Clean It Up
UK Window Cleaning Forum => Window Cleaning Forum => Topic started by: Lee Burbidge on November 02, 2013, 10:16:10 am
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Do you canvass for more window cleaning residential work? Is the summer the only time you canvass or do you canvass all year round but its the service you offer that changes with the season?
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I've always found December to be one of the busiest times of the year for new customers as people want their windows cleaning for Christmas.
You'll get work all year around so long as you are pro active, I picked up over £700 of fresh work last week, the jobs are out there.
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I dont canvass anymore as have far too many customers from caining it over the last 2 years.
December is a crap time to canvass unless you want loads of 1 off dmas cleans todo, also for others its a tight/skint time december/january so isnt the best, i know from experiance of myself trying to build my own round up last year.
The rest of the year tends to be great, i find winter months the best as no time is wasted on the houses where nobody is home as can see if they are in or out, many will say summer is the best time but that is only because they arnt hardcore or motivated enough to go out on those cold damp nights!! Many wc canvass in summer but only minimal in winter months..
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I've always found December to be one of the busiest times of the year for new customers as people want their windows cleaning for Christmas.
You'll get work all year around so long as you are pro active, I picked up over £700 of fresh work last week, the jobs are out there.
You know what, you right... comments from another site are saying the same. Strange as you would think less customers in the winter and even less response in the Christmas month. One guy wrote: we find winter is great for canvassing in, most of the dole boys and fair weather ones have disappeared, so pick up loads.
plus if you are willing to go out in cold door knocking it can show the customer that you are willing, reliable and dedicated to the job.
Another also wrote: Better doing it during winter that's when all the cowboys and seasonal window cleaners drop out. Better chance of picking up work.
So there is no denying you can pick up winter customers. See I always stopped for the winter window cleaning customers and offered different services instead. Just imagine how much window cleaning I could bemissing out on.... think I am going to try this this winter.
I think we are hard wired to think Summer is the only time you can.
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I dont canvass anymore as have far too many customers from caining it over the last 2 years.
December is a crap time to canvass unless you want loads of 1 off dmas cleans todo, also for others its a tight/skint time december/january so isnt the best, i know from experiance of myself trying to build my own round up last year.
The rest of the year tends to be great, i find winter months the best as no time is wasted on the houses where nobody is home as can see if they are in or out, many will say summer is the best time but that is only because they arnt hardcore or motivated enough to go out on those cold damp nights!! Many wc canvass in summer but only minimal in winter months..
December, I would of thought so...... you hit the spot on the other points too. If you did canvass still would you do it all year round?
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I dont canvass anymore as have far too many customers from caining it over the last 2 years.
December is a crap time to canvass unless you want loads of 1 off dmas cleans todo, also for others its a tight/skint time december/january so isnt the best, i know from experiance of myself trying to build my own round up last year.
The rest of the year tends to be great, i find winter months the best as no time is wasted on the houses where nobody is home as can see if they are in or out, many will say summer is the best time but that is only because they arnt hardcore or motivated enough to go out on those cold damp nights!! Many wc canvass in summer but only minimal in winter months..
December, I would of thought so...... you hit the spot on the other points too. If you did canvass still would you do it all year round?
Yes defo people dont only want a window cleaner in just summer or just winter, i canvassed 2/3 days a week for just under 2 years to build a 2 van full to the brim of domestics business up. I actualy built my 2nd round up in 4 months but then decided to change action plan and go for everything front only taking more time to build however was so worth it..
Defo canvassing is an all year game to play... As well as the sold boards which is far better than canvassing after your 3/4 months in on it with newbies moving into there new homes.
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ditto, the winter months are actually very good most of the comments here are so true for all of us. I think the week after chrishmas to the new year is a little quiet but after the new year the customers still keep rolling in.
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ditto, the winter months are actually very good most of the comments here are so true for all of us. I think the week after chrishmas to the new year is a little quiet but after the new year the customers still keep rolling in.
Do you push more gutter clean etc during this period as well ?
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Judging by the amount of views against responses either no one is willing to let out some kind of secret or their is a load that dont have a clue .
Personally i think just dropping a good leaflet in different areas every 3 months brings a steady flow of custys , Just know your areas ,
Have a visible identity such as a signed vehicle with logo along with leaflets etc and push it so you are the stand out window cleaner in your area . Mike
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Judging by the amount of views against responses either no one is willing to let out some kind of secret or their is a load that dont have a clue .
Personally i think just dropping a good leaflet in different areas every 3 months brings a steady flow of custys , Just know your areas ,
Have a visible identity such as a signed vehicle with logo along with leaflets etc and push it so you are the stand out window cleaner in your area . Mike
Mike do you drop in December or avoid Christmas altogether? What ROI you achieving on straight leaflet drops? ( to be fair tho some hold on to leaflets for months and months)
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I actualy built my 2nd round up in 4 months but then decided to change action plan and go for everything front only taking more time to build however was so worth it.
