Clean It Up

UK Window Cleaning Forum => Window Cleaning Forum => Topic started by: simon369 on September 28, 2010, 08:31:35 pm

Title: Some Start up Questions
Post by: simon369 on September 28, 2010, 08:31:35 pm
Hi,

Im very interested in a window cleaning business and have a few questions.

Now i am only 21 and scared that if i knock on peoples doors people wont give me the time of day. So was thinking of going to just leaflet places instead.

I believe i could post about 600 - 700 leaflets a day for roughly 5 days meaning about 3000 leaflets.

How much response do you think i would get from that?

Lastly if i do decide to knock, one of my plans was to target areas of bunglalows, mainly because they are easier and there is a biggest chance they will be in!

What would you feel to the idea of going around an area of bungalows, knocking and chatting and offering them that i will clean there windows today for only £2 there and then. if they like what i have done then they can book me to come, if not no worries and i will move on.

Does that sound like a good idea.

I based £2 on that if i manage to persuade 3 people in a hour to let me do that then it wont be a great wage but might get 1 lead from that and it would have paid for my petrol and some food etc.

Thanks
Title: Re: Some Start up Questions
Post by: AuRavelling79 on September 28, 2010, 08:38:27 pm
£2 is far too high start with 25p, you should get a good response

Stop it Ewan, or I'll report you! Gold and Mallet aren't funny either!  ;D

To Simon 369 - assuming you aren't "'aving a laff" - there and then for a tenner would be better!
Title: Re: Some Start up Questions
Post by: windiewasher on September 28, 2010, 08:41:14 pm
come and work for me i will pay you £2 a house but you have to do 25 a day!
£50 a day for you m8,great pay!
Title: Re: Some Start up Questions
Post by: GB Window Cleaning on September 28, 2010, 08:44:39 pm
Hi simon,

Dont start pricing too low or you will strugle to ever raise the price in the future! as gold said start at £10 min!
 
regards g.b
Title: Re: Some Start up Questions
Post by: windiewasher on September 28, 2010, 08:45:50 pm
its high rise window cleaning!
Title: Re: Some Start up Questions
Post by: GB Window Cleaning on September 28, 2010, 08:47:30 pm
@ simon you will get used to the level of pee taking on the forum mate! dont worry its only banter  ;)
there all good harmless lads really!
Title: Re: Some Start up Questions
Post by: CLEANCARE WC on September 28, 2010, 08:47:38 pm
DEPENDS WHAT SIZE BUNGALOW £10 IS ALOT FOR A 1 BED GRANNY FLAT!
Title: Re: Some Start up Questions
Post by: Paul-pp on September 28, 2010, 08:55:02 pm
Honestly chap - learn lessons quickly - dont buy work, or you will work yourself into poverty & out of business, value your time & comitment & becareful working at height - dont say yes to scary jobs.
regards paul.
Title: Re: Some Start up Questions
Post by: CLEANCARE WC on September 28, 2010, 09:03:12 pm
thats good advice
Title: Re: Some Start up Questions
Post by: simon369 on September 28, 2010, 09:12:51 pm
Thanks for the advice,

I will skip that idea then, was just an idea to get my initial customers. I didnt mean i wanted to work for £2 a hour or that i would clean there windows eveerytime for £2, Just a thought to get some interest. My plan was if i can do a little street with 30 bungalows on, Get to wash 10 for £2 each and generate 5 leads from that. I have spent about 4 hours, earned enought to cover expenses and generated a decent amount of leads.

Does anybody have any ideas on if 3000 leaflets would generate much business?

I know it depends, i am in Doncaster area if that helps.

Title: Re: Some Start up Questions
Post by: David Kent @ KentKleen on September 28, 2010, 09:14:50 pm
hi. get delivering the leaflets mate, and keep on delivering every day for 2 months. you wont look back!!!!!  :)
Title: Re: Some Start up Questions
Post by: prestige cleaners on September 28, 2010, 09:15:08 pm
i nearly spat out my tea when you said £2!

yeah as said have a minimum of £10
Title: Re: Some Start up Questions
Post by: prestige cleaners on September 28, 2010, 09:17:11 pm
i think leaflets get a 1% call back rate unfortunately! best to do face to face, also dont do what one guy did on here, get the custies then learn to trad clean.
Title: Re: Some Start up Questions
Post by: mci services on September 28, 2010, 09:17:39 pm
I would expect between 30 to 90 if you are really lucky from 3000 leaflets, then knock the neighbours of the ones you pick up.

