Window Cleaner - Census Results 2015

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The Results Are In! - Window Cleaner - Census Results 2015

Back in the spring, we asked 1,000 window cleaners 73 different questions.

Topics included - Money, Marketing, Competition, Demographics, Employees and More!

The compiled results are ready for your review. You can down the official PDF to see how you stacked up in 2015 against your peers.

Download It

To download the full 30 page, 73 question report add this to your cart and checkout. Don’t worry its totally free.

Here is a very small sample of the full report:

window-cleaner-census-2015-money.png450×617 32.8 KB

window-cleaner-census-2015-competition.png449×637 34 KB

window-cleaner-census-2015-travel.png451×633 35.5 KB

window-cleaner-census-2015-employees.png448×616 33.9 KB

window-cleaner-census-2015-business.png447×624 34.5 KB

Download the FULL 30 page, 73 question report here: Window Cleaners Census 2015

enjoy

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Do what?

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Are you saying 80% of us on this forum have a YEARLY not monthly marketing budget of less than $5k for the YEAR!?!

No wonder people are shocked at the numbers I throw out.

I can’t imagine not spending at least 10% of gross pre-taxed revenues for marketing.

That would be a bare minimum.

I busted a hump so my son could go to one of the highest rated high schools in the country. For me to stay here and match my other companies revenues. I need to spend more than 10%.

Especially if I want to grow anytime soon. I would much rather spend the money on another tax deduction that will grow my team vs. giving it to Uncle Sam.

Especially now our likely president may kill us all with his antics. I may need to get out of the USA quick. I need money for that.

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Well, Im not telling you that. But the thousand window cleaners that filled it out are. They are from all over the interwebs, not just this forum. All window cleaners, all in the US and all answered in 2015.

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Yay!! I’m giddy, I love reading the Census results!

Thanks, man! :sunglasses:

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I can’t speak for anyone bu myself, but I can guess based of what I feel.
It seems like in previous conversations, I was outside the line of thinking here.

I AM NOT a “percentage of” guy, when it comes to Marketing budget.
I am steady, consistent, “disciplined” for lack of better word, stick to my plan.
It’s probably the most ‘long term decision’ choice I MAKE (you guys know I’m a nut for monthly breakdowns)

I’d bet the fact that the numbers SEEM low is a good thing.
Meaning… you still have to actually DO the work, once you get it.
And I think some of us ease off when we get swamped.

But again, this is just me guessing.

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I hate the word “Disciplined” in my previous post, but I honestly couldn’t think of a better one…

It’s not a knock on anyone, at all.
(it may be a knock on MYSELF)

I maintain my budget and stick close to it.
If I get overly aggressive, it’s a big deal, and noted/categorized as such.

‘Discipline’ meant controlled behavior, that’s all.
(I really try stick with the plan- good or bad)

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I hear you man.

Marketing budget is typically the second decision made for a year. First is sales goal. At min we plan on 10% of sales goal for the year and then break it down.

To each their own I guess.

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That was enlightening. Apparently there’s between 2 to 5 percent of window cleaners who don’t know whether or not they have employees (the respondents saying “n/a- no staff” seemed to fluctuate from answer to answer).

And there were also a couple of concerning numbers, like the gross hourly per employee: most answered $25/hr…

Btw, @chris, how did you collect responses from the 3% who don’t have a computer? I got the impression from the wording of it, that that group doesn’t use a smartphone/tablet instead. Maybe I was reading too much into it?

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Yea Alex - I noticed a few weird little inconsistencies in it. I have a better idea now how I will make adjustments and change the wording for the 2016 version.

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822 - Downloads in counting

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Btw, thanks for putting all of the work into putting this together. :smiley:

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Really…

There are so many variables in a case study. We at this forum. No matter how much we like to think so. We are just one cross section of the rather large demo.

I have met quite a few WC’rs that have never posted nor heard of the WCRA. I properly educated them of course. But they don’t really share the same interests in technology we all do. After all…* “Water seeks it’s own level”, right?*

We have formed to share a common ideal in this tribe. Therefore** we** are not an accurate case study as a whole, just a segment. Which is why the study was distributed outside of this forum as well.

The “Tribe” mentality is great in theory, and there really are a lot of upsides to having created such a thing. The problem is once established,** introducing a new mental model outside the old mental models box, so to speak; is a difficult thing**. The mental* “brain train” * forces regurgitation.

Thank God for thinking “outside the box” right? :stuck_out_tongue_closed_eyes:

Thinking about it… I may think different than some, or at least, I think I do… Whatever…

My mindset. Whether it be spiritual life, financial life, family or personal… I perform my own investigation of the truth.

I am not exactly sure who ran the study, but the wording of the questions can really make or break the honesty in the answers.

In other words… “if I answer like this I will look like a dummy” (even though it is completely anonymous)

or…

“Here is what they want to hear because I have no clue if i would call her an employee or not.”

The human ego is a powerful thing. If questions are asked in the right way, you can take the ego out of the equation. Ask the same question twice or in a slightly different way, and you may get two completely different answers.

THANK YOU for the time and attention it took to put this together.

Liars can figure, but figures don’t lie.

It’s all in the numbers boys and girls.

These numbers tell me… For a guy with my talents… I am definitely in the right place.

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I haven’t had a chance to review the 2015 censes results yet but the 35-30% willing to drive 25-50++ to a job site surprised me…this should be a good read!

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I had to say that because I live 25 miles from 90% of my customers. :slight_smile:

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In the top 4% age bracket…I love it. Mirror, mirror on the wall, who’s the
oldest of us all?

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That really doesn’t surprise me. 83% of respondents have 3 or fewer employees. Over 50% have none. In my experience, most people with a business that size are content with keeping it that size, so there is no need for a large marketing budget.

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This is a truth and I absolutely agree with your experience my man.

I can tell you though…

My experience has been there are other circumstances the human ego will not allow to be recognized. I am not even going to go into my psychological break down as it would open a seething cauldron of debate. I ain’t got time for all that, maaaaaan…

I can tell you this though… I was a one chuck truck and felt like my skin was crawling because I had some successes and a lot of failures, but I didn’t know how to grow a service company. I could sell you on any concept I wanted… I just didn’t know the concept.

Kind of like rushing into window cleaning company ownership role without even knowing how to clean windows. Or when I sold a website design for $1,500 then ran home and started googling how to build a website. This time is different for me though… sorta. :wink:

Anyway man…

i wanted more. I just didn’t know how to… Fear of accepting my imperfection.

I would say I didn’t want it. Fear of looking like a fool if i asked.

I wanted to advertise… but feared if I got too busy.

I wanted success… I just feared failure more.

That was just me.

That was my experience.

So I became everything I wanted to be, not through my usual ways…

Generally anything positive in my life, I was either really lucky or highly skilled.

Today… It’s a little different. I know I have very little to do with it.

Albeit I may be a catalyst. All the credit goes to Creator. The spirit of the universe that seems to guide us a long.

I have absolute faith that everything is going to work out how it is supposed to.

I may not like how it works out, but I know… even though I may not be able to see the reasoning now… I will later.

Every failure in life has brought me success later. Some I haven’t seen yet, but I know they will.

@WesternReserveWC Hey dude. Can I pick your brain on WFP stuff? Hit me up… Voxer lpalos646

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Reading through the census… i want to talk to those 39% of people getting 1-2% response on direct mail. I feel awesome if I get a .0075% response on EDDM. teach me the way…