So, all of my yearlies are done, and many of them were done in spring. What have you found to work best to get clients who have their windows serviced in the spring to get psyched for a fall clean.
I’ve thought about calling, texting, and email. I’ve heard of mailing out handwritten postcards with a picture of their home to catch a 2nd clean for the year, but am apprehensive about who will bite. It seems most are set on yearly cleans.
Rain will be rolling through my zone over the next few days, so I’ll likely not make any calls, or send out emails, but I’d like to hear what y’all have done to get yearlies to bite for autumn. What to say/write are also things I’m looking to hear about to sell a fall service.
Great advice. The guy that I sometimes do sub-work for when I slow down said the same thing about selling a fall clean upon completing the spring clean. I’ll be making calls once this rain subsides toward the end of the week.
You have to think about what your cust is doing right now (by right now, I mean over the next couple months)
There are 3 opportunities to enforce the Power of Suggestion…
or planting that seed right before they are focused on the area we service (funky glass)
Halloween, they are opening their homes to strangers, and possibly putting decorations up (face to face with dirty glass)
Thanksgiving - less focus on the windows themselves, but still cleaning for guests.
Xmas/Hanukkah/New Years - Decorations in windows, cleaning for guests, etc…
You have to think about the fact that we get such an uptick of calls in the Spring.
WHY?!?
because people are forced to face the ugliness of their filthy glass.
(opening the windows after a long winter- it’s almost a ritual)
Long story, short…
You can try to pitch “hey, it’s rainy and cold, why not get your windows cleaned?”.
Or you can suggest that your house is in need of some attention for those 20 people coming over next week.
Option 1, is going in the trash.
Option 2 is making them ask “honey? where did that Window Cleaners number go”
“Cause I’m putting this decoration up, and noticed our window look like shit.”
Do most of you voice-call your customers, or use other media such as e-mail, or text? I guess I’d use different methods based on my relationship with each one, but I stink at phone sales. I suppose it’s because I get so many aggressive cold calls that I assume I’d start being seen as another sales pitch.
Yes. I’m admitting a bit of apprehension due to fear. It’s my first time calling my customers… they always call me; that’s a lot easier.
We call back all of our customers to ask them to schedule again. I don’t think of it as phone sales at all. The way I see it, we did a great job last time, which means they really like us, which means they’re happy for us to call and suggest another cleaning. That doesn’t mean they all say yes, but it does work well.
One tip, whenever I’m talking with a customer, whether they called me or I called them, I act like I know them, remember them, and like them. Sometimes I have no idea who they are, but on the phone I always react like they’re an old friend who just called me and I’m so happy to hear their voice. It makes people feel good. Like being a regular somewhere. Everyone likes being remembered.
I emailed some, and called most. I’m still in my 1st year, 2nd season in… playing the cards. I landed some autumn clients with a 15% off gutter+window cleaning combo. I kept it as personable as possible. Now I just have to wait for the deciduous trees to do their thing…
All residential, so it’s tricky to meet them before calling them. A well written email with pictures of their home followed by a call has worked best so far with clients I know. I have no problems walking into my restaurants and storefronts to speak with the owner/mgr., but they’re already on a schedule.
My clients like me, hence they switch over to me. Not boasting, but sometimes I feel they want someone to talk to more-so than having their windows perfect. I still am very detail focused, and provide what I’m worth. I asked a few to leave a positive review, and they did!
This email made my day…
Me: "Thank you for the positive review on my FB page, I really appreciate it!
Feel free to contact me anytime you’d like my services provided. I will follow up as you requested before the weather transitions too much.
I hope you and the kiddos had a great time this summer!
Respectfully,
-Keith"
Her reply:
“No thanks necessary. You earned it. It’s nice to be asked by a person who deserves a great review.”
The homes I send pictures to are people I’ve either known for years outside of windows, or work with their kids as a tutor or climbing coach. Like I said, I personalize each email/call and have no problems with these clients I already know.
The customers I’ve only met once or twice I call or email based on their former preference of communication.
It’s the most important part of my business. I don’t have tattoos, piercings, etc. and create a relationship with most of my residential clients right away. I guess I kind of fit into a niche of having a post-grad education, friendly demeanor, and a natural listener. First time customers trust me in their home with the keys.
I’m just not a natural business-person. Particularly when my clients are already friends and acquaintances. I do better and enjoy residential more-so than commercial. I have twice as many residential accounts than I do storefronts and restaurants. I prefer the way homeowners communicate with me compared to business owners who talk to me like another employee/sub.
