[Klearview]

Hi everyone been looking through the forum a while now and thought I'd ask a few questions.

Just seeing what you guys think of my plan because some of you seem to give some great advice!

I am thinking of starting up trad in the new year, getting about a 5 grand loan for van, equipment, insurances etc. Once I build up the business I will change to wfp.

I will canvass from 10.30-8, six days a week, plus advertise in a few local cheap papers/mags. How much customers do you think I could realistically gain from this?

Ideally I want to make a cheap simple website do you guys know of anyone that does a good job? Also places to get cheap public liability?

Sorry about all the questions easier to put them all in one thread!

Appreciate any replies  

[colin purewater]

Hi!!!

1st of all were are you?

And if your starting up trad you only need a car with a roof
 Rack and about £200 and your away. If your planning on working local
Mate you don't even need a car! Just a shoulder of steel.

With 5k loan mate you can easily go straight to to wfp! No need to
Spend a fortune on equipment  and line the pockets
Of suppliers when you could build your own system from
Second hand parts and learn how to do it all of YouTube

Simples

Good luck to you mate

[gary999]

personally if iwas starting up now with five grand,i would be looking
to start off wfp straight away,nothing wrong in learning trad skills though
they will come in handy.

dont see the point of growing your business trad and having any hassle
transfering your customers over to wfp if you dont have to,better to start off
as you mean to go on if you are in a position to do so.

starting off wfp now doesnt have to cost the earth.end of the day you only need a water source
a way to convert to pure(ro/di) a tank pump battery and a controller if you prefer one,a reel of microbore
and pole that will cover you for three floors.

all these parts are easily sourced on line at a reasonable cost leaving you plenty left
for a reasonable vehicle.

cant comment on canvassing never done it,all my work intially came from leafletting
but most comes from referral now.

as for website well they are nice but if was me i would spend that cash on signwriting  for van
which will be seen wherever you are when cleaning or parked on supermarket carpark etc
a website can always come later as you grow

best of luck gary

[WGB]

Would start wfp mate could get second hand system, small van and insurance for less than 5grand. Between 4pm and 8pm would be the best time to canvass as people are more likely to be at home at this time, you could leaflet durning day then canvass in evening. Good luck Wayne.

[concept]

Hi everyone been looking through the forum a while now and thought I'd ask a few questions.

Just seeing what you guys think of my plan because some of you seem to give some great advice!

I am thinking of starting up trad in the new year, getting about a 5 grand loan for van, equipment, insurances etc. Once I build up the business I will change to wfp.

I will canvass from 10.30-8, six days a week, plus advertise in a few local cheap papers/mags. How much customers do you think I could realistically gain from this?

Ideally I want to make a cheap simple website do you guys know of anyone that does a good job? Also places to get cheap public liability?

Sorry about all the questions easier to put them all in one thread!

Appreciate any replies  

Personally wouldn't get a loan to start up,as you have no customers yet, therefore no revenue, so you can't pay it back if all fais or you get fed up.

Tough time of year to start up, but if you're determined, you can do it.

Personally, I would start off as I mean to go on, WFP trolley system out of your car, and get going.

[Klearview]

Thanks for the replies!

I am based in Bedfordshire.

I was thinking of starting wfp but haven't got a garage to store a tank or water source?

Also I know how to do trad and wfp as have been a windie in the past.

When I first start out I will keep my job but that doesn't leave me a lot of free time to canvass so I was thinking just go for it and canvass 6 days a week from
10.30-8 and surely I could pick up 5 customers a day?

[Ian Lancaster]

Canvassing is surprisingly tiring.  I've done it for years and built up many rounds, but I find that 3-4 hours in one go is enough!  Good luck to you if you can keep it up, but I always found the above was a much as I needed to do, 3 or 4 days a week and maybe weekends just to get a new round up and running.

[Klearview]

Thanks Ian, I'm 21 and always on my feet so thought this would be ok! How quickly on average have you built up the rounds so they're up and running?

[concept]

Thanks Ian, I'm 21 and always on my feet so thought this would be ok! How quickly on average have you built up the rounds so they're up and running?

Come back and say that in a few weeks.

I have had many a canvasser work for me, and some are good, and some are bad. I've canvassed a lot myself also, so know what its about.

Some days you will have good days, some bad, always remember no matter what you think, yes, you may have got 10 sign up, 2 will drop out, 1 wont pay, and 1 will have you once or twice, so you will in reality and my experience, get 50-60% stick rate.

Its not as easy as its made out to be "just knock a few doors and pick up more customers", people are not sat waiting around for a window cleaner to come and answer their needs.

Hard work, but stick at it, and it will work.

[PoleKing]

Start on WFP, where we are there are a number of lads who sell pure water.
In Bedford there's plenty!
Everything else is easy enough.
Steer clear from debts before you start if you can
All the best.

www.laneswindowcleaning.com

[Window Washers]

Start on WFP, where we are there are a number of lads who sell pure water.
In Bedford there's plenty!
Everything else is easy enough.
Steer clear from debts before you start if you can
All the best.

www.laneswindowcleaning.com

I sell water to people from Bedford

[concept]

Start on WFP, where we are there are a number of lads who sell pure water.
In Bedford there's plenty!
Everything else is easy enough.
Steer clear from debts before you start if you can
All the best.

www.laneswindowcleaning.com

I sell water to people from Bedford

I eat people from Bedford.

[concept]

Joking aside, if you are near Marston Morteyne, I know a gay fella there who would help.

[slendersunfish]

In Surrey
I've averaged 1 customer per 100 leaflets delivered
They take about an Hour to deliver ,no door knocking.
I've had people call me a Year after they received the leaflet
Maybe its a locality based stat (Surrey,Hants,sussex)

[concept]

Had 20,000 leaflets dropped a few months go...wish I had 1 per 100 from that!

[Window Washers]

Start on WFP, where we are there are a number of lads who sell pure water.
In Bedford there's plenty!
Everything else is easy enough.
Steer clear from debts before you start if you can
All the best.

www.laneswindowcleaning.com

I sell water to people from Bedford

I eat people from Bedford.

lol, what ever floats your boat

[rosskesava]

100 leaflets per hour delivered. That is very good going and 1 customer per 100 leaflets delivered is incredibly exceptionally good going.

10 000 leaflets = 100 hours leafleting and 100 customers.

£15 ave per customer = £1500 worth of business.

Sounds like you have it all sorted out already.

[Mike #1]

Thanks for the replies!

I am based in Bedfordshire.

I was thinking of starting wfp but haven't got a garage to store a tank or water source?

Also I know how to do trad and wfp as have been a windie in the past.

When I first start out I will keep my job but that doesn't leave me a lot of free time to canvass so I was thinking just go for it and canvass 6 days a week from
10.30-8 and surely I could pick up 5 customers a day?

You dont need a garage to store water i use a 300ltr water butt dark green plastic so water is ok and not affected by sunlight . And if you live in a soft water area you dont need a storage tank just use DI vessel and pure water goes straight into tank .  Mike

[tompoole]

Hi