Clean It Up
UK Window Cleaning Forum => Window Cleaning Forum => Topic started by: roundbuilder on November 01, 2010, 09:41:40 pm
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I dont know about others but when i used to go out canvassing and i came to a house with a for sale sign or sold sign id just walk past especialy if they were already clean and even if i did knock on them it would be a 1 off 9 times out of 10 so not realy worth it.
Well for the last 3-4 months i have been doing the opposite i dont mean knocking on the for sale and sold houses what i have been doing is just going out and making notes of all the posh houses for sale and sold especialy the sold ones. I simply wait and as soon as the sign comes down im there quicker than a rat running up a drainpipe. I just simply say hi im the local window cleaner in the area and do many in this road i noticed you have just moved in so thought id see if i could add you to the books.. i have been amazed at the responce have had some cracking houses too as only targeting posh areas.
The difference in canvassing door after door to going out for a few weeks making notes of all the target customers and hitting them when they move in is madness, the best part is that im not getting crap custies who other window cleaners have dropped etc. i litteraly just go out and simply make a shopping list too which ones i want and then just wait till new people move in then BINGO. The idea is to get there before the old window cleaner turns up to see if they want him to carry on which has happened a few times which is annoying but i get far more than i dont.
Before all the doubters start on me here go out and try it for yourself find some 500k plus houses up for sale or sold make your notes and just wait. Start now and id near on guarantee this time in a few months you will have most of the target houses you noted. it takes longer initialy to get the customers in but after a few months you will find different people have moved in to the houses daily. i noted about 100 all in all. i have had 22 new customers out of them which totals up to over £600 in work all min of £20 im still waiting on loads to move in still so will get a lot more. I used to always want to have a round as compact as can be but this way i can do 2-3 an hour scattered and still achieve a good hourly rate in fact it ends up being better than my compact terraced stuff.
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i get the old customer to leave one of my letters for the new owners. that means my name would be under their noses quicker than yours ;) :P
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Oh 1 more thing i have found that it doesnt realy work as well on everyday houses. the big posh ones always want a window cleaner where as terraced and semis on council estates etc simply dont.
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i get the old customer to leave one of my letters for the new owners. that means my name would be under their noses quicker than yours ;) :P
yea but we both know they dont always happen. we are only the window cleaner at end of day
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you'd be surprized
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Sounds like a good plan cleeen - will give it a try some day ;D
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i do something the same but by keeping tabs on estate agent websites for high end propertys for sale once you see the property has been removed from there listings you know keys have been handed over then i'm straight on the case..
paul
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i do something the same but by keeping tabs on estate agent websites for high end propertys for sale once you see the property has been removed from there listings you know keys have been handed over then i'm straight on the case..
paul
I used to do that when I cleaned an estate agent ;)
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There are better ways to do this!
Whatever target area you have in mind have a look on estate agents web sites for big houses/ mansions that are for sale note the houses you want to target,
There are web sites that you can log onto that tell you when the houses have been sold or are under offer etc,
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Oh 1 more thing i have found that it doesnt realy work as well on everyday houses. the big posh ones always want a window cleaner where as terraced and semis on council estates etc simply dont.
Simply don`t want a window cleaner? Or simply don`t always want a window cleaner?
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they dont always. i just find i get a better hit rate from the posh houses which is a plus in this way of canvassing.
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If you didn`t do any in a road, would you still say you did to a potential customer?
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yes of course. every one of the customers i have gained this way are on there own. never have i been questioned to what others i do. i guess they assume im telling the truth.
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Good luck to you, if it works. But I prefer a more honest approach.
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each to there own the saying goes. its hardly the sin of al sins is it. afterall im only going about gaining customers a different way that is working verey well. the reason i say i already clean in the road is a stepping stone as it makes the customer feel a bit more obliged to use me.
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nice one cleeen thinking outside the box and as we all know you get 1 of them posh houses today you will pick up more while your working round there top marks ;)
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i get the old customer to leave one of my letters for the new owners. that means my name would be under their noses quicker than yours ;) :P
Your letter get thrown in recycle bin during the 3 months of exchanging contracts. ;D
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nice one cleeen thinking outside the box and as we all know you get 1 of them posh houses today you will pick up more while your working round there top marks ;)
;) you know that mate. it doesnt and cant fail..
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you sound very focussed. thats a good sign when building a round
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You could also lose work, if someone else does the same.
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g griffin..whats with you. so what if it happens to me ill just get on with it and go and replace just like i would if i get undercut on a job. these people dont buy a big posh house and move out a year later..well rarely do they.
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i get the old customer to leave one of my letters for the new owners. that means my name would be under their noses quicker than yours ;) :P
Your letter get thrown in recycle bin during the 3 months of exchanging contracts. ;D
they must just ring me telepathically then ;)
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g griffin..whats with you. so what if it happens to me ill just get on with it and go and replace just like i would if i get undercut on a job. these people dont buy a big posh house and move out a year later..well rarely do they.
Nowt with me, I was just pointing something out and that`s a good attitude to have, if you lose work.
This is a forum, if you offer a suggestion then you should expect some questions and concerns in return.
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thanks for sharing your idea i have a few big houses and want to increase that,could think of a way to do it and now you have given me something to try ;D i would'nt worry about the doubters let them stagnate
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thanks for sharing your idea i have a few big houses and want to increase that,could think of a way to do it and now you have given me something to try ;D i would'nt worry about the doubters let them stagnate
your welcome mate..get out there and make your list and away you go.
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I wasn`t doubting Cleen`s tip; just finding out a bit more.
Don`t take it to heart if someone questions something. It`s the same with customers, some come on here all upset when one says anything they don`t like to them.
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if i tried that around here id be having my christmas dinner through a straw
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Offer the local removal companies a bit insentive to tell you when they move people in.
When I started out I used to park up when I saw a removal van. then see if they were taking stuff in or bringing it out.
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It's a good idea in theory, however whatabout the local window cleaners that you maybe taking the work off of?
Sounds like a quick way to get yourself a bad name with them. I could be wrong ofcourse.
What's your experience of this cleeen?
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to be honest its dog eat dog in my eyes and im not stealing anyone elses work as its new people moving in so in all fairness its there choice to use me or not. i Dont say i used to clean that particular house anyway i just say i do many in the road. so far it has been fine and its the way forward in my eyes to getting some good custies.
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you do anyting for money mike dont you?
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i hope you lose them asap you scum
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OK cleaning and all the "my patchers" - what a frightened life you must lead.
Scared to canvass, scared of canvassers, scared of new ideas and they and their ilk can only keep custies by bullying them and anyone else who approaches them.
And you call the OP scum ...
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i hope you lose them asap you scum
listen..in the nicest possible way..go away. You make yourself look stupid. For anyone wondering what he means its that i canvassed for him a few years ago but 70 percent cancalled after first clean. My fault he said so i rung all those custies up to find they thought he was useless rude and though he was an illegal. 70 percent doesnt just cancal ever my old albanian friend.
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you do anyting for money mike dont you?
nearly anyting i mean anything.....you cant even type english let alone speak it. Stop giving it because realy is annoying now and you make yourself sound a right fruitloooooooooooooop. ;D