[Clive McDonald]

I pick up a new transit on tuesday and want to sign it to generate a lot of business and get noticed in a good way. The van is silver.

My existing van has window cleaners and phone number on etc, so i know the basics.What i'm looking for is some stand out ideas of how and what to put on the van.

What would be a good picture or service to highlight?
If money were no object how would you do it?

[GWCS]

I want to get a new silver van, so would be interested to see any designs too

[concept]

This is where it gets tricky...for a half wrap of a van, it's upwards of £400, now, they can look lovely, however, a bit ostentatious for a window cleaner possibly?

My opinion, for what it's worth, is that if you can afford it, do it, but don't expect a huge return on investment. It's not going to gain you new customers down to the fact you have a spunky van, however, it will raise awareness of your brand, and consolidate the point you are a professional, and not a fly by night cowboy.

In terms of designs, big and bold works for me, not just a large image of water drops, but it's each to their own.

Go for it!

[C.C.S.]

it's up to you the best thing i seen around was a before and after photos of a conservatory or a gutter.it looked very good and there are many conservatories there that need cleaning and is one of those things that people forget about.

[Clive McDonald]

Yes, i agree that some vans,quads, and merc soft tops with trailers can look big headed or vulgar, but i did state that i wanted to be noticed in a good way. This is van two, and intended as both the largest and the flagship of the fleet. Van three will be another scudo like van one,(except new shape with 1200kg payload) quick and nimble and packed with tech, but not enough signage room to give much more than a phone number.

It's arresting ideas that i want , probably to highlight another service such as cons or gutters(thanks j&a)So if you have one, or have seen something else that took your fancy and think could be reapplied with a brilliant flourish for us please share.

[Davo]

Forget the conservatories, no money in it, best to concentrate on windows, afterall every one has windows.

Mark

[ftp]

Bit of a 'u' turn surely?

[Mr Formby]

 I have a wrap and for me domestic work has slowed down. I think customers think with a van like that he must be very expensive.
As for commercial work it looks good when you turn up to quote, but there are too many window cleaners selling themself short and doing work for peanuts.

My advise would be go for a good quality signed  van.

[macmac]

I have a wrap and for me domestic work has slowed down. I think customers think with a van like that he must be very expensive.
As for commercial work it looks good when you turn up to quote, but there are too many window cleaners selling themself short and doing work for peanuts.

My advise would be go for a good quality signed  van.

Good & very real points there!

[elite mike]

a good sign written van or wrap will pay for itself in no time 

fact

[ftp]

I've found plenty of work with full cleans - empty the gutters then all the plastics, conservatory including roof, everything even the front door. Takes hours to do but people seem to spend their money ok.

[Clive McDonald]

I think formby has said he has a plainer van and this is a better salesman domesticly, and i think he has said he went the smarter is better route and may have made a mistake. I did this with my leaflets.

So what about half price window cleaning- and then an outstanding wrap?


reply/question to ftp being formed

[elite mike]

not half price slumpy

thats a backward step

[Clive McDonald]

Ftp- yes me too, although not on your scale. The problem being how to segment this part of the market.For example an acceptable descriptive term. I've tried kerbside appeal cleans but no one knows what i'm going on about, but maybe it was that the catch phrase didn't fly ' if your house is a minger, give us a ringer'

[Clive McDonald]

cut price window cleaning ?

[Clive McDonald]

Call us for a sameday quote

[matt]

I have a wrap and for me domestic work has slowed down. I think customers think with a van like that he must be very expensive.
As for commercial work it looks good when you turn up to quote, but there are too many window cleaners selling themself short and doing work for peanuts.

My advise would be go for a good quality signed  van.

ive posted this before

a "contact" of mine has a very successfull gardening company, he has a few vans on the road and does very well, he got himself a new van and had it all signed up and it looked great, he would arrive to price up domestic and small commercial work and whilst he knew he was the best price, he lost alot of work, people didnt like the flash image and thought he would hike up prices as he looked like he was expensive

[Clive McDonald]

Have to agree bodge, my sign writted van hasn't been that good.Yours stress' services, mine stressed benefits, so maybe yours is more accessable.

Reference Davo i have always enjoyed his posts.When he first came on it was all theory and he had the idea of setting up a biz with someone else doing the work. There were some long threads over this, he had someone he could trust and was convinced it could be done.We said it couldn't.

Do it yourself we said.His excuse was his job was too well paid, but this cowardice has cost him a lot of money.He still has the job, but not the biz he could have had.Had he have pursued it i'm certain he would have succeeded.

[matt]

Do it yourself we said.His excuse was his job was too well paid, but this cowardice has cost him a lot of money.He still has the job, but not the biz he could have had.Had he have pursued it i'm certain he would have succeeded.

i forgot to finish the story off

he spent a few months with his new van, not getting the work

then he went back to pricing up work in his van that was a few years old, he went back to getting the jobs, whilst his lads used the new van for work

he is a success, has a fair few vans on the go and covers 5 counties now

[Clive McDonald]

I take your point Matt, but i don't see green thumb losing many, and they don't run tatty vans.

Most things i do i get wrong to some degree and maybe this is like house decoration, my fantastic wallpaper is someone elses cluttered and busy nightmare. If it's clear that pics on the van are all about my ego and not the job then it could be harmful.

By nature i'm a meddler and love to put some of my theories into practice. The elements i like are some inclusion of the area, stay cleaner longer, sills included, and same day free quotes because i think people like immediacy.