[big J]

hi

Canvassing a round,

the options to me are

Canvassing the round and work it my self the advantages being it would be my round with my customers paying my price slow to buld a business
or
get a team in to build it for me whilst I atually work the round. the Advantages or quick build up but expensive in the short term
or set some one on to clean the windows and door knock my self

I should say that I am an experienced canvasser and salesman with over 25 years of selling everything from tea to new windows so I I know that I can get the punters on board.
finally if I set someone on do I rent the round if so what percentage of the value do I take
do I employ directly
or I could even Franchise the operation

I have my own views but what do you lads think and do with your businesses

[Blue Frog Systems]

I am in my second month - nearly third now

I started by knocking doors for the first 2 weeks then started cleaning. I was still knocking & delivering leaflets at night whilst cleaning in the day. My lovely wife has helped out with the knocking too. She asks if people need a window cleaner and when they say yes, she makes an appointment for me to go round.

[big J]

so you had a 2 week gap from your first new customers to doing thier windows for the first time. Did they remember you were coming and what was your drop off rate??

Well done on getting going .... I am just waiting the good lady to have our baby in the next couple of weeks before i send them out on the streets as it were

[Blue Frog Systems]

Ive had 2 say they dont like the clean and cancelled.

Had another 2 say leave it for a while

Had more refferals than i can remember.

I did a quote for a lady who turned out to be the neighbourhood watch officer. I ended walking away with number 1, 3, 5 & 7 with my services being brought up at the next meeting.

Im thinking about getting a trailer for my dog to carry round a few more 25L containers on 

[Johnny B]

When I started, I knocked on doors for a few evenings until I got enough for a day or two's work. I did the work during the next available day, and when this work was done I resumed door knocking until I got another customer, which I was available to to immediately, and so on. Within a couple of weeks, of doing this, I had approximately 80 customers, at which point I stopped canvassing, and let the work come to me, which it did by recommendation, by being seen working by neighbours, or even some who had initially said no.

This method worked for me, as a) The householder was face to face with their potential window cleaner immediately, so a first impression was made there and then, b) I didn't have to wait for answers, it was either no straight away, or yes if I fitted the bill, c) no financial outlay for leaflets or paying someone to represent your interests, and d) same as 'a', except the first impressions were mine of the householder.   

Another idea I found helpful was taking my wife and (at the time) 2 young children with me on some occasions. This showed the householders that I was in the business for providing for my family, rather than for 'beer money' or whatever. It did help create a favourable impression and it positively helped to get me some of my first customers.

Whichever way works for you, I wish you well and hope you do well. 

John.     
   

[Carl2009]

I started on the 16th April and have 134 customers from a base of 0. I too have spent years in sales, having sold used and new cars, road furniture, financial services etc. I've always taken the be totally honest and professional approach and it works for me.

If i'm not cleaning i'm canvassing (unless the rain is so bad that it's utterly miserable: I figure I need to talk to my prospects and they won't want to stand with the rain blowing in their porch). I have 2 types of leaflets - a general flyer and a Do You Need a Window Cleaner. I hardly use the latter.

I have a well established window cleaner a mile from me (I live in rural SW Wales) and several others that cover the area i've designated as my patch. I knock all doors even if no cars in drive as one or other of the man/wife may still be in. I give them my name, where I live and say as brightly as I can that i'm a window cleaner. 'I have an expanding business and thought while I was in the area i'd drop a few leaflets around. I was wondering if you have or might be in need of a window cleaner?".

Many have a window cleaner (though it's obvious they don't). If they say they do I end it there - I say that's fine and wish them well - I want people who really do want a window cleaner as they will pay and once they know i'm regular will be loyal. Often if they have a cleaner they ask "How much". I always say that i don't want to take someone else's business as i'm a professional guy. This with the "i'm expanding" reinforces that I am professional. They either respect I don't want to quote or ask me to quote as they are unhappy with their current cleaner. If I know the cleaner is professional at what they do I do quote but quote high, so they don't go for it. If their cleaner is not from companies I know I quote a fair price. I rarely get the work and don't mind - as I say theres loads out there.

Often people ask how much for a clean and I know i'm in. I ask how often they want a clean to establish the value of the property - one-offs get charged a lot more. I try to think of it as £130 per year and not £10 for a clean. To close the sale I generally offer to do the conservatory gutters or I show them the kit in my van (blows their mind). I am wfp so I explain that the brush will get rid of "all that algae and cobwebs".

I canvass on Saturdays and Bank Holls. I did 4 hours on Monday and got 6 custies from 75 houses. I have had lots of recommendations; first cleans I spend ages on - basically prepping the property for a maintenance clean 2nd time round. I am always bright and cheerful, but not too familiar. I always say hi to passers by. If I kick gravel on the lawn I put it back where it was. I lay my hose carefully around garden ornaments. I wipe the sills. I reckon that being reliable is the main thing. I've picked up several where people's current cleaner wasn't reliable.

