rules for canvassing

« **on:** January 11, 2012, 03:47:14 pm »

I am planning to start a round .but what are the rules on canvassing ie would you knock or put leaflets in doors or both? Any ideas would be helpful

« **Reply #1 on:** January 11, 2012, 04:07:51 pm »

The rules are...there are no rules!

It's up to to you. Some people hate knocking and have built big rounds from leaflet drops - but you will have to put out alot more leaflets.

I like canvassing so I don't leaflet drop, apart from on the houses where no one's home.

Good luck

Dave

« **Reply #2 on:** January 11, 2012, 04:08:36 pm »

Quote from: para pete on January 11, 2012, 03:47:14 pm

I am planning to start a round .but what are the rules on canvassing ie would you knock or put leaflets in doors or both? Any ideas would be helpful

There are no set rules.
A bit of both would be good though, lots of info here just use the search button!

« **Reply #3 on:** January 11, 2012, 04:47:22 pm »

I've not had to canvass, I bought work to start with ,then built round up through recommendations.
I have had plenty of newbies canvass my work and i dont have problem with that, what pees me off is when they say they will do it cheaper , so as others have said its all fair game just go in with the price you think is right, its not a good idea to fall out with all the other window cleaners in the area just as you are starting out, you never know when you might need a favour.

« **Reply #4 on:** January 11, 2012, 05:09:56 pm »

Wise words djcs

« **Reply #5 on:** January 11, 2012, 05:45:38 pm »

if it is dirty it is fair game.

Don't offer to undercut, it is bad for the industry.

« **Reply #6 on:** January 11, 2012, 06:15:32 pm »

Thanks guy all good stuff

« **Reply #7 on:** January 12, 2012, 12:16:15 pm »

Just been out knocking and picked up ten houses .did not under cut offer a price and the customer happly took it

« **Reply #8 on:** January 12, 2012, 12:25:47 pm »

What kind of prices?

« **Reply #9 on:** January 12, 2012, 12:27:44 pm »

Oh and well done, good result for this time of day....

« **Reply #10 on:** January 12, 2012, 01:45:02 pm »

Priced each house per window. 7 windows - 7 pounds will do the doors for free they seemed happy I know I am

« **Reply #11 on:** January 12, 2012, 03:36:23 pm »

Just out of interest, what kind of area was it? And how many people did you speak to for the 10 jobs?

Interested as would like to knock similar if yoi got ten by 1, why did you not carry on?

« **Reply #12 on:** January 12, 2012, 06:08:00 pm »

Quote from: para pete on January 12, 2012, 12:16:15 pm

Just been out knocking and picked up ten houses .did not under cut offer a price and the customer happly took it

How long was you canvassing for? Good work anyways, keep it up!

« **Reply #13 on:** January 12, 2012, 06:10:12 pm »

He posted the result just after 12 so cant have been out long, I am impressed...

« **Reply #14 on:** January 12, 2012, 06:19:39 pm »

Done 10 til 3, picked up 2

its soul destroying.. How they hell can you do this day in day out

« **Reply #15 on:** January 12, 2012, 06:32:23 pm »

I can honestly say I have never worked 5 hours and only picked up two, what kind of area did you hit lee?

« **Reply #16 on:** January 12, 2012, 06:51:07 pm »

Quote from: GDwindowcleaning on January 12, 2012, 06:32:23 pm

I can honestly say I have never worked 5 hours and only picked up two, what kind of area did you hit lee?

local housing estate, its close to a busy road so it must of been hit recently as there were a few different companys being mentioned when i got cheeky and asked who was doing the windows (it amazes me home many people dont know the name of the person or company they pay, or lie

), plus its usually the first place windys go when canvassing i guess.

Went around a few small street after that and had more "interest" atleast.

Think it has more to do with my rubbish talking skills and it was raining lol

« **Reply #17 on:** January 12, 2012, 07:50:44 pm »

Quote from: para pete on January 12, 2012, 12:16:15 pm

Just been out knocking and picked up ten houses .did not under cut offer a price and the customer happly took it

Well done you must have the gift of the gab, are they one offs or did you agree written terms with them.....oh by the way your link to your website in your profile doesn't work

« **Reply #18 on:** January 12, 2012, 07:53:12 pm »

New buid or older lee?

