TIPS FOR GETTING MORE WINDOW CLEANING CLIENTS

Summary

In this informative video, Steve, a window cleaner, shares his strategies for securing clients. He emphasizes starting with friends and family for practice and referrals, utilizing door hangers for long-term visibility, and establishing a professional website to enhance credibility. Steve also highlights the importance of Google reviews and local service ads, cold calling businesses, and maintaining a clean appearance for branding. He concludes with the value of networking, vehicle decals, and social media marketing in growing a window cleaning business.

Takeaways

• 🤝 Start by reaching out to friends and family for initial business and to get permission for before-and-after photos for social media.
• 🚪 Utilize door hangers to promote your services in neighborhoods, which can lead to long-term inquiries.
• 💻 Having a professional website is crucial for appearing credible and providing information about your services, pricing, and contact options.
• 📞 Consider using services like NiceJob for website creation and tracking leads, which can also facilitate customer reviews.
• 📊 Set up and actively manage your Google My Business account to increase visibility and collect important customer reviews.
• 📍 Use Google Local Service Ads to boost your online presence and gain trust with potential customers through a verified checkmark.
• 📞 Cold calling in person for storefront businesses can be effective, as it allows for face-to-face interaction and direct quotes.
• 🔄 Persistence is key in sales; follow up with potential clients multiple times to increase the chances of closing a deal.
• 👔 Maintain a clean and professional appearance, including branded apparel, to build your brand and make a good impression.
• 🚗 Advertise your services through vehicle decals or wraps, which can serve as mobile billboards and generate interest.
• 📬 Explore Every Door Direct Mail for widespread advertising, sending postcards to thousands of homes in selected areas.

Q & A

What is the first step suggested for getting clients when starting a window cleaning business?

The first step is to contact friends and family to clean their windows and ask for their permission to take before and after photos for social media and websites.

Why are before and after photos important for a new window cleaning business?

Before and after photos are important because they visually demonstrate the quality of work, which can be used for social media, websites, and to build trust with potential clients.

What is the purpose of using door hangers in a window cleaning business?

Door hangers serve as a tangible marketing tool that can be left at homes, providing information about the service and potentially leading to calls for window cleaning services even years after they've been distributed.

Why is having a website beneficial for a professional window cleaning business?

A website makes a business look more professional, provides information about services, allows potential clients to learn about the company, and serves as a platform for contact and obtaining quotes.

What is Google My Business and why is it important for local services like window cleaning?

Google My Business is a platform where businesses can manage their online presence, including information, reviews, and interactions with customers. It is important because it helps businesses appear in local search results, increasing visibility and credibility.

What is the advantage of Google Local Service Ads for a window cleaning business?

Google Local Service Ads can place the business at the top of search results in the local area, providing a green checkmark that signifies trust and can lead to more leads and higher close rates.

Why is cold calling in person for storefront businesses recommended in the script?

Cold calling in person allows for face-to-face interaction, which can be more memorable and effective in getting quotes and potentially securing business, especially if the person calling has a good relationship with the manager or owner.

What is the significance of following up with potential clients in the sales process for window cleaning services?

Following up is crucial as it shows the client that the business is interested in providing the service, and it can increase the close rate, especially if done persistently and professionally.

How can vehicle decals or wraps help in getting more clients for a window cleaning business?

Vehicle decals or wraps serve as mobile advertisements, displaying the company's branding and contact information, which can attract attention and calls from potential clients who appreciate the professional appearance.

What is the role of personal appearance and branding in the success of a window cleaning business according to the script?

Personal appearance and branding play a significant role as they create a professional image, which can influence the perception of the business's quality and reliability, potentially leading to more clients.

What is Every Door Direct Mail (EDDM) and how can it be used to get more clients for a window cleaning business?

Every Door Direct Mail is a service that allows businesses to send postcards to a large number of households in selected neighborhoods. It can be used to reach a wider audience and generate more leads for the window cleaning business.

Outlines

00:00

🤝 Building Client Base Through Personal Connections

The paragraph emphasizes the importance of leveraging personal networks to establish a client base when starting a new business. It suggests contacting friends and family to offer window cleaning services and obtaining their permission to take before-and-after photos for social media promotion. The paragraph also highlights the value of referrals from satisfied clients and the potential for door hangers as a marketing strategy that can yield long-term results.

