[windowswashed]

There is a Guy around our way offering free window cleaning to promote new business. He's offering free window cleaning, free fascia, soffit, gutter cleaning and emptying on facebook. He's stating that for every 2 recommendations from customers he's promising free gutter cleaning and emptying once a year for free for life, that's some impressive guarantee to make.

I wonder what happens when the recommendations disappear, will he still be liable or expected to gutter clean once a year for life lol.

I think he must be absolutely nuts.

Facebook users local to where i live and even the dole brigade will jump at the chance of a freebie clean of anything and everything and disappear or make all the excuses under the sun to cancel  after only a few months.

I wouldn't touch facebook advertising even for free advertising as it just attracts all the customers other window cleaners don't want, ever!

Taken me a while to build up good customers and remain loyal but fair with them and only pick up work on referals. I would not advertise for pita customers.

Just wondering if there are other idiots giving away free cleans to promote their business around other parts of the country in these challenging covid times?  Welcome other peoples views 

[KS Cleaning]

I don’t advertise my services on Facebook either. Even our residents page on Facebook is full of people wanting jobs done for sweetie money, best one was a guy looking for recommendations fir a window cleaner to clean his upstairs windows as he can reach the downstairs ones. A few of my customers recommended me! I nipped it in the bud by replying, you don’t go to the hairdressers and ask them to only cut the back because you can reach the front do you?

[Splash & dash]

Sounds like a recipe for going bankrupt very quickly 😂😂😂

[chris turner]

I was stupid enough to do something similar when I first started. Free gutter cleaning for life if a customer got me 5 new customers. After the first "free" gutter clear I realised the error of my ways and quickly put a stop to it. Luckily most of my original customers didn't actually use the freebie except one old guy who made me do it every year like clockwork.
Is it wrong to say I was a little relieved when he died a couple of years ago??

[chris turner]

I don’t advertise my services on Facebook either. Even our residents page on Facebook is full of people wanting jobs done for sweetie money, best one was a guy looking for recommendations fir a window cleaner to clean his upstairs windows as he can reach the downstairs ones. A few of my customers recommended me! I nipped it in the bud by replying, you don’t go to the hairdressers and ask them to only cut the back because you can reach the front do you?

Actually I do!
Since the pandemic iv got pretty good at cutting my own hair but struggle with the back. Got my little boys hair cut when the barbers opened recently and got them to tidy up the back of mine as well!

[dazmond]

a few years ago a window cleaning company near me fly posted all the lamp posts and telegraph poles with "FREE FIRST CLEAN" IF THEY SIGNED UP TO 10 CLEANS......

personally ive never done a free first clean  in 28 years of window cleaning

[zesty]

Extremely bad idea, and a massive school boy error! Choosing the most annoying type of cleaning to give for free? Madness!

I suppose you can’t teach experience.

[Richard iSparkle]

It’s just a naive thing to do

Not business like and not professional so doesn’t give a good impression to prospective customers

I’ve always found the more we charge the better quality customers we get...

And when you offer silly offers you get a loads of the worst quality customers

[james peters]

I don’t advertise my services on Facebook either. Even our residents page on Facebook is full of people wanting jobs done for sweetie money, best one was a guy looking for recommendations fir a window cleaner to clean his upstairs windows as he can reach the downstairs ones. A few of my customers recommended me! I nipped it in the bud by replying, you don’t go to the hairdressers and ask them to only cut the back because you can reach the front do you?

I have had this . someone on fb looking for a window cleaner, and some one recommends me .
It drives me nuts , because more often than not, the are looking for a cheap "one off "

I have had the same thing on the site "nextdoor " however these can actually turn into customers

[deeege]

a few years ago a window cleaning company near me fly posted all the lamp posts and telegraph poles with "FREE FIRST CLEAN" IF THEY SIGNED UP TO 10 CLEANS......

personally ive never done a free first clean  in 28 years of window cleaning

There’s still a guy driving around our area with “Free First Clean Offer” in large letters on the bonnet of his van 😂😂 what a plonker. It could even be the same guy.

[Richard Groves]

I left our local FB group. I never advertised my business on it but just found the whole thing so toxic and full of nimby snowflakes. People were always asking for trade recommendations on there followed by " that doesn't charge the earth". Alarm bells rang straight away for me. Decided I'd leave social media well alone, it would be no good for my business. My work comes from solid well established customers recommendations and walk ups. Years ago I offered 50% off next clean for successful recommendations. Worked to a degree but get them now even without it. Being out and seen working is the best advertisement. Sign written van, a pocketful of cards and a friendly persona.

[Always shining]

That last post sums it up perfectly 👍👍👍

[robbo333]

I don't understand people who offer a service based on gimmicks or a cheap price. You end up with customers who want a service based on a gimmick or a cheap price!

Offer a service based on a high level of quality and professionalism and you end up with customers who are prepared to pay for that level of service.

I think it's a mindset thing!

[dazmond]

a few years ago a window cleaning company near me fly posted all the lamp posts and telegraph poles with "FREE FIRST CLEAN" IF THEY SIGNED UP TO 10 CLEANS......

personally ive never done a free first clean  in 28 years of window cleaning

There’s still a guy driving around our area with “Free First Clean Offer” in large letters on the bonnet of his van 😂😂 what a plonker. It could even be the same guy.

This is a well known window cleaning company that works the same area as me..theyve been going for 20 years but wanted more work in the area....ironically enough I've picked up a fair amount of work off them over the years because of shoddy work and their staff having a bad attitude

[Phil J]

Our local FB warrior's offering to clean all the pubs in and around town for free for 3 months, then after the initial free period, it's up to them if they want to stay with him or revert to their usual shiner. We clean 5 pubs in the area so how do I compete!

[windowswashed]

Our local FB warrior's offering to clean all the pubs in and around town for free for 3 months, then after the initial free period, it's up to them if they want to stay with him or revert to their usual shiner. We clean 5 pubs in the area so how do I compete!

Wait until winter and picked them back up when the freebie brigade run out of money and sign back on the dole 

[NWH]

I don’t advertise my services on Facebook either. Even our residents page on Facebook is full of people wanting jobs done for sweetie money, best one was a guy looking for recommendations fir a window cleaner to clean his upstairs windows as he can reach the downstairs ones. A few of my customers recommended me! I nipped it in the bud by replying, you don’t go to the hairdressers and ask them to only cut the back because you can reach the front do you?

No but you ask for just the back and sides don’t you lol,just leave the front love 🤣🤣

[Richard iSparkle]

Our local FB warrior's offering to clean all the pubs in and around town for free for 3 months, then after the initial free period, it's up to them if they want to stay with him or revert to their usual shiner. We clean 5 pubs in the area so how do I compete!

you dont need to compete with this type of thing

let him run about cleaning pubs for free and see how that goes for him.

in the mean time you keep doing paid work.

the type of clients who want FREE work aren't the going to be a good customer base for him. if all they are choosing him on is price

[Phil J]

It does put you on edge though, knowing how commercial work goes when it comes to pricing.

[Richard iSparkle]

It does put you on edge though, knowing how commercial work goes when it comes to pricing.

I know what you mean but that’s just anxiety talking

We have plenty of commercial clients that pay us very well

He’ll just collect all the ones who want something for nothing, and lose them all again shortly after he starts charging