Since starting out this year and joining this site, I’ve seen a lot of great stuff. Including things like “the most you’ve made in a single day” and “how you market”
Let’s hear how much you average and how you get your work.
For me:
On a nice sunny day I just go out and start banging on doors at about 9 am (residential)
Usually by about 11:30 am I’ve got 2-4 jobs to do that day for exteriors. Most jobs are exteriors only 1-2 hours each and $75-$200 per house. Plus I am confident most customers would love to have me back so I gain repeat business for the fall and coming years. My target neighborhoods are 10-15 yrs old with screens inside. I use WFP almost always.
I am averaging $280-$400 per day but I know I can make a shatload more if I could just stay motivated. I know the money should motivate me but by around 3-4 pm or after the 3rd or 4th house I just lose my motivation. Any helpful tips on that would be much appreciated.
I have yet to make a flyer (I have no intentions except for possibly some high rise packages) I don’t mind banging on doors, getting exercise, talking to people and all of that so it’s working well for me (Except for the fading motivation throughout the day)
I do interiors, tracks and screens as well but people generally book those cleans on other days instead of the same day.
So lets hear your stuff. If I have left some stuff out, let me know.
I’ve definitely decided that I’m a lifer in the window cleaning biz. I think the door to door thing works well for me. A lot of people just can’t do the whole “cold call/knock” thing but what it all boils down to is this “the hardest door to deal with each day, is the car door first thing in the morning”
I run pretty hard, and push myself, even when I’m having a stellar day.
On Saturday at about 4:00 two of my guys were whining about how “this Holiday sucked.”
I said 'no, Groundhogs Day was a holiday that sucked. It was 15º below zero, we were broke, and hadn’t worked in two weeks."
(One understood and got moving, the other still kept moping.)
sounds like your in a market that allows for that, but you may find it more effective to try a little more mass marketing on top of your “cold calling” if you want to make more or feel your not experiment with higher prices by giving more value.
Good for you guy’s who go and knock on doors. I can’t seem to bring myself to do that. Fear of too much rejection I guess and I would probably loose my motavation. As for the question asked I am a part timer and between April and May I cleaned between 4 to 6 residential at around $180 to $200 per home. Thats interior exterior and screens.
Yes, that is definitely motivation to remind them of that.
I have experimented with higher pricing and was making less each day. When the price was higher I got less work. Sure, it would work out if the customers were there already. Like today 9 am started knocking on doors. by about 11:30 I had one house (exteriors) for $100 for 12:30 and one for between 2 and 3 pm for $90 and I also set an appointment for $250 in/out and screens for next Monday.
Of the 2 completed today, one took about an hour the other about an hour and 15. I think my pricing is pretty accurate for my area.
There is a company near me that has bag signs up advertising any house $50. They need a price check I think. How can that be possible? I mean sure, I’ve had the odd person say that there’s were done last year for $50 or $60 dollars but I just tell them “here’s my card, feel free to call me when you need me. Thanks for your time” so far this year, I have gotten 2 calls from situations like that.
I think where I’m having trouble with pricing is with high rise work. So far I have only done one high rise job so I definitely have some things to work on.
Price; I set a target (goal) of $500.00 per day working alone and up to double that if I hire help for the day. Challenging, but becoming less challenging as my business matures. Door to door in our area doesn’t work. Neighborhoods that are compact enough to walk in a reasonable time are low income at best and typically don’t hire window cleaners. Neighborhoods that will buy window washing have well separated homes, typically on lake front property. Large homes, door to door work pulls in large one day accounts and no body has ever scheduled same day when I use this advertising/marketing method. Seems to work in your area.
Motivation; I like what I’m doing and I do multiple services. The more you like it, the less you’ll have to stay motivated. Decide you like it, or get out of the business. Having a helper keeps me motivated because it’s leadership and just having someone else around on those long days. I have found that I start to fade about 4:00 pm no matter what time I start. So, I’m starting earlier this year. Customers don’t always like it at the front end, but we are out of their hair earlier. Also, I can then take a break and fit something small into the evening if I want. Fishing; This time of the year if I can have some family time and put our boat in by 6:30 its a good day. Sun sets somewhere after 9:00 so it makes for a real nice evening with my kids and/or wife.