05:03

🚪 Door Hangers and the Power of Tangible Marketing

This paragraph delves into the strategy of using door hangers to attract clients. It describes a methodical approach of distributing door hangers to the five homes surrounding a recently serviced property, as a means to generate interest and potential calls for service. The paragraph also underscores the longevity of door hangers as a marketing tool, which can lead to calls even years after being distributed.

10:04

🌐 The Necessity of a Professional Website for Business Growth

The speaker discusses the critical role of having a professional website to enhance a company's image and provide a platform for customers to learn about services, view prices, and contact the business. The paragraph mentions 'nice job' as a recommended company for website creation and highlights the benefits of features like traffic analytics, lead tracking, and review solicitation, which are integral to building a strong online presence and brand recognition.

15:04

📞 Google My Business and Local Service Ads for Enhanced Visibility

The paragraph focuses on the utilization of Google My Business and Google Local Service Ads to increase a business's online visibility and attract clients. It explains that these platforms can help a business appear at the top of search results and instill customer confidence through a verification checkmark. The speaker also shares personal experience with Google Local Service Ads as an effective lead generator and discusses the importance of following up with potential clients to increase conversion rates.

📞 Cold Calling and the Art of In-Person Sales

This paragraph explores the effectiveness of cold calling and in-person sales pitches for storefront businesses. It details the process of visiting businesses, offering quotes, and following up with potential clients. The speaker emphasizes the importance of persistence and follow-up in sales, suggesting that a significant number of sales close after the third to fourth follow-up attempt.

🚗 Vehicle Decals and Branding for Increased Business Visibility

The speaker discusses the impact of vehicle decals and wraps as a form of mobile advertising. They share personal experiences with receiving calls based on vehicle appearance and stress the importance of professional design and clear branding. The paragraph also touches on the benefits of maintaining a clean vehicle and the potential for networking through local recognition.

👕 Professional Appearance and Branded Apparel for Business Growth

This paragraph highlights the significance of a professional appearance and branded apparel in building a business's image. The speaker recommends investing in high-quality shirts and hoodies from a specific supplier, citing their durability and the positive reception from customers. They also discuss the benefits of using branded apparel as a marketing tool and the importance of building a recognizable brand.

📬 Every Door Direct Mail for Widespread Marketing Reach

The final paragraph introduces Every Door Direct Mail (EDDM) as a marketing strategy for reaching a large number of potential clients through postcard mailings. The speaker explains that this method can be costly but effective, especially for businesses with sufficient capital. They also mention the importance of timing these campaigns to coincide with high season periods for the best results.

Keywords

💡Instagram

Instagram is a social media platform primarily known for sharing photos and videos. In the context of the video, it is mentioned as a channel through which one can get more clients by showcasing their work and engaging with potential customers. For instance, the script mentions using Instagram to receive inquiries from potential clients via messages, which is a strategy for growing a business.

💡Referrals

Referrals are a method of acquiring new clients through recommendations from existing clients or acquaintances. The video emphasizes the importance of starting with friends and family to build a client base and then leveraging their satisfaction to get referrals. An example from the script is that after providing a good service to friends and family, they might recommend the service to their network, leading to new clients.

💡Door Hangers

Door hangers are marketing materials left on the doors of potential customers' homes or businesses to advertise a service. The script describes using door hangers as a strategy to get more clients after completing a job for a friend or family member, by placing them on the doors of surrounding homes to attract attention and potentially generate calls for service.

💡Website

A website is a collection of related web pages, including multimedia content, typically identified with a common domain name and accessible via the Internet. The video script highlights the importance of having a professional website to showcase services, provide information, and facilitate contact with potential clients. It is used as an example of a tool to make a business appear more professional and accessible.

💡Google My Business

Google My Business is a free tool from Google that helps businesses manage their online presence such as their profile on Google Search and Maps. The script mentions setting up a Google My Business profile as a way to increase visibility and attract customers searching for services online, which is crucial for local SEO and discoverability.

💡Google Local Service Ads

Google Local Service Ads is a paid advertising service by Google that helps local businesses appear at the top of search results. The video discusses using this service to gain visibility and attract clients, mentioning the benefits of the green checkmark which signifies a trusted provider, and how it can lead to more business.

