i was reading entrepreneur.com about giving people a free sample of your product or service to make a sale… and i have heard of window cleaning companies offering the same… one window on first floor of house cleaned inside and out for free at time of estimate.
i see a downside to this whereas estimates would have to be scheduled with a customer unless you only offer this service from 7am to 8am or after 4pm… i think it could work for people who are on the fence about getting their windows cleaned or want to see what the service is all about…
has anyone offered this kind of service for new customers? any ideas?
I’ll give free demos/samples when possible.
I don’t do it at the moment, but I’m willing to give it a try because I see that can be important and will help to get an answer on the spot.
I have canvassed a mall of stores doing doors for free and had good results. Sometimes while giving my sales pitch to the managers. Sometimes I just start and when they come up to see what’s up I smile graciously, offer a card (with a price on the back)and tell them to give me a call if they my be interested in having all their glass scheduled. I will so a window for anyone for free if I’m there to tender a bid. I like to let my work speak for itself and this is an excellent opportunity. If they were considering it at all then they are sold when I am done. Instead of just my word…they have seen it with their own eyes.
[I][B]“because glass looks it’s best when you can’t see it”[/B][/I]
I’d see that as intrusive and unprofessional if I were the manager of that store. For me that approach is wrong, but if it works for you :d
For Residential I have used this for two reasons…The first was already mentioned that if they have a really clean window, the rest will need to be cleaned too. I like to do these on cutups or a section of french pane at eye level so the difference is really drastic. Or on a side by side double hung.
The other time I use this technique is if someone only want exteriors done (which I charge more for per pane) I will do one window in/out and another next to it out only. I then tell them, or they tell me what a difference the complete cleaning really makes. It’s a great way to upsell.
I’ll do free demos on anything - WC, awnings, signs, gutter whitening (not debris removal). People like to know what they are getting for their money.
I am almost completely residential by referal and not normally a door to door salesman. But desperate times call for desperate measure. I was in a little town in Arkansas $600 short of replacing a blown engine. I was staying in a hotel accross the street from the mall. I was on foot and not wanting to leave my vehicle and equipment,nor have it towed 400 miles. While you may deem it unprofessional, I deem it rather resourceful. By the way. My sales ratio was almost %90 that day. Not one manager seemed to think I was being intrusive.(perhaps it’s your manner if you invoke this kind of response from people). The referals I got kept me in town three extra days, and if I walk into any of those shops or that hotel today they want me to do their windows.Instead of limping home broke, I made money in spite of what could have been a set back.
You guys really do need to lighten up on the criticisim. It takes away from the ula of the of my forum reading experience. Help and advice with problems, opinions and input on work related tools and chemicals from other window cleaners, these are what makes this such a great site.
“because glass looks it’s best when you can’t see it”
Perhaps you should arm wrestle Mr. Squeegee for the moderator position…
If you can provide your opinion, why can’t others?
Did you mention that your car was broke? That could have swayed their decision out of sympathy. Homeless guys use the same technique on car windows, and since many of us have broken the window washer image of bum with squeegee, your original comment conjures an image we associate with unprofessional. As you said, you don’t use this technique on a daily basis, so its not a critique of you, its an advisement to others that this might not be the best way to market yourself, but as puntadigital said, “if it works for you”, most of us are in different markets so it doesn’t really matter to us what techniques are used, we are just offering our input. Help and Advice 
ive used the “clean 1 window” technique with gutter whitening. Ill ask if i can clean a 1 ft section to show them the difference. Its usually so dramatic that it gets them to do the rest.
