Clean It Up
UK Window Cleaning Forum => Window Cleaning Forum => Topic started by: Clive McDonald on August 01, 2009, 06:02:40 pm
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I pick up a new transit on tuesday and want to sign it to generate a lot of business and get noticed in a good way. The van is silver.
My existing van has window cleaners and phone number on etc, so i know the basics.What i'm looking for is some stand out ideas of how and what to put on the van.
What would be a good picture or service to highlight?
If money were no object how would you do it?
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I want to get a new silver van, so would be interested to see any designs too :D
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This is where it gets tricky...for a half wrap of a van, it's upwards of £400, now, they can look lovely, however, a bit ostentatious for a window cleaner possibly?
My opinion, for what it's worth, is that if you can afford it, do it, but don't expect a huge return on investment. It's not going to gain you new customers down to the fact you have a spunky van, however, it will raise awareness of your brand, and consolidate the point you are a professional, and not a fly by night cowboy.
In terms of designs, big and bold works for me, not just a large image of water drops, but it's each to their own.
Go for it!
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it's up to you the best thing i seen around was a before and after photos of a conservatory or a gutter.it looked very good and there are many conservatories there that need cleaning and is one of those things that people forget about.
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Yes, i agree that some vans,quads, and merc soft tops with trailers can look big headed or vulgar, but i did state that i wanted to be noticed in a good way. This is van two, and intended as both the largest and the flagship of the fleet. Van three will be another scudo like van one,(except new shape with 1200kg payload) quick and nimble and packed with tech, but not enough signage room to give much more than a phone number.
It's arresting ideas that i want , probably to highlight another service such as cons or gutters(thanks j&a)So if you have one, or have seen something else that took your fancy and think could be reapplied with a brilliant flourish for us please share.
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Forget the conservatories, no money in it, best to concentrate on windows, afterall every one has windows.
Mark
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Bit of a 'u' turn surely?
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I have a wrap and for me domestic work has slowed down. I think customers think with a van like that he must be very expensive.
As for commercial work it looks good when you turn up to quote, but there are too many window cleaners selling themself short and doing work for peanuts.
My advise would be go for a good quality signed van.
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I have a wrap and for me domestic work has slowed down. I think customers think with a van like that he must be very expensive.
As for commercial work it looks good when you turn up to quote, but there are too many window cleaners selling themself short and doing work for peanuts.
My advise would be go for a good quality signed van.
Good & very real points there!
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a good sign written van or wrap will pay for itself in no time 8)
fact :)
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I've found plenty of work with full cleans - empty the gutters then all the plastics, conservatory including roof, everything even the front door. Takes hours to do but people seem to spend their money ok.
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I think formby has said he has a plainer van and this is a better salesman domesticly, and i think he has said he went the smarter is better route and may have made a mistake. I did this with my leaflets.
So what about half price window cleaning- and then an outstanding wrap?
reply/question to ftp being formed
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not half price slumpy
thats a backward step :( :'(
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Ftp- yes me too, although not on your scale. The problem being how to segment this part of the market.For example an acceptable descriptive term. I've tried kerbside appeal cleans but no one knows what i'm going on about, but maybe it was that the catch phrase didn't fly ' if your house is a minger, give us a ringer'
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cut price window cleaning ?
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Call us for a sameday quote
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I have a wrap and for me domestic work has slowed down. I think customers think with a van like that he must be very expensive.
As for commercial work it looks good when you turn up to quote, but there are too many window cleaners selling themself short and doing work for peanuts.
My advise would be go for a good quality signed van.
ive posted this before
a "contact" of mine has a very successfull gardening company, he has a few vans on the road and does very well, he got himself a new van and had it all signed up and it looked great, he would arrive to price up domestic and small commercial work and whilst he knew he was the best price, he lost alot of work, people didnt like the flash image and thought he would hike up prices as he looked like he was expensive
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Have to agree bodge, my sign writted van hasn't been that good.Yours stress' services, mine stressed benefits, so maybe yours is more accessable.
Reference Davo i have always enjoyed his posts.When he first came on it was all theory and he had the idea of setting up a biz with someone else doing the work. There were some long threads over this, he had someone he could trust and was convinced it could be done.We said it couldn't.
Do it yourself we said.His excuse was his job was too well paid, but this cowardice has cost him a lot of money.He still has the job, but not the biz he could have had.Had he have pursued it i'm certain he would have succeeded.
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Do it yourself we said.His excuse was his job was too well paid, but this cowardice has cost him a lot of money.He still has the job, but not the biz he could have had.Had he have pursued it i'm certain he would have succeeded.
i forgot to finish the story off
he spent a few months with his new van, not getting the work
then he went back to pricing up work in his van that was a few years old, he went back to getting the jobs, whilst his lads used the new van for work
he is a success, has a fair few vans on the go and covers 5 counties now
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I take your point Matt, but i don't see green thumb losing many, and they don't run tatty vans.