💡Cold Calling

Cold calling is the act of contacting potential customers who have not requested information about a product or service. In the script, the presenter advocates for in-person cold calling for storefront businesses as a way to build a route, get personal quotes, and increase the chances of closing deals by creating a personal connection and following up.

💡Follow-up

Follow-up refers to the process of re-contacting potential customers after an initial interaction to maintain interest and potentially close a sale. The video script stresses the importance of persistent follow-up, suggesting that many sales are closed on the third or fourth attempt, which is a key strategy in sales and customer engagement.

💡Vehicle Decals

Vehicle decals are graphic designs or lettering applied to a vehicle's exterior for advertising purposes. The script mentions using vehicle decals or wraps as a mobile billboard to attract attention and generate interest in the business. It is highlighted as an effective marketing tool that can lead to phone calls and new clients.

💡Every Door Direct Mail

Every Door Direct Mail (EDDM) is a service provided by the United States Postal Service that allows businesses to send postcards to every address in selected neighborhoods without needing specific addresses. The video mentions EDDM as a method to reach a large audience with a marketing message, which can be particularly effective for generating business during high season periods.

💡Social Media Marketing

Social media marketing involves promoting products or services through social media platforms. The script briefly mentions leveraging free social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube to reach a wider audience and promote the business. This is a cost-effective way to increase brand awareness and attract new clients.

Highlights

Starting a window cleaning business by leveraging friends and family for initial clients and referrals.

Utilizing door hangers as a long-lasting marketing tool to attract clients in the neighborhood.

The importance of having a professional website for a window cleaning business to appear more credible.

Using social media platforms to showcase before and after photos of window cleaning services.

The benefits of Google My Business and Google Local Service Ads for increasing online visibility.

Cold calling in person for storefront businesses as an effective way to build a client base.

The value of following up with potential clients multiple times to increase the chance of closing a deal.

Networking within your local area to gain more business through personal connections.

Using vehicle decals or wraps as a mobile advertisement to attract attention and generate phone calls.

Maintaining a clean and professional appearance to build trust with potential clients.

Creating branded apparel like company shirts and hoodies to enhance brand recognition.

The potential of Every Door Direct Mail for targeted marketing in specific neighborhoods.

The effectiveness of in-person interactions and the importance of being memorable to clients.

Avoiding the pitfalls of discount-based services and focusing on the quality of work.

The role of online reviews and how they can significantly impact a business's reputation.

Maximizing the use of free social media platforms for marketing and client acquisition.

The necessity of not being afraid to promote your business and going all-in for growth.

