[windows_chepstow]

please tell me you all started this way,

Gary.

Gary,

I can honestly relate to everything you've stated in your initial post.

It took me three-years to get a decent round put together; and even though I'm approaching my fourth year, I've still debts incurred from the time I couldn't pay certain bills (only one last payment to Gordon Brown to go; Wahay).

I've nearly 'jacked' it in many-a-time; it's not easy mate; not for the faint-hearted or for those who give up easily.

My advice would be to 'bite the bullet' and get out there and canvass at every opportunity.  It's the only way to build up a compact round quickly.  Make sure you get your pricing right though; that's extremely important.  If you're unsure how to price correctly (I still get it wrong frequently); then start a new thread about how to price.

Also, suffer the Winter (although I think I prefer Winter to Summer; sometimes) and look forward to Spring where you'll pick up loads of new customers from window cleaners who haven't been able to hack another winter; or just dropped their 'B Jobs' since they couldn't fit them in with the reduced day-light hours.

If you want a good business; dig deep; and you'll get it.

[dai]

I have never seen so many vans/cars driving arround with bright shiny ladders. there seems to be a lot of new guys starting up and good luck to them. having said that I am still getting stopped and asked if I do this or that area. I don't go to new streets any more unless they are really big jobs. I frequently get asked by existing customers if I do the area where they are moving to. If I was looking  to expand this would be an ideal way of getting a start in new areas.
When I started, I targeted new developments, this is by far the best way to get started without buying a round. Get in early and keep going back. If you don't quit you'll win. Dai

[geefree]

thanks for all the encouragement guys

its appreciated

[neil100]

We have all started at sometime or other.

The question is do you want to be sucssefull at running your own w/c buisness?

If its Yes, then work your bloody socks off.

My Tip, Set yourself  targets. If someone were to start w/c next week I would advise Canvass, Canvass, Canvass. Try to get £50's worth of work for each week for the first month. Its not a lot but its achievable. At the end of your first month, you have £200 worth of work. Do that for the next 6 months, allways hitting your Target. You will feel good when you hit the target which will spur you on. After 6 months you will have an income of £300 a week. Then reavaluate and set yourself another target. it will keep you focused and you will feel like you are moving forward and you should find it more rewarding.

All the best. Nel.

[AuRavelling79]

I remember going home and collapsing after a days work - £42! (Imagine a fat guy who has only done office, selling and driving for ten years being wheeled home in a wheelbarrow - legs and arms hanging out that was me!)

[geefree]

thats me now, after driving and selling its hard work eh , but i really do enjoy it, thanks for all your input, and cheers fast one for always lifting me.

[pylofm]

Thanks Neil, thats a great piece of advice....re: setting targets....I have been going 3 weeks now and have 16 clients....it all does seem like a distant goal to have regular weeks of full work....pushed out a 1000 leaflets this week (3000 so far) in a mainly country area....did it on my bicycle (getting fitter if nothing else)...not much repsonse this week had 5 phone calls and that transpired into 4 new customers from the leaflets.....

I suppose I am just having a bit of a 'low' at the moment... had one call...woman wanted the tops doing twice a year....another call, lady wanted small terraced doing every 3 months...I have declined them both...I want regular work not peice meal.

New week coming and will get those new customers

[bluesteve]

if its any more constellation , i was exactly in the same boat driving out to villages to give a quote then drive back to clean, pick a new one up a week later, i seem to have spent more time travelling than working.
 All of a sudden i got blocks of houses which allowed me to drop the odd ones, just stick at it be proffessional, smart ,clean shaven (with your neck in the back of your collar, arms parellel with the ground and a thirty inch pace ) and friendly, word will get around.
 stick with it mate and it ll come alright , nobody apart from us knows how much we earn and a lot of people would be shocked if they knew.
             STICK AT IT!

[pylofm]

Thanks BlueSteve needed that....

Reminds me of the fun runs with the screws shouting "push it out" 

[neil100]

Why leaflet drop when you can canvass?

With canvassing you know instantly if you get a new customer, you know if their is another w/c in the area. You get to know how much they charge and if they are any good.

I have never leaflet dropped.

You do get a catch 33 in w/c. You will pick up more work by working, But you have to get the work in the first place.

I picked up 4 new customers on one street this week because they saw me working. Their w/c has just packed in, they were so keen to get me to clean them, I did them in the rain. That was three houses at £10 and one at £14.

Ring other local w/c and ask if they have any spare work going or if they will sell you any.