« **Reply #19 on:** January 12, 2012, 09:20:58 pm »

Sometimes you don't need the gift of the gab, if you hit upon a street that has a crap/rude/obnoxious cleaner , i would imagine you could easily pick up a good number of new custys.

« **Reply #20 on:** January 12, 2012, 09:48:37 pm »

knocking doors rules -

1-If Ex forces/inform everyone of this
2-uniformed and polished boots
3-write a list of everyone you know and get there custom
4-when you do get customers always have a brew and chat that goes a long way

« **Reply #21 on:** January 13, 2012, 07:34:56 am »

I knock on a houses till I get a job ,then carry on ,telling the people that are in what I am doing clean the house so any new customer can see me doing the job it worked yesterday will see how I get on today .the houses yesterday were semi s

« **Reply #22 on:** January 13, 2012, 09:00:27 am »

Quote from: para pete on January 11, 2012, 03:47:14 pm

I am planning to start a round .but what are the rules on canvassing ie would you knock or put leaflets in doors or both? Any ideas would be helpful

First rule of canvassing is to knock on the door

« **Reply #23 on:** January 13, 2012, 11:08:22 am »

First rule of canvassing, there is no canvassing!

« **Reply #24 on:** January 23, 2012, 12:18:50 pm »

Would it be wrong of me to start doing 3 houses because they donot like there existing window cleaner?

« **Reply #25 on:** January 23, 2012, 12:32:45 pm »

No not at all, I have always said that the only people I will take on the door are those with no cleaner and those unhappy with the one they got. Just never compete on price....

« **Reply #26 on:** January 24, 2012, 08:34:38 am »

i have priced every house at £! per window never asked what they pay at present.That way i do not know if i under cut or over price.

« **Reply #27 on:** January 24, 2012, 08:44:27 am »

Quote from: para pete on January 24, 2012, 08:34:38 am

i have priced every house at £! per window never asked what they pay at present.That way i do not know if i under cut or over price.

best way mate

« **Reply #28 on:** January 24, 2012, 06:55:59 pm »

agree aint got a prob cavasing, to the ones who say its a free market wait untill some one under cuts nicks call it what you will ,you will soon start to sing a different tune when your round gets hit its also nieve to sugest that nobody under cuts i may start doing what my buddy dose and start handing in flyers in to hmrc who i susspect are doggy

« **Reply #29 on:** January 24, 2012, 09:28:19 pm »

Is a pound a window too cheap ?

« **Reply #30 on:** January 24, 2012, 09:38:36 pm »

try to think of something extra free that sets you apart ,everybody like something extra free

i throw in an extra that takes but a minute, polishing the front door . or the inside of the kitchen window only

« **Reply #31 on:** January 25, 2012, 06:50:01 am »

read properly i dint say its not a free market if you read back on some of the older post i wrote one of which said i aint got a problem with canvassing the reason i moaned is that i had just done a house it was dripping wet it also had my ticket in for all to see. iwas on the opposit house at the time but the guy still went ahead and stuck a flyer in so my question to you, would you like it if it happend to you??? it i think not

« **Reply #32 on:** January 25, 2012, 07:07:17 am »

When I leaflet I put one through all houses in a road, or knock.
They may have a windy but their Mum or someone might not and they will pass on your leaflet.
Some of my best has come through people passing on my number/leaflet to other people they know.
And if you knock they can see you are polite and not a ratbag so their recommendation will be even stronger.

I had one say 'he seems like a nice young man' (I'm 40!)

Young compared to her I suppose, bless her.

« **Reply #33 on:** January 25, 2012, 11:33:13 am »

Quote from: CleartechLee on January 12, 2012, 06:19:39 pm

Done 10 til 3, picked up 2 its soul destroying.. How they hell can you do this day in day out

Is canvassing in the evenings better or actually during the day itself?

