I have been full time now for a year. Not a real good year it was slow getting started and got me through. I primarily get residential and I’m very good at it. I get a lot of referrals and new customers frequently. I just can’t seem to break into store fronts very well at all. I want to build a route and could use some pointers.
Thanks
Dan
Shinebright windows
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Maybe [MENTION=3025]pagliachi[/MENTION] can chime in and help out a little.
Hey Dan, I was and probably still am in the same boat as you. I’m was real heavy in residential, hardly any commercial, and no store fronts. To boost cash flow I thought I would try store fronts. It was a slow go but what has worked is targeting smaller independent businesses, ie. higher end salons, pet stores, cafes, dentists, chiropractors, etc. If they said no, most of the time, if I was persistently in contact with the owner/manager (once a month or so)they wore down and were often impressed with the consistency of me offering my service.
I also read a ton of older threads on soliciting commercial work, and store fronts. Help me come up with a plan on what to say, listen for, and expect. I heard a lot of no thanks! In the beginning I also practiced on store fronts that I didn’t really want. Helped me get more comfortable in my presentation. And wasn’t so discouraged when they said no. I think you can make your own luck, be positive, confident, and generally happy, people will pick up on that a hopefully that makes you stand out from the rest of the pack. Best of luck.
Ok, so I will tell you how I get store fronts, if you tell me how you get residential.
First, you will hear at least 10 no’s for every yes. So don’t get discouraged. I will hit just about every store I see. This would include all types of businesses. Size the place up before you enter. Condition of glass and frames. How much will you quote them. Know this BEFORE you enter. Be confident. Your the owner of your company and you are about to offer them a great deal on a luxury service. [my services don’t come cheap, not even for SF] If they are smart, they will be interested. If they are not that smart, they will tell you no.
Walk in and say something like this, "Hi, are you the manager? [it is important to speak with someone who can make a decision] "My name is [blank] and I own [blank] window cleaning. I took a look at your glass already and would like to give you a quote on cleaning it on a regular basis. [here they might say, “No thanks, we have a guy that has been doing it for the last 100 years and he is a customer and we wouldn’t feel right taking food out of his kids mouths, he has 20 of them, you know”.] This is where you say, “Ok, but I would like to give you my card, so that when he doesn’t show up, you can give me a call”. Write your base price on the card, say thanks and leave. Follow up in 3 months or so. Eventually, Bob won’t show up.
Finally, wear a uniform. No cut-off jean shorts!
Hope this helps.
@shinebright [/U] @[U][URL=“http://windowcleaner.com/vBulletin/member.php?u=6741”]wcs
Hi all…
Been busy getting my podcast gear together and (dare i say??? ) working…
These ^^^^^are ALL great points. Storefronts are a goldmine, but can be a hassle.
FIRST… Tweek (NOT TWERK!) and TRACK your fliers!! Sooner or latter you will hit on a tweeked flier that gets a better response. Keep it and USE it…
Decide HOW far you want to travel to do a store front.
I travel sometimes 30 miles to do a store front… BUT that store front is well worth the travel time.
You have to DEDICATE at LEAST 8 hours MINIMUM a week to marketing (hoofing it) storefronts.
The 8 hours does not have to be all at once,(and it is easier to break it up).
I am more about numbers and soft selling than meetings with managers… so i dedicate 6 hours of the 8 to to just PUSHING (SHOTGUNNING) out fliers. when SHOT GUNNING ANY ONE WITH GLASS GETS A FLIER.(OOPS CAP LOCK ON…)
No time for chit chat meet the manager.
I use a couple different marketing ploys…
option A)
Walk in , i usually just approach the register. and Look them (who ever)in the eyes and say SOMETHING LIKE:…
“Hi
i am with a local window cleaning firm.
Noticed your windows are kinda dirty (dusty, hard to see through)
Just dropping off info to get your windows cleaned”
i THEN hand them a flier. (DO NOT HAND OUT A CARD OR FLIER TILL YOUR DONE WITH YOUR SCRIPT)
Please pass this on to OWNER/manager, handing them the flier now.
Sometimes they will say “i am the owner/manager” that’s when you slow down to sell and THEN leave a quote.
NO owner/ manger-no quote left ,just the flier…
Then leave.
Rinse, wash, repeat…Your goal is to do this to 50-100 storefronts per six hours.
I call this part “the slow down” and i usually do this 2-4 hours a week.(more like 2)
This is where i Pic n Choose who is lucky to get my service.
Ten windows or less?? i skip them. Oriental nail saloons/yogurt shops?? i skip them. Clean windows?? I skip them
i LOOK for dirty windows. This is when i slow down and try to TALK /sell the owner/manager on getting their dirty windows cleaned. If they have a window guy, i leave them my info and say
"that’s Great… id like to be your #2 window cleaner, so when your #1 stops showing up, give us a call… (got that tip off this forum)
You should hope to have AT LEAST a 1% conversion rate. (mine is around 2.65% it varies…)
SET YOUR PRICE…if the going rate is o.k. with you great!! I probably charge more than most around this area and i DO more to support the cost.