I canvassed with my son the other night to try and help him get a w/c round up and running. We where out for an hour. Got one cutomer at £14, another at £11. The biggest was £17, thats £42. When we cleaned them another person asked if we could clean his, who was out when we canvassed, another £11. So my son has £55 of work from an hours canvassing.

I want more work myself due to being so much faster with wfp, I canvassed the outer areas of a village I clean, Casnvassing took one hour and I picked up three customers Two at £21 and one at £20. Thats £62 in total for 1 and 1/2 hrs work.

I have tied to illustrate the effectivness of canvassing, its far better then leaflet dropping were you are then waiting for the phone to ring. You can pull out a map and tick off the areas you have canvassed. If you have villages Near you or in a proximity of 20 miles go and canvass these as you might have more success.

Nel.

[petski2]

Hi Neil.
I built my round by leafleting.
Unfortunately some of us dont have the gift of the gab or the bottle to cold call.
I understand what you are saying and I know from others that cold calling is the best way but when I tried it I kept getting toungue twisted. :

[neil100]

Petski2,

I know its a bit of a facer, my son has a confidence problem and though he will come with me I will do the talking, I let him price it up and adjust the price if hes too cheap or to dear, though hes usually bang on with the price.

He still has not built up the courage to have a go yet so I will help him a little longer. But if you want new customers and you want them now you are going to have to do it.

Its simple, All you are asking is do they want a good honest Regular Window Cleaner. They will answer Yes or No or we allready have a w/c. If its yes you walk round the house and price up, give the price and tell them how often you clean them, and they will tell you yes or no.

The ones that want a w/c will be so gratefull  and happyyou called. They are the ones your looking for. Be nice, keep it simple and direct. After an hour you will have cracked it.

You will get highs when you pick up a lot of work,normally in an ares where their is no w.c. And you will get lows when you go out and pick up nothing. You have to be mentally tough and you have to go out and get the work.

Nel.

[pylofm]

I have use leaflets as I am English and my conversational Dutch is not yet good enough for door knocking... , I am trying to get canvassers but that is proving difficult at the moment.....

Dave.

[neil100]

That makes it a little bit more difficult.

But most Dutch speak English as their second language so it should not be to difficult to overcome.

I was brought up as a J wittness so I was weaned on door knocking so I know given any intrest they will become customers. I also beleive I am the best w/c in the Northen Hemisphere, so my customers get quite a bargin by having me as there w/cleaner.

All the best. Nel.

[david68]

Great post gazza .
Reading these comments realy help you to keep getting them ladders out.

Thanks guys for all the replys to this post

Dave

Ps .... Gazza by your regular posts i can see you will get to the top.

[geefree]

Hi to you all,

Thanks for all your imput and help regarding this post,

I simply cant say thanks individually as too many, and too many posts from myself perhaps ?... but you are all brill.

One small concern i do have is up here in the north i would need to get  around 400 customers at an average of £6 per house, to earn a decent living,

thats 20 houses per day, will i be able to do so many in a day when im up to speed?

Also i do understand that i will get larger houses and commercial work as i progress as well .

hopefully

ps. thanks dave for that compliment, i do hope so..
and so will you 

[david68]

gazza

I started with 5 house a day, within 3 months of cleaning i am now upto 15 houses a day. These are on the same road.

Dave

[david68]

Gazza what is your total of cleans you have now per month?



Dave

[Paul Coleman]

That makes it a little bit more difficult.

But most Dutch speak English as their second language so it should not be to difficult to overcome.

I was brought up as a J wittness so I was weaned on door knocking so I know given any intrest they will become customers. I also beleive I am the best w/c in the Northen Hemisphere, so my customers get quite a bargin by having me as there w/cleaner.

All the best. Nel.

I found that being brought up in that faith (since left) was a hindrance to my early doorknocking with window cleaning.  I found that I was giving off signals that indicated that I expected to be rejected for window cleaning too !!
P.S.  I wasn't dunked in water so wasn't disf'd nor did I disassociate formally so communication is permitted and the "shunning" advice needn't apply.

What I did learn was to carry on regardless in spite of it being slow to build up the business.

That probably answers a few things that were asked on here before from others.
Mystery solved guys.  I don't have 7 heads or 10 horns   

[Richy L]

i've found my 'door knocking' esxperience has helped me really. You get used to talking to people you dont know, and being pleasent to them.
I think the best way to build up your round is definatly by canvassing, that way the customers can get to know you personally, so they know who will be looking in there windows when they are not around!
All you need to be is smart and polite ...  ooh and smile! Then you've got a very good chance of building a good, compact round