[geefree]

hi everyone.
am sure you used to me now,
i am dropping 2,to 3 hundred leaflets per day and door knocking at nights.... its bloody hard work when nothing happens,
i have a background in sales..even canvassing... yet still nothing.....
im polite and persistent yet not not overpowering, yet something is wrong !
so my point here is , to all newbies same as me... are we being laughed at by all the pros ?
do they know how hard it is and think .. go ahead sucker because you wont succeed.....
i think to myself.. oh the advice here is fantastic...then i think .. hang on a mo.... i ask for a trip out in my local area.... suddenly it all goes quiet.... so come on guys if you really want to help.. then please help.... or is it that the real way to do it is to buy buy buy..?? then build!

because it seems to me that the newbies here try and build what they can.... then the real big boys snap up the bargains.. in other words ..when the newbie gives in through sheer exhaustion and pittance of a wage.. they have to sell !... so the big boys get bigger.... ..you may say i could be in an area saturated.... but i will tell you like i see it..... and that is ..the help is in abundance until you hit a brick wall.........then its a massive stop sign. !

that is my massive whinge for the day. thanks for reading.

gary.

[macc]

Hi Gary.

Sometimes i go out & dont get a sniff, like you i go home kicking myself. Another day i will pick up a few in no time. Try canvassing a bit out of town or off estates, they are usually the best to start as every one hits estates.

Macc

[geefree]

thanks macc,
guess am feeling a little ped off at the mo.
 i do know that canvassisng can be totally demoralising and that i may be just having a bad day syndrome...
thanks for your uplift, i appreciate it.

gary.

[supernova77]

Gary,

I only started in January 2006, and I also started from scratch. It was VERY hard work building a round. I doubt anyone on here has ever told you it would be easy?

You have to keep canvassing and canvassing and canvassing... Knock on every door, don't just put leaflets through.

The people you talk to... Do they already have a window cleaner, or are you quoting them and then they say no?

As I said I started building a round in January and its only now that I'm earning a "livable" wage... I still need to double what I have now to be comfotable really, and I plan to do that by the end of this year.

Andy

[captain lard]

I started in March and so far have found its hit and miss a lot of the time,hate knocking on doors but personally have found it works better than just popping in leaflets and hoping for a call.Once I get into a street and actually begin cleaning I pick up more jobs as people catch me but it is slow to accrue.
This week I need to go knocking again.Have found that some people who originally said no eventually ask,not all but a few.So yes it is hard work but I think there is no way of avoiding it when you are starting out.

[geefree]

thanks cap

yes i do suppose i may be having a dark day due to trying to start up
i do think in all honesty that this site is invaluable but i just feel am banging my head sometimes
thanks for your uplift guys..... shows that i am wrong about all the help you offer

gary.

[jinky230]

gary most of the guys on here have a good few years under their belt
and back then there was plenty of work about, now their is a lot more window cleaners about and the areas have become more scarce.

you need to plan your canvassing look at new areas growing up in areas around you . the details you will find in the papers of builders advertising new estates.

aproach the show house and offer to do their windows for free, for the length of the time of the site.The sales reps will give you the info first of when new customers are moving in, this way you are first on the door.Again the new customers will not want to be hassled by you as they are moving in, so give them the first clean free, they will tell you to go ahead, as no one can refuse a free meal,  leave your business card with them and tell them you will come in a regular basis.This way you will get most of the site and a very compact round

remeber you are only doing the first clean free, you will benifit from then on

the site manager will be more than happy to allow you to do the show house as he is getting it free as well, and will probably call you when they move onto a new estate.When you have enough you can stop this process

hope this helps- a slow process but one that works

jinky

[macc]

thanks macc,
guess am feeling a little ped off at the mo.
 i do know that canvassisng can be totally demoralising and that i may be just having a bad day syndrome...
thanks for your uplift, i appreciate it.

gary.

No prob Gary. Another good tip i got years ago canvass where your working, if you have cleaned a house & you have a spare half an hour, canvass round that house. A familar face & them knowing your already working in the street can bring results.

Macc

[mark dew]

in other words ..when the newbie gives in through sheer exhaustion and pittance of a wage.. they have to sell

It won't happen if you don't underprice.

Try a parish magazine or village shop windows.
There's more money in the countryside so you won't need 100s of jobs to earn a liveable wage. Go for quality (larger) houses.
It takes some time but it will come in the end if you just hang in there.
chin up

mark

[geefree]

jinky and macc.

do you know after a hard day and evening of canvassing..... with one call back........

you two are so uplifting and positive ..thats what i needed tonight. thank you both very much

i do know its hard, i always did... but not this hard lol. 
i wont give up with guys like you in the background

thank you.
Gary.

