[harry123]

Hi i'm new to this game can any 1 help me whats the best way to go out canvassing with flyer or door to door

[Central Window Cleaners]

Door to door is the best, I have tried flyers and only get about 1 call per 100 flyers. I knocked doors on and estate I was doing a quote on and got 5 other jobs in the same street.

[danny mckim]

Try putting adverts in local papers or newsagents windows etc. You will pick up work no 1 else will do in different areas. People will begin 2 notice you and take u on. DONT TRY OTHER PEOPLES AREAS AS THIS IS NO GOOD.other windowcleaners will pass work onto you but not if you r taking theirs. it will take about a year to get fully established.keep your eyes open for new estates opening, chase them they r everywhere and thats where the money is.keep the watchman happy and he will help. good luck mate

[windows_chepstow]

Graham,

With your sharp wit, I think you ought to be using it in some 'other forums', and I'm not just talking about 'another forum', but suggesting that you... (edited by mod)
well, even with some self moderation; I'm sure you get the idea.

Harry, take no notice of Gayham.  Edited by the other mod. No flaming Tosh, you should no better.

Ian

[windows_chepstow]

and it's time you stopped the anti-gay thing, ok?  You need to get with the times mister.)

Graham, I've no problem with gay people like yourself, Mate.  None at all.  It was you that publically 'came out' on the forum.  I supported you if you remember!  I'll find your posts if you like.  Well in, Mate.  I've actually some gay customers and there's no problems with them at all.

It's just the nonsense you're posting here that bothers me!

[Sir Squeaky]

Ahem, I'll try to be neutral here and say my own thing.

I did days of door knocking and days of flyers.

Can't say there was enough of a difference to merit going through the tedious and downright demoralising job of knocking and being denied time after time.

If you want to knock, go for it. It has advantages, like actually meeting potential clients, but give me day happily dropping off leaflets any day.

Roger.

[thewindowcleaner1]

Try a bit of everything and find the one that suits you best, and go with it.

I do both, Leaflet the area, then when possible door knock.(I get someone else to door knock I hate it)

If I get a good response from a leafleted area then I arrange door Knocking in that area,

Also leaflets get put to one side and you get a call several months after ( my record to date is about 4years after I droped the leaflet), they pass on the info to friends ect. (picked up a large stately hall a couple of miles from where I drop leaflets plus a couple of commercial accounts because the leaflet got taken to work))

Also put A3 posters in shop windows, Post Offices, Newsagents,Hairdressers,Butchers, these may sound odd places but they are the kind of shop that the "woman of the house" uses and if they let you, leave a few leaflets so that it,s easy for them to take the info home.If the shop don't put notices in the window try to do a deal say clean thier window s for half price if you can put a "Windows cleaned by"notice in the window with your contact details

One day I intend to do a supermarket car park promotion (like what the AA do)

My latest idea if I can get a cheap (free) copy of UK info will be to try tele sales, domestic and comercial

If you use Yellow pages just go for the free insert it works just as well as an advert

Always have some bussines card's in your pocket

I've even though to offer present customers a discount if they recomend a friend say half price, sounds a lot but you would not have to spend time walking the streets.

These may seem like a lot of idea's but my promotion head has been working over time during the last few days, I have a score to settle.

Best of luck

Alan

[Londoner]

The main point is that you can deliver hundreds of leaflets in the time it takes to knock on a few doors.
Leaflets do have a low rate of return there is no doubt
You get results purely by delvering large numbers. And I'm talking about thousands

So each method has its advantages and drawbacks.

The time to go on the knocker is once you get a customer in a new road to try and get more. Then its time to consolidate.

I too have had replies from leaflets years after I have dropped them. Also you get passed on to friends so you get replies from roads you have never leafleted

[The Bear]

I'm with you Graham, I hate knocking on doors for customers, it somehow seems desperate.

There is also the problem of Not Homes, believe me the vast majority ore NH when you call.

Some good quality flyers and an ad in the local paper seems less painful and you reach more people.