Transcripts

welcome to my channel Steve of the

window cleaner today we are talking

about getting clients um I get asked

very very often how do I get more

clients through Instagram messages text

messages emails everything you could

possibly imagine so there is some things

that I did when I started my new

business and then throughout time that

I've noticed have really been good about

getting clients number one when you

first start your business what you're

going to want to do is you're going to

want to contact all your friends and

family and try to get them to allow you

to clean their Windows I'm sure they'll

be fine with it no one likes cleaning

windows except for window cleaners who

enjoy it so most will say yes please

come clean my windows so businesses

residential don't go too crazy with it

but do something to get good practice

and then also ask them hey is it okay if

I take some really good before and after

photos so that you can start building on

your different social media platforms

just like pictures of your work people

like to see pictures of your work these

can also be used for websites in the

future but

with friends and family as you start to

do their homes and businesses what

that'll turn into is that once you start

doing a good job and that may not happen

right away they'll start telling their

friends and family and then boom you'll

start getting referrals so that is a

very good first way to start out to

start getting customers is through your

friends and family it's one of the best

ways to really start a business number

two door hangers door hangers was the

second thing I ever did in my window

cleaning career to get more clients door

hangers can be done in a variety of ways

some ways that people think about doing

door hangers is going to a neighborhood

and handing out with 300 tornadoes

now later on I'm going to get into Every

Door Direct Mail that's a better way to

do that so you're not wasting so much

time on the pavement

but with door hangers one of the best

things to do with door hangers is that

once you do a job like say you do a job

for one of these friends or families

what you do is you have door hangers

that you hand them out and you do five

rounds which basically means to five

homes around that home you just did you

put a door hanger basically letting them

know hey I just cleaned XYZ home uh blah

blah blah blah blah but it's just a it's

a little Siege you're planting in hopes

that they will call you to have their

windows cleaned nice thing about door

hangers is that they last for a long

time they're something tangible there's

something that doesn't get lost in email

so

typically with door hangers you'll find

that you'll probably get a call either

six months sometimes a year or two years

after you've left that door hanger but

the idea is is that you're always always

planting seeds to get more work over

time

three website I think a website is super

super important I just think it makes

your company look a lot more

professional or make it makes it

professional and that someone can go

they can learn about you they can learn

about your services maybe you decide to

put your prices on there so they can

learn your prices

they can also contact you through your

website so I'm not affiliated with nice

job but nice job is a company that did

my website and I was very very happy

with it they have a whole background

dashboard where you can look at the

traffic you can look at the leads that

are coming to your site they have a way

to put a phone number on there so that

all the calls go through that phone

number so you can track your calls and

that also people can fill in a little

quote box that sends you a text message

and an email instantly letting you know

hey this person is looking for a bid

websites though also is going to help

when we talk about Google and that on

your Google my business you have a

website that people can go to too it's

only going to help build your brand

build your company as far as what it is

so

I know a website takes capital

one of the nice things you can do though

with a company like nice job

is for them you pay an initial startup

fee of like 300 to 400 to build the

website and then from there you pretty

much pay a monthly amount due to how

many landing pages you have or if you're

doing the review program

anything like that so I would really

suggest going with a nice job to create

your website simple as that get a

website it's gonna help you let's talk

about reviews because what nice job also

does is they have a program where they

can send a text message and then follow

up emails to a customer to get you

reviews now this links back to into that

you should definitely definitely be

having to Google my business to get

Google reviews you want reviews

everywhere but Google is probably going

to be the most important place so

set up your Google my business I think

I think that a Google my business can be

set up without a website I'm pretty

pretty sure so you can have a Google My

Business Without a website depending on

how many people are in your town how

many people are in your area I would

still suggest having a website even

though you can have that but Google my

business everybody goes to Google to

look for services so I would definitely

definitely do that along with Google my

business and getting that set up I would

also suggest doing Google local service

ads this is not Google ads this is

Google local service ads so to do that

though you have to be a registered

business you have to have insurance but

what it does is in your area it puts you

kind of to the top of the page I can't

guarantee that with a little green check

mark that's basically like an extra

insurance for your customer that if say

they don't like the job they can contact

Google Google refund them Google will

let you know technically I think what

that means is they can remove that green

check mark but it just helps with

validity and that customers will feel

good about hiring you I did that for the

first like six months that I started

peer professional window cleaning

man I got tons of tons of work through

it and I got really really good work

that was one thing I noticed is

sometimes through our websites it's

sometimes I feel like 50 50 of people

just looking for a discount and that

gets really annoying because you don't

want to be selling your service based on

discounts all the time especially for

what we do because then you all of a

sudden I had a lady that one time I gave

her way too good of a price and she told