I know that the window cleaner down the road knows i'm in business. I've told his custies that I respect his business (hoping this gets back to him) and won't quote for his work, plus he followed my signwritten van on his way home last week! Result, he phoned me and left a message giving me details of a custie he can't fit in as he has a full round. I've yet to see if the custie if any good, but at least it's not a brick through the van window.

I reckon its a question of doing the legwork. Knock on doors (I have callouses on my knuckles now) get out of people's face quickly if they don't want or already have a cleaner as no-one likes door to door sales; leave them with the leaflet "In case your WC retires or wins the lottery" as I know they often pass it on. Talk with people if they want to talk. It works for me, but i've a hell of a way to go.

Lastly, a question. How many customers do you have when your books are full? 300? 350? More? Less?

[andyatkinson]

great post that mate. i suppose your books are full when your full, regardless of numbers, you may have fewer higher paying custies or lots of lower paying, at the point of full you can look at taking on or honing your round into a great 1 man business by replacing the pants bits and keeping the best, options is the key

[big J]

Carl 2009 cracking post ... I d like to think that I will be as professional.

you say 134 customers since you started. can i ask a couple of questions

1 how often do you clean your regulars 4 weekly or monthly

2 do you clean at all in the rain if so what do your customers say

thanks again for your post you have basically confirmed along with the other replies my next step will be to get out knocking

I am having to wait at the moment to start .... got a good excuse my missus wont let me out to play at the minute .........





.......our baby is due in 14 days 

[DaveG]

All depends if you can afford to wait and build up a round.......

I took the option of employing a canvasser and within 4 or 5 months ive got a "ready made" business for a relatively small outlay...

Obviously you get the messers and muckers type of customers but you will pick up work all the time with sensible advertising and a sign written van, then you can drop those custies with great pleasure!

[Carl2009]

It's pouring today, so am not cleaning (yet  . Apart from the misery of it I think that custies would be surprised to see me turn up and make a start. It is pouring though. If it was light rain i'd clean. I have tackled this in the past when asked "Do you come if it's raining" by making a joke of it and saying "If I didn't clean if it was raining here in Pembrokeshire i'd only work a month a year".

I always ask them how often they want me to clean for them. If they hesitate I prompt and say most people have me around once a month. To me this means 4 weekly. I use Roundtracker software (find it basic but good) and as my business is building if I have to re-schedule some clients I always making it a day or two later, rather than earlier.

I try to avoid 6 weekly cleans and prompt 8 weekly if they suggest 6 weekly. I have no 6 weekly. I have one fortnightly clean which I do as its on the way to or from other towns I am building, so can be a first or last clean of the day.

Good luck with the baby!

[GWCS]

Yeah when all the 6 weekly are changed to 8. Unless its specifically asked for monthly (4 weeks).

6 weekly is too much effort to make return trips to some areas. Least with 8 weekly they get done the same time as the 4 weekly.

Even if you can fit them in when you first start out, it becomes a logistical nightmare when your busy!

So unless they want to pay extra for it, its 4, 8 weekly, or one off pricing as and when they want it.

[P @ F]

GWCS  goood post , dont do the 6 weekly , it really screws the round up , unless of course all your work is in one street , not likely , !
I made the mistake , its a nightmare , dont do it .

Now its 4 or 8 weekly , the 8 weekly ones get quoted 50% higher .

 Rich P @ F

[Clive McDonald]

Good post Carl.
Point one you may lose some of your customers so the intial 'over clean' sometimes backfires.

Point two your round is full at 400, but if you then get help and put another pole on the van you are again undercapacity.

[big J]

The issue for me is that I need a sustainable round quickly so
do I bring in somebody to clean the windows or get someone to canvass whilst I clean

[stephen s]

I started on the 16th April and have 134 customers from a base of 0. I too have spent years in sales, having sold used and new cars, road furniture, financial services etc. I've always taken the be totally honest and professional approach and it works for me.

If i'm not cleaning i'm canvassing (unless the rain is so bad that it's utterly miserable: I figure I need to talk to my prospects and they won't want to stand with the rain blowing in their porch). I have 2 types of leaflets - a general flyer and a Do You Need a Window Cleaner. I hardly use the latter.

I have a well established window cleaner a mile from me (I live in rural SW Wales) and several others that cover the area i've designated as my patch. I knock all doors even if no cars in drive as one or other of the man/wife may still be in. I give them my name, where I live and say as brightly as I can that i'm a window cleaner. 'I have an expanding business and thought while I was in the area i'd drop a few leaflets around. I was wondering if you have or might be in need of a window cleaner?".

Many have a window cleaner (though it's obvious they don't). If they say they do I end it there - I say that's fine and wish them well - I want people who really do want a window cleaner as they will pay and once they know i'm regular will be loyal. Often if they have a cleaner they ask "How much". I always say that i don't want to take someone else's business as i'm a professional guy. This with the "i'm expanding" reinforces that I am professional. They either respect I don't want to quote or ask me to quote as they are unhappy with their current cleaner. If I know the cleaner is professional at what they do I do quote but quote high, so they don't go for it. If their cleaner is not from companies I know I quote a fair price. I rarely get the work and don't mind - as I say theres loads out there.

