecting crap. If you're cold calling, try dropping leaflets a few days before saying you will be calling in the near future to see if they are interested, this means when you knock, all you have to say is " Hi, I'm xxxxxx, did you get our flyer about window cleaning?". It don't matter what they say, at least you've opened a door, and they expect you. Some people say "no thanks" when they are surprised by callers. Leaflets help soften them up.

Try that and anything else the guys advise on here. We ALL get this, the people with big successful rounds have just learned to handle it better than others.

Now get back out there!  

[Deangsi]

There's a few things wrong here mate. What's everyone having clean windows got to do with it?. It means to me that window cleaning must be important to the owner. It's the houses with minging windows that aren't bothered about window cleaning IMO. Maybe they have a windy and he's not that good. Or he's unreliable . etc etc. We ALL have the same potential custies as you.We knock the same doors and canvass the same people. The difference is our attitude. If you expect a crap result, that's what you project.

Stop expecting crap. If you're cold calling, try dropping leaflets a few days before saying you will be calling in the near future to see if they are interested, this means when you knock, all you have to say is " Hi, I'm xxxxxx, did you get our flyer about window cleaning?". It don't matter what they say, at least you've opened a door, and they expect you. Some people say "no thanks" when they are surprised by callers. Leaflets help soften them up.

Try that and anything else the guys advise on here. We ALL get this, the people with big successful rounds have just learned to handle it better than others.

Now get back out there!  

good post !!! if im out canvassing for 5 hours and only get £40 thats still a good result. choose your areas carefully also in good estates that have been up for years expect to get only 4-8 houses out of over 100 doors if your lucky but once you are there and have been cleaning there for a wile others will start to recognise you

[dave f]

i live in west yorkshire in a small town in the last few months ive seen end less numbers of windys just this morning at traffic lights 3 cars of widow cleaners the place is swamped its time to regulate the trade like they do in scotland with licences god knows some thing should be done its a joke .get rid of the dole brigade .ive had my round canvased a few times sinces xmas already, ive handed a few flyers to hmrc im fed up to the back teeth i know every one as wright to make a living . buy work or canvasse houses with manky windows. phew ,feel better now

[colin bird]

There's a few things wrong here mate. What's everyone having clean windows got to do with it?. It means to me that window cleaning must be important to the owner. It's the houses with minging windows that aren't bothered about window cleaning IMO. Maybe they have a windy and he's not that good. Or he's unreliable . etc etc. We ALL have the same potential custies as you.We knock the same doors and canvass the same people. The difference is our attitude. If you expect a crap result, that's what you project.

Stop expecting crap. If you're cold calling, try dropping leaflets a few days before saying you will be calling in the near future to see if they are interested, this means when you knock, all you have to say is " Hi, I'm xxxxxx, did you get our flyer about window cleaning?". It don't matter what they say, at least you've opened a door, and they expect you. Some people say "no thanks" when they are surprised by callers. Leaflets help soften them up.

Try that and anything else the guys advise on here. We ALL get this, the people with big successful rounds have just learned to handle it better than others.

Now get back out there!  

many thanks for that  !  and yes i fully agree with what your saying, a posotive approach is whats needed when canvassing,also if you dont ask you dont get ! going back out tommorow night,thanks again

[C o z y]

Good! When you get better results, I'll send you my bank and PayPal details for the advice:
 2 quid a custy please!!   

[Deangsi]

i live in west yorkshire in a small town in the last few months ive seen end less numbers of windys just this morning at traffic lights 3 cars of widow cleaners the place is swamped its time to regulate the trade like they do in scotland with licences god knows some thing should be done its a joke .get rid of the dole brigade .ive had my round canvased a few times sinces xmas already, ive handed a few flyers to hmrc im fed up to the back teeth i know every one as wright to make a living . buy work or canvasse houses with manky windows. phew ,feel better now

hey its all fair game pal and may the best men win 

[dave f]

i bet you wouldent say that when you get your van egged  like i did the other month gose to show what kind of twats are out thier

[roundbuilder]

Colin, you need to go round your whole area and make a note of the busy main roads and also roads where there isnt many houses or roads with more flats than houses on, these are by far the best canvassing patches to hit a good responce, avoid the normal built up everyday roads as they get canvassed far more than busy and roads with lots of flats/ bedsits. Im lucky as the areas i work are full of busy main roads all off the a2 and a205. I have never had the need to leaflet first as i feel it would be wasted time, if tthe potential customer want a window cleaner or arn't happy with there previous one then you will be in the right place at the right time...i get it everyday.
I canvass 3 eves a week in winter, dont be fooled by the guys on here saying to not do it after dark or in winter as they clearly havnt a clue what they are preaching and are deluded.. Winter months are the best time to canvass and pick up decent work as the summer boys pack up and also a lot less competition out canvassing in the cold!!!.

[colin bird]

Good! When you get better results, I'll send you my bank and PayPal details for the advice:
 2 quid a custy please!!   

nice one thanks again

[colin bird]

Colin, you need to go round your whole area and make a note of the busy main roads and also roads where there isnt many houses or roads with more flats than houses on, these are by far the best canvassing patches to hit a good responce, avoid the normal built up everyday roads as they get canvassed far more than busy and roads with lots of flats/ bedsits. Im lucky as the areas i work are full of busy main roads all off the a2 and a205. I have never had the need to leaflet first as i feel it would be wasted time, if tthe potential customer want a window cleaner or arn't happy with there previous one then you will be in the right place at the right time...i get it everyday.
I canvass 3 eves a week in winter, dont be fooled by the guys on here saying to not do it after dark or in winter as they clearly havnt a clue what they are preaching and are deluded.. Winter months are the best time to canvass and pick up decent work as the summer boys pack up and also a lot less competition out canvassing in the cold!!!.

thanks mick,i hear what your saying,will go and makes notes on potential canvassing area as you have said.
if no one is home and windows are dirty do you call back?

[dave the rave]

Numpty's that can not spell . That why some people can only do window cleaning

[Perfect Windows]

One comment; if you need to stay motivated, take the number of years till you retire.  Let's say it's 20 years.  Multiply that by the annual value of a customer.  So, if you're charging £12 every four weeks, that's 20x£156 = £3,120 from the customer over your time cleaning them.

It's much more motivating seeing each "yes" as a possible three thousand quid than just £12.

Vin

[G Griffin]

Numpty's that can not spell . That why some people can only do window cleaning

Grate, innit? I mean having a job to do even though wee cant spell.
Hand I can be home for Countdown every day, expect weekends when I do my dogging.
I love gardening, two.

[C o z y]

Numpty's that can not spell . That why some people can only do window cleaning

Grate, innit? I mean having a job to do even though wee cant spell.
Hand I can be home for Countdown every day, expect weekends when I do my dogging.
I love gardening, two.

  Classic!!!

[Deangsi]

Numpty's that can not spell . That why some people can only do window cleaning

I can't spell 

[gavinb]

Ar dya think oi feel arm a bluddy yam yam bay oi .

[robertphil]

are you canvassing the council estate stuff? if not i heartily recommend it ,get your prices right and you wont go far wrong on big council estates work. wear old trackies, black and gold stripe adidas works especially well -dont wear white