An email recently received…thought you’d benefit from it. Have a super weekend.

Good morning Steve!
 
I really need your HELP in putting together a strategic marketing plan as I head out and tackle the world of window washing.  The problem is, I only have 2000 flyer’s … I honestly don’t know which neighborhoods to target first.  I can hear you now saying just jump right in and DO IT (smile).
 
I’m guesstimating that since I live in the a so called "Urban Community" with home prices ranging from 250k-350k that it’ll just be a waste of time for me to start here so, I’ve pinpointed many surrounding neighborhoods that range from say 450k and up.  But………
 
WHICH NEIGHBORHOODS DO I HIT UP FIRST?
SHOULD I GO TO ALL OF THE CHURCHES IN MY NEIGHBORHOOD FIRST?
DO I GO TO THE STOREFRONTS FIRST?
SO MANY NEW DEVELOPMENTS AND NOT ENOUGH FLYER’S?
 
I’m just unsure of myself and of those who would really be in need of my service now.  I have to make this set of flyer’s work for me.  WE need $$$$ Steve!! We ONLY have 2000 postcards (Couldn’t afford anymore flyer’s right now) and can’t afford mail marketing.  Any advise would be most appreciated!  PLEASE HELP!!

Cha

My Response:

Hi Cha:

Good morning to you.  Hope all is well.

2000 flyers is excellent.  That equates to at least 20 calls based on a 1% average.  Keep in mind though that they won’t necessarily come in within 24 to 48 hours.  So I liked to space my distributions out and attack the same neighborhoods with multiple mailings.  But the good news though is that 2000 flyers will turn into good profit where you can then easily get another 2000 flyers printed, distributed, and working for you.  Just continually reinvest a portion back into the biz, and you’ll continually keep the phone ringing and customers using your services. 

As far as the neighborhoods, definitely don’t do the middle income type homes.  You need to pack the most punch from those 2000 flyers. So pick any neighborhood/subdivision, drive into it, and what do you see?  Nice homes?  They don’t have to be mansions at all, but nice upper income type homes. The reason for this is not so much because of the size of the homes and us wanting to do "large" jobs. It’s because folks in these type of homes simply have the disposable income to pay us our professional window cleaning pay. Middle income folks generally don’t hire professionals to clean their glass.

In my area, 250 to 350k would be a nice price range of a home in my target market. But I know some areas around the country are a bit more high end and have a higher cost of living, so 250 to 350k homes would be on the low end of the pricing spectrum and would be considered more "middle income" type homes.  Based on what you said, 450k and up homes seem to be perfect in your area.

If you have this range of homes, it doesn’t matter which neighborhoods you hit up first.  As you said, just jump right in. :o )  I mean if the homes in these neighborhoods fit your target market, it doesn’t matter what neighborhood you go to first.  You’ll be hitting them all eventually, so just to distribute 2000 flyers, pick any neighborhood.  Again, as long as they contain your target homes, it really makes no difference which neighborhood you go into first.

I would not go after churches (not yet). And I would not go after storefronts.  Rights…lots of developments, not enough flyers.  Again though…as mentioned earlier, you "currently" have 2000 flyers, but they’ll lead to jobs which will allow you to then get another 2000.  And on and on and on.  Eventually you even might want to branch out into postcards.  And then perhaps getting folks to help you distribute flyers.  When you’re busy with window cleaning jobs, it’s hard to take time to distribute, so I had people do it for me and I recommend to other window cleaners that they do the same.  It’ll save you a bunch of time for a very small investment.

Some final thoughts.

I need you to understand that as much as we would like folks to rush to the phone after they receive a flyer, it doesn’t happen like that.  Sometimes it does of course, but other times they like to hang on to the flyer until they’re ready to get their windows cleaned.  So if there is snow, ice, and cold where you are right now, it might be better to wait until the weather breaks a bit.

The good news though is we are coming up on prime time window cleaning weather. Springtime is perfect for us window cleaners. Our prospects are looking to tidy up their homes and they need professional window cleaners.  But you’ll increase your response times if you distribute a bit closer to the nicer weather.  If you have more than 2000 flyers, I’d say go now and then go again in 2 to 3 weeks.  But you need to pack as much into this 2000 that you can since it’s all you have.  So you need to pick the absolute best time for distribution. Once you have the time/date chosen, then just do it.  :o )  There’s nothing left to think about.  The neighborhoods are picked.  The flyers are printed.  The only thing left to do is put the two together. 

Take care for now. Have a good weekend.

Regards,

Steve

Cha’s reply…

Steve,

Thanks for the information and I sort of knew you would say JUST DO IT ;-)   Ok until next time, I thank you!
 
Best

Cha

My Response:

Hi Cha:

You’re welcome for sure.  Right…there can be a tendency to overthink it sometimes. So I like to sometimes cut to the chase and encourage folks to "just do it".  It’s an easy business.  2000 flyers = 20 calls = jobs/profits.  Then all you have to do is do it again.  Wash. Rinse. Repeat.  Just remember to reinvest ("repeat") a portion of your profits back into the marketing of your window cleaning service and you’ll grow your business the way it should be grown. 

I don’t know if you ever heard me talk about my buddy "chicago pete". Nice guy, but he was a serious overthinker.  He bought all this great equipment (he sent me pictures) and spent all this money on "preparing" and he never ventured out and did any proactive marketing like flyer distribution or postcard mailing. Not once. He would drive through all these neighborhoods to check ‘em out.  He did all kinds of research.  But he just wouldn’t venture out and take positive steps to attract customers.  I know you’re not like that of course.  Pete is one of those rare serious overthinkers where he thought himself right out of the business.  So just take action on what I talk about in chapter 7 in my manual, and you’ll build and grow your business just fine.  There’s a ton of glass out there, so there’s no doubt window cleaning services are needed. It’s just a matter of letting people know you’re around.   

Take care and have a great weekend.

Regards,

Steve

Tagged with: • •

Filed under: All Blog Posts

Like this post? Subscribe to my RSS feed and get loads more!