[Viscount]

Way back when (2002) I did car sales for a bit. I was sent on a sales course which was actually fascinating. One point was that on average, there are seven points of contact with a customer who buys a car. They might walk in on the day and buy from you the first time you meet them, but they've often had 6 other contacts. TV advert, brochure, website visit, another dealer etc.

Just thinking about window cleaning, we often rely on one point of contact - leaflet or door knock, maybe being seen at the neighbour's.

I read on a totally different site for entrepreneurs that 30,000 leaflets would be best sent to 10,000 homes three times over a 6 month period (so leaflet one, 3 month wait, leaflet two, 3 month wait, leaflet 3) rather than to 30,000 homes.

Just changed my view. I was thinking of going to leaflet, wait, leaflet, canvass. I know it isn't car sales, but do you think increasing the contacts would have a big impact on leads?

[Splash & dash]

We haven’t canvasses or advertised for over 15 years but when we did I found door knocking was the best method to get customers,, flyers and leaflets were a waist of time , but as I say that was 15 years ago so things might have changed , but one common thing I still find customers say they would rather use a company that’s recommended , or used by friends or family rather than a total stranger or a flyer through the door .

[colin bird]

In my opinion which is not going to be everyone else’s opinion,regarding selling people buy from people you could be the cheapest window cleaner out there but if that potential customer doesn’t warm to you  the chances of you getting them as a customer is minimal.
When you arrive at a potential new customers house to give them a quote you only have a small window to win them over,unless you can open a conversation with them ie talk about there poop car on the drive or there  garden,where I’m coming from the best conversion rate is canvessing

[Spruce]

Way back when (2002) I did car sales for a bit. I was sent on a sales course which was actually fascinating. One point was that on average, there are seven points of contact with a customer who buys a car. They might walk in on the day and buy from you the first time you meet them, but they've often had 6 other contacts. TV advert, brochure, website visit, another dealer etc.

Just thinking about window cleaning, we often rely on one point of contact - leaflet or door knock, maybe being seen at the neighbour's.

I read on a totally different site for entrepreneurs that 30,000 leaflets would be best sent to 10,000 homes three times over a 6 month period (so leaflet one, 3 month wait, leaflet two, 3 month wait, leaflet 3) rather than to 30,000 homes.

Just changed my view. I was thinking of going to leaflet, wait, leaflet, canvass. I know it isn't car sales, but do you think increasing the contacts would have a big impact on leads?

How many leaflets does the motor trade send out now? I haven't seen one for years. The last one was a personalized letter from the local Suzuki agents wanting to trade my Suzuki Carry van in for a new Suzuki Swift. How stupid was that?

Back in 2003 Reg Vardy stopped sending mail shots out as the cost of postage didn't cover the interest they generated in sales. Back then, the enquiry rate was less than 1%. At one time it was about 4%.

It was then decided that the salesmen would go through deals made 24, 36 and 48 months previously and call them to generate interest. A salesman was also appointed to watch the workshop services each day to offer a deal to replace the car with a trade-in price already stacked up.

These days, most successful new cleaners seem to have a website and subscribe to their local town's Facebook page.

In our day, as with Splash and Dash, door knocking was the best way to canvass for new business. We also had the best return networking. We asked our existing customer base if they had any friend or family living close by who needed a trustworthy, reliable window cleaner.

[Smudger]

we last did a mass drop over 2 years ago, they are IMO - hit and miss however they are as said another point of contact  - we now do small batches in the roads we are cleaning in - the day before  - so they get leaflet then see the van - this seems to generate more than a bulk drop. - we also canvass esp, where we have roof cleaned or other big bespoke works.

recommendations the best - then door knock - Facebook and tie Tok video's produce a lot of interest too

[Spruce]

we last did a mass drop over 2 years ago, they are IMO - hit and miss however they are as said another point of contact  - we now do small batches in the roads we are cleaning in - the day before  - so they get leaflet then see the van - this seems to generate more than a bulk drop. - we also canvass esp, where we have roof cleaned or other big bespoke works.

recommendations the best - then door knock - Facebook and tie Tok video's produce a lot of interest too

If we got a single house on a street via recommendation, we also knocked and leafleted the neighbours. We ended up with a few of the neighbours, making the initial job worthwhile.

"We clean the Gibson's house at No 23 and wondered if you were looking for a good, reliable and honest window cleaner?"

Any newbie starting now has to be proactive in looking for business. They have to specifically look for business opportunities. Eat, drink and sleep window cleaning until they have a full round.

[Ascjim]

Way back when (2002) I did car sales for a bit. I was sent on a sales course which was actually fascinating. One point was that on average, there are seven points of contact with a customer who buys a car. They might walk in on the day and buy from you the first time you meet them, but they've often had 6 other contacts. TV advert, brochure, website visit, another dealer etc.

Just thinking about window cleaning, we often rely on one point of contact - leaflet or door knock, maybe being seen at the neighbour's.

I read on a totally different site for entrepreneurs that 30,000 leaflets would be best sent to 10,000 homes three times over a 6 month period (so leaflet one, 3 month wait, leaflet two, 3 month wait, leaflet 3) rather than to 30,000 homes.

Just changed my view. I was thinking of going to leaflet, wait, leaflet, canvass. I know it isn't car sales, but do you think increasing the contacts would have a big impact on leads?

I used to have a guy leafleting the sames houses every month.

[Bungle]

I've got a website but I don't get very much from it. I advertise in the parish magazine for £40 a year and that gets me a lot more work than the website. I don't do door knocking or leafleting anymore unless a customer moves out and I want to keep that house on my books. I've picked up 3 jobs this week without doing f all. Two walk ups while working in one street and one recommendation from a neighbour.