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So Mick, in the process of building a 'fronts only' round, did you find that people were generally more responsive, irrespective of the season?
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I actualy built my 2nd round up in 4 months but then decided to change action plan and go for everything front only taking more time to build however was so worth it.
So Mick, in the process of building a 'fronts only' round, did you find that people were generally more responsive, irrespective of the season?
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Would fronts only be for streets that have houses packed together do you think?
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I'd say 99% of my work is fronts only, too much messing about with gates and getting all the gear round the back......just as quick to clean next door instead!!!
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when doing fronts, do the customers moan that your only doing half the job?
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Nope they're ok with it....well my 1500+ are anyway
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that shocks me
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Why
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I charge any house i do £10 for front only and try my best to target areas where its all victirian terrace where there is no rear access, for the few where there is access i charge £15/20 for whole house all depending on area, i do loads in charlton/greenwich/blackheath where all roads near on have rows and rows of victorian terrace, a lot of the work i gain on these roads is from sold boards, some roads i have as many as 8 fronts that i can bang out in 20/30 mins from same spot which is why for me targeting fronts is a win win.
I recomend it to anyone who is building there customer base to give it a go with targeting front only cleans instead of avoiding them like the plaige as there is stacks of this type of work out there as most wc's want full front and back houses.
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i can definately see how its easier and better money doing fronts, just thought if i tell a customer i can only do fronts, they will leave me for a window cleaner that can do whole house
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i can definately see how its easier and better money doing fronts, just thought if i tell a customer i can only do fronts, they will leave me for a window cleaner that can do whole house
Only if its a house where there is rear access! The trick is to target the right areas/houses where there is no or next to no rear access.
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I just say we'll do them when you say to. That very rarely happens and we charge then as a one off rate as well
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might try canvassing some streets that have no rear access, see how it goes
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might try canvassing some streets that have no rear access, see how it goes
Good luck mate, you will realise just how easy it is as long as you charge a decent amount for them.
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I charge any house i do £10 for front only and try my best to target areas where its all victirian terrace where there is no rear access, for the few where there is access i charge £15/20 for whole house all depending on area, i do loads in charlton/greenwich/blackheath where all roads near on have rows and rows of victorian terrace, a lot of the work i gain on these roads is from sold boards, some roads i have as many as 8 fronts that i can bang out in 20/30 mins from same spot which is why for me targeting fronts is a win win.
I recomend it to anyone who is building there customer base to give it a go with targeting front only cleans instead of avoiding them like the plaige as there is stacks of this type of work out there as most wc's want full front and back houses.
mmmm this is interesting stuff. How much of your work is front only like this?
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i can definately see how its easier and better money doing fronts, just thought if i tell a customer i can only do fronts, they will leave me for a window cleaner that can do whole house
I think the guy might be saying that he targets streets with properties that have no access to the rear so that there is no option. I have a street just like it but its not terrace houses its regular 3 and 4 bed all crammed together with the garages that have a side entry door thats always locked. In this instance they no they can book us in when ever they need the backs doing :)
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Judging by the amount of views against responses either no one is willing to let out some kind of secret or their is a load that dont have a clue .
Personally i think just dropping a good leaflet in different areas every 3 months brings a steady flow of custys , Just know your areas ,
Have a visible identity such as a signed vehicle with logo along with leaflets etc and push it so you are the stand out window cleaner in your area . Mike
At last ! Someone who knows how too leaflet! Personalising your leaflets for particular areas works a treat too! No matter what time of year.
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don't do flyers don't do canvassing
all my customers come to me ;) ;) ;) then I have them where I want them ;D ;D
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I charge any house i do £10 for front only and try my best to target areas where its all victirian terrace where there is no rear access, for the few where there is access i charge £15/20 for whole house all depending on area, i do loads in charlton/greenwich/blackheath where all roads near on have rows and rows of victorian terrace, a lot of the work i gain on these roads is from sold boards, some roads i have as many as 8 fronts that i can bang out in 20/30 mins from same spot which is why for me targeting fronts is a win win.
I recomend it to anyone who is building there customer base to give it a go with targeting front only cleans instead of avoiding them like the plaige as there is stacks of this type of work out there as most wc's want full front and back houses.
mmmm this is interesting stuff. How much of your work is front only like this?
I have 1 van out where every job is front only cleans and my van is a 50/50 split of f&b and fronts.
Ill take photos of a few of the roads i do 2moz to show sort of houses im on about that i target.