« **Reply #34 on:** January 25, 2012, 12:22:53 pm »

If you are losing work to the undercutters on a regular basis it may be down to the type of custys you have,if when you built your round you went in cheap to get work you may have attracted the type who swap cleaners to save 50p.

« **Reply #35 on:** January 25, 2012, 12:29:48 pm »

no idea i've normally had enough by about 2pm. Only done a few days so far

« **Reply #36 on:** January 25, 2012, 12:41:53 pm »

I did 5 till 8 last night in an area that has been constantly marketed with leaflets and still picked up 117.50 in new work so the time is very important. The earliest i would start is 2pm....

« **Reply #37 on:** January 25, 2012, 12:44:53 pm »

G you need to reply to my mail still mate

« **Reply #38 on:** January 25, 2012, 12:48:47 pm »

Sorry Lee, been flat out but will get on to it today as have more time due to working local....

I was restricted by weather yesterday, if i could have started at 2 i would have doubled that at least....

« **Reply #39 on:** January 25, 2012, 06:28:53 pm »

Gd surely hitting amounts like tbat isnt good???.or are you a 1 man band??

« **Reply #40 on:** January 25, 2012, 06:55:55 pm »

I was working on my own last night, how much do you think I should get in 3 hours?

« **Reply #41 on:** January 25, 2012, 07:04:13 pm »

how long is a piece of string... i wasnt mocking you. i didnt realise u was a 1 man band. surely you should have a 4 or 5 man team. Hitting that on your own is good going.

« **Reply #42 on:** January 25, 2012, 07:14:25 pm »

Quote from: jwplasterers on January 12, 2012, 09:48:37 pm

knocking doors rules -

4-when you do get customers always have a brew and chat that goes a long way

REALLY? You'll waste a lot of time doing this. I think Ive only ever had 2 cups of tea made by custies, and that was when i was desperate! I've a friend who had a trad WC for 10 years paying £16 and jacked them in for a WFP for £40. She said it was so much better because

1. the WFP guy brings his own water so she doesnt have to spend time sorting him out with water

AND

2. the WFP guy is so fast, he doesnt want a brew and so she doesnt have to stop whatever shes doing to talk to him and make him a drink!

She's an absolutely lovelly woman, who's really friendly etc, but she just loves the proffessinal WFP guy as he gets on, does his job, and gets off quickly

« **Reply #43 on:** January 25, 2012, 07:55:55 pm »

I have another guy that works with me but he was busy, I will build a team over time but this is a new venture for me. The same rules apply trying to find canvassers as well as window cleaners... It takes time to build a good team.

The other issue is how much work the window cleaners want or can handle, it needs to be cleaned pretty quickly and not everyone wants to do huge amounts of first cleans...

« **Reply #44 on:** January 26, 2012, 08:24:47 am »

I have recently added window cleaning to my services. I started off carpet cleaning but hard to fill a year up cleaning carpets. All the window cleaners I have in the past did not know my name. I make it a piont of getting every customers name and using it when I see them. To me it goes along way.

« **Reply #45 on:** January 26, 2012, 04:23:02 pm »

unless your mr memory man its impossile to remember every single custys name

« **Reply #46 on:** January 26, 2012, 05:38:10 pm »

Pen and paper?

« **Reply #47 on:** January 26, 2012, 06:45:05 pm »

woo u kalin hillhitare8

« **Reply #48 on:** January 26, 2012, 08:35:53 pm »

Looks like a village has lost its idiot

« **Reply #49 on:** January 27, 2012, 11:46:40 am »

do you realy think in your right mind some one is gonna carry note book in there pocket just in case they have a chance meeting whith a custy ,ho can you wait a minuet till i look in my book for your name ?get a grip i think you should stick to carpet cleaning no offence to you or carpet cleaners

« **Reply #50 on:** January 27, 2012, 12:29:02 pm »

What about asking your client their name w hen cleaning or collecting the money ? It's not rocket science

« **Reply #51 on:** January 27, 2012, 12:40:37 pm »

ive had enough of this point less drivell

going canvassing must remember to ask names