and lads he is doncaster £10 might be a bit much
Title: Re: Some Start up Questions
Post by: forestwindows on September 28, 2010, 09:17:47 pm
simon, offer to clean and base prices at least 50p per window, not many will undercut you at that and you will still make a decent wage! also act confident when you give the price (even if you dont feel it) they can only say no so you can barter with them.

even if you knock off £1 for first clean (which i wouldn't) then you will still be quids in.

good luck starting up mate
 8)
Title: Re: Some Start up Questions
Post by: prestige cleaners on September 28, 2010, 09:29:57 pm
forest! 50p a window! its not the 1970's! at least £1!
Title: Re: Some Start up Questions
Post by: geefree on September 28, 2010, 09:43:30 pm
Only 21 ?

You are a fully grown man, knock on the doors.  :)
Title: Re: Some Start up Questions
Post by: barry mallett on September 28, 2010, 09:57:38 pm
simon forget window cleaning it turns you boring. if i was your age and just starting out in business  would open a shop in aberdeen or inverness selling bbqs . it cant fail  ;)
Title: Re: Some Start up Questions
Post by: mci services on September 28, 2010, 09:59:13 pm
simon forget window cleaning it turns you boring. if i was your age and just starting out in business  would open a shop in aberdeen or inverness selling bbqs . it cant fail  ;)

are you in doncaster barry ;D
Title: Re: Some Start up Questions
Post by: barry mallett on September 28, 2010, 10:03:59 pm
he dont scare me i got all the bungys in donny at £1 a pop ;)
Title: Re: Some Start up Questions
Post by: mci services on September 28, 2010, 10:04:28 pm
 ;D
Title: Re: Some Start up Questions
Post by: David Kent @ KentKleen on September 28, 2010, 10:12:41 pm
i think he wants advice lads. anyone got any?
Title: Re: Some Start up Questions
Post by: Jackal on September 28, 2010, 10:17:49 pm
why do people keep going on about minimum prices,in this post its £10, a granny bung for £10 if i was to price like that they would think im a comedian  :-\  for instance i got asked today for a bung with four windows how can i say £10 without a smirk on me kipper :D
Title: Re: Some Start up Questions
Post by: mci services on September 28, 2010, 10:19:50 pm
I gave advice post the leaflets and then knock in the areas he picks up work. forget the minimum charge of £10 and price for what you need
Title: Re: Some Start up Questions
Post by: mci services on September 28, 2010, 10:21:02 pm
why do people keep going on about minimum prices,in this post its £10, a granny bung for £10 if i was to price like that they would think im a comedian  :-\  for instance i got asked today for a bung with four windows how can i say £10 without a smirk on me kipper :D

what did you quote?
Title: Re: Some Start up Questions
Post by: David Kent @ KentKleen on September 28, 2010, 10:26:45 pm
didnt mean you stu ;)
Title: Re: Some Start up Questions
Post by: Jackal on September 28, 2010, 10:28:07 pm
£4, do loads in same street so happy at that
Title: Re: Some Start up Questions
Post by: mci services on September 28, 2010, 10:32:04 pm
£4, do loads in same street so happy at that

easy money then :D and I bet they all pay on the day with a smile

I love my 4 quiders
Title: Re: Some Start up Questions
Post by: Jackal on September 28, 2010, 10:39:13 pm
£4, do loads in same street so happy at that

easy money then :D and I bet they all pay on the day with a smile

I love my 4 quiders

me 2 a few hours without climbing a ladder conna beat it
Title: Re: Some Start up Questions
Post by: KLEENAWAY on September 28, 2010, 10:46:17 pm
Simon369

Im only just 22 mate so dont be scared, i know theirs a load of OAP's on here but dont take notice of them  ;) ! Best thing to do is go and learn how to clean windows properly with someone that cleans trad in your area. Once you know pricing in your own area and how to clean properly then go out and knock on as many doors as possible. Good luck buddy!

