The unfortunate thing regarding posting flyers or knocking on doors is that window cleaners in general are looked down upon by a lot of people as they either, think we do it as pocket money, beer money, thieves, or don't like that we earn more than them.
Speaking as a window cleaner who has mainly covered areas like manchester, Warrington, Bolton, there always have been loads of window cleaners and in general if I clean a street, but knew another window cleaner was cleaning the next street, I would make sure if anyone asked us to clean the windows on the street we didn't clean, then I would pass it to that window cleaner and would expect him to do the same.
Speaking as someone with over 27 years experience, I have been one to question anyone who constantly knocks or posts on streets where we are as I have been there for years.
However, if another window cleaner cleans any of the houses we clean, then I have no problem at all, as this means either we haven't done a good job, or they just want to penny pinch.
My reasons are that during my experiences, there have been so many thieves or scruffs that are out there pretending to want to earn a living as a window cleaner, but have other motives, giving genuine hard working window cleaners a bad name.
I can only speak as a window cleaner from the north, so it may sound primitive to others from different parts of the country, but I would rather be over protective regarding my work than have some plank trying it on.
I have seen an old lady from sale in manchester, black and blue from a beating she received after opening her door to someone saying he was the window cleaner.
If you are going to the expense of having flyers done, it shows you are determined to be successful, but people must accept some people have opinions regarding safeguarding their work.
Unfortunately some people don't need any excuse to be threatening to others without accepting times have changed, and not for the better.
Just my opinion