Need ideas for my new web site!

Yeah, I hear you 100%.

I started my own company in 2003, and sold it in 2010 for a tidy little sum. Along the way I secured some pretty awesome contracts, too, and charged great money. And I ran a VERY BORING company.

VERY BORING.

But I had cool marketing stuff, and at the time, that was all that I needed to pull it off.

The problem is, in the last few years, now everyone has access to cool marketing stuff, and especially with the WCRA available to them, they can get in the game at a level that you’re already at with less than $1000. And they can offer a near-identical value proposition as you, for less money, and crush you.

And it’s happening.

In market after market.

And that’s why you see more and more threads with guys whining about how the local competitors are charging fractions of their prices, and “ruining” the marketplace, and all that kind of stuff.

So while this is definitely a no-brainer for a new startup window cleaning company (and yet is still not commonly done), it’s even more important for an established company, if you’re trying to protect a larger price point, and fatter profit margins.

On the other hand, if you’re willing to charge the same as what everyone else charges, then there is no need to panic. You can fade into the blur, and there will be lots to go around, as long as you’re willing to charge less and less as more equal competitors enter the foray.

As for ACWC, as an outside observer, I think their success to date is in spite of their boring nature (as is true of every other very successful WCR member window cleaning business owner, too), with the caveat that they have massive market presence, massive current lists of enthusiastic clients, and it’s being run by very savvy business professionals that are willing to take regular, massive action.

I’ll address the burger thing in the next response.

I apologize if I ever gave you the impression that there was a silver bullet solution, and a singular “ultimate marketing angle” that could dominate each and every segment of the market.

The opposite is true.

Market segments have value preferences, and gravitate towards solution providers that resonate with their unique needs.

As you said, the same applies in the fast-food world.

McDonald’s serves predictable, tasty, wildy unhealthy, tasty food FAST. They also have a lock on some stuff that’s only available from them. Like Big Macs. Or their McFlurry’s. Some might consider their fries to be without peer.

Wendy’s serves “fresh” patties. They let you order chili instead of fries. They have this weird thing called a frosty. They have tried hard to fold in some unique elements.

Jack in the Box, In-n-Out, White Castle, they all are appealing to segments, with unique preferences.

When you’re selling your window cleaning services, the most valuable thing you can do right now - today - is stop and ask yourself “Who are these people that I’m primarily selling to, and what do they want from me?” and then figure out what your company is going to bring to the market. The latest edition of $600/hr helps you through this with a couple of quick exercises.

You will never capture all the market. But if you resonate with a juicy segment, you won’t care about the rest.

To bring this back around, if you have failed to identify your market, and are simply “winging it” by offering me-too services, then you might still be fine for the time being. But every year you’ll feel more and more competitive pressure, and you will eventually experience attrition. A trickle at first, and then a deadly breach. It’s the inevitable slide of a commodity.*

When you segment and separate instead, and then become remarkable to that particular group of consumers, then you resonate with a smaller group of people on a much deeper level, and they buy from you.

Rolls-Royce is not trying to sell tons of cars at small margins.
Hyundai is not trying to sell a small number of cars for high price tags.

They both sell. There is no such thing as a perfect car.

Or a perfect shampoo. Or watch. Or perm. Or dress. Or pair of shoes. Or window cleaning service.

There is only perceptions and preferences.

[SIZE=1]*Think of it from your market’s perspective[/SIZE].[SIZE=1] Your market will feel like you’ve been ripping them off all these years. Because you’ve been selling $3 apples and now the new guy lets people buy identical copies for only $1 a piece. [/SIZE]

To continue the thought (please excuse the tackiness of quoting my own post), if you were selling generic shampoo, guess how much you’d be able to charge for it?

Answer: Peanuts.

If you were selling generic shoes, how much could you charge for them?

Answer: Peanuts.

Same goes for window cleaning services. If you’re generic (also known as boring) then you’re going to have a very hard time successfully charging more than peanuts.

And incidentally, you have no business charging a penny more, either.

Your market would be foolish to pay you more.

Wouldn’t they?

Imagine that a brand-new dollar-store kind of retail business open it’s doors right beside the local dollar store in your neighborhood. To your surprise, they proceed to try and sell all of their stuff for $3 each, while for just $1 you can get the same stuff next door.

Would you shop there? What if your close friend did?

You’d slap them silly, and tell them never to step foot inside that money-sucking pit again.

Unless…

The $3 store was open evenings and weekends, and the dollar store wasn’t.
The $3 store had free parking, and the dollar store had no parking.
The $3 store had the world’s best selection.
The $3 store had an insane number of people working the floor so you could always be in and out in 60 seconds.
The $3 store smelled like heaven and the dollar store smelled like you-know-what.

Etc.

Bottom line: The $3 store would have to stand out.

