[mick hay]

im starting canvassing tomorrow. im totally wfp...never been in the business before!!....so any hints or tips re canvassing for customers would really be appreciated, i need to build a decent round asp.....bout £300 per week!!...any hints lads?

[Mick (UHPS)]

Hi Mick

Its our first day tomorrow as well 

Armed with 10,000 flyers, were going to try canvassing at the small shopping precincts on the local housing estates. We have been practising hard now for a few weeks but its quite a daunting feeling going live tomorrow 

good Luck 

Mick (UHPS Ltd)

[Grafters Cleaning Services]

the best tip i can give you both is

GET YOUR PRICES RGHT 1ST TIME ROUND

remember it's better to do 10 houses a day @ £9 = £90
rather than 20 houses a day @ £5 = £100

least work for better money

also when canvassing for wfp plug the safety issue
jay

[mick hay]

thanks for the advice jay...i intend to work smart with my pricing...want to earn well at this!!!         mick (uhps)   hope you get on ok....im on me own canvassing.....going straight on the knocker, need to earn as soon as poss...and yea, does seem daunting now the start is upon us..lol..let me know how you get on!!

[splodge_99]

The worst part is the worring about it  once you start its fine (well never been hit or shouted at yet  )
Pricing is key and don't just look at number of windows, access is just as important. Also as soon as you get one say to all the others I'm cleaning mr/mrs ..... at number ... tomorrow always works for me 

[simbo]

Do you two have any customers at all?
The only reason i ask is, from my own 3 months doing this part time is it takes time to build up. I have been getting only about an extra 3 -4 customers a week lately but all above £10 pound mark so am pleased. I have been unable to deliver flyers or canvass because having a job as well, "i was too knackered", so have finished job and had first day cleaning windows all day "well 6 hours anyway" 9-3 had to pick up kids, but earn't £92 pound so am well pleased. Stick to prices, just as many will say yes,as no.
Have a minimum £ 6 charge as well, I was not sure about doing this, but started and within a week got 4 2 bed new house which can all be done in under 1 hour. You will get to do a lot of one off work along the way aswell, tell all new customers that for extra £ first time you will give frames a good clean up if upvc, look real good after, I have one wed for £65 just for frames done in under half hour which is the same as 6 customers which i do not have enough of , but with jobs like thes which pay good leaves time to canvass or leaflet drop.
ps would like to go waterfed next year, when payed for my carpet cleaner
best of luck to you both simb0 at TOP2TOE

[mick hay]

hi simbo...i  only managed an 1hr cnvassing today...(single father...let down by a sitter) but was happy...got two nxt door to each other. old w/c hadnt been for weeks and used to do them for £3.50..i got them £6.50 each....so was happy that it proved a point...sometimes the price isnt everything.....they just want a good service!!..   so mick    (uhps)  how did you get on today??

[simbo]

well done mick
tried door knocking today around one of my area's nobody home, but put out some leaflets in another road on my way back and had one call already. Got 10,000 leaflets coming thurs so when not cleaning you can guess what i'll be doing .
good luck simb0
ps nice van mick(uhps) very pro, that is me by the end of year

[mick hay]

i done 2 hrs knocking tonight and got 5 customers!!!...wont make me rich....the old w/c charged £3.00  i managed to get £6   up to £7.50....had a few nos on price so think i was quoting ok

[matt2323]

pickin up about 120 pound a week in the last 4 weeks of new customers chargin min 15 pound now who says leaflets dont work................. happy days...

[mick hay]

do you just leaflet matt?.........where i was today...i couldnt get away with £15......wish i couldve!!

[mfwindowcleaner]

i started up myself last week after 7 years working for my boss........
i remembered all the old ones he dropped 3 years ago so jumped in my van and went tapping on their doors about 5 of them were out in the country and all were very glad to see me so i phoned my old boss and asked what he priced them at then added a fiver on each..... got myself £235 worth in one day (cleaned bi-monthly) so well chuffed...
also dont be afraid to ask other window cleaners.......
most have crappy houses they are glad to get rid of ........
i got 4 of another local window cleaner as he took on more and dropped the ones he gave me.....

[s.hughes]

I started by dropping leaflets througth the doore. A couple of days latter I would return and ask the householder if they were interested. It worked really well, not a nice job but it has to be done.
The one thing I didnot do was put leaflets through the doors of houses I just wouldnt want cause whats the point.
All the best

Steveyboy

[Mick (UHPS)]

Hi guys

sorry for the delay replying. :

We had an excellent week , much better than we expected. We only had 2 hours on Monday because the flyers were late . We have invested in smart workwear with our uhps logo on and it seems to be having the positive effect we were hoping for. We managed to get some business on the shops on the local precinct and put some advertising boards out while we did them. People were asking us if we were contract cleaners and would we do their houses. My Mrs and 2 daughters have dropped about 300 leaflets but the response from them has been minimal. I think we may do some follow up calls though based on steveyboy's comments .
We are struggling though with the irratic responses we are getting to our quotations, some people swoooooon because its expensive and others because its cheap . There doesn't seem to be any consistency. With the advice given earlier in the thread we have got a pricing structure and stuck with it. Its no good winning business at any price.
Thanks simb0 for the van comments we are pleased with it, it was designed and fitted by Ashleigh signs in Leeds.

@ mick hay, hope its coming together M8, not as daunting as first expected

BTW we are looking at a full wfp system from Facelift tomorrow, anybody had any experience with their gear?

Thanks for the tips

Mick (UHPS Ltd)

[simbo]

Last week was my first full time week, did better than i thought i would ,but trying not to get too excited. I was lucky that i had some good carpet work aswell and a good upvc clean, i did a lot less hours than at my job but earn't more money so its all good.
Took delivery of 10,000 flyers on thurs and am planning to put out 2500 for the next 4 weeks, this week is also good for me but need work booked for next,and so on, my other leaflet drops usually get one job per hundred leaflets, so all being well 100 jobs in four weeks. I am glad that i have carpet work aswell though as would be struggling without at the moment.
PS if someone home at a house that looks like has no cleaner will knock before leaving flyer ,maybe get an even bigger responce.
will let you know, good luck to all
simb0

[Paul Coleman]

Hi guys

sorry for the delay replying. :

<SNIP>

We are struggling though with the irratic responses we are getting to our quotations, some people swoooooon because its expensive and others because its cheap . There doesn't seem to be any consistency. With the advice given earlier in the thread we have got a pricing structure and stuck with it. Its no good winning business at any price.

<SNIP>

Mick (UHPS Ltd)

This thing about the pricing.  It has little to do with what yu are quoting and much to do with what a previous window cleaner probably charged.

[JW2]

Hi my name is Tim (TLC)
Been doing a bit of canvassing round my area to add to my round and have found the best time is tea time on, no later than about 8.30-9 tho. have made some little leaflets on my pc for not homes and have had a few calls from them.
BIG TIP.. if you pick up a few jobs in one street but a few are out take down a not at home list and call back another time. ive canvassed in the same road 4/5 times before cus a window cleaner had given up, picked up nearly the whole street.