Hey Folks:

Sorry for not updating the blog more often in the last couple of weeks, but between The Customer Factor and the new soon to be released window cleaning directory, I just haven’t had the time. The directory hopefully will be announced monday or tuesday. We’ve had a couple of delays, but that’s normal when it comes to programming. This isn’t your typical directory, so it’s a bit more involved. Anyway…please stay tuned. As soon as it’s launched, then I can get back in the groove of updating the blog and writing a newsletter. I have a good newsletter planned out. I just need to write it all down.

Below are a couple of emails I received recently. Maybe they’ll help your groove. 

Steve,

It is pollen season here in North Carolina (late March – early May) when the pine trees drop a heavy dose of yellow pollen on everything.  Many potential customers are understandably hesitating to go ahead and have their windows cleaned until after the pollen season ends.  Did you experience the same booking "challenge?"  If so, do you have any suggestions on how to encourage potential customers to go ahead and book window cleaning jobs? 

Dale

My Response:

Hi Dale:

Ah…good ‘ole pollen.  I know what you mean. It’s annoying. And it will put a little dent in the business because some people will want to wait until it’s over.  Makes sense too.  I faced that issue, but overall, it really didn’t affect the biz that much because of the activity and customers that were on the books.  This ensured that not everyone was going to wait until pollen season was over.  There were always going to be folks who said "come on over" when I called ‘em for their semiannual or annual follow up call. 

As far as suggestions, I don’t know of any way to motivate someone to use your service now if they want to wait.  Are they bringing up the pollen issue or are you?  I mean I can’t think of one good comeback if they happen to say "Call me in 2 weeks when pollen is over". But I would however try and secure the appt. on the phone for when the pollen is estimated to be over.  You have ‘em on the phone so you may as well try and set the appointment at least.  Other than that though, I don’t know of any other way to motivate someone to act now before pollen is over if they’re concerned about it.  I definitely wouldn’t motivate with a cheaper price.  That’s the normal motivational method, but it would be a bad idea in our business.

Um…I’m not sure if the above helped much, but I don’t have any clearcut answer on the "motivation" question. If someone is intent on waiting, I can’t think of any way to change their mind. Even if you were successful though in changing their mind, they’d probably get mad at you once pollen makes the rounds and dirties their windows again.    So it’s probably best to not attempt to motivate ‘em too much.      

Take care for now and have a great weekend.

Regards,

Steve   

His reply

Steve,

In fact, your response does help in that you confirmed my initial suspicion- i.e., there’s really not a viable response to someone who is inclined to wait until pollen season is over.  As I’ve told several friends (not potiential customers), "If I were them, I’d wait until pollen season is over too."  We just began our business last summer so I’m getting a little repeat business now but most are electing to wait for a month to 6 weeks until the "yellow rain" blows over.  I like your idea, however, of going ahead and booking dates for these people in May when pollen season ends. 

I’m even toying with the idea of holding off on passing out another round of flyers until mid- to late-April when the end of pollen season will be in sight.  I don’t want to expend a lot of effort/time now that will yeild marginal results.  I know this is a decision I’ll have to make for myself, but I’d be interested in your thoughts regarding this (i.e., holding off on
passing out flyers now)? 

Dale

My Response:

Hi Dale:

Good morning.  Hope your weekend is going well.  Right…exactly, I would also wait until pollen is over.  But schedule as much as you can now for sure.  It’ll set your schedule up nicely for when the yellow blows over.

Flyers will work best when folks are ready for your services.  Sure…you’ll get a percentage hold on to the flyer and call you when pollen is over.  But I would personally hit it hard and heavy when pollen is over. 

You know what I would do now?  I don’t know if you’ve made this attempt yet, but I’m hearing from lots of window cleaners about what kind of results they’re getting from joining forces with maid services.  Spoke to a window cleaner yesterday and he said he just joined up with a cleaning service run by a lady who hates doing windows.  She has 160 customers who need their windows cleaned in addition to their house cleaned.  Bingo.  Nothing quite like walking into a ready made customer base.  Even if only 20% (I’m staying really, really conservative) say "yes", it’s not bad securing 32 regular customers in one fell swoop.  This can be really lucrative.

There are other service businesses out there also that’ll work well as far as us joining forces with them.  In another blog post, I wrote about a window cleaner who connected with a window treatment company. 

So this would be a great time to work on some of these relationships. 

Hope this helps.  Take care for now. 

Regards,

Steve 

 

 

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