Your window cleaning business is the $3 store.

Unless we stand out, people are going to start (and keep) going next door, instead.

And it will be our fault.

Sorry, got distracted.

I understand what you are saying but I dont think you totally understood me. (Or maybe I dont totally understand you lol)

All of the stuff you mention like you said about the 3 dollar store open late free parking etc I get. You use all the window cleaners have the same marketing stuff as far as flyers. They are quickly on a same level as I am. The point I was trying to get across is their are other ways of saying you are special and getting your potential customers to know it that have [I]nothing to do with your website[/I]. There is always going to be a shift in competition if everyone has the tools of ABC (marketing flyers etc) the smart window cleaners are changing or already using DEF tools. Does that make sense?

As ACWC used postcards to get were they are other companies use other strategies to get ahead of the pack. Every window cleaner in phoenix offers the same window cleaning with the same tools and 99.9% of our websites say variations of the same crap. I wouldn’t say that only the ‘successful’ ones have “free parking, open on weekends” etc on their site…

I think we are saying the same thing but if I understand you, you are saying it needs to be on your website?!? The way you determine that 99.9% of window cleaning companies are boring is by their website? And I dont agree with that. For me there are more variables.

Ohhhhh. I think I get what you mean.

Well, I kind of am saying it HAS to be on your website.

It has to saturate all of your marketing communication. Otherwise it doesn’t exist in the world of your target market. If we’re not communicating what it is that makes us unique then how will it benefit us?

Let me ask you this:

Do you think that if a window cleaning company is truly offering a unique service or shopping experience that the market needs to become aware of it for it to have any value?

Can you show me an example of a company that is fundamentally different in some way, but not communicating that differentiating element with their online presence?

It kinda sounds like you have an example in mind.

Perhaps yourself?

Could you give me an example of how a Phoenix company is using other methods to get ahead of the pack?

Perhaps this clarification will help:

[B]An advantage that isn’t communicated is invisible.[/B]

The media can change, but the advantage needs to be obvious and saturated.

Website.
Invoices.
Estimates.
Biz cards.
Postcards.
Ads.

Everywhere.

Otherwise it’s not going to help you land new clients, aside from referrals. (which could still be great if done strategically)

You stated above: “Unless we stand out, people are going to start (and keep) going next door, instead.” So if 99.9% of all companies websites are boring and customers go next door they should all end up with one company? To me that just paints everything in a small box… Like I said earlier for me there are more variables.

[B]Can you show me an example of a company that is fundamentally different in some way, but not communicating that differentiating element with their online presence?[/B] All the successful companies that have websites and that all say the same thing! You say 99.9% are boring surely some portion of those 99.9% are successful are they not?

My company name is Veterans Window Services… to some who see my company name they might think the owner is a veteran, or they might think a veteran of the state, or we hire veterans etc etc… To each person that thinks those things they could see the name, see that I offer the type of services that they want, and I might even be pricier than another guy but hey the word veteran and their definition of it has them buy from us. Ive had people tell me that have hired me for everyone of those reasons above and I’m not communicating that to them! This ties into my point below about invisible advantage.

[B]Do you think that if a window cleaning company is truly offering a unique service or shopping experience that the market needs to become aware of it for it to have any value?[/B] Yes and No, I think there are ways to tell them and sell them before they even look at your website.

[B]
"An advantage that isn’t communicated is invisible.[/B]"
You think so? Here is a food for thought or an example… an advantage that isn’t communicated, a window cleaning company having the top 2 spots for a specific search term like say ‘window cleaning Ontario’ A huge portion of sales will undoubtedly go to that company just for having the top 2 spots! No advantage is communicated yet they get 36.4% of the CTR for spot 1 and 12.5% for spot 2. A total of 48.9% of the clicks for people searching for that term… Do they go to another site and check them out? Maybe, but they clearly have an invisible advantage dont you think?
[B]
[I]Could you give me an example of how a Phoenix company is using other methods to get ahead of the pack?[/I][/B]
Not even just Phoenix everywhere. There are tons of companies who offer window cleaning with a cookie cutter website that do extremely well. I have a couple specific methods that I use where my website never even comes into play. As I’m sure other companies do to! I’ll PM you a few if you would like.

I think we agree, for the most part.

I’m not saying that you can’t make money if you’re boring. I’m saying that you can’t charge more than your competition. Not for very long, anyway. You’re trapped in a commodity game. As you said, all those boring companies are making a living, and keeping the lights on. I’m not disputing that. But raise our prices above the local norm, and we find out that we are interchangeable.

There are hundreds of small window cleaning companies in every large market. Hundreds. So, none of them dominate, but they are almost all inevitably trapped in a price war.

Sometimes, as you said, there are perceived advantages. Like with your company, for instance.

