Why should a potential customer not use Windex or some other home cleaning product to clean their windows? Can anyone on here tell me what your response is to the “oh I can just do it myself with [fill in the blank]” trope? Thanks.
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Then why did you call me?
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Windex is okay for spot cleaning of glass, or killing flies as it is not a greasy cleanup like bug spray leaves on the glass and screen.
A professional window cleaning usually includes the glass, frame, track, and screen; far more than a homeowner with a bottle of Windex will do. Most homeowners with a bottle of Windex don’t scrub up into the corners where a lot of debris tends to collect, then detail the edges to leave an entirely clean window. So actually one could argue that a professional window cleaner, even with a bottle of Windex, would do the extra labor of getting a complete clean window; it is just impractical to do an entire house of windows inside and outside with a spray bottle and roll of paper towels. Windex actually works pretty nicely to clean my mountain bike. 
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I can remember cleaning a window inside and out to show them the difference on more than one occasion. Storefronts & Residential. Seeing is believing.
Welcome to the forum
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Windex leaves a soapy residue, a visual haze, that does not have that super clean appearance of a professional job well done.
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Perfect. Thanks, Garry!
Of cource you could , I would use spray way instead. Much better than windex. If you don’t feel like spending the day cleaning windows I could be your second option. Let me know !
You want the people who don’t have the time to clean there own windows , an with the expendable income.
An they’re nit your potential customer if they want to Clean it themselves. Some people just want to call to see if your affordable. If not they’ll do it themselves. It is what is , it’s part of the process to get to the ones that don’t have the time ,An want to pay a pro.
I get dozens of calls per year telling me …I have a power washer I use to do it myself. Like my price should be cheap , because if not I’ll do it myself. Lmao 
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There’s no response needed. If home remedy solutions are good enough for them, I’m not interested in earning their business. It’s also easier to convince someone already interested in a specific service (getting their windows cleaned professionally) why to choose YOUR service instead of a competitor vs trying to convince someone they have a problem in the first place.
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My potential customers have no interest in doing it themselves.So when someone says " Oh I can just do it myself", I know right away they are not a potential customer for me and I reply “great!, good for you, I understand completely”. click…
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there is NO reason they should not do it themselves if they so desire. i don’t waste my time trying to convert. invest your time and money looking for customers who are ready to hire a service, sell the sizzle not the steak: “you could spend the day doing your windows or just call us and relax”. people don’t hire lawn services because they cut the grass better they want their TIME back.
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from some extrapolation I did awhile back, there’s plenty of glass out there, but 90% will never be cleaned by a professional, only about 10% of detached single home dwellings will ever even hire a service . . . on occasion . . .
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Great question on how to overcome the “I can do it myself” customer & thank you for asking it. I don’t know if this will be helpful & just my opinion…
I would maintain your professionalism, don’t show any negative emotion, but respectfully say something like, " Oh I have no doubt you could clean them yourself but what we offer is a professional cleaning service…let me briefly explain our process & see if we’re doing the same thing…
- we safely remove & clean all your screens (may have to get on a ladder for 2nd & 3rd floors so safety & equipment concerns)
- clean out your front or full tracks with a track cleaning brush, etc(full track , lift up windows clean out track & wipe off bottom of window)
- exterior windows -using a professional grade steel wool, we will scrub each window helping to remove mineral deposits within the structure of your windows & getting those corners
- wash, squeegee, detail leaving no streaks ( or explain pure water fed system if you use that process)
- clean inside windows ( explain your process) i.e spray, wipe, clean off window sills
- will do a walk through and when 100% satisfied, safely replace clean screens
- If you’ve already built a portfolio, if you haven’t I’d recommend, show them or tell them where to find pictures of all your satisfied customers & 5 Star reviews
- It’s FREE to get an estimate!
Then ask, is that how you’re cleaning your windows? I believe people will still buy on value. (may not be same day)
If they still say, “No!” …give them a card, shake their hand and thank them for their time. I’ve had people call me back months later because they remember the experience with me, the professionalism.
Well hope this helped & thanks again for asking…have a great day, you’ll do just fine!
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If you’re dead set on trying to sell someone like that, grant Cardone is your man. And if it were me I’d want to scare the bejibbers out of them every wanting to do it themselves because fear is one of the best motivators. Just gather stats and stories of people falling off ladders and sell em on yourself as their “insurance policy”
Great comment. Since we live in an information age, they benefit from a pleasant interaction with us as we share our knowledge with them.
Also, have info on your website that they can read later, i.e. what is pure water cleaning and how will it work at my place.
www.getabetteroutlook.com/pure-water-cleaning
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I would say it would actually be impossible to clean exteriors with windex unless you have a full day to devote to it. My only response would be “let me clean a few for free and show you”. Remove any risk with a free offer, then once you’re there put some sales tactics to use and close them in person.
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Like some of the others said keep it professional it’s just business don’t take it personally. I have learned over the years to be a professional people talk and it could come back on you in a negative way like a negative online review so when I get someone like that I just tell them if you change your mind give me a call and we’ll make an appointment
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It is simple - it takes too long. Your customer’s time is not free. If they were paying themselves the minimum wage then their total cost of work should be higher than your wages - making it irrational to not hire you if they have also possess a desire to see through their windows.
People are just bad at economics Bruce. The enlightened ones realize they indirectly make money and time by hiring other people to perform tasks faster than they can.
The key is that their free time isn’t legible to somebody as a dollar quantity. Make that legible to them and suddenly the 'tude will go away.
good point
I’ve found this circles back to discretionary income, the ones with more will look at things that way and the ones with less come at it from a DIY viewpoint
They can use the windex on the windows for light maintenance. If they prefer a more indepth through clean without the smudges from paper towels, and all the headaches to try get the best outcome they can get a set of squeeges like we carry and the other equipment from https://windowcleaner.com they have great stuff if you want to invest in product. By that time you could pay us every 6 months to do your home in a few hours.