[geefree]

cheers mark

 thats another good idea and suggestion

 god! i seem to have got my ideas wrong bout you good guys eh ? lol
 i wont give up.
 just a bad day ....or two!! at the office eh

[geefree]

andy.
thanks for your post mate too. its good to know you are here.
gary.

[Trevor Knight]

.... i ask for a trip out in my local area.... suddenly it all goes quiet.... so come on guys if you really want to help.. then please help.... or is it that the real way to do it is to buy buy buy..?? then build!
gary.

Hi Gary,

Firstly, canvassing is a really hard job and one that is sometimes rewarding and sometimes not, but think like this, you reap what you sow. If you put out hundreds of leaflets and ask enough people eventually you will see a return from your hard work. It may be later on down the line, but it will come.

I still get calls from people who have had my card for 12 months or more!!!

If you want a day out post a new thread asking exactly for this. I would be really dissapointed if no one offered as pretty much everyone on here is keen to help each other.

Keep going at it, don't get dissheartened and look forward to tomorrow!!

Best wishes,

Trev

[paul mather]

I notice you have a background in sales. If I was you I would forget everything I ever learned in that industry. When it comes to WCing people prefer somebody they can trust & not someone who has a slick presentation.

Most sales training is based on getting that sale & then moving on to your next victim. It's not the same with canvassing for WCing work. Maybe dumb down your presentation a bit, focus on the fact you live locally & that this is not going to be a temporary thing until you find a proper job.

I have found the most important thing is to be reliable. Most customers will forgive the odd mark on their windows or the fact that you maybe a little dearer than the last one. Sadly you can't prove to them as yet that you are going to be reliable, but try & stress to them this is what you do , it's not just a sideline, you're there for the long haul.

It will come but it does take time.

Hope this helps.

[Paul Coleman]

hi everyone.
am sure you used to me now,
i am dropping 2,to 3 hundred leaflets per day and door knocking at nights.... its bloody hard work when nothing happens,
i have a background in sales..even canvassing... yet still nothing.....
im polite and persistent yet not not overpowering, yet something is wrong !
so my point here is , to all newbies same as me... are we being laughed at by all the pros ?
do they know how hard it is and think .. go ahead sucker because you wont succeed.....
i think to myself.. oh the advice here is fantastic...then i think .. hang on a mo.... i ask for a trip out in my local area.... suddenly it all goes quiet.... so come on guys if you really want to help.. then please help.... or is it that the real way to do it is to buy buy buy..?? then build!

because it seems to me that the newbies here try and build what they can.... then the real big boys snap up the bargains.. in other words ..when the newbie gives in through sheer exhaustion and pittance of a wage.. they have to sell !... so the big boys get bigger.... ..you may say i could be in an area saturated.... but i will tell you like i see it..... and that is ..the help is in abundance until you hit a brick wall.........then its a massive stop sign. !

that is my massive whinge for the day. thanks for reading.

gary.

As others have said, dorknocking is far more effective than leafletting only.  What you will find is that you may get a toehold in an area then, months (perhaos even years) later, you will suddenly get an influx of work from the area as someone else quits.  Sometimes people will need to see you around for a while before they trust you enough.  The sure thing is that, once you have been doing it a while, it will become self perpetuating.  It took two years before I considered that I had a full workload.  However, after six months or so, I eased up on the canvassing and allowed things to just happen.  There were times when the work came in just as fast as if I had been canvassing.

[ronaldo]

Gaz, you could also try the rural areas and farms i do loads out in the sticks as they could never get a wc before and you always get top class rates.

[Sarah Sarill]

Gaz,

Dont get dis-heartened.  Having a background in sales you should be prepared for this type of knockback 

IMO you can be the best cold-caller(that is what you are actually doing here) but if your approach or prospect base is not right then it is harder to succeed.

I also have an extensive background in sales and Marketing and have found out that w/c is unlike any other industry to canvass (close to Double Glazing though).

W/c is not a glamorous item to  spend money on and consequently is not bought with the heart unlike a new bag or dress !!) so you have to target your prospects carefully for maximum results.

Click on this link to get views from other old and current members on this subject and make your own mind up.

http://www.cleanitup.co.uk/smf/index.php?topic=15281.0

KEEP GOING THOUGH  - it will happen if you are persistent

[DASERVICES]

  One thing that I have found leaflets hardly work, so I use Business cards
  now, even after 4 mnths people have rung me up.

   Leaflets will tend to get chucked in the bin without the house holder reading
   them. How many times have you come home seen the post on the floor, seen
   the leaflets and just screwed them up without looking at them.

   Another point drop the cards after 5.00pm, people tend to read them then.

   I did a test many moons ago, dropped 100 leaflets no answer. Three months
   later put my business card through and got 5 calls.

   Just my findings.

