[mark mann]

Hi guys

2 things i will be looking to do in new year are van signage and a website (already leaflet drop and door knock) but my question to fish for thoughts ideas that you guys use and seem to be successful with would be?..........

are there any good sites worth listing with free and/or chargeable - for example

good ways to create interest in lcients ringing up would be much appreciated and real helpful... look forward to giving up some part time work to be full time.

 

please also see other topic re working referrals

[james44]

mark do you have facebook?

[darren clarke]

a uniform,

but the majority of work you will get will come from knocking and custys,  a website is good as a lot of people google,   but if you want more custy just go out an knock

[mark mann]

mark do you have facebook?

yes mate ??

[mikecam]

a uniform,

but the majority of work you will get will come from knocking and custys,  a website is good as a lot of people google,   but if you want more custy just go out an knock

Spot on.

[mikecam]

Hi guys

2 things i will be looking to do in new year are van signage and a website (already leaflet drop and door knock) but my question to fish for thoughts ideas that you guys use and seem to be successful with would be?..........

are there any good sites worth listing with free and/or chargeable - for example

Websites a complete waste of time. The free listings pages, whilst there are plenty of them are also a waste of time.

good ways to create interest in lcients ringing up would be much appreciated and real helpful... look forward to giving up some part time work to be full time.

 

A good way to create interest is to let your existing customers know you are activley looking for business and will consider going to any area. If you're lucky they'll do some legwork for you. Don't however offer any incentives for doing so. Costs ya money.

[Perfect Windows]

Websites a complete waste of time. The free listings pages, whilst there are plenty of them are also a waste of time.

An utterly ridiculous statement that has no basis whatsoever in fact.

My website brings in around three new customers a week. Many find it through the free lsitings pages, particularly touchlocal.

Vin

[mikecam]

Websites a complete waste of time. The free listings pages, whilst there are plenty of them are also a waste of time.

An utterly ridiculous statement that has no basis whatsoever in fact.

My website brings in around three new customers a week. Many find it through the free lsitings pages, particularly touchlocal.

All local and handy on your existing rounds i presume? That'll be the website your wife just recently made for you, and registered in February this year? So lets see,March,April,May,June,July,August,September,October thats eight months x 4 = 32 weeks roughly@ 3 customers a week then you've got 96 customers through your website. Have you really?
 Just done a quick google, its lucky that you paid for that advertising to come on the top other wise you don't really come in the rankings/listings for your area. Touch local you are fifth, you window cleaners on the south coast must be a busy lot !!!

[ronnie paton]

mike to say a website is a waste of time is a ridiculous statement.

[mikecam]

mike to say a website is a waste of time is a ridiculous statement.

Ronnie, you've got six listed as your signature so i can see that me and you will have to agree to disagree. When people say the internet is the way forward i've no doubt for many things thats true. I personally doubt the internet will be of value to anyone with a window cleaning business. Maybe for commercial work someone may 'google' for a window cleaning company. Maybe someone who's house is minging and hasn't seen a cleaner may google one too. But the vast majority of people would not google for a window cleaner and would take or leave one.
 For most circumstances we don't fill an actual need, we're a habit.

[wpclean]

We got a free website with GBBO and it has given us a lot of good quality work 

http://www.gbbo.co.uk/

[darren clarke]

mike to say a website is a waste of time is a ridiculous statement.

Ronnie, you've got six listed as your signature so i can see that me and you will have to agree to disagree. When people say the internet is the way forward i've no doubt for many things thats true. I personally doubt the internet will be of value to anyone with a window cleaning business. Maybe for commercial work someone may 'google' for a window cleaning company. Maybe someone who's house is minging and hasn't seen a cleaner may google one too. But the vast majority of people would not google for a window cleaner and would take or leave one.
 For most circumstances we don't fill an actual need, we're a habit.

yes and no, we are a habit for people,  but i like having a web site, makes me look less of a cowboy,  i get work from mine, i know i get googled as my control panel tells me, where they come from,

[mikecam]

We got a free website with GBBO and it has given us a lot of good quality work 

http://www.gbbo.co.uk/

I have one, got mine from there too. But you would't seriously rely on it as a marketing tool, or would you?
The OP is looking for good ways to get clients ringing up, website wouldn't be top of my tips !!

[ronnie paton]

mike lets say my website hostings and maintenance has cost 1k over 5 years i bet its brought in 20k in income at least and more recent one job ivg got which i havent included is a 1k a month job.

a website is a must and can very cheap, and all though it can take time to get on the first page it will provide a steady flow of work guarenteed, i forgot to say i rare;y go quote the residential jobs as well so they go down the drain.

[Steve CM]

i went out last wednesday and priced up over 2.5k worth of work. all cam in through my website. It was made up of window cleaning and gutter cleaning. If you get your site right and market it properl it is a powerfull tool.

[mikecam]

mike lets say my website hostings and maintenance has cost 1k over 5 years i bet its brought in 20k in income at least and more recent one job ivg got which i havent included is a 1k a month job.

a website is a must and can very cheap, and all though it can take time to get on the first page it will provide a steady flow of work guarenteed, i forgot to say i rare;y go quote the residential jobs as well so they go down the drain.

Yeah i understand what you're saying, and i'm not saying they don't have their place. But look at what the original poster is asking and would you really recommend that a website is going to be good to generate him clients?
 You're in a built up area same as me, its no good generating a residential enquiry through it sometimes as it just isn't worth it.

[wpclean]

We got a free website with GBBO and it has given us a lot of good quality work 

http://www.gbbo.co.uk/

I have one, got mine from there too. But you would't seriously rely on it as a marketing tool, or would you?
The OP is looking for good ways to get clients ringing up, website wouldn't be top of my tips !!

Well we got the the phone calls and did the work, so yes they work  

[darren clarke]

the best thing he can do is go knocking,


how many times have we seen people come on here i got this system this pole etc,  cant knock doors so leave,

a web site makes you look more legit, like a uniform, and a sign written van,  it all adds to the total package

[darren clarke]

i have a web site, so when out knocking, i give them a flyer,  with web address on,  u then leave, and then can look at it when they got free time

[Perfect Windows]

All local and handy on your existing rounds i presume? That'll be the website your wife just recently made for you, and registered in February this year? So lets see,March,April,May,June,July,August,September,October thats eight months x 4 = 32 weeks roughly@ 3 customers a week then you've got 96 customers through your website. Have you really?
 Just done a quick google, its lucky that you paid for that advertising to come on the top other wise you don't really come in the rankings/listings for your area. Touch local you are fifth, you window cleaners on the south coast must be a busy lot !!!

So, what's the problem, Mike?  I did pay for the advertising.  Why not?  It's paid for itself several times over.  Why be so dismissive?  Do I earn less from paid advertising than from search results via touchlocal?  A tiny bit on their first clean, then they are as good as any other.

Overall the web brings in by far my cheapest acquisition cost business.

Vin