[Jamie Wiles]

Anyone ever tried door knocking as a means of bringing in work? If so did you get any results or do people just assume you're a cowboy?

[Doug Holloway]

Jamie,

Years ago I did domestic door knocking and it was quite a good way of getting work but hard and i didn't enjoy it.

During the early nineties recession I went commercial calling and this was what kept me afloat.

Cold calling has the major advantage of being cheap,  and can be combined with leafletting to premises which are unoccupied or currently uninterested.

Another plus for door knocking is that you learn a lot about your markets.

New CC businesses will find Jan/Feb tough but persistence is the absolute key to establishing yourself.

Cheers

Doug

[Jamie Wiles]

Cheers Doug
I was thinking about following up on a leaflet drop by knocking on doors a few days later.  Anyone tried this? Worth doing or a waste of time?

Oh and a Merry Christmas and a Fantastic new year to everyone here in case I don't get online later in the week...

[Buster Ingram]

Jamie,
many years ago when I first started out that was all I could afford.
I use to leaflet then 2 days later call round to the houses.
The response was very good, Many people are afraid to call because they feel they are committed by making the first move. With door knocking its a whole different ball game they feel well what the hell your already there why not have a free quote after all I never told you to call round!
You'd be amazed how many people you'll pick up by doing this.
My opening line was" I'm from xyz cleaning service did you get our leaflet the other day" their answer would be No! quick as a flash I'd have one on my clip board and show them, followed by while "I'm here would you like me to give you a free quote on your lounge carpet."
Like I said it worked for me when I started and as many have said it gives you a good insight to what people are looking for.

Good Luck.

Dave

[Jamie Wiles]

Thanks Buster,
Seems like following up on a thousand leaflets would take a good few days, a lot longer than the initial drop.... So if I drop 10,000 leaflets I'll be knocking on doors for the next year or so.

[Buster Ingram]

Jamie there is no need to drop too many, trust me ( I hate saying that)
A planned leaflet drop followed by door knocking will bring in good results.
All people want to see is who is going to be doing the cleaning, so best biv and tucker and the jobs yours.

Regards Dave

[BRSL]

As much as I hate cold calling, I aint doing so well at the moment and havent been for over a week, so thats my plan tomorrow, instaed of dropping thousands of leaflets and costing me a small fortune, im chasing up the ones ive just posted, never done domestics but hay what have I got to loose, plenty of tea and maybee a slice of cake or mince pie (it is christmas someone told me), and hopefuly get some more bookings for Jan, so wish me luck 

MERRY CRIMBO EVERY ONEAnd good luck too any one else doing the same
James

[Martin S]

James,

Let us know how you get on.

Regards

[ianharper]

Hi Guys

Give the prospect a reason to pick up the phone, use offer with exp dates

Respect

Ian harper

[the red carpet]

How about this idea
what about putting out your usual leaflets and have printed on the back (WE WILL BE IN YOUR AREA THIS MONDAY EVENING GIVING FREE QUOTES, IF YOU WOULD LIKE US TO COME AND SEE YOU WHILE WE ARE THERE TO PROVIDE YOU WITH A FREE NO OBLIGATION WRITTEN QUOTE FOR ANY WORK YOU MADE NEED DOING NOW OR IN THE FUTURE THEN PLEASE CALL US IMEDIATLY ON)

This way the potential customer wont feel like there putting you out as your there anyway, they wont feel obliged to book the work as you are saying your quoting for work wich may need doing in the future. And you can do all your quotes at the same time instead of going backwards and forwards.

Also i find most customers who i go out to quote havent a clue how much they should be paying for the work, and i think some of them feel embarresed to call you round just in case you give them a really high price and they have got to try and squirm there way out of it.

I can imagine you would get a few calls just out of curiosity and providing your prices are reasonable i think this could work well.

By the way iv never tried this its just a idea so if any of you do try, or if anyone has done it before please let me know how it works out.

Daniel

[Doug Holloway]

Hi Guys,

I agree with Ian that an offer is a must , also make sure it's a selling leaflet , not just a boring list of how wonderful you are

As  I mentioned previously door knocking is cheap , but it is time consuming and in the long run not very efficent but as a short term fix you can't beat it.

I found it much nicer to call commerciallly because i considered myself the company rep , rather than a pain in the backside disturbing people in their own homes.