Danny
Title: Re: Some Start up Questions
Post by: CLEANCARE WC on September 28, 2010, 10:48:32 pm
lol  it was me who posted about the granny bungalow and i was saying no way could you charge a tenner. anyone who has amin £10 charge wont get many of these round my way. 4 or 5 little bung.. still add up.
Title: Re: Some Start up Questions
Post by: David Kent @ KentKleen on September 28, 2010, 10:48:56 pm
danny, at last!!!! someone else with some advice!!!! hurray
Title: Re: Some Start up Questions
Post by: mci services on September 28, 2010, 10:49:33 pm
Simon369

Im only just 22 mate so dont be scared, i know theirs a load of OAP's on here but dont take notice of them  ;) ! Best thing to do is go and learn how to clean windows properly with someone that cleans trad in your area. Once you know pricing in your own area and how to clean properly then go out and knock on as many doors as possible. Good luck buddy!

Danny

good post ;)
Title: Re: Some Start up Questions
Post by: David Kent @ KentKleen on September 28, 2010, 10:53:18 pm
alot of the oap's will be in bed now  :)
Title: Re: Some Start up Questions
Post by: KLEENAWAY on September 28, 2010, 11:04:57 pm
Cheers stu-mac!

Kentkleen.....its bedtime mate  ;)
Title: Re: Some Start up Questions
Post by: David Kent @ KentKleen on September 28, 2010, 11:15:36 pm
going to be peeing down tomoz so im having a late one mate.... not a oap yet. lol
Title: Re: Some Start up Questions
Post by: dazmond on September 29, 2010, 12:15:11 am
why bungalows?scared of heights are we?your wasting your time!!


go and work for a local windy and learn how to trad properly!save up and buy a van and a cheap wfp system/leaflets/business cards while your gaining experience and speed!then buy a bit of work off him and canvass every weekend for 6 months.


dazmond
Title: Re: Some Start up Questions
Post by: Dave Anderson on September 29, 2010, 07:29:24 am
Hi and welcome to the forum...

Leaflets...I started in late 06 and over the next year I put out 20k + leaflets as I had moved to The Netherlands and my Dutch was not all that so leaflets were the best option for me at the time.

So I anally watched the numbers/averages etc, etc and 0.5% I found was about right...you'll get the odd seam of gold but thats what it'll be.

Be organised from day one...think about how you will be in 3 years time when you're full...are you going to want to drive from one village to another 3 times in a day?

Get a street level map...photocopy the pages of the area's you leaflet...then do the same again in say 2 months and repeat, repeat, repeat.

Leaflets can work, no doubt canvassing will be quicker but you can build a good paying round on leaflets alone.....

Start to think like a businessman and not a wage earner...soon you'll need to buy a van, poles, work clothes, boots, gloves, repair the van, buy another in x years, insurance, tax, NI, more insurance, tv bill, gas, electricity, holiday to Ibiza with your mates, engagement/wedding ring, new bike or car, cd's, burger king lunches, clothes for that party, new xbox, large screen tv, mortgate, rent, haircuts, porn subcription for skytv, presents for the new girlfriend, new shades..etc, etc....now think about your pricing.

Anyone can clean a house for pennies...now think back to last winter...how many days do you think you would have been able to work? last year out of 10 weeks I worked 8 days!!! that was paid for from money I had to earn that year....again running a business is more about your organisation than you may think...

Cheers & Good luck
Dave.
Title: Re: Some Start up Questions
Post by: Londoner on September 29, 2010, 07:37:30 am
Do both, knock on doors AND deliver leaflets. Once you have your first customer you are a window cleaner, after that its just a case of building your round.
Bungalows are good but the sucess rate knocking or leafleting is much lower than for houses.
Title: Re: Some Start up Questions
Post by: GB Window Cleaning on September 29, 2010, 08:25:44 am
@ Dave Anderson,

Very well said sir! I could not agree more!
Title: Re: Some Start up Questions
Post by: Jonathan Spencer on September 29, 2010, 11:17:37 am
If you are confident enough door knock.  I am not so I relied on leaflets and word of mouth (reputation goes a long way).  When I started up I knew my job was going to go belly up in 12/18 months so I was in no rush to build it up fast.  It did build up fast as I have a good reputation.  I wipe the frames and cills every time.  People love this and you will soon get people saying "my mum/sister/friend lives 5 mins away, can you do them to?"

I suppose I was lucky as most of the windys around me are crap.