Scaling Up Your Window Cleaning Business
As I look back over the years, one of the biggest things I see window cleaners do is do what everyone else does. Generally speaking when window cleaners are going in one direction, you want to go in the opposite direction. If they zig, you zag.
There are an incredible amount of average window cleaning businesses out there just plodding along from one window cleaning job to the next. They are technicians who think like employees instead of treating their window cleaning business like the business it is.
So if you want to rise above the fray and build a really successful window cleaning business, it’s about scaling up. All the big window cleaning companies have done this and continue to do this. They certainly don’t grow their companies by waiting for people to call them. 
Here’s a Great Way to Energize Your Window Cleaning Sales!
I recently received an email from a window cleaner asking if I had any suggestions on how we can get a jump start to the spring time. There are many ways to do it, but one of the best is listed below. It does require you to have some kind of a customer base in place though, so if you have no customers currently because you’re just starting your window cleaning business, I’ll catch you in the next tip.
The way to do it is to send out a systematic mailing campaign to your customer list announcing a special offer with a clear cut expiration date on the offer. I was never a big fan of building my business around “price” because that generally turns your business into just another commodity. However there’s no denying that a special offer combined with an expiration date works!
And with springtime almost here, this is the time to launch what I’m about to talk about.
The Benefit Of Press Release Submissions
I just completed a report on the power of press releases and how they can benefit your window cleaning business. Submitting a Press Release or multiple press releases related to your business will increase your exposure online leading to more prospects finding your website. Plus press releases are great search engine optimization (SEO) tools because they can be used as “link magnets” which can boost your website in the search engines.
If you’re in my database, you received this report recently as an email attachment. I have also uploaded it to The Download Center. Even if you saved the attachment, I would recommend that you go into The Download Center and grab the latest version of How Your Window Cleaning Business Can Benefit From Press Releases. It’s been updated with some very important information.
Oh, I also included over 40 press release sources within this in-depth report where you can submit your press release to for free!
Enjoy the report,
Steve
Marketing Your Window Cleaning Business On Craigslist
I recently received a question from someone asking if it’s a good idea to market their window cleaning business on craigslist. He went on to ask if anyone else is doing that.
My response to this is to absolutely give craigslist a try. Any kind of marketing is worth a test to see if it brings in any business. Of course it does depend on what kind of investment is needed to run the test, but since craigslist is free to list your business and service, then you should definitely post your business information there.
I do know window cleaners who advertise on craigslist and they do receive calls. Understand though that it should never be your main source of marketing/advertising. The quality of the prospects aren’t the best, and you’ll get more price shoppers vs if they were responding to a flyer or postcard, but again, you’ll get some business from it.
For those of you reading this who aren’t familiar with craigslist, go to http://www.craigslist.org. On the right will be a list of cities in your State. Choose the city where you are doing business/want to get prospects from. Then look for a “Services” section.
Pricing and Competition In The Window Cleaning Business
I recently received an email that I thought I’d post to the blog. It’s about the low ballers of the world out there charging low prices. We’ve all had to deal with ‘em. So I thought you might benefit from my reply.
Steve
Hey Steve,
I just bought your program and I’m excited to start using the materials, I’m starting my 2nd window cleaning business. My last one was back in 1992-93. Anyway I’ve been looking at what some of the people are pricing in my area now. Back in ’92 I was pricing @ $2 per pane. I’m wanting to price now @ $3-4 dollars. My concern is that guys in my area are pricing @ a BUCK yes a buck per pane!
How are they making money and how am I going to be able to grow my business to do this full-time when my competition is shooting themselves in the foot along with dragging the whole market down with them. Any help would be great. Thanks
Ron
My Reply:
Hi Ron,
Good morning and it’s great to hear from you.
So you were a “per pane” pricing window cleaner? I didn’t focus so much on panes as I did on the entire window. So for example, my pricing was $5 for a regular double hung window with a top and bottom sash. So to equate it to your pricing, it would be $2.50 per pane. Keep in mind that this pricing doesn’t include screens.
Should You Use a Deadline When Marketing To Window Cleaning Prospects?
A recent email from a fellow window cleaner:
Hi Steve,
I collected the program from my post office box today!
A couple of things I noticed in the marketing section:
Here (in Australia) you are not allowed to approach houses and put advertising material in door jams, on door handles or under mats, etc. But you are allowed to put material (non postage) directly in mailboxes!
A quick question: As I will be a new business starting out, with the flyers is it a good idea to put an offer and deadline on them to get more of a direct response? E.g. 10% off your 1st service, offer ends dd/mm/yyyy.
The reason I ask this is that I previously ran my own personal fitness studio and after some trial & error we got a better response when we put an offer and deadline on our advertising.
Cheers,
Jim
My Response:
Hi Jim,
Good morning and I’m glad everything arrived safe and sound. I look forward to working with you as we build you a successful window cleaning business.
That’s great that you have the ability to put non postage items in mailboxes. Excellent. That’s actually better than what we’re able to do here in the States. We have to walk to their door which adds additional time to our marketing process.
What To Do When It’s Raining…
Hi Steve,
I have a question. I consulted How To Start Your Own Residential Window Washing Business, but didn’t find anything on this particular subject. Up here in NE Ohio, we get a fair amount of rain (Trivia: last year we got more rain than Seattle and Ohio is noted as being the second cloudiest state in the country). On Monday and Thursday, I have jobs scheduled and currently, the weather forecast is calling for possible showers. What do you recommend that I tell the customer?
Hope all is well with you.
BTW – if you ever need a testimonial for your website, you can count me in.
John Blystone
Unsure of Pricing…
In Response to a recent newsletter sent…
Hi Steve,
thanks for the inspiring e-mail. I love to learn and your motivation keeps me going. Just knowing you are just a phone call away gives me all the strength i need to keep moving forward. I have a few questions and are as follows:
1. I’m assuming the only way to clean a huge picture window on a 2 story house is by using an extender pole but how do you scrap with a razor blade to get all the bugs? I’m attaching the blade to the end of my pole with tape and it works, not super great and probably not the safest so do you have any other suggestions?
2. I’m brutal at estimating(although i just started and i am starting to get a tad better). Apparently here in BC we make a killing. I just can’t seem to wrap my head around it. I estimated one house and i bid $125 the lady called me back and said i’d never get any jobs being that low cause people would be leary as to why. She said she got 3 other quotes and the next one was $175 then $250 then $275. I nearly dropped dead i can’t seem to grasp this. I also want the work so i knew i was a bit low. Any tips?
Thank you very much Steve,
Maria
My Response:
Hi Maria,
It’s good to hear from you and thanks much for your comments. I appreciate ‘em for sure.
–As far as scraping with a pole, I would advise against this. There is too much room for error which means that the scraper could end up on an angle that would end up digging into the glass. This could create some scratches. You should really only scrape if you are directly on top of the glass because then you have full control over the scraper.