her whole freaking neighborhood and then

all of a sudden this whole freaking

neighborhood wanted all their homes done

for super super cheap and that was my

fault so then I had to tell them so just

just be careful with that

but Google local service ads can really

help bring in a lot of work I tried

other stuff like thumbtack

I really did not prefer Thumbtack right

when a lead came in they charged like 35

dollars before you ever even contacted

them back

um which I thought was just weird but

anyways

I would definitely say that Google local

service ads was my favorite lead

generator that I paid for I found back

in 20 2021 I was paying about 11 to 22

dollars for a lead that usually was

about a anywhere from a 400 to 700

ticket so

I thought that was really really good

another way to get clients more for

businesses storefronts is cold calling

in person I am a really big fan of this

as far as building a storefront route

due to that it's the one way you can

really go in and they can remember your

face you can get them a quote in person

I've talked a lot about this in videos

but I would really really suggest you

know getting out there and just creating

a map of all the areas that you visit

and basically just going into each

business and saying hi this is Stephen

with XYZ window cleaning just wondering

if you have a window cleaner yes we have

a window cleaner okay if you have a

window cleaner just you know give them a

card

leave it at that if anything ever

happens feel free to contact me no we

don't have window cleaner okay if you

don't have a window cleaner uh hey can I

just give you a quick quote and so I

give them a quote I make sure that I'm

trying to talk to a manager if not I ask

for the contact information a lot of

this stuff goes into just following them

so it's just a process typically

storefronts if I go out to

10 to 20 storefronts I'm usually going

to close that day one two three like

match some days I had you know five to

six those were good days that happens

every once in a while but it's kind of

like extremely rare that that does

happen so those kind of numbers work

well but when you do the follow-up your

close rate is going to go up in

percentages but when you're

doing cold calls with businesses you are

dealing with a lot of stuff where hey

this has to go through corporate hey

this has to go through this and it just

depends on how willing you are to follow

up on anything uh to me the key of any

sales is the following up process

um

these people have to feel like you're

interested in selling them your product

and if you don't do that then you can't

ever expect that you're going to have

that high of sales it's one of those

things that's hard for some people to

really imagine or understand due to that

you know sometimes you get people that

are like stop contacting me stop doing

this that's just part of it even in

sales WCR uh there's probably people

watching this where I follow up with you

you may have gone completely dark

because you're not interested anymore

but I'm not doing my job if I'm not

following up with you about something

that you came to me for right so that's

the thing is that

even when we're going out there and

we're trying to sell our service if

we're not following up that shows the

customer that we're not really

interested so my main thing with sales

once again is just follow up follow-up

follow-up at least follow up three to

four times

um it's very interesting to me how many

things close on the third to Fourth

follow-up whether that's through text

message or email that's where I would

keep it to I almost like text message

better but I find that email works well

too sometimes though some of these

things say people go dark for months on

end and then all of a sudden boom you

know it comes up so

cold calling and following up for

storefronts I don't find following up

for residential is as bad I feel like

residential pretty much closes

immediately or closes pretty quick

because usually people want that done

fast so I've never ever had an issue

closing with with um residential with

residential another thing that's really

going to help and you know a lot of

people always ask me like because they

see me busy with clients also doing

sales or WCR

I've been in my area for a super long

time I know a lot of people in my area a

lot of people just know me as a window

cleaner in my area so I get a ton of

work from that so if you have that

it's gonna be great or if you've just

been in your town for a long time you

know a lot of people that is going to

help it's networking right so networking

is always going to help you get more

business try to use it as much as

possible that kind of relays back to

friends and family so you know always

time in your area is always going to

help another big thing that I don't have

right now but I've had with every single

other vehicle is

decals or wrapping your vehicle this

will help tremendously this will get you

tons and tons of phone calls not just a

magnet if you want to do a magnet

totally cool but I would really suggest

getting your logo professionally done

and getting your car wrapped or decaled

I usually get phone calls from people

that just said man I really like the

look of your vehicle everything was

popping you know make sure that

everything is very clear and that your

images aren't pixelated or anything but

that will get you work keep your vehicle

clean too that's going to help I've

literally had comments about that like

man I saw your car it's clean there's

lettering I can call you from your phone

number there's your email on there like

everything was on there so that's

another thing for me

if you look back at some of my videos

I had a video about my um Ford Transit

that I built out and um it was awesome

it was my one of my favorite Vehicles

except for the ProMaster

and um

I had decals all over it and so I spent

250 dollars to get my logo done and I

spent literally about six hundred

dollars to get all the decals done

it pays off in literally one house like

one full day on a house that's paid for

so

definitely definitely do that that is

going to help you because some of the

things you'll see people do is they'll

put um

you know lawn signs or these big banners

out in front of a house when they're

doing a house great ideas but what if

your vehicle is just wrapped and that's

it like it's right there on the side of

the you know you have it so that when

people drive up from the back they see

it on the back of your car people drive

from the side of course they're always

driving from the side you know they can