Often people ask how much for a clean and I know i'm in. I ask how often they want a clean to establish the value of the property - one-offs get charged a lot more. I try to think of it as £130 per year and not £10 for a clean. To close the sale I generally offer to do the conservatory gutters or I show them the kit in my van (blows their mind). I am wfp so I explain that the brush will get rid of "all that algae and cobwebs".

I canvass on Saturdays and Bank Holls. I did 4 hours on Monday and got 6 custies from 75 houses. I have had lots of recommendations; first cleans I spend ages on - basically prepping the property for a maintenance clean 2nd time round. I am always bright and cheerful, but not too familiar. I always say hi to passers by. If I kick gravel on the lawn I put it back where it was. I lay my hose carefully around garden ornaments. I wipe the sills. I reckon that being reliable is the main thing. I've picked up several where people's current cleaner wasn't reliable.

I know that the window cleaner down the road knows i'm in business. I've told his custies that I respect his business (hoping this gets back to him) and won't quote for his work, plus he followed my signwritten van on his way home last week! Result, he phoned me and left a message giving me details of a custie he can't fit in as he has a full round. I've yet to see if the custie if any good, but at least it's not a brick through the van window.

I reckon its a question of doing the legwork. Knock on doors (I have callouses on my knuckles now) get out of people's face quickly if they don't want or already have a cleaner as no-one likes door to door sales; leave them with the leaflet "In case your WC retires or wins the lottery" as I know they often pass it on. Talk with people if they want to talk. It works for me, but i've a hell of a way to go.

Lastly, a question. How many customers do you have when your books are full? 300? 350? More? Less?

a first class example of how it can be done,  well done Carl

[Sunshine/Cleaning]

Great reply Carl. You do the right thing by taking care on the first clean. It sets a standard for the customer. If they do cancel, it's not over quality.

As for when a round is full, that depends on time to clean not no. of customers. If they are £5 each you will need 4x's the amount than if they are £20 each.

The issue for me is that I need a sustainable round quickly so
do I bring in somebody to clean the windows or get someone to canvass whilst I clean

It depends if you intend to do the work regurlarly yourself or employ.
That will answer your question. I would be suprised if you could find someone to maintain a startup round, not someone who knows what they are doing.

I would either employ a round builder or with the money you would pay the round builder, use that to live off for the first 2 months and not take any drawings so in month 3 you draw half of that total, following that your drawings will be what your profit is 3 months previous.

[Carl2009]

Thanks for the kind comments. In terms of employing a person, I want to steer well away from this. In previous jobs i've managed teams of people and don't enjoy it one bit. I am currently enjoying being responsible for the quality of the work I deliver, and don't want to have the worry someone else might act in a way that i'd disapprove of - peeing behind someone's shed when you're desperate, for example (don't anyone tell me you haven't considered it  !). I also don't want to get into the PAYE, employers/employees liability insurance issues.

Another consideration is cost/benefit. I have no ambitions to have several vans, just to earn a good living wage for myself year round. If I had an employee he'd want £10 / hour. With 4 weeks paid holiday and extra insurance and employers NI to pay... well, the extra profit may well be very small. To me it's not worth the hassle.

Saying that I know that lots of guys harbour desires to create an ever-expanding business. Nothing wrong with that at all, it's just not for me. I have too many memories of big headaches managing staff to make it something I want.

Cheers

[GWCS]

Thanks for the kind comments. In terms of employing a person, I want to steer well away from this. In previous jobs i've managed teams of people and don't enjoy it one bit. I am currently enjoying being responsible for the quality of the work I deliver, and don't want to have the worry someone else might act in a way that i'd disapprove of - peeing behind someone's shed when you're desperate, for example (don't anyone tell me you haven't considered it  !). I also don't want to get into the PAYE, employers/employees liability insurance issues.

Another consideration is cost/benefit. I have no ambitions to have several vans, just to earn a good living wage for myself year round. If I had an employee he'd want £10 / hour. With 4 weeks paid holiday and extra insurance and employers NI to pay... well, the extra profit may well be very small. To me it's not worth the hassle.

Saying that I know that lots of guys harbour desires to create an ever-expanding business. Nothing wrong with that at all, it's just not for me. I have too many memories of big headaches managing staff to make it something I want.

Cheers

Your also forgetting the training responsibilities towards you employees.

Many people i suspect on here do not have properly trained employees, or have a record of all training, record of equipments checks etc that is required by law!

There is a there is a thread on here somewhere, where someone with employees is asking for help with working at height policy (ladders, MEWP) for SAFEcontractor.. this company should already have this by law! Its a simple document you should be able to produce.

Ive brought this up on another forum, and the thread was dead quiet, no one commented on it meaning they also had not thought about the legal requirements of employment, regardless of pay issues.

Employment is literally a minefield best steered away from, unless you are qualified in H&S and good with paperwork.