Update, I have been really trying to get those store fronts. Traveling isn’t working out too well. Have gone to maybe about 35 businesses so far. Working on them. I can probably eke my way through the winter just to get through. Come March I’m planning on advertising resi’s like crazy, I’m starting to see that I think In my area the way that I will have to try to make all my money in the summer months and save it all for winter. And the residential cleanings for windows get quite a bit, there was a house with storms that i quoted for $762 at the start of summer. They said “no that’s too much” then they called me a week later and said I had the best price in the area. So I think that will be the way to go. My question to you is have you been able to make a living just with resi’s in the upper parts of the country where we get some brutal winters? Or does it seem that you have to use storefronts to be able to make ends meet?
My question me to you is “do you know how to clean storm windows?”
Second: If you’re the “best” price in the area they mean you were the cheapest, so raise your prices and don’t let the competition be on pricing because you’ll end up driving the value of services down
I’m in Wyoming and I have about 4 commercial jobs for the winter. Sometimes I don’t get to them at all in January, but I’m thankful summers are busy enough that I don’t care to do much work in the winter anyway.
I do 
their actually going to be hiring me back this spring. So I’m hoping to do that. Thanks for the perspective. I charge 20 dollars if you can take them off inside and 25 if they are exterior removal. Do you think that’s too low for resi’s?
Thank you! Cool. That gives me hope. We have a lot of houses in our area in NH so I think it’s definitely plausible to do. Thanks for the reply! Would you say that’s with you working 8 hours a day everyday in the summer or is it kind of like a house a day kind of a deal?
We average about 2-3 houses a day, usually working only 6 hour days and maybe 1/2 day Fridays, not to say we won’t work a 40-50 hour week on occasion. I have one part time employee that works anywhere from 20-100 hrs a month between March and November, and I’ll usually have another employee that puts in about half that. I’m always booked solid from early May through the end of September and I’ve had a very consistent profit for the last several years.
I personally hate storms. So I price them starting at $25 for a 1/1, then once you start getting French panes I charge up to $60 for a 12/12.
I price them this way so I just don’t get the jobs, or if I do get them then it may be worth it.
Cool! So I’m kind of in the ballpark with it. I’m really looking forward to this spring with window cleaning. Thanks for the reply!
Cool. I’m a one man show, I’m hoping I can make it work if I advertise. I was thinking of starting to advertise as soon as February. Do you guys usually start then or do you wait till March to start advertising?
Expect a 2% sales rate with face-to-face contact. That’s a sale for every 50 tries. 0.5% for material left at not-at-biz’s.
You can do it but do you have the volume of businesses in your area and do you have the resolve to canvass approximately 1000-2000 stores?
Hey Jordie. Love the vids by the way. Have learned a lot :). I guess that’s the thing is that in my area theres maybe 100-200stores in my area then out farther they are few and far in between. One thing I’m a little nervous about is canvassing main st in my area. There’s another window cleaner that does it and I really don’t want to step on toes going there. But I’m not sure if that should be something to be worried about and should just risk it and canvas any where and everywhere no matter what. Would you say just canvas even though there could be someone else cleaning?
Unless you’re out undercutting and making the sales based solely on cheaper price then I say just go out and create your business.
If the current cleaner has a solid route, great service, and good pricing then his customers will stay his customers and you’ll get experience in sales.
You win either way, and if you see that window cleaner out and about go talk to them and introduce yourself. Make friends with your “competition” and always remember that there is plenty of glass to be cleaned without undercutting prices.
Thanks! Cool. I’ll try to hit the streets then soon. I’m in a good place where if I can just get a few 20-30 dollar gigs every week to every other I will be able to make it through the winter.
I don’t rely on advertising much because I have a strong client base I’ve built over the past 25 years. Most of my accounts came in the form of referral and the extra traffic from my website just fills in the gaps when I have time.
To go along with Mike’s comments, yes, go out. In fact, it’s better if your prices are higher than current guy.
Circumstances change. If you get calls down the road, you won’t be chained to ridiculously low quotes.
Also, by casting your seed, you don’t know where it’ll end up. I’ve had 2nd and 3rd hand people call me from cards I left at storefronts years in the past.
Okay cool! Thank you all. I’m feeling better about everything. I’ve got the determination. I’ve had it for a while now. I want to make this work out so that I can pursue other things in my life that mean a lot. It’s just a means to an end. And working at a store like Home Depot part or full time (not that anything is wrong with that if anyone does) won’t cut it to be able to support everything. Thank you guys a bunch for the suggestions. Looking forward to the hustling to get those jobs. I know they don’t come easy but the payoff is worth the time. Thanks for being realistic with it too. That does way more good than giving false hope.
