Hi everybody,
I have been reading this forum for some time now and just want to say that I have had some invaluable tips from the posts on this webiste. this is the first time I have posted, but felt that my experience may help some of you.
I have had a few businesses in the past, but got itchy feet and never really felt right up until now.
Anyway I will stop rambling, lets talk about canvassing.
I started my window cleaning business 10th April 2007,I bought 5000 a6 350gsm full colour flyers for £99 and started delivering them my self 3 days a week. I now have 49 customers exactly 1 month on and these customers are now worth £7280 per year to me allready. As you can imagine I am jumping through hoops at this result as Ive only delivered 1200 flyers so far. , I am on target for a total of 100 customers in another 6 weeks which will be worth £14800 per year to me and thats working on my own.
20 of these customers pay me online from my website, 5 pay by cheque and the rest cash on completion, I have not yet needed to call on these customers in the evening for payment, simply because of the setup I have and the customers think it's a great service I offer.
Ok! now that I have your attention, how did I do it!!
(1) On one side of the leaflet on a white background I put the words. DO YOU NEED A WINDOW CLEANER in large red letters.
Then underneath that I put:
If you do please leave this leaflet in your window somewhere I can see it and I will call back in a few days to give you a price and clean your windows.
Then underneath that I put:
Alternatively you can call me Tony on mobile to arrange a quote.
(2) On the other side of the leaftet on a bright yellow background I put: YES PLEASE CLEAN MY WINDOWS in very large red letters.
As the thought of canvassing gives me the willys, I thought I would try this approach and bingo

the leaflets started turning up in peoples windows and im getting phonecalls from leaflets I delivered 3 weeks ago. it worked like a dream.
This really does work with excellent results.
I would just like also say that I got this idea off one of the threads on this forum, the guy who thought this idea up is a genius.
P.S. I use a waterfed pole system from my van.
Regards
Tony Brown

UPDATE: 12/05/2007: 3 days after this original post my round is now worth £8700 per year.