   Doug

[Moderator David@stives]

Gazza

I have been saying for years that door knocking isnt very good.

The best way to do it is to buy a round annd build on it, i know  a few here will disagree but they are a rare breed, i did the door knocking once , one job in 6 hours and then i underquoted it.

Dave

[julianbiggs]

I've only been going just over a year and found that word of mouth from my customers has got me 90% of my work. I had 2000 flyers made when i started and i've still got 1800 in my loft.  Once i'd got a customer i ensured i did a really good clean including sills and frames....spoke to them professionally, had really good business cards made, they were pleased and i asked them to recommend me to one or two friends or neighbours, it was as simple as that. I now have a full round. Make sure your business card has your full name, address and landline, mobile and email address. People are far more trusting if they know everything about where you're from. A few other people have mentioned but this is a really important point. DON'T UNDERQUOTE JUST TO GET WORK. You will regret it in a couple of months. If you're more expensive than their last window cleaner explain to them that you are conscientious, hard working, never leave a mess, will turn up every month, polite etc, etc,etc. that is why you are a little bit more than the last guy was.

[macleod]

g,

when i went door knockin' in my local area i had people say no thanks, these same people then said to my missus that they needed a window cleaner!

when my missus said it was her old man that knocked on their door a few days previous they said the reason they said no was:

1 - they were busy when i knocked (kids screaming/getting dinner ready etc)
2 - wanted to ask their 'other' half first
3 - didnt think they could afford it - so said no

what i am saying is i am sure that a lot of people that you have called on, do actually want a w/c, so you need to go back and ask again!

give then options too, fronts only, conservatory only, etc etc

takes time - but at least youre trying!

mac

[steve m]

firstly  show houses. Always cleaned by the company that has the contract to clean the show house and they will also do the builders cleans. the company I do builders cleans for leave a small bunch of flowers on the kitchen work top wishing the new occupents of the house well with a message saying if they need somestic or window cleaners ring the number below

[Helen]

this time of year will be slow, holidays, kids home from school etc etc. keep on going though, make a note of where you have leafleted and canvassed, go back and have another go in 6 weeks time. Have never door knocked for business. If you leave leaflets/cards etc and people call you, it is more likely that they really want your service and are not just being polite on the doorstep! Once you get one in an area, and they are happy,just ask them politely would they mind recommending you and possibly would they mind giving referral names of neighbours etc.  You can offer them an incentive for this, but as someone one has already mentioned, this sort of business gaining does not sseem to go down well in this industry. As for any hard sales....forget it, domestic customers want approachable wc's not ones, who appear to want to take all their money!! Happy hunting, if you work hatd at it, it will come right - honest

[paul mather]

Window cleaning to quote Greavsie is "A funny old game". At the moment Gazza you probably wonder where you work is gonna come from, but gradually it will come in. It probably won't come in at the speed you would like it though, & the harder you try the less success you will appear to have.

Somebody advised you to go for big houses as you can charge a lot more. That's not strictly true. I have often said I would much rather have 4 or 5 smaller houses than one big one, I reckon you would probably earn more. Don't forget quite often these people with big house are tight, how do you think they got so well off. Instead of going after the big houses & getting disappointed try smaller properties, quite often these are the ones that are missed by WCers.

Eventually you will get to the point where you dread it every time a car stops & someone says "Can you add me to your list" It will come but it will probably take 18 months to 2 years before you have enough work, so stick at it.

[windows_chepstow]

I find canvassing any longer than two hours it becomes a chore.

It's like I have a certain amount of self-confidence and enthusiasm, but after two-hours, it dies a death; and I stop doing it.

But it definately works.

Keep with the door knocking; leaflet those who're not in; (return to them if you're really keen, in the evening); and listen to those people who say they had a window cleaner for a number of years, but he's stopped comming.

There's a good chance he's not only dropped them, but also other customers in the immediate area.

I did this recently in an affluent area close to me and picked up a £30 house, a £35 house and a small shop at £12 per fortnight.  (I was asked to quote another two times, but it seems the previous window cleaner was really cheap, for example a barn conversion he cleaned for £6 when I quoted £15; so I was politely declined).

Anyway, I thought it was well worth the hour door knocking and leafletting.

From now on, I'll only do this in areas where I'm already well established or in affluent areas with big houses.

[dai]

gary most of the guys on here have a good few years under their belt
and back then there was plenty of work about, now their is a lot more window cleaners about and the areas have become more scarce.

you need to plan your canvassing look at new areas growing up in areas around you . the details you will find in the papers of builders advertising new estates.

aproach the show house and offer to do their windows for free, for the length of the time of the site.The sales reps will give you the info first of when new customers are moving in, this way you are first on the door.Again the new customers will not want to be hassled by you as they are moving in, so give them the first clean free, they will tell you to go ahead, as no one can refuse a free meal,  leave your business card with them and tell them you will come in a regular basis.This way you will get most of the site and a very compact round

remeber you are only doing the first clean free, you will benifit from then on

the site manager will be more than happy to allow you to do the show house as he is getting it free as well, and will probably call you when they move onto a new estate.When you have enough you can stop this process

hope this helps- a slow process but one that works

jinky.