On your homepage is this paragraph: "[FONT=verdana]Veterans Window Services has become known as the window cleaning company ‘that cares’ throughout Phoenix because of our quality of work, our accurate estimates, advice for homeowners and our timeliness of service. "

No mention of the Veteran angle at all, beyond your name. That’s what I mean about your failure to differentiate. The “veteran” approach is also not unique to your company, lots of guys across the country are using the same leverage, and in most cases, much more clearly and effectively.

Here’s an example: [/FONT]http://veteranwindowcleaningservices.com/[FONT=verdana]
[/FONT]
And of course, lots of “real” veterans, too, who are now in the window cleaning business.

And as far as your company being known in your service area as “the company that cares”, I think that’s a very dangerous game to play with 5Star Window Care just around the corner from you, servicing Gilbert and Mesa.

I think the confusion comes with the word “differentiation”. When I speak of differentiation, I’m referring to something that truly makes your company stand out from the noise of the marketplace in a measurable way.

With a quick look, can your market figure out what makes you different from everyone else out there?

There are nuances, for sure. I think that’s the point your making. Sometimes it’s a feeling. Sometimes it’s a result of the personal interaction. Sometimes it’s because we’re the same age as the client, or because we were born and raised in town, and are perceived as hyper-local as a result.

But in all those cases, it’s better to try and “own” one of those angles then try to to superficially compete across 10 different characteristics.

Know what I mean?

I’ll reply to your Google thing in the next post.

You’re referring to a media-based advantage, not a core, competitive advantage.

We’ve been programmed to believe that if we’re spot #1 or #2 on Google, then we automatically win.

This isn’t categorically true anym4ore, as you [sort of, hesitatingly] acknowledged above.

And those CTR rates mean nothing unless conversion occurs. I know you agree.

With high-speed internet everywhere now, your market can easily surf through various options within seconds. You do it. I do it. Everyone does it. You can go to page one, and look at 5 different websites within 60 seconds. Within three minutes, you can look at 15. Within 10 minutes, you can be somewhat of a category connoisseur.

Consumers are becoming more and more savvy, and Google is empowering them.

I should clarify my comment above: I don’t mean that there aren’t things you can do that can build exposure, or that getting into exclusive channels isn’t going to be valuable. Of course, if you’re online, and your competition isn’t, and your market loves Google, then you win. On the other hand, that scenario doesn’t really exist anymore.

Your market is a good example of one where tons of competitors abound. And any of them can buy a spot right on page one for a few hundred bucks a month.

The bottom line is that everything you’re doing/offering/bringing to market is also available from your competition. For less money, too.

Unless you find a way to authentically differentiate from everyone else in a way that resonates with your target market.

[I]For me an advantage is an advantage[/I]! I wasn’t trying to prove that having the top two spots automatically wins. My point was showing you their are advantages that are unspoken or invisible. Obviously their is a wide margin of click through rate and conversions.

As far as the Veteran thing goes that was my point I dont mention it yet I get tons of business all just based on my name it’s not perceived it’s Real! Something you classify as a failure I wouldn’t. To truly know if it was wouldn’t you have to ask every company who is using a veteran angle and see how much business they get from it. Now I don’t have it mentioned anywhere in my company info but I go out to military bases and get residential work from leaving flyers on bases and by building a relationship with the people. Or I can acquire contracts because I can get on base and I know the wives and contacts to the people that make those decisions? My website never comes into play!!! The guy who has it all over his website could be or couldn’t be doing this but if we both went up against each other its not hurting me that its not on my site! I can clearly get more business from my military angle and not have anything on my site and its [I]not a failure just because it isn’t[/I]!

In window cleaning what can be a ‘core’ advantage? Coming within 24hours? Being easy to schedule? You could use your same reasoning as you did above ( media advantage) and categorize it into something else could you not? There is no way to re-invent the wheel so to speak. That’s only an advantage to people who need it done within 24hours and whats to say that dont ask the guy who is currently doing it for them or the guy that resides in the number one spot on Google if they can come within 24 hours and guess what he’s doing it for less and he deserves to get it because he is cleaning it the same way with the same tools etc etc!

I have more examples of non use of site and where I don’t think you can classify 99.9% business as being boring but I think we can just agree that we dont agree on this LOL!

I respect your knowledge I just disagree with you about this.

As you said, we don’t have to agree

And believe me when I say I wasn’t trying to insult you by referring to ‘perceptions’. There is no such thing as ‘real’, there are only perceptions of reality when it comes to value propositions. Different things matter to different people. There are no absolutes.

And you made my point.

If anyone else can claim to offer the same stuff as you, then you are a commodity.

That’s all. I’m not saying you’re useless, or that you are destined to fail.

