[Stoots]

Hi, i currently have a part time business as a car valeter alongside a part time employed job. but have been looking to get into window cleaning for morer regular work, the valeting i mainly get business from my website.

I have bought the basic stuff for water fed pole and had a practice, (trolley system, D.I.) and i have just recieved 5000 leaflets.

I went out this morn to post my first leaflets, i managed to put out about 100 but all the time i felt like a twat. I was nervous posting what some may consider crap through peoples letter boxes and the thought of knocking on doors made me feel a bit ill. I admit to having a history of anxiety but have always managed when i was in full time employment.

Anyway i tried to psyche myself up a few times, but got thoughts in my head of everyone saying no or not answering or already having a cleaner or even getting upset i was knocking.

In the end i got back in my car angry with myself and went home, im now annoyed at myself because i know if i dont do this i might as well just go back to employment

has anyone else struggled with canvassing and being confident with selling etc?

thanks adam

[pdale]

Most are going to say no. You have to gear yourself up for most saying no and finding the ones who will say yes or those who are a maybe. When you have booked a few jobs the confidence will start to come.

I wrote the following blog post a while ago if it's any help "Window Cleaning Canvassing ... what do you say?" http://www.solutionsforwindowcleaners.co.uk/2013/11/canvassing-what-do-you-say.html

[colley614]

You have to put it into perspective really. You posted 100 leaflets, how many people came chasing you down the garden path with a pitch fork? None? So therefore you have 0% bad experiences so far. You can't let what ifs and maybes stand in the way. You may get the odd old man coming out for a moan about junk mail. But I bet you the person who has been screaming out for a window cleaner doesn't see it as junk.

Canvassing is a little different. You will have to knock and speak to people. You'll always get the miserable idiot who wants to moan but I always asked "Well if I post leaflets I get moaned at. If I knock doors I get ear ache, how do you suggest I advertise?" The old saying on here is canvassing is a numbers game. The more you knock, the more you get. Every no is closer to the next yes.

[Oliver James]

It is nerve racking at first... It gets easier tho'. Dropping leaflets before canvassing helps a lot.

Here are some things that might make it easier.

Give yourself about 20-30 doors to warm up and get into 'The Zone'. You will need to knock on about 50 door to get one job.

Dress smartly ie. polished shoes, shirt and tie.

Set yourself targets. An experienced canvasser can generate £100 of monthly work per week (from a two or three nights a week and couple of hours at the weekend.)

A realistic target for a beginner would be £25 worth of monthly work per week by going out for a few nights and saturday and sunday morning.

Canvass between 5 and 8 pm during the week and between 10.30/11 and 12/12.30 at the weekends.

Start off with sessions that are about 60-90 minutes long.

Hope this helps and good luck.

[martinj]

Colley is right its like chucking mud at a wall throw enough and enough sticks. When i go canvassing im a bit nervous for the first few but just view it as part of the job. I used to ask if they needed a windie but thats too easy to say no to so now i say"Sorryto bother you can i give you a quote for your window cleaning" i get a lot more say yes that way but if you expect about 1 in 20 say yes for a quote i reckon thats about right. The way to look at it is like mining, the gold IS in there but you have to shift a lot of dirt to get it. If you look at it like that you know you will suceed if you put the legwork in, just tell yourself you will do an hour no matter what and see how it goes. Also if youre polite most people will be also and put yourself in their shoes it makes it easier. Youre bound to get a numptyhead or a nutter but just smile sweetly and make sure youre walking back down the path before you start laughing. And lastly i would leaflet in the day and canvass between 4 and 7 ish when people are in. Good luck

[Sean Dyer]

ive done door knocking for years.. so i suppose im biased

i really dont think theres any secret though other than smiling and being nice  - genuinely , people smell if your fake so if your not a nice person pay someone else lol

but seriously , just do it , theres only one way to get used to it and thats doing it. Oh and in all the years ive knocked doors - full time for a few years at one point , i can honestly count the bad experiences on one hand, and they were only old men and nutters , you can come across them when cleaning anyway

99.9% of people just want to know why your at the door quickly, if you smile you give yourself a few seconds to tell them, also when you say your building your window cleaning round most people understand and will be fine

most around me are scared of giving a window cleaner the job if its not his patch ! Even the customers are trained into that rubbish . You want to drop leaflets here , nothing but threatening calls , i just laugh them off , you need a bit of a thick skin to survive if you want to build your business and deal with strangers and upset window cleaners

Good Luck , but just do it ! the work wont come to you , maybe read some motivational stuff from salesmen and entrepeneurs to boost your willingness to get stuck in.

[bobplum]

You have to put it into perspective really. You posted 100 leaflets, how many people came chasing you down the garden path with a pitch fork? None? So therefore you have 0% bad experiences so far. You can't let what ifs and maybes stand in the way. You may get the odd old man coming out for a moan about junk mail. But I bet you the person who has been screaming out for a window cleaner doesn't see it as junk.