Most things i do i get wrong to some degree and maybe this is like house decoration, my fantastic wallpaper is someone elses cluttered and busy nightmare. If it's clear that pics on the van are all about my ego and not the job then it could be harmful.
By nature i'm a meddler and love to put some of my theories into practice. The elements i like are some inclusion of the area, stay cleaner longer, sills included, and same day free quotes because i think people like immediacy.
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NEED YOUR WINDOWS-GUTTERS- OR-CONSERVATORY CLEANING? Same day free quotes and low prices
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My screen name slumpbuster, and the one before it discount don't reflect my market position.As i gain work my hourly rate is coming down.
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My screen name slumpbuster, and the one before it discount don't reflect my market position.As i gain work my hourly rate is coming down.
Due to increased costs or are you pricing lower.
On the van side think about who your target market is and think what it is that is important to them in relation to the service you offer. Then make sure your van tells them whats important to them.
Bodgit, you worry bout things too much. You keep giving good advice, people reading the posts will make their own mind up about what is useful to them and what isnt.
I think window cleaners should stick to cleaning windows, thats where their bread and butter is, if you want to give different advice then post away.
Mark
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" i'm talking to the man in the mirror ........... "
Slumps you worry too much about marketing and signage. It's all rubbish in window cleaning. It's a fashion thing, the builders and plumbers do the same - flash vans all on contract, shiny logos and personalised number plates, their wives drive massive four wheel drives all on tick (the directors car).
Nobody chooses work because a van looks impressive. They ask each other "do you know a good window cleaner" and "how much does he charge?"
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My screen name slumpbuster, and the one before it discount don't reflect my market position.As i gain work my hourly rate is coming down.
Due to increased costs or are you pricing lower.
On the van side think about who your target market is and think what it is that is important to them in relation to the service you offer. Then make sure your van tells them whats important to them.
Bodgit, you worry bout things too much. You keep giving good advice, people reading the posts will make their own mind up about what is useful to them and what isnt.
I think window cleaners should stick to cleaning windows, thats where their bread and butter is, if you want to give different advice then post away.
Mark
Hourly rate doesn’t go down because of increased cost.
Have you finally got into maintaining conservatories Mark?
Nett hourly rate does ( the one that matters).
Thats a very odd question considering the comments ive made about conservatory cleaning.
Mark
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Yes thats true, and thats one of the reasons i'm running the thread to bring out opinions ftp.You get plenty of work and despite your denials you must be doing something right, and i don't believe being a good window cleaner has a huge amount to do with it either.So if it's not your skill, or my idea of marketing is it all down to luck?
Well we have to do what we can. My vans getting me noticed can't be a bad thing, but the actual execution of a good or bad wrap-leaflet-or biz card probably won't make that much difference over time.That doesn't mean i shouldn't do it as well as i can, or bring apsects of me into it.I have always been interested in ideas for their own sake and this biz gives me the opp to play- and fail- with these.Rightly or wrongly i am competitive (this is not always an attractive feature) and want industry leading standards in all areas- earnings-van signage(marketing)-biz systems- and equipment.
Davo h/r of 1 man 30- but two has proved nearer 45 and lower, not 60, so this is the reason for a fal in h/r.
Ewan the names don't reflect any inferiority.
Just noticed you used the word net ;D ;D well i have to admitt thats not bad.
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I can't put my finger on it. I have a sign written van but nothing spectacular. Don't ever leaflet or door knock. I've targetted all the free websites that come top in google but don't get much work through them. I've got a full day commercial to do today, worked all day yesterday and haven't a hope of catching up next week. Had three jobs come in yesterday on my home phone, bought half a dozen jobs last week to help someone out (and they fitted in with my round nicely). I don't have a clue about marketing, slogans or leaflet design. Maybe i've had a lucky streak. Nothing much happened the first year, I never had enough work, the second year improved but this year it's gone berserk.
I just think if I can do it then just about anyone can. Maybe it's all down to price - I know i'm cheaper than many on gutter cleans for example.
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I detect a major lack of self-confidence on your part Clive. This is not a dig at you in any way, but rather my oppinion gathered from your text. Personaly, I think you've got what it takes to succeed if only you would just go with the flow, beleive in yourself more & stop over-analising everything.
You seem to need a defined reason for every aspect of success when sometimes, there just isn't one.
You won't seem to take personal credit for success, rather, award it to some new tool or marketing strategy!
Trust your own instinct & only what matters to you & your business/circumstances, this way you will grow a more natural & stable business. ;)
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Call us for a sameday quote
Trusted is a good word to have in marketing Clive ;)