Dont forget you get the customer contact when you quote.

[baldeagle]

Remember Baldeagles' "New Customer Laws".

Rule 1. Flyers ALWAYS work, except when they don't.

Rule 2. Canvassing, and ANY OTHER methods, NEVER work, except when they do.

Baldeagle in Staffordshire

[DASERVICES]

  Its' the Not At Homes that prove more fruitful when you do the Return Visit
  and find them in. These people are often away during the day and so never
  see a window cleaner, so these are the ones you should target as they
  probably need a window cleaner the most.

  Keep on the Return Visits and you may be fruitful, never give up as the saying
  goes a seed planted and you will what your round grow.

[windows_chepstow]

Flyers are best.

I door knocked for twelve hours, and got 7 positives, whereas when I flyered 200 houses I got 30 responses in three quearters or thereabouts of the time.

You know this is complete twaddle, Graham.  From start to finish.  30 responses from 200 leaflets I wouldn't say is impossible, but extremely doubfull.

Then it took you three-quarters of twelve hours = which is nine hours just to deliver 200 leaflets.  Did you have a nap after posting each one?  When posting leaflets, you average 100 per hour.

Then for a 12 hour canvassing session; with only 7 positive responses; you must look like the Elephant Man.

Your post is 'horlicks' as you well know it.

[Paul Coleman]

Flyers are best.

I door knocked for twelve hours, and got 7 positives, whereas when I flyered 200 houses I got 30 responses in three quearters or thereabouts of the time.

You know this is complete twaddle, Graham.  From start to finish.  30 responses from 200 leaflets I wouldn't say is impossible, but extremely doubfull.

Then it took you three-quarters of twelve hours = which is nine hours just to deliver 200 leaflets.  Did you have a nap after posting each one?  When posting leaflets, you average 100 per hour.

Then for a 12 hour canvassing session; with only 7 positive responses; you must look like the Elephant Man.

Your post is 'horlicks' as you well know it.

It can be inconsistent though.  Personally, I've had 15 responses from 300 leaflets before and I've also canvassed for 3 hours and got no responses.  These are extremes though and generally, I find it is easier to pick up work from canvassing face to face.  Having said that, I do prefer leafletting because face to face can appear more desperate and encourages the customer to try and haggle (not that they get anywhere with me anyway).
I guess that much of it is about timing.  Canvass an area where there is a longterm reliable W/C and you get no work.  Leaflet an area where someone has walked away 6 months before and the days are getting sunnier and you do well.  It also depends on the quality of info given on the leaflet.

[Ian_Giles]

When canvassing it really is all about the way you present yourself to the prospective customer.
How confident you appear, how natural your spiel, the way in which you are dressed.
There are little tricks you can do that help to dissarm your potential customer, one is that when you ring the bell, be starting back down the path when they answer the door, they will at least  talk to you while you walk back to them.
Have a leaflet with you, pass it to them as you are talking.
Make sure you smile (not just a rictus like baring of the teeth either, be sure you can make your eyes smile too)
make eye contact.
Ask any door to door salesman, it is an artform.
You have just a few seconds to impress, the customer will have made his or her miind up about you in mere moments.

I really hate knocking on doors, the first hour or two is the worst.
But after that I would be.....well, 'In character' I suppose, and my success rate always rose far higher from that point on.

If you also hand them a leaflet, they can always have a think and get back to you if they change their mind.

for all the places that no one is at home you post the leaflet and call back on another occasion.

If you have a skinhead haircut, ear rings and a nose ring, tattoo's all over the place, and if instead of saying ....say..'nothing', you say 'nuffink' or tend to call every woman who answers the door 'love' and every guy 'mate'
Don't bother knocking doors, get someone else to do it for you.

you might be a fantastic guy, do anything for anyone, but you'll suck as a door to door salesman, and that's what you have to be, you are selling yourself!!

Unless I have just described you above, door to door will be by far the most effective way of gaining new customers, leaflets by and large have a low success rate in comparison.

