[Davew]

Iv'e been cleaning part time since February and to be honest I had far too much work. I ended up with about a hundred and thirty customers. Now I've gone full time I don't have anywhere near enough and now have to canvas like mad again. Some days a couple of new ones come in and everything is looking rosey. Then today I have two small jobs only and everybody seems to be at work. Frustrating trade sometimes!

[simon knight]

130 customers in 4 months ain't too shabby mate!

Park your car/van in a likely area with ladders/wfp and go knocking.

"Can I clean your windows madam?" (Or whatever your sales pitch is)

"Yes please, when can you do them?"

"I can do them now if you like or when I'm next in the area."

Sort of combining work with canvassing.

Good Luck

[Davew]

Thanks, i've tried loads of areas but they either look spotless or everyone works. Think the weekend might be a better time to knock. I'm wasting too much fuel. Funny thing is most of my work is right on my doorstep within a mile or two.

[Jeff Brimble]

When you get to 250 you may have enough. Ask all your current customers for 2 referals each.

[Davew]

I've found a lane about ten miles away with several dirty houses and one referral. Problem is I don't want to canvas and maybe only get two - just not worth it.

[simon knight]

Beware the weekend canvassing!

Sure you'll find far more people at home but what's the good when that's the only time they are there because of work?

Dirty windows don't always mean they want a w/c...it usually means they're pikeys and don't care!

Another thing might be to take a whole week off and just devote it to building up your customer base...bit of pain for potentially lots of gain!

[Davew]

omg don't depress me even more!

[Luke Johnson]

Hey, a gypsie sold me and my dad our pressure washer, I would have paid 500-600 quid for it but he did it for 120, all legit and boxed, its been 3 months and its still going strong, I've had it on for 3 hours non stop once!!!

[simon knight]

Hey, a gypsie sold me and my dad our pressure washer, I would have paid 500-600 quid for it but he did it for 120, all legit and boxed, its been 3 months and its still going strong, I've had it on for 3 hours non stop once!!!

500-600 quids worth of gear for 120 and it's legit?...mmmm!

[brightnclean]

Hey, a gypsie sold me and my dad our pressure washer, I would have paid 500-600 quid for it but he did it for 120, all legit and boxed.

OMG I haven't laffed so much in ages!!!      

[TERRY AB]

Just a thought about how to get new customers.
I let my customers know that if they can get me a neighbour, friend
then IŽll give them a clean for free; in one street I do i picked up
over 6 houses thru one very active customer!. Shes had her windows done for
almost 6 months free, but now I have a good round there.
Cheaper than using a Door Knocker Company.
Works for me.

[pylofm]

Woodley how have you gone about with regard to not being had over..i.e customer gives name of freinf you clean the friends and then they cancel...yet you have still done a free clean for the original customer..

Cheers
Dave.

[geefree]

Hey, a gypsie sold me and my dad our pressure washer, I would have paid 500-600 quid for it but he did it for 120, all legit and boxed.


... is this off topic or am i missing something here....

referrals and word of mouth are gold compared to thompson local ads and the like.... i believe.

[Clive McDonald]

About Luke's staying on topic. The bit you are missing;
Dirty windows don't always mean they want a w/c...it usually means they're pikeys and don't care!

Pikey is sometimes used as another term for gypsy, but it is considered racist.

[Trevor Knight]

Thanks, i've tried loads of areas but they either look spotless or everyone works. Think the weekend might be a better time to knock. I'm wasting too much fuel. Funny thing is most of my work is right on my doorstep within a mile or two.

Rule no 1: Never assume anything, just because they are clean doesn't mean they have a window cleaner, they may have had to do the windows themselves as they can't find a window cleaner! They may have had them cleaned but are really unhappy with the current window cleaner and are looking to change?

Always look at the top windows and never the bottom windows as you approach a house as these are the ones they can't generally clean. The householder can easily whip round with a cloth for the downstairs.

Always knock and if they have a window cleaner politely leave your card and walk away (never try to poach or undercut), you may get a call in 6 months when you least expect it as their existing window cleaner has packed in or they aren't happy with him.

Always leave a card as sometimes they will refere you to a friend despite already having a window cleaner.

Put it this way, if you don't ask, you don't know and more to the point, they don't know about you!