Cheers

Doug

[Elite (Ben)]

I don,t know why people worry about being quiet for a week or so, business is business, it has peaks and troughs, don't worry just keep plugging away with the leaflets. Personally if someone knocked on my door asking me if i wanted my carpets cleaned, i would tell them to p@*s off.

But then i am a grumpy Ba*@sta*d

[the red carpet]

if you see above i suggested printing on the back of your normal leaflet that you will be in the area on a particular day of the week giving out free quotes etc. iv just got my proof back from my printers and thought i would share it with you to see what you think

[the red carpet]

if you cant view the picture as i cant on my computer, right click on the blue writting at the bottom danb.jpg and then click on open and you should be able to view it.

[gwrightson]

managed to veiw after doing as suggested,
 My thoughts Personaly I dont like it< sorry just my opinion!!!
 I feel the section that says , a quick look, gives the immpression of "not to bothered approach"
I also feel when you say ,"No salesman and no pressure for you to book the work there and then"  also gives the custy the impression that , their will in fact be a salesman there!!
What type of reclean are you doing in 6 months? especially as in 6 months this should be a relativaly busy time of year, Why? again this to me puts the question in custys mind,  Why should it need cleaning in 6 months? if done correctly in the first place .
  Geoff
 Just my thoughts, I may well be proved wrong

[Ian Gourlay]

I do door knocking but it is soul destroying.


Just been listenimg to Part One of my JP free CD set.

He says you need  a Marketing  system that gets you 95% of people phoneing you Automated Marketing. We are only acheiving 50%.

Nearly finnished Web Site if only I can drag lads away from War Games


Ah well Back to 24hrs  DVD box  set

[the red carpet]

Hi Geoff,

Oh well at least your honest,
Thanks for your input its give me somthing to think about.
its interesting because we seem to think completly differently i think everything on that leaflet is a really good selling point. Dont get me wrong i havent made it all up myself its just a mix of all the best in my opinion, ideas iv seen others use.

with the recleans, i tell the customers that the reclean wont be as intense as the first clean, we will not move furniture and will not do the edges its just a freshen up of the main traffic areas and to remove any accidental spilages etc.

I also tell the customer that its up to them to ring me anytime in the month there reclean is due to book in.

Now the benifits to me of a customer taking this offer are, this customer will definatly be keeping my number somwere safe for a minimum of six months. I then have a new customer who knows i work to a high standard and thinks i offer good value for money because of this offer, now i have great potential of getting refferals from this customer.

I dont see why anybody would think that if somthing was cleaned properly it wouldnt benifit from being cleaned again in six months, We are cleaners, things get dirty we clean them, and if you have a couple of kids or pets running round a carpet for six months it wont look as good as when you cleaned it no matter how good you do it.

I thought the just a quick look, no salesmen, were in the area anyway idea would give people who were debating on calling, the oportunity to enquire without commiting therselves.
I hate salesmen and theres nothing worse than having them in your home banging away at you trying to break you down most people hate this.

i think the free spotter, gives them a extra reason to choose you if there debating between two quotes.

The guarantee, shows you have confidence in your own work.

The picture shows the type of results that can be achieved.

The other offer encourages them to get more work done meaning higher invoice prices.

Thats what i think anyway.

It will be interesting to see how many people think the same way as me or you.

Daniel

[gwrightson]

Daniel, forgive me if my opinions  looked a little abrupt, they are just my thoughts!! i am in no way trying to degrade your leaflet, it may well a winner
as i said, I may well be proven wrong??
After all, we all have different ideas and methods that we like and hope work for us.
I dare say  that a response from the leaflet king himself  " M . Halliday"may be forth coming, when it comes to leaflets and flyers , i personaly think their is nobody clued up better. And Guess what Daniel, he doesnt think a great deal to the last one I had printed   Although I like it myself, but I would wouldnt I.
  Good luck Geoff

[Derek]

Ben

You hit the nail right on the head fairly and squarely...If someone comes to my door selling (not just carpet cleaning) they get told in no uncertain terms that I don't buy from people selling at the door.
Trading Standards advise people not to buy from door to door callers..
If I want someone to do work for me I look for recommendations and if none are forthcoming then I look in Yellow Pages and go to someone within their particular Trade Association

Leaflets.... straight in the bin...same with free papers

Yes I suppose I am a well and truly eligible for the Grumpy Old Man brigade

Derek

[Len Gribble]

Only got up to, we will be in your area this Monday and then closed it.

Len