[Samson1234]

Hello all. I Have been reading this forum for a week now as i am getting ready to start up on my own. I just wondered if it was wise of me to include my home address on the adverts i have placed in local shops. I would never thought to worry about it until i read about other w/c getting annoyed by new guys on "their turf".  I only put the adverts in yesterday but had 3 calls to my mobile at 5am this morning which rung off after one ring. Also it showed as a private number- seems odd.
Any info would be appreciated.
cheers
Danny

[craig jwc]

I took my address off my flyer because i did have problems with other w/c's.

Just have your Home & Mobile number + your E-Mail address.

[[GQC] Tim]

I keep it on there, because people very much appreciate knowing where there wc is from. I don't really care about other wc's. (without being horrible)

[craig jwc]

I'd rather have it there, but i had a couple of w/c's call round my house getting funny.

I haven't used flyers now for about a year now.

Picked up over £120 worth of work this week just by people coming up to me whilst i was working

[Samson1234]

Cheers for the advice. I think i will take it off simply as i would rather not have a confrontation on my door step. If it happens it happens but i don't want to help the situation. It's probably too late now anyway but i'm off to replace the adds now. I'm probably being paranoid and it was a wrong number , but 3 calls seems weird and i just had another while dropping the misses too work.

Cheer's

Danny

[jakeandmia]

Hi

I had my address on my driveway cleaning flyers but not on my window cleaning ones due to certain cleaners getting territorial.But what I did include was my land line and email,this was so potential customers didnt think i was a gypsy.

wayne

[Samson1234]

Cheers Wayne, I am being brave and leaving the adds i put in the 4 local shops as they were with my address/email etc etc.
I've had another call with one ring at 11 today so it seems whoever it is, is ringing every 3 hours. Oh well lets just see what happens.i'm not too worried.
More importantly i have had no calls about any work but i suppose thats because it's been raining out all week.I intend to go doorknocking when it stops pi$$ing down as it seems that is the best way to generate work.

I would be very gratfull if any one can give me their opinion on my current work situation and what they would do in my shoes. Basically i have been working in London doing maintenance work for the past 6 years. I used to live there but moved 70 miles away for a better quality of life and much cheaper house prices  3 years ago. We did this with the intention of getting local work which my misses did after 1 year. I on the other hand continued to work in london and travel the 140 mile round trip each day which takes 3.5 hours on a good day. Thats 70 hrs travel a month just to get there and back!(MUG!).I do a 5 day week 8.5 hrs a day plus the travel and take home £1800 per month after tax. Take out the £400 travel expenses and i have earned £1400 for what amounts to 240hrs per month inc travel time. Thats a 60 hr week for £350 clear. I don't like the job, i don't like the people i work for,and i hate the travelling. My uncle has been a w/c in the same area for 30 years and i have never heard him complain about his job. I have built up some savings over the past year and put my mortgage on to interest only to lower the payments and the misses has just got a full time job.This has all been in preperation for the big day when i am going to tell my bosses i'm off to work for myself. The trouble is i'm getting cold feet even though i think it will be the best decision i ever make. The misses said to me last week on my 35th birthday to just jack in and go for it as she could see how miserable the travelling was making me so i thought yes your right and i've been off sick this past week thinking it over.

What would you do? 

[john tomkins]

Nothing worse than having a crap job you hate , been there done it.
I've only been going a few months but the freedom it brings me in no way do I regret it. I got a few odd looks when telling folks what I was gonna do for a living but who cares!
Obviously you wont get a decent wage for months and months till you have built up your round and it's not the best time of the year to be starting out but go for it, I did.

[geefree]

i did just the same 4 months ago, i wake up every day amd thank god i dont have to go to work in a place i hated... it really is a relief...

started trad, now doing both (wfp)...
and i love every minute

yes it gets cold but i have total freedom, and the phone now rings nearly everyday,

and i dont cold call !...... as i did that in my previous sales job and hated it...

i just leaflet drop, free line in thompson local, and yell.com

flyer in post office, shops etc....

these guys on this forum have helped me all the way and are the best !..

i have around 100 customers and thats without door knocking, so your round should build much quicker if you do that...

just got my first small commercial job, nothing fancy, but another learning curve.   all in all....

[russ_clark]

go for it mate
you will never look back!
it will not be easy to start with but in a year or so you will
have no regrets.
I started about 3.5 years ago aged 38 with jumbo mortgage and four kids
no regrets.
If you wish to send me a p.m. I will tell you how I got loads of work.
I would not post it on here as lots would do the same  and I am the only one local that does it.
 

