[Matt_Lewis]

I'm stuck!!
Had a reply of mike boxall which helped but still need help (sorry mike)
Started a business about two months ago in a partnership but i split it up as felt was restricted. As of this; the work was halved and i've several ideas including patio cleaning and bin cleaning. Has anyone out there found this successful and what sort of quotes seem popular?!?!? Any tips also on how to obtain business apart from the usual flyering. PLEASE, PLEASE HELP ME!!!!!!!! It seems the person i was working with has found luck in obtaining business.!!

[Forum Admin]

Hey Matt
Have you seen the similar topic under general cleaning: whats the best way to get new customers?
Some good advice there from woodman

[gibbouk]

cold calling with a flyer i reckon is best. i have tried just tickets through doors but never get much response. in the past 15 years i  have tried everything. next word of mouth, but as a new cleaner be careful the recomendment is not that you are cheap. practise get quick and efficent, dont over price, in my area a couple of boys went in with very high prices others followed and now i am swamped with calls because the customers now know they are paying to much. be visible when you are working get signs on your car / van £50 for a pair of magnetics. look the part, good tools, uniform, tool belt when you work, people will come to you when you look professional.

[shinnyshinner]

Hi matt_lewis when I first started I tested the water by finding an area hit out 700 leaflets waited a couple of weeks and went for it cold calling with leaflets and just sell yourself saying that as a first clean all frames will be washed down as well as windows. Also I noticed that a lot of window cleaners never cleaned bays above Conservatories make a point if you can to do these if you feel comfortable from the inside, offer to clean insides of patio doors stuff like that people will always jump if they are getting something for nothing stuff like that as long as you dont make yourself look desperate.Put across that your professional, reliable and trustworthy.
Good luck. Alan

[vistech]

on rainy days when work is not always possible i get the yellow pages and ring around commerciall properties eg 
 pubs,nursing homes, hotels etc. also if youre willing to travel further afield libraries have yellow pages from other areas
this has worked for me in past
 good luck

[AuRavelling79]

Look up thread "Cold Calling" started by Luke a few days ago

[Ian Rochester]

Matt,

The fact that your ex partner has found work is not luck, you just have to get out there and tout for it, it will not come to you.

I have always found that with window cleaning  Joe Public is lazy, you can stick adverts out everywhere you want, you can push flyers through a thousand letterboxes and I bet you will be lucky to get a dozen jobs from them.

Knocking on doors is the only way to get any real quantity of domestic work.  Pick your time for doing this, remember, most people are out during the day, go early evening or weekends, make yourself professional and provide a quality service at an affordable price and then the work will come to you from people seeing you out and about and from recommendations.

I had a woman contact me before Christmas, we do her daughters house in a different area, she wanted to know if I would do her house as well because they couldn't get a window cleaner.  I went to have a look, priced it at £12.00 and she was happy.  While I was there I knocked on a few other doors and within an hour I had 8 more houses and well over £100 of work for the lads to add to their rounds in the New Year.  I can guarantee that once people see us about and get talking, we will pick up more of them.  I put flyers in all the houses where I got no answer from (20+), not one has got back to me, yet it was obvious that they all need cleaned desperatly!!  I will go back in the New Year and try them again.