see the whole thing on that I mean if

you want you can put stuff on top of

your car if helicopters and planes are

coming over I don't know how much that

can help but hey you know as much

marketing as you can do I don't think is

ever bad as much as you can put your

image out there so definitely definitely

make your cars look good wrap decals

that's all going to help you get more

clients it's really not that expensive

um at all

make sure that you have a clean

appearance

you see me in a lot of videos I'm not

always the best about this I like to

grow my beard out like to trim my beard

I used to wear not always my company

shirts to work and stuff like that or

hoodies that are not always it but make

sure you look good make sure your

appearance is clear make sure your

parents is clean that is always always

going to help you get more work one of

the biggest things that I've had on this

website the last couple years is where

did I get my shirts made I don't have my

shirt on right now for my company but I

got all of my shirts and my hoodies made

by finprint super super happy my

favorite shirts ever super super clear

it's kind of like a jersey material

really really I would suggest doing that

because of how helpful that has been

because people are just like man I like

your shirts

um and then on here it's the biggest

question I get as far as like as far as

that

um where did you get your shirts made so

make sure you look good even if you want

to do it down to your shoes I don't know

shoes are going to get pretty messed up

but even company hats stuff like that

um you always always want to be building

your brand as well I remember even when

we were

I was partners with Jim that people

would ask him for a company shirt like

they just wanted a 20 20 shirt so it's

kind of cool really if you make

something cool people will definitely

want it I won't sell customers shirts

from pretty professional window cleaning

because they're really expensive I

believe for

five Jersey type of shirts with the

hoodies

I believe it was about five hundred

dollars but I really think it's well

worth it I bought them

over two years ago and they still look

like day one the hoodies are warm

everything I'm not sponsored by them

either I have no affiliation with

finprint at all but if you want a place

to find really really great

apparel that's your place

that's a lot of my tips as far as

getting clients

um there's a million ways out there oh

one one last one that I talked about

earlier that I do need to go back to one

that I never had to do but is done by a

lot of large companies that have capital

is Every Door Direct Mail Every Door

Direct Mail you can literally send out a

postcard to four thousand five thousand

six thousand people in areas that you

have selected neighborhoods that you

have selected right so we all received

this already in their mail all the time

it's just you can do it too so it's

called Every Door Direct Mail eddm a lot

of people you'll hear talk about that

windowcleaner.com printing Jillian and

Steve do a fantastic job of this so

you have the resource to be able to get

this done at they can even I believe

schedule everything for you as far as

where it's being shipped to all the

mailing routes and everything or you can

do that as well but it is more expensive

typically when I see people who do this

it's in the range of two thousand to

five thousand dollars but it can be

really really well worth it and I see

people do multiple campaigns a year

three to four uh typically it's in the

High season times right before spring

right before fall maybe sometimes right

for holidays if they're doing Christmas

lighting uh maybe you know for gutter

cleaning it just really really depends

but that can be a super super helpful

way in getting you more business once

you have that amount of capital where

the idea of like I was talking about

earlier sending the person to do door

hangers

into having them walk around a whole

neighborhood for eight hours and hand

out 200 where you pay this amount your

employee is already out there working

making the company money and then you're

just doing Every Door Direct Mail to

thousands and thousands of people so

that's another way I never had to do it

but I know many many people that were

very successful with it so anyways that

is my rant as far as tips of getting new

clients

um

I think

I really think that it's all about just

not caring what anyone else thinks and

you just go out there and you let

everybody know about your business

everybody

let everybody know about your window

cleaning business or your pressure

washing business or whatever that's the

only way that it's really really going

to grow do not be scared about it go all

in you know I know there's a lot of

people that do part-time window cleaning

um you know side hustle basically window

cleaning and that is what it is but if

you are making this your full-time thing

do you just go all in on it don't hold

back

um also make use of free social media

that's something else I didn't talk

about there's so many things you can do

to get new clients but free social media

Facebook Instagram YouTube even making

little YouTube videos about hey working

in this area of the state blah blah blah

blah

um there's just so many uses out there

to get your website out there and

backlink through different social medias

I could probably talk about this for

hours but um I'm gonna end it there

that's my tips uh real quickly if you

ever want to buy supplies to me I am a

sales rep for window cleaning resource

you can call or text me at

970-599-1437 that is the best way to

contact me you ever call me and I do not

answer text me your information and I

will give you a call back I still work

out in the field due to that I love

working in the field so I keep busy with

that I am dialing that back a lot but I

like being out there I like trying the

products I don't just want to be like a

desk person

um

if you're the type of person that you

don't like calling someone and buying

through a rep you can always always get

me credit by buying through any of the

links in my description those are all of

the links they've been that way for

years so if you're the type of person

you just like going on you like shop by

yourself but hey you want to give me

credit just click on one of the links

and go to the site and just put your

purchase in

um it's as easy as that and that will

give me the same amount of credit so I

really really appreciate that and I hope

these tips can help you and

we'll talk soon bye