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UK Window Cleaning Forum => Window Cleaning Forum => Topic started by: Total shine cleaning services on December 16, 2011, 07:03:14 am

Title: Can you still grow your business thru the winter months.?
Post by: Total shine cleaning services on December 16, 2011, 07:03:14 am
Hi all

My 1st 6 months of trading and I have self generated a round that's worth £1200 a month, to enable me to do this I have been driving artics as well, however the agency I drive for treat me like dirt and I really need to get out for the sake of my sanity, the plan was to keep driving as nervous about winter months and really need at least 2k a month minimum before I can go at the windows full time.

Is it still possible to canvas Jan- march and pick up work..?
I am so tempted to just really go for it but nervous about income..?
What you all think..?-I am based in Milton Keynes and we don't get it as bad as some of you do

Thanks guys

Graham
Title: Re: Can you still grow your business thru the winter months.?
Post by: daniel worgan on December 16, 2011, 07:20:26 am
Well done on your first 6 months mate,especially as you have been holding down another job at the same time.
Imo January onwards is as good a time as any,the homeowners will be wondering where their old windy has gone as a lot will bugger off until spring/summer.
With your obvious enthusiasm and drive i would have thought that the challenge of building up at least another £800 a month would be as easy,if not easier ,than the first amount that you have built.
Go for it and build your business.
I hope you do well.
 :)
Title: Re: Can you still grow your business thru the winter months.?
Post by: Frankybadboy on December 16, 2011, 07:24:20 am
your be surpised what you can live on when you want to,but the simple answer yes you can,


youre looking at only 80house at £10,go for it
Title: Re: Can you still grow your business thru the winter months.?
Post by: Perfect Windows on December 16, 2011, 07:41:58 am
Yes you can. Your customers will be ready for you, as their last clean by their summer-only guy will have faded.  Plus, you're going to get your most loyal customers if you get them in winter; they'll be the ones paying you next winter with a smile on their faces.

Good luck!

Vin
Title: Re: Can you still grow your business thru the winter months.?
Post by: Total shine cleaning services on December 16, 2011, 07:48:59 am
Thanks for the nice comments guys

Graham
Title: Re: Can you still grow your business thru the winter months.?
Post by: H S and Son on December 16, 2011, 07:53:26 am
Bring gutter clearing and clearance to your existing customers attention, one gutter job is an easy £100 for a basic 3 bedder.
Title: Re: Can you still grow your business thru the winter months.?
Post by: concept on December 16, 2011, 08:04:30 am
Totalshine, If you want to expand rapidly, I know of some work for sale if you're interested?
Title: Re: Can you still grow your business thru the winter months.?
Post by: Total shine cleaning services on December 16, 2011, 08:38:04 am
Where is the work and what price please
Title: Re: Can you still grow your business thru the winter months.?
Post by: Steve CM on December 16, 2011, 08:48:26 am
you beat me to it Simon, was gonna say the same thing
Title: Re: Can you still grow your business thru the winter months.?
Post by: concept on December 16, 2011, 09:14:35 am
Where is the work and what price please

Well, could be a combination of things...could sell you some of my MK work, or you could buy direct from someone I know who has some around Olney villages.

07805 787 424
Title: Re: Can you still grow your business thru the winter months.?
Post by: Ian101 on December 16, 2011, 09:21:28 am
Yes
Title: Re: Can you still grow your business thru the winter months.?
Post by: bad trippy on December 16, 2011, 10:08:59 am
I have had two spells of being a shiner, first was from the mid 80s.
I started door to door canvassing in 1985 in one of the Worst Januarys in living histiory,i was 19 at the time.
There was snow thick on the ground and the temps were below freezing,but i picked up a hell of a lot of custies!
Mate , my advice to you is carry on regardless,and as another posters said,some shiners will be AWOL at this time of year.
Another plus would be,you limit the "please dont clean my windows in this weather" brigade,as clearly you started in the thick of winter.
As Frank said,make up a flyer with other aspects of your business like conny roofs, gutter soffit cleans.
Good luck with it mate,love your attitude,so much more refreshing to hear someone who wants to go out and do his own thing.
The world,country,government,society owes me a living lot,get right on my chest lol
Title: Re: Can you still grow your business thru the winter months.?
Post by: GB Window Cleaning on December 16, 2011, 11:35:56 am
I have had two spells of being a shiner, first was from the mid 80s.
I started door to door canvassing in 1985 in one of the Worst Januarys in living histiory,i was 19 at the time.
There was snow thick on the ground and the temps were below freezing,but i picked up a hell of a lot of custies!
Mate , my advice to you is carry on regardless,and as another posters said,some shiners will be AWOL at this time of year.
Another plus would be,you limit the "please dont clean my windows in this weather" brigade,as clearly you started in the thick of winter.
As Frank said,make up a flyer with other aspects of your business like conny roofs, gutter soffit cleans.
Good luck with it mate,love your attitude,so much more refreshing to hear someone who wants to go out and do his own thing.
The world,country,government,society owes me a living lot,get right on my chest lol
thanks a really inspiring story trippy! great stuff mate! respect sir!

george
Title: Re: Can you still grow your business thru the winter months.?
Post by: AuRavelling79 on December 16, 2011, 04:44:59 pm
Do you get paid over the Xmas period as a lorry driver?

If so I would grit my teeth and keep the lorry work until the new year. Then canvass all spare hours in January for a February first clean and if all is looking good jack in the trucks at the end of January.
Title: Re: Can you still grow your business thru the winter months.?
Post by: Handyman Window Cleaning Services on December 16, 2011, 07:37:26 pm
january i tend to pick up a lot of new customers (but this does even out the no clean in DEC JAN FEB customers)

Title: Re: Can you still grow your business thru the winter months.?
Post by: northstar161 on December 16, 2011, 09:27:29 pm
I've been canvassing since June and have built a round up of a size similar to yours. Last weekend I got 4 in 8 hours on the doors. If its not raining I think now is as good a time as ever.

Good luck.
Title: Re: Can you still grow your business thru the winter months.?
Post by: supernova77 on December 16, 2011, 11:40:40 pm
I started building my round up during the winter of 2005 / 2006 and picked up work with no problems.

Andy
Title: Re: Can you still grow your business thru the winter months.?
Post by: stuart mc on December 17, 2011, 12:05:55 am
Bring gutter clearing and clearance to your existing customers attention, one gutter job is an easy £100 for a basic 3 bedder.
;D

I wish, depends on what part of the country but ;D no never in a million miles
Title: Re: Can you still grow your business thru the winter months.?
Post by: Johnny B on December 17, 2011, 07:50:31 pm
Yes you definitely can develop your business during the winter. Customers that you pick up, particularly after the christmas holidays, tend to be keepers, and may be less likely to gripe about the weather.

I did a first clean this afternoon, and while doing the backs, it pelted down sideways with rain and hailstones. When I finished, the customer happily paid me and complimented me on carrying on through the storm!  

John
Title: Re: Can you still grow your business thru the winter months.?
Post by: Total shine cleaning services on December 17, 2011, 10:41:14 pm
One more week on the lorries then a week off then gonna go for it, thanks for the support guys, thanks for the offer to buy work concept but gonna keep canvassing as don't want my emergency fund to diminish

Graham