I’m curious what most of you guys use as your big selling points for using professional window cleaning when talking to clients? And going along with that, what selling points do you use to keep working in the winter?
My business drops off completely after Christmas.
My big selling point is people wanting their windows looking good for family gatherings around the holidays, or impressing clients that visit their million dollar houses.
We also get ‘emergency’ calls for people selling their houses, usually have to be done in two weeks or less.
On a side note, anyone can ‘do windows’ but it takes a special kind of window cleaner to make darn sure their house looks the best it can, even if it means doing a little extra to meet that level. You have to see it through the eyes of the customer what needs to be done…within reason.
One more thing, and this is certainly no dig on larger companies, many of my customers are leery of employees. There is an abnormal problem with contractors here not doing what they promise, so I get a lot of skeptical, nervous people asking me questions about my cleaning and communication methods. I assure them it’s just my partner and I doing the work, and it seems to calm them down a bit. 300+ ‘A’ reviews doesn’t hurt either.
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When someone contacts you (99% of the time) they are ALREADY sold on window cleaning. People have a variety of reasons why they want someone else to do it. A mechanic doesn’t need to sell someone on why they should use a mechanic, just like any other service business.
What you want to sell, is why they should use YOU to clean their windows. Sell YOUR value. Sell what YOU offer and can do for them. Don’t degrade the “other guy”. Don’t sell on price or argue about price. Lay out what you are offering them as a whole, and give your price.
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It depends on your location, where I live its warm all year round and relatively humid so although many people don’t see it mould spores tends to form on windows that do not have a decent air flow. Mould spores are a known allergen for asthmatic people, we have a few companies here that offer a certification from the asthma foundation or whatever they are called, its only Eectrodry carpet cleaning although they are expanding here into removal of mould from internal walls.
I actually had a customer last month who was a surgeon at the local hospital, unfortunately he had internal shutter blinds fitted. the blind fitters did not account for cleaning of the windows when they installed the blinds. Many of the internal windows were unable to be cleaned due to the blinds impeding the functionality of the window.
I informed the customer of the problem and what I would do if it were me. I informed him he should contact the blind installers and ask them if they were actually “BLIND”, and that now due to their failed installation attempts the windows were not able to be cleaned without complete removal and re installation of said blinds.
There are two available options:
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Re fit the blinds so the windows and screens are fully function and are able to be maintained without the removal of said blinds
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Every time I have window cleaning booked, your guys are to come in front of the window cleaner remove the blinds so the windows can be cleaned then re install the blind provided you do not impede the window cleaner’s work flow, he/she cannot be waiting for you to remove blinds or addition cost will be charged to you.
That is what I recommended, he chose to get a lawyer involved and made the blind company make them functional as he had an 8 month old child who had asthma whos bedroom inside windows were not able to be cleaned.
Last year I had an owner from a outdoor blind installer call me up and abuse the hell out of me, after I told one of my customers that who ever installed their out door blind installed it wrong.
He went on a long rant how he doesn’t appreciate some “cleaner” telling his customers he did a bad job, and how he’s been doing this for 30 years… When he has placed a fixed shutter blind 2" away from the glass and its LITERALLY not cleanable some some handyman says" oh just spray it with a hose", but just because he hasn’t been called out for 30 years he is right? no
He’s an idiot.
Wow anyone reading this far can see this kinda got away from the topic, anyway SELL SELL SELL
lol
Storefronts work in the winter. Commercial may too, and for me sometimes residential but that is rare. Depends on your locations. Too cold and it’s hard to work, but there is another recent thread on that and it always amazes me how cold some people are able to work in.
Like has been said, if someone wants their windows cleaned then they will already have sold themselves. You just need to convince them on your business model. If your solo most of the time people hire and refer you as a person so quality work relative to the price you are charging and a pleasant/professional experience for them is paramount.
I personally can’t recall ever convincing someone to have their windows cleaned that didn’t really want the service, but what I have been able to do is upsell people who are already interested. Having a minimum charge of $100 has caused some customers who were REALLY wanting $50 of window cleaning done be willing to add more windows or other services (I even had a customer add a $300 house wash one time to get over the minimum!). What you can really sell to people in my opinion, is frequency. If they ask how often people usually have their windows cleaned, I say one to two times per year, then I add that having me professionally clean their windows once or twice per year will make them easier to keep the windows looking nice with just Windex during the rest of the year in between cleanings. Then you have to have system in place to follow up with them every six months or so, (or sooner upon request) to ask how the windows look and if they are ready for another cleaning. The easiest people to sell to are always your existing customers.
We’re going to try getting into house cleaning to get more work during the winter, but I’m not sure how that will go.
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Every area is different, but I had thought the sane for my area. I have definitely seen a big need/want for it, and have practically most all of my clients wanting it. However, after talking to several small independents, I can see why no one is doing it here and leaving such a need for it. The average gross is 20-30 an hour per person. Usually, there is only one person in a home. Someone supplementing their income is fine. Making a business of it would require having A LOT employees to make much money. Especially considering your expenses of supplies, gas, insurance.
So for me, it was a case of needing many more than one or two employees to add a branch of my business. Not something I want to deal with or fund because of the low returns. Maybe it’s different where you are and it would be worth it.
What systems do you use to be able to follow up with them 6 months in the future, for example?
I use a spreadsheet with every customer on it. Date of contact, first cleaning and follow up date. I send an email or call when that date comes around see if they want them done again. A lot of people don’t think about getting them done again unless you put it in their head, then they notice how dirty the windows are.
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I ended up with too much work coming in through marketing to be able to contact my old customers. But I do use The Customer Factor to track all my past jobs, which gives you an option of setting up a frequency period, so when I do get to a point of wanting to contact old customers again, I’ve got a very long list to get through
i don’t work the winter and i don’t “sell using a ‘professional’ service.” creating customers is too time consuming and expensive you want the ones who understand already.
In one sense that is a good problem to have but at the same time it seems a bit like wasted advertise spend when you could email or call existing customers for free. They already know you do a good job and its much easier to sell to them obviously. Maybe I’m missing something here? Just my 2C
300? I have a hard time getting my oldest clients to give me a review-they just won’t do it! Whats the secret sauce?
i have over 300 total with about 4.8 star average. many customers are sold completely on the first page of my web site. secrect sauce? ask, i use nicejob. considering well actually signed up for so tellus as well but haven’t used it yet. tell customers how important it is to you while your at the job, before you get the job and after the job when you make your follow up call to make sure they’re happy. put the link in every email you send including text like " a huge extra thank you to all those who have taken time to give us reviews" i tell customers i work to hard to get 5 star reviews. i tell them money feeds my family great reviews feed my soul" . the single most important sales tool i have is great reviews.
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“One of our most popular option is 4 times a year right after the pest control company has came and sprayed.”
“Most homeowner do 3 exterior/interior cleanings a year or 4 exterior only cleanings.”
Even though many homeowners do annually or every 6 months, don’t say that. Customers often feel they need what you suggest. When you as professional say what needs done or what is the cool thing to do that is what a lot of homeowners jump on board for
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That comment is gold.