[Paul Coleman]

I think it's luck of the draw really.  I have always been public with all my contact details and never had a problem with it.  Of course, that could change overnight as it only takes one idiot to think that ruining my business is the best way to advance his own.
And yes, it is wonderful not to have to work as an employee.  That's the best bit about window cleaning IMO.  I have had several office cleaning (and other out of hours jobs) in recent years to earn a few extra quid.  I have found that when I do a key job and work on my own I am just fine.  However, when I have a supervisor (especially one who fails to appreciate my magnificent intelligence  ), I can struggle with it.  I do a PAYE cleaning job currently.  Its 2 and a half hours a week and I have my own access.  So long as it's done between Friday evening and first thing Monday morning, everyone is happy.  I could pack it up but it's one of those rare cleaning companies who are a pleasure to work for.
I've no idea how I used to manage a 40 hour + week with machine room gossip going on around me about who's sleeping with who and what the manager was supposed to have said to whoever etc etc.
I was made redundant 3 times in 2 years in the late 80s/early 90s and it turned out to be one of the better things that happened to me because I started w/cing.
F-R-E-E-D-O-M

[Samson1234]

Thank's to everyone for all the encouragement. I had sort of made my mind up but this has just sealed it for me. Sometimes you just need to hear from people who know rather than friends and family. I shall be clearing my stuff from work next week and shall then concentrate on leafleting and doorknocking etc.
Thank's again!
Danny

Stupid question but how do you PM someone?

[seanmcshane]

Go for it as soon as possible!
If you have money, consider investing it in a company called Doorknockers who will build you a round in the area of your choice and for your price.
Price as high as possible in the most affluent areas. Do a search on here for pricing ideas.

Don`t need to have your address on ads. When a customer is confirmed, you can give them your address for cheque payment purposes.

MAJOR rule is: DO NOT UNDERPRICE ON YOUR FIRST JOBS.

Work on a minimum of approx £10 per semi-detached with no extensions or conservatories.(price extra for these)
If you knock 100 houses at that price and 50 say yes...that is great.
DO NOT think that 100 at £6 is better. In the short term, yes it may appear to be better income, but you will regret the lower priced work in the future and dump it. Stick to your pricing and you will have a round that pays well and you enjoy doing. £20-£30 an hour is a guide bracket for you. It may be even more because of where you live but someone local to you may offer advice on pricing in your area.

I would suggest investing in a van based WFP system. Forget trolleys and DIY...more hassle than they are worth in my opinion.
Go on a course.
Search ALL posts on here about starting up/pricing/WFP and trad/payment methods/advertising.
It is a goldmine of information.
It is also a wonderful thing to do with your working hours...Window cleaning! Best move I made.

[Samson1234]

Thank's mate, it seems to get better and better the more info i get. This site really is a excellent way of gaining knowledge. I have learnt so much after just a week of finding it and the response from all you w/c has been superb.
Thank's a million! I can't wait to get started.

Cheers


Danny

[russ_clark]

Danny
You can email me direct :-
russell@reliablewindowcleaner.co.uk
regards
Russ

[WavieDavie]

Danny, I know  you're itching to get stuck in, but screw the firm you work for for your Xmas and new year holidays first, and then go for it.

I shy away from new business in December, because most of them only need a clean for xmas. If they're willing to wait till January, then I know they're the customer I want.

That's the doom and gloom finished. When I told a crowd of mates that i was taking up window cleaning you should have seen their faces! Everyone thought I'd struggle at it and I really thought some of them felt sorry for me. None of us talk personal finance down to the last penny, but I have a good idea that I'm in a better financial position now than most of them apart from one - and that's a maybe!

Use the paid break to go round all the forums and get all the information you can. This should start you off . . . http://www.windowcleaningresources.co.uk/ And by the time you've cleaned your own windows twenty or so times, you'll be ready to be unleashed onto the public. But just in case, ask on here if there's someone local who'll let you go out with them for a day for some "real" cleaning, or would your uncle be OK on that? He might sell you some work to help you get up and running, or you could "subby" for a day a week to give him a hand.

Go for it! - in January 

[matt]

i just leave my e.mail address and mobile number on flyers

today we all have mobiles, i dont think they have the "stigma" of the old days when people said you couldnt use them for Biz as you looked dodgy

[Samson1234]

Wavie, my thoughts entirely about going for it in jan!  I would love to screw them for as much as poss but they only owe me 3 days holiday  at present as the new holiday entitlement only started at the end of sept( i am agency based due to self employed/cis card issues lately) so as i have not done any work for them since the end of november and am due that pay next wed i am going to take the money and run.That way they don't owe me anything for december as i've had the last week off (without pay) and if i loose those 3 day's then so be it.
cheers
Danny (hope you understood that-it is friday night am i am well on my way celebrating my new life!! 3beers down 5 to go--YIPEE!!!)

[WavieDavie]

In that case - full steam ahead, and have one on me!

Thats a 60 hr week for £350 clear.
Anything you make over £6 an hour will be a bonus, then? You'll be laughing all the way to the bank.

[russ_clark]

Danny you have mail 
Russ