Having only started fairly recently, these are a few of my experiences; hope they help.
I used flyers like you, to start, but soon realised that sticking one through every door in a street was a waste of time, shoe leather and flyers.
The reason was because there was already a good W/C working that patch, and I got a low response because people tend to be loyal to their W/C and, lets face it, you're not trying "poach" his/her customers, are you?
I found it best to either shove one through alternate letter boxes or to just put flyers through those on one side of the street.
That way I covered a bigger patch with the same number of flyers, and like me, you might pick up some from people who:-
Never catch the W/C because they've not lived there long, and are always out at work.
Or those that "Don't like the chap that does round here", [it does happen, in spite of all us W/C's being the most handsome, charming, chap's, and modest too, of course!].
Or run into an area where "Our man stopped coming twelve months ago, and we've not seen him since"; I did, and got lucky.
Remember people also talk, and if one house already has a good W/C, they will often ring their relatives a few streets away who are desperately seeking one, so don't be surprised if you get enquiries fron "un-flyered" areas.
If you only get a small response, don't worry, go and get started, [on my first day, I did just 4 houses!].
My experience was also that some people will read your flyer, but not ring you up, because they want to see if you turn up, [lot's of "new" W/C's don't], when they see you cleaning, they often approach you, sometimes on the second or even the third, visit.
If you don't have too many houses to do at the start, take your time, and try to leave your ladder in sight of the neighbours, [or a bucket on top of your van/car with a scrim hanging tantalisingly over the edge!
If they need a W/C they'll often come and talk to you.
They'll usually wait until you are at the top of the ladder, in full flight, and say "Are you the Window Cleaner?", or "Hello, I'm from number 52, can you come across and do me?"
I'll leave you to work out witty riposte's, I never have!
Don't give up, I only work part-time, because I'm on a couple of small pensions, but 50% of my customers have been recruited "from the bottom of the ladder".
You'll make some smashing friends on your round, as well as loads of 'em on this forum.
Listen to what people on here tell you, they've all been "at it" a lot longer than we have, and, maybe, just maybe, they know "what's what".
I found it all to be bl**dy good advice.
Follow it and you won't go far wrong, but don't be afraid to chuck a few of your own idea's in, and let us know how you get on.
Best of luck, Baldeagle in Staffordshire.