Canvassing is a little different. You will have to knock and speak to people. You'll always get the miserable idiot who wants to moan but I always asked "Well if I post leaflets I get moaned at. If I knock doors I get ear ache, how do you suggest I advertise?" The old saying on here is canvassing is a numbers game. The more you knock, the more you get. Every no is closer to the next yes.

colley i heard you had given up and went to university??

[ascjim]

Each time you get a no, the closer you get to a yes

[colley614]

You have to put it into perspective really. You posted 100 leaflets, how many people came chasing you down the garden path with a pitch fork? None? So therefore you have 0% bad experiences so far. You can't let what ifs and maybes stand in the way. You may get the odd old man coming out for a moan about junk mail. But I bet you the person who has been screaming out for a window cleaner doesn't see it as junk.

Canvassing is a little different. You will have to knock and speak to people. You'll always get the miserable idiot who wants to moan but I always asked "Well if I post leaflets I get moaned at. If I knock doors I get ear ache, how do you suggest I advertise?" The old saying on here is canvassing is a numbers game. The more you knock, the more you get. Every no is closer to the next yes.

colley i heard you had given up and went to university??

Yeah I have Bob. I finished for the summer a couple of weeks ago.

[Joseph Michael]

Hi Adam

I am relatively new to the industry and I started out by door-knocking and canvassing. It can be a bit of a pain at times, but picking up new jobs more than makes it for it. Its a great feeling when you pick up one job, then you feel even better when you pick up another 2, 3, or 4. I have had evenings when I haven't picked up a job but I have found most people to be polite and pleasant, and wish me good luck too. I feel it is the best way and you usually find that one job leads to another and so on. Keep at it, and good luck.

Joe

[dazmond]

you need to get over your fear of canvassing and leafleting mate otherwise your doomed.you ll never build a decent round unless you do.

even if you buy a round you ll have to go and meet the customers at some point and introduce yourself.

IMO you need to be easy going,approachable and friendly when your working at peoples houses.

 a strong inner drive to succeed and self motivation is essential as well.


best wishes


dazmond

[PoleKing]

On the subject of canvassing.
A mate of mine canvassed for 3 evenings over the bank holiday, first time window cleaner.
He got £800 regular monthly work in 3 nights!!!

Has anyone ever done anything near that?
I certainly haven't.
He has got a really nice manner about him but I thought £800 was incredible.

[HampshireWindowCleaning]

Sorry to say it but if you haven't got the balls to leaflet, then I doubt you will ever be able to canvass.
Maybe window cleaning isn't for you.

[8weekly]

Wait till you get a "not today thank you" when you turn up to clean.

[Paul Coleman]

Well there's a higher percentage take-up than with leaflets - but you cover less properties in the time.
I tend to think of it like this (the numbers are deliberately conservative as it's likely that you will do better than this):  Knock on forty doors, get one new customer.  New customer = 8 cleans per year at £15 so £120 per year.  So that's £120 for 40 door knocks.  So, on average, every door you knock on is worth £3 per year to you.  Obviously there will be better and worse times than that.  However, the bit where it gets good are the referrals.  Also, the more jobs you have, the more walk-ups you get.
So, knock on 20 doors on your way home from cleaning each evening and obtain work worth £60 per year.  Or just do 10 an evening - £30 per year.  Do that 3 times per week for a month and that's £360 a year.

[J.D]

I hate canvassing and I hate people canvassing at my door! If I want your service then I'll ask for it ........

[Johnny B]

Whenever I have canvassed, I always introduced myself by smiling and saying something along the lines of "Hello, my name is John, and the reason I am calling is that I am offering a window cleaning service locally, and am wondering if this is something you would be interested in."

The worst response can only be "No thank you" followed by the door shutting. Don't take it personally, and keep on trying. Every 'no' brings you closer to the next 'yes'.

In my experience, there is no need to be in fear. I believe people who don't like to knock doors don't like people knocking on theirs. A tip here is to be nice to the next person who knocks your door. They may feel apprehensive too, and like you are only trying to make a living as well. Golden rule and all that...

Best wishes,
John

[Arnold Palmer]

If knocking on doors is not for you, don't do it. You can build up a solid round without having to disturb anyone. The best thing about leaflets is customers phone you. In my opinion that sets out a more solid round.

Mick Kent will be along shortly to explain how I am an idiot and canvassing is fab.

Each to their own but, I'm with J D. I dislike cold calling in any form.

[SeanK]

Unfortunately leaflets don't work for everybody and there's as many people who
hate junk mail as much as door callers.
Certainly give leaflets a go but you need to be able to canvass if they don't work.
If I had to do it over again I would pay somebody to canvass instead of putting my money
into leaflets.
All you really need is about 40 customers spread out in a few different areas then just do a good job
and the work will come to you.

[Arnold Palmer]

I disagree.

I don't think canvassing is a necessity. Get your leaflets right, do a good job, and work should come. Other things like on line advertising and word of mouth bring customers in too.

Worst thing that'll happen with a leaflet is it goes in the bin. Very few people will be annoyed by cold calling, virtually zero people will be annoyed by a leaflet.