[David Kent @ KentKleen]

Please take a look at my last post in WEBSITE TRAFFIC. Have i got the ball rolling? hope so.
I am not after your figures just thought it might help others out in getting to grips with there business and running IT instead of letting IT RUN YOU.
cheers
 

[Nameless Drudge]

Just starting at it properly. I am after 3 full days a week circa £120-160 daily, 9.30-10am to  2-3pm,domestic,6 weekly. Gutters,conservatorys etc. all extras for rainy days. Ideal customer semi-detached dormer bungalow with leaded windows and bedroom windows inaccessible by ladder, at £12 done wfp in 15-20 mins.Dont mind hard graft but will always take my time.

[David Kent @ KentKleen]

sean, keep at it it will come!!!! stress free 3 days work. perfect in my eyes

[Perfect Windows]

kent,

You seem to have a real bee in your bonnet about people trying to grow their business. 

Would you give your advice to someone with a half round who is slowly going bankrupt waiting for enough referrals to become solvent?  I hope not.  They should be doing everything it takes to grow their business, so suggesting that leaving it to referrals will do is not really too helpful. 

Not everyone on this site has a packed full round.  What advice would you give to them?

Vin

[David Kent @ KentKleen]

perfect i agree i had a half full round once and got off my backside everyday without fail to take it to a full round. took me 3 months. i have no problem with the business builders on here. I have listed what i have done and how i run things.
My advice to anyone with half a round is get out and make it a full one.
Have you got a round full point?? A point where you are earning enough and have filtered out the bad payers etc?
If you have why do you need a website?
If not then good luck to you. keep building and stressing!
 

[Perfect Windows]

perfect i agree i had a half full round once and got off my backside everyday without fail to take it to a full round. took me 3 months. i have no problem with the business builders on here. I have listed what i have done and how i run things.
My advice to anyone with half a round is get out and make it a full one.
Have you got a round full point?? A point where you are earning enough and have filtered out the bad payers etc?
If you have why do you need a website?
If not then good luck to you. keep building and stressing!
 

Your catch-all (slightly aggressive) advice in several threads: "Why does anyone need a website/flyers/canvassing/trusted trader site, you must be mad" only applies once you have a fully formed business.  Plenty of people on here haven't, which is probably why they are on here in the first place.

Vin

[David Kent @ KentKleen]

so why would someone trying to build a window cleaning business want to spend on web sites when they are not needed. I think thay are a gimmick.
all i have done is show what i have done without the OVERHEADS some people suggest you need.
Its an option just like having a web site is.
Is it that you regret paying for one?
 

[David Kent @ KentKleen]

p.s I actually like your web site its one of the better ones out there. I am not trying to be agressive just think all the facts should be layed out so people decide which method suits them in building a business.

[clearlyclean]

do you ever reach a point where you have a full round? customers move on cancel some unfortunately die others hit hard times,I am always developing my round looking for better paid jobs easier houses to clean.Also find faster ways to cover my work such as WFP or extra staff.
If your not growing your business then unfortunately it is going backwards.I agree if someone wants to have a website,sign written van or canvass on a sunday good for them because they are trying to grow and should be encouraged.Lots of house holders are'nt in during the week and dont know you clean the windows in there street and are desperate for a window cleaner,we should try our best to find those customers by any means without spending more than you can afford

[kate1]

This is quite difficult for me to get my head round being in sales, what your saying Kent is, because you are happy with your round etc, you wouldnt want the potential to increase your marketing outlets?  I dont get it.  Thats a very reassured attitude to have. Why would you want to decrease your chance of getting business? Why would you not want to exploit every avenue available?  Why work twice as hard with half the tools?  I mean sure of course everybody has their own way, and I completely understand that.  Website is a tool of many to increase sales.  Like advertising, door knocking, leafleting, they are all tools to increase your trade.  Im just not sure why you would want to leave that out. 

But I suppose being in sales, I know how hard it is to get new business.  I just couldnt imagine not exploiting something so big as the web.

But I dont know the ins and outs of your business, im basing my opinion on the fact I sell for a job

But as I say each to their own

Regards

[David Kent @ KentKleen]

customers cancel?? i dont know what you mean?

[David Kent @ KentKleen]

Kate, I am happy with my customers, happy with my hours, happy with the fact none of my customers cancel. Happy that my father works with me to cope with all my referals. Happy that apart from pruducing my pure water,van and diesel cost and insurance I have no more overheads and can come in at 5pm and sit down with my family in my nice home and maybe listem to the odd answer phone message with ANOTHER referal. Just had a text with another. (GENUINE) Thats another 130 per year pay rise for no outlay. love it. I am going to add this to my already full round as it is next door to an existing customer and will take 10 mins to clean. (wfp, no consevatory) £120 for 130.mins work over a year. lovely jubbly.   

[kate1]

Cool Kent, thats a very lucky position to be in.

But as someone else said here, for the unestablished, growing, fledging businesses, to not suggest a website or no need - I think is quite a broad statement.

Think thats where the difference is being established and not.

[Perfect Windows]

so why would someone trying to build a window cleaning business want to spend on web sites when they are not needed. I think thay are a gimmick.
all i have done is show what i have done without the OVERHEADS some people suggest you need.
Its an option just like having a web site is.
Is it that you regret paying for one?
 

Absolutely not.  You see an overhead, where I see £5.99 a month bringing in around eight customers a month with no further effort from me.  I consider that to be far from a gimmick.

Vin

[David Kent @ KentKleen]

I have just said that i did not use or need one. If people want to spend on one thats up to them i am just telling people my story.
some obviously have a high turnover of customers, i dont, so dont need to keep replacing them. found ALL  mine with leaflets (produced by myself) and referals.
I am not old fashioned, modern really, but have been involved in all sorts of business that have SOAKED up money like a sponge through marketing ideas. Window cleaning is not rocket science.
WE are a service provider. Provide a good service and people stick and tell others. Simples  

[David Kent @ KentKleen]

how long has it been running Vin?

[Perfect Windows]

how long has it been running Vin?

Since May.

Cost me nothing (wife learned web design by creating the site) bar £5.99 a month hosting fee.

Vin

[David Kent @ KentKleen]

gonna have to get one of those

[mci services]

I can totally see where kentkleen is coming from, a website is a low priority when starting up and a unnecessary expense, once you are up and established then it is worth looking at but for some they will happy without a website.

what I am trying to say although it is good to have I wouldn't worry about it if I did not have website when establishing my business.

[David Kent @ KentKleen]

stu. well put....
i am not saying they dont work, just not essential.
happy cleaning mate