Regards,


Ian

[The Bear]

I'd like to suggest that Werin_Cheapseats and Grumpham go off and do some bonding.

You mutual dislike of each other is disruptive to a very good site, specially when one of them is a Modulator

However.......

 Its' the Not At Homes that prove more fruitful when you do the Return Visit
 and find them in. These people are often away during the day and so never
 see a window cleaner, so these are the ones you should target as they
 probably need a window cleaner the most.

 Keep on the Return Visits and you may be fruitful, never give up as the saying
 goes a seed planted and you will what your round grow.

Fair enough, but with window cleaning your time counts for nothing if you dont secure customers.

You prove no-one a liar. Apart from those who say its a good idea to knock on peoples doors when they are not in.

If you have several hours each week to spare to canvass for more work fair enough.

personally with family and charity commitments I dont even have the time to collect, let alone spend hours banging on empty doors.

One day I intend to do a supermarket car park promotion (like what the AA do)

I like this idea, finding local "public places" to canvass must work, or we wouldnt see the AA and other organizations doing it.

The conclusion of the matter, all things being heard........

........whatever suits you, dont forget we are all in control of our circumstances, there is no "right or wrong" method.

Potential customers do need to see you, see how you opperate.

Personaly i prefer them to come to me, I want customers who need me, not ones who think they are doing me a favor.

[The Bear]

Excellent suggestions Ian.

If you are canvassing use these methods.

[Ray Pickering]

Iv'e tried quite a few different methods.

I first put an ad in my local paper cost £8 per week for 10 weeks.

This was very disappointing received very little response although the ad was highlighted with a blue background & i was the only one advertising for w/c services.

I ran the ad in conjunction with distributing flyers & the majority of my work came from them, when customers rang for a quote i asked them where they had seen my name & 9 out of ten said it was from the flyers.

For the £80 outlay for the ad--i would now (with hindsight) buy a few more thousand flyers.

I've just printed some cards & placed them in 3 different CO-OPs
in my area & they do'nt charge.

As for banging on doors it's not for me i can't stand the rejection.

I find leaflet dropping on a Saturday seems alright when people are washing the car or cutting the grass etc: then i don't mind talking to them but i can't cope with door knocking.

As somebody has already said if you bang on doors it's like your begging for work, i'd rather people ring me then you know they really do need you.

Ray.

[danny mckim]

Ive been a windowcleaner for about seventeen years and find the best way to pick up decent work is through your own customers. They are the ones who know you and will recommend you whenever they hear of someone needing a windowcleaner. They will put you forward as long as u are reliable and do a good job. Therefore there is no need to canvass other peoples area and this way everybody is happy. Basicly what im saying is it depends how good u are as to the amount of work u have as cowboy windowcleaners always get found out. What do others think

[H h20]

Yes i agree there,iv`e` got lots of work through being reccomended by existing customers,i also advertise in yellow pages it has its moments and i also advertise on yell.com but this don`t work at all,i have been window cleaning the same amount of years as you and to this day my work changes alot getting rid of useless work and taking on better. 

[Ian_Giles]

Ive been a windowcleaner for about seventeen years and find the best way to pick up decent work is through your own customers. They are the ones who know you and will recommend you whenever they hear of someone needing a windowcleaner. They will put you forward as long as u are reliable and do a good job. Therefore there is no need to canvass other peoples area and this way everybody is happy. Basicly what im saying is it depends how good u are as to the amount of work u have as cowboy windowcleaners always get found out. What do others think

Danny, I've merged your topic with this one as it is really about the same subject.
I also agree with you by the way, but if you are just starting out you will not have the customer base to generate new customers in this fashion.
Almost all of my new work comes via the way you have described, apart from commercial work, if you want shops and offices you'll wait a long time for the work to come to you.
When you see a new shop open up, if you don't get in there sharpish you won't stand a chance!!
If you see an office block with filthy windows, don't waste your time popping a flyer through their letterbox, offices have piles of junk every day, most opened an office flunkey and binned!

Mind how you go,

Ian