[Blackadder]

Only been cleaning since September but have a couple of weeks solid work and have been using the spare time doing add on jobs, gutters etc. had a quiet end to the week, so thought I would get back out canvassing, 4 hours, 1 customer, a bit soul destroying! Is there a knack of picking the right area, and please don't say 'look for dirty windows' lol. Got a bit sick today of hearing 'no, we have a window cleaner and he does everyone in this road....really?!

[Spruce]

Try another estate and then another. Its a numbers game - number of knocks to number in to a potential customer. If it takes 50 knocks to get a potential customer then this will motivate you to accept the no's as a yes will be along shortly.

Get a street map and record the numbers of each house you call on. If they have a window cleaner then acknowledge that but before moving on, ask his name.

What I believe you want is a list of people who have window cleaners as well as who the window cleaner is.

If in the future you hear that John has stopped cleaning etc, then you have a list of people to knock, albeit a little old.

When you clean Mrs Gibson's house, knock on the neighbours and offer your services. Ask Mrs Gibson if she knows any of her friends nearby who may also need the services of a good window cleaner.

[alfie11]

Look at it like this. Your target is one new crusty a day for the next 6mths, after the 6mths your round will be full and you will have a nice round. But for now its head up shoulders back and crack on.

good luck

[Andrew Griffiths]

Hi Mark,
Have you tried placing a couple of adverts in various village parish magazines.
We have found that these have been very productive and each magazine usually covers many of the surrounding villages in one magazine so you get good coverage.
A copy of the magazines can usually be found at the church or village shop, if not at these places just do a bit of footwork in a village promoting your work and ask a friendly villager if they might have a copy of there church/parish magazine you could have.
In the magazine is usually all the contacts you will need to place your advert and you will see if there is another cleaner already advertising but don't worry about that.
Once you are in with one villager word spreads both good and bad so be careful and do a good job.

Hope this helps.
Andrew.

[Blackadder]

Thanks for the encouraging words guys, I will take it all on board.

[SeanK]

Don't look at it as getting one customer look at it as getting a chance to prove yourself in that street/area.
Trust me there will be people watching and talking and waiting for you to prove yourself and then it will be
...excuse me I watched you clean my neighbours property and was wondering would you do mine also.

[Walter Mitty]

had a quiet end to the week, so thought I would get back out canvassing, 4 hours, 1 customer, a bit soul destroying!

Don't let it put you off.  Sometimes a canvassing session doesn't work so well.  Another time you'll pick up two per hour maybe.  There is some pot luck involved but knocking with a positive manner and at a time when people are more likely to be in helps.  No-one home?  Drop a leaflet through.  You may find enquiries trickling through in the coming weeks if you do that.

[Mick Kent]

Mod Note:  If you wish to advertise - contact admin. 

[Stoots]

I would try diff areas for an hour and ask if theres a windy about, you will eventually drop on an area.

I was scared shotless of canvassing for ages, last week i bit the bullet

first area got 1 in 2 hours, thought the same as you

next day 30 mins 4 custies on one cul de sac,  turns out theres another windy on there but only does a couple of houses, any way ive now picked up 8 on there, theres about 50 houses on this street, ive only spoke to 18 custies and got 8 so evertime im down there im gonna knock the rest till ive spoke to everyone

Just spend 30 mins or so in an area, move to another area,, once you pick up a few do it more methodically write everything down whos in whos not etc and re canvass

[SB Cleaning]

Everyone wants to be a window cleaner at the moment...that's the problem

[john stracey]

Can recommend getting Mick Kent in to canvass you up some work if you don't enjoy door knocking yourself Mick got me 16 new customers on a Saturday knock with his team a couple of weeks ago ,just cleaned them this week, and got another 5 walk ups in these new areas   

[Andrew JP]

Can recommend getting Mick Kent in to canvass you up some work if you don't enjoy door knocking yourself Mick got me 16 new customers on a Saturday knock with his team a couple of weeks ago ,just cleaned them this week, and got another 5 walk ups in these new areas   

How much does it cost to pay a canvasser ? How does it work , financially ?

[john stracey]

£250 of monthly work cost me £500 which is the going rate for canvassing

[Blackadder]

Where in kent are you. Check my link out on profile.

I'm in the Medway area but it's pretty saturated with window cleaners around here, so anywhere within a 15-20 mile radius is ok

[Ian101]

Only been cleaning since September but have a couple of weeks solid work and have been using the spare time doing add on jobs, gutters etc. had a quiet end to the week, so thought I would get back out canvassing, 4 hours, 1 customer, a bit soul destroying! Is there a knack of picking the right area, and please don't say 'look for dirty windows' lol. Got a bit sick today of hearing 'no, we have a window cleaner and he does everyone in this road....really?!

don't be offended by this ...................... but ALL OF 4 HOURS !!!!!!  AND you got 1 as well

Ive been canvassing this month done about 10 hours (2 x 4 hours on Saturdays and 2 hours mid week)  and got 3 customers which is very bad for me.

You just have to keep going .... im doing tomorrow 10.30 till 2.30 and expect to get 0 but hope to get 4 to 6 customers ... I will also be canvassing the Sat after and the Sat after and the Sat after etc etc etc for rest of year till September then from Feb to Sept 2016.

[Blackadder]

Haha, don't get me wrong Ian, that was an example, it's not the first time I've spent 4 hours for less than 1 custy, I just wondered if there is a particular knack as I'm a pleasant guy and can string a sentence together, I think closing a deal at the door is my downfall!

[Blackadder]

And of course, having a nose for the right area.

[Johnny B]

Where in kent are you. Check my link out on profile.

I'm in the Medway area but it's pretty saturated with window cleaners around here, so anywhere within a 15-20 mile radius is ok

My old run was in the Medway Towns. I only sold up just under 4 years ago, when I moved to Ireland, so I wouldn't think that things would have changed that much. Have you tried Frindsbury or Strood? If you would like some ideas on specific areas where I know there were loads of excellent customers in a compact area, let me know and I will tell you where they are.

Best wishes,
John.

[Ian101]

Haha, don't get me wrong Ian, that was an example, it's not the first time I've spent 4 hours for less than 1 custy, I just wondered if there is a particular knack as I'm a pleasant guy and can string a sentence together, I think closing a deal at the door is my downfall!

have you tried the either or close (ex car salesman here) sometimes when you've done your chat and gave price they need  little nudge to say yes ... I now always quote monthly or bimonthly and close them if they need it by saying "so do you want the monthly or every other then Mr Jones ................ alternatively if you only quote monthly you can close them by saying "Is Tuesday ok to do the first clean" look em in the eyes and shut up till they speak .. cant beat a bit of silence.

watch this clip from a great movie 7mins 56 seconds in the relevant part  

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n2wLlrfU89E

[Mick Kent]

Mod Note: If you wish to advertise, contact admin.