Simply that you are going to be price-shopped more often than not, and you’ll be helpless when it happens, because you are interchangeable. The only way to “de-commodotize” your company, and remove the apples-to-apples is to stop being an apple.

Be absolutely unique.

I also agree with you 100% that the examples I posted are not airtight, or universally resonant. That’s actually the whole point, they are not meant to be. They are meant to attract only a certain kind of clientele, and ignore or downplay the others…

Will everyone care about friendliness? Nope.
Will everyone care about rush service? Nope?
Ease of doing business? Nope.
Working with a company that their neighbors have strongly vetted? Again, nope.

Sadly, there are no silver bullets.

K

P.S. I’m also not saying that your veteran angle isn’t good. If it’s working for you, that’s great. All I’m pointing out is that you’re not the only one using that angle, and that as a result, you are susceptible to comparisons, and price shopping. That’s all. Nothing more.

You can only get Big Macs from McDonalds.
You can only get frosty’s from Wendy’s.
You can only buy Whoppers from Burger King.

What can your market only get from you?

That’s my point.

Ahhhh, nice to see your meaty threads back Kevin!

templbi, here’s my take from reading you and Kevin’s threads -

yes, companies can be successful, even monumentally successful (ACWC) for many reasons, even if the “boring-est” (ha, Kevin, an -est word!)
company around

you do have an angle that appeals “veterans”, that is different and gives you an angle/edge to those whom that appeals to over the other me too’s

Some people have called me merely because they were Scots and felt ‘kinship’ to my last name, funny stuff
you have people calling merely for the veteran word

but big changes in reaching and appealing to our markets is happening the last 3 years on a large scale and moving forward full steam ahead, the same thing that Best Buy and big box retailers are dealing with vs amazon, just our version in the wc industry

so forward thinking would dictate to strategically figure how to reach, appeal and draw on a consistent, controlled, profitable and purposeful way without leaving anything up to chance to be able to not be swept around on the waves aimlessly because of technology

the ‘cry’ of many who are pointing out the proliferation of ‘half pricers’ and lowest pricers is a fork in the road, forced because of the changes of the last few years

the many forks in the road options:
[LIST]
[]hope
[]do nothing and stay the same
[]lower prices to whatever level the market starts responding in volumes one [B][I]was[/I][/B] accustomed too
[]now at those lowest prices live like a pauper and try to grow with min wage employees
[]watch the new lowest prices become the norm and now startups will go even lower, and the cycle repeats
[]or jump out of that game and make a new one thru [B][I]better and more sophisticated, purposeful and strategic marketing skills[/I][/B] = not easy
[/LIST]

everyone will have a different circumstance in their local area

perhaps you go untouched, for now, by what others are dealing with (weak demand, many lowest pricers, economically affected area, any geographic area additional issues)

I see Kevin as having gone thru all this many years ago due to his Toronto area with 400+ window cleaners, how to stand out?

The real question is how to achieve maximum profitability to run a healthy, sustainable, viable and vibrant business that can grow in a healthy way without putting the owner in debt or out of business

lowest pricers dont have this figured out yet, run the Simple Numbers book against any lowest pricer business and I bet it shows unpaid taxes, slave labor wages for the time put in for ALL tasks performed (or just plain old not all tasks for a healthy business are being performed to begin with), and no profit to buy tools, trucks and [B]marketing[/B], etc.

When they do, they’ll be in the same boat as long timers who are dealing with changes in how business is done to reamin profitable:

how to stand out and reach more ideal customers at maximum profitable pricing

some just keep ‘working for wages’ and wonder why nothing is working and they dont have enough to put gas in their truck

I think a big shakeout is coming to service businesses personally, the way this amazon best buy etc is coming to a head

those who get a jump will have an advantage

how to stand out? not workmanship

it has to be purple cow

even model changing altogether

what do think [MENTION=112]panelessperfection[/MENTION]? [MENTION=3418]michaelmole[/MENTION]?

I agree 100%.

If you/we want to survive and avoid the whole price wars thing.

Thanks for the Kind words B-rad. It has actually been an outstanding name because people remember it. Most everyone compliments the name and says how much they love it. Most people don’t think of it as negative because they don’t look beyond the creativity and catchy aspect of the name. I guess if one wanted to be critical of the name it could be viewed as the negative connotation referring to our company but most people get that the negativity is referring to the chore of cleaning windows.

The only thing I don’t like about the name is that is a bit limited when trying to expand into other services besides windows. Because the name is a catch on pane specifically referring to windows. For instance if I wanted to add carpet cleaning as a service it would be hard to advertise carpet cleaning by What A Pane Window Cleaning or even just What A Pane because without the window cleaning it would not make sense.

What is the name of your company B-rad?

Yeah, B-rad? :o

Man I know YOU could make it happen. Thanks KEVIN

Would you come up to Toronto from Connecticut?