As far as uniforms…i like to call it “my work garb” Don’t get hung up on it. What i mean is IF your work garb is a a tee shirt and shorts, then WEAR the SAME color tee shirt and shorts every time you go out. You don’t need a “UNIFORM” … just be UNIFORM in your work garb.
If you wear a blue tee shirt, ALWAYS wear a blue tee shirt…
When shot gunning, Don’t worry about keeping track of every place you have been to. Keep track of the ones who call you back or at least show interest.
I started out 6 hours a day 6 days a week for i month solid marketing storefronts…Now i market them a couple times a month, or when i get bored.
Remember there are 2 different types of storefronts
1-the “i just work here, so do your job and leave”
or
2- The “This is MY business and i thank you for helping me keep my business looking good” type.
Getting your mind wrapped around this concept helps you leaps and bounds…
I hope this helps some …
Crap Look at the time Gotta run and make a storefront smile!!!
If ya got ?'s, ASK or I.M. me
PEACE!!!
Can we get that in a PDF file 
Dan,
Route work is a real specialty that many window cleaners think is something easy that they can do between the “important” jobs. With my company I have always used route work as a foundation for building my business recognition and stability as a year around window cleaning business. This is important everywhere but especially in my area as in Wisconsin I am dealing with some very severe winter weather.
As far as building route work it’s important you build it gradually as your company grows. I have developed a method for sales and implementing a profitable method for doing route as an individual owner/cleaner or if you are training employees. I will be happy to share this with anyone (not in my market). Feel free to contact me as I am always happy to help anyone willing to listen.
John Martin
Waukesha Window Cleaning and Power Washing
Waukesha, WI
I am in lower Alabama and would be interested in learning all I can.
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Great post John.
Hey John
I am ALLWAYS looking to learn more.
I will pm you… Thanks in advance.
pax
Any one using flyers for storefront or what are you using as printed media.
Like your New signature:
Glassmen Window Cleaning Firm
“Clearly Better Window Cleaning”
(512) 537-6393
[email protected]
SPECIALIZING in GLASS CLEANING
Chris
I have a great flyer that we have used for years with excellent results in my sales system. A quality flyer NOT a business card is key to getting the attention of the decision maker for that business. Again I use this as part of my sales system.
John Martin
Waukesha Window Cleaning and Power Washing
Waukesha, WI
[MENTION=6625]John Martin[/MENTION]
Sounds like you have a pretty well put together system. Would you mind sharing some more tips
and examples of wording you use…
I’m sure many folks on the forum [B]new[/B] and [B]old[/B] would like to learn more techniques on how to operate a successful route/sales system.
Steve,
Thank you for your compliment on our route work system. I take great pride in this system as it has taken me many years to developed it so that it is effective and profitable for me and my employees.
As far as the sales portion of is concerned, the method I use is more geared on using an effective color flyer (this I am constantly tweeking). The mistake many salespeople make is trying to talk too much and get to a manager or owner. REMEMBER. They are more concerned with their job NOT yours. Window cleaning is only one small part of their business and it’s up to us to make this as easy to deal with as possible and that includes how we make it available to them in our presentation.
I also use the flyer to hit as many stops as I can in a sales day which for me is about 4 hours. Trying to do this all day will kill you not only in the wise use of time but in getting to that potential customer at the best time for them to be receptive to your service. Obviously I can’t share everything I say in a sales stop as it changes slightly based upon the potential customer.
Again, I am always happy to share what I have learned in my 24 years in the business with anyone willing to listen. I f you email me I will give my cell and we can talk. I have found that this is the best way for me to get a feel for where you are at in your business plan and I am a big believer in using route work as part of any successful business plan.
John Martin
Waukesha Window Cleaning and Power Washing
Waukesha WI
John may I ask how do you have the flyer worded.
Christopher,
Feel free to contact me directly and I will be happy to share with you my sales method as used with my flyer.
John Martin
Waukesha Window Cleaning
Waukesha, WI
These tips sound perfect for the members only forum… Then we can really get into detail and you won’t have to answer several pm’s
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New getting into route work and storefronts. I got a call from a coffee franchise to bid on 3 stores in the neighboring city, (one is 30 minutes from the others and 45 minutes from my starting point, and the others are 10 minutes apart), the other two in my city are are about 5 minutes from each other.
I can figure the window pricing easy enough, but what about gas and travel time. By setting aside one day to all of them it is about an 83 mile round trip, then the amount of time to actually clean them, so yea, a day.
Any insight to share?