GGOD ADVICE
This is exactly what I did 13 years ago. Other wc's thought I was mad doing free first cleans. In reality it only came to 3 or 4 a month. Dai

[shammy davis jnr]

10 out off a hundred is good for flyers if you are new to an area
get a couple off store fronts in the more up market areas of town wear some thing diff like a red our bright blue boiler suit and i mean do the store front for next to f,,k all ,do it at a peak time ie 9 am till 11  on one of your quiter days and take your time wipe the sils six times if you have to ,talk to passers by morning hows your father ,always have cards in your pocket ,you are your own advert  in a top high street position now your a smart boy work it out
i mean if a thousand people pass you twice aweek
why spend 20 quid fuel and a printer bill  and a few hours walking and chaping doors
they will come !!!!!!
have faith and a smart head
thats what i done six employees later if i break in to a new area there is always a local butcher our baker willing to get his windows done for a steak our a cream cake
and wtch your books fill up then
shammy davis ...........

[geefree]

thanks sarah, helen, tosh shammy,dai,paul,mac,... oh there are too many.. lol i tried... thanks again to you all... i feel like i just met a lot of good friends. 

Gary.

[shammy davis jnr]

he bet you wished you never asked
lay the mortar then the brick in nine months time you will have a pub then you can buy us all a drink 
go get em cowboy yyyyyyyyyyyyeeeeeeeeeeeehhhhhhhaaaaaaaaaa

[cybersye]

sorry been a bit lazy and not read through all the posts on this so hope I hav'nt repeated whats already been said.
but i'm suprised at the number of calls i get from properties in areas I flyered up to maybe 6 months ago, my flyer is not a flashy full colour jobby, A6 b&W photocopy on bright yellow paper,people obviously take note and stick it on the fridge or whatever, a catchy name helps too I think especially if your vehicle is sign written the same and stands out, my vans a bright yellow same as my flyers and people notice.
Also as shammy davies says get some work somewhere prominent and get yourself noticed.
 I've always shyed away from doorknocking because i bloody hate canvassers myself, but if I was to I reckon a Saturday morning (not too early) would find people at home more relaxed. Whenever i have worked a Saturday I've usually picked up a few new customers just by neighbours being home and seeing me doing next door.
I dont know if anyone else does this but I offer a  discount to my regulars who recommend me : any new regular contract I get from their recommendation they get 50% off their next bill, saves me time walking streets or advertising and helps to build a regular round.
I've still much to learn but this forum has helped a lot, thanks guys
good luck
Simon

[Cleaner Windows]

I agrre with just about all the others replying to your post here m8...For me too it was hard at first, especially where you been out door knocking all day with nothing to show for it at the end of it!
like one of the posts here I too went to building sites and asked the lady in the reception to tell me when and which plot numbers will be getting occupied...she didnt mind at all and gave me a list of what i asked for and I ended up with about 98% of the work in the site!!

Be polite to the potential customers, put some effort into talking to them and explain the way you run your business, good business cards and flyers detailing who you are..befriend them where possible and try and connect with them....This is how to win them over!

 show them you do a good job time after time and you will end up with a good round, and then word will get around slowly but surely that you are good and reliable etc..and more customers will come your way
good luck mate

[Cleaner Windows]

also...you probably already do this but I put my flyers up on the ad boards at all the local shops...ive had a lot of business this way. Some of the shops, i clean the windows for them to pay for the flyer to stay up permenantly.

I used to get loads of ppl saying that they never find wc's advertising and never seem to see any of them around, so I thought "ah hah..I will advertise in shops then" mainly cos ive seen all the housewives etc reading the ad boards at the shops and am bound to get some work from it!!

[steve jamieson]

hi Gary , the best way i have found to pick up new customers is to stand outside the local supermarket , there is a little londis store in the middle of a big development where part of my round is ,which is used by mostly local residents . I simply ask if i could take there post code ,if its AL1 bingo the area i work, i then  ask if there windows have been cleaned recently or  do they have a wc ask what type house 3 4 bed ect  . offer to give them  quote , after only about 1-2 hours you should have about 25 leads, this method takes you to places you proberbly wouldnt  canvass . give them a rough estimate there and then i say between £10 and £20  as ive turned up before and the lady said she was only paying £4.50 to the last guy . Qualify them then close them . Good Luck   Steve J