As I mention in this blog post, it’s the perfect time of year to make plans for 2008.

What I personally do when I’m planning is back away from my computer, grab a notepad, and sit in my recliner thinking about the different things that’ll help window cleaners in their businesses.

Here’s what’s coming up:

1. Window Cleaning Directory – I will be launching a window cleaning directory soon. The design is actually all done. I just need my programmer to connect the dots and program it so it all functions properly. This directory will allow you to list your window cleaning business online for FREE!

This isn’t going to be a boring ‘ole traditional directory that you might have seen online that simply lists your business name. No.

I’m applying extensive search engine optimization techniques to this directory and putting it all together in such a way where if let’s say a prospective customer is looking online for a "window cleaner in <your city here>", you’ll pull up in the search engines so you can be found and contacted. This directory will provide you additional jobs and customers looking online for professional window cleaners in your area. Not everyone uses the phone book to look for window cleaners.

2. Social Network Site – I’ve been asked in the past about putting up a forum for all of us window cleaners to congregate, toss ideas back and forth, etc. etc. Well…I’ve done better than that. I recently purchased software that’ll allow me to put a social network site online similar to the myspace and facebook sites. I’m sure you’ve heard of these two major social network sites, right?

This is in the early stages so I appreciate your patience on it. The software is already purchased as mentioned, but I need to have it all installed and then redesigned slightly. When it’s all done, we’ll have social networking capabilities, a forum, and much more. It will be the only social network site geared specifically to us window cleaners. So stay tuned.

3. The two previous points will not interfere with the regular growth and new features added to The Customer Factor. We have some great ideas about to be introduced. If you’re not a member yet, I encourage you to jump on board. Because you’ll be in for a wild ride in 2008!

4. My web designer, Barb Wilson, has created a bunch of website templates for window cleaners. If you don’t have a website yet, this is a great low cost way to get yourself a website and an online presence. All you do is purchase any one of the templates, have barb fill in some text, upload it to your hosting, and bingo! 

Plus ongoing news and information will be released in the coming months to assist you in the growth of your window cleaning business.

I’ll be keeping you posted on everything discussed above, so I’ll talk with you soon.

Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah, Feliz Navidad, Happy Holidays, and a big ‘ole Happy New Year to you also. May
2008 be a happy and healthy year for you and your family.

Best Wishes,

Steve

P.S. My office will be closed on Christmas day and New Years day, so if you phone or email on those days, I’ll respond the next day. See u.

Hey guys and gals:

This time of year is a great time to think about your plans and goals for your window cleaning business next year. So with 2008 right around the corner, here are some ways you can ensure you have a very profitable year:

** Desire – This is obvious, but the window cleaners who succeed and create profitable businesses are the ones who want it the most. How bad do you want it? Willing to wake up early and willing to work late? Decide that there is no other option BUT to succeed in 2008.

** Focus – Use single minded focus in your window cleaning business. Offering additional services to your customers is fine, but it’s best to focus on one service (window cleaning). Open the door with that and then come in the back door with the other services. If you hit ‘em all at once with everything, this causes confusion. And confused people don’t buy.

** Service – Make a commitment to provide not only a quality window cleaning service but an outstanding service experience. From the moment you present your estimate to the moment you collect your money, make the customer glad they’ve done business with you. By giving your customers a great experience from beginning to end, they’ll be loyal customers who continue to use your services year after year after year.

** Invest – Be willing to invest if it’ll better your company. This includes QUALITY marketing tools, software, uniforms, etc. Some products to invest in:

Work the Referrals – This is an outstanding referral building system. Our goal as window cleaners should be to cultivate as many referrals as possible. This program does that by enhancing and strengthening the relationships you have with customers. Click the link and sign up for a free gift account.

The Customer Factor - Yeah…a shameless plug for my own software. ) But it’s a wise investment. I’ve seen first hand what it can do for window cleaning businesses. Try it risk free for 30 days.

BNI – Visit their website and see if there is a Chapter in your area. If so, invest in a membership. It’s a dynamite organization to be a part of. I was a member of a similar type organization in my area and it provided great company exposure and many, many jobs for my company.

** Planning – Setting a goal is great, but without a detailed, actionable plan to achieve it, it’s just a dream. So sit down now, put pen to paper, and write down small, time specific, detailed, and achievable tasks for you to accomplish in 2008. And then…

** Take action – Some people are great at writing down what they want to accomplish, but when it finally comes time to take action on accomplishing it, they find reasons not to. Maybe you had on your schedule for january 21st to distribute 500 flyers, but when you roll out of bed and look out the window, it’s raining. Don’t roll back into bed. Follow through with your time specific plan that day and TAKE ACTION!

** Consistency - Are there challenges in this business? Sure. Every business has those. Maybe even a few obstacles? Some. But being consistent with your action will allow you to run over obstacles and smooth out any challenges you face. Do something every day. If you have another job, or for whatever reason just can’t do something every day, then do something every single week. Just be consistent. An example is distributing 1000 flyers every saturday. At the end of 2008, that’s 52000 flyers in the hands of prospects. Go to craigslist.org and invest (remember
the "invest" success point above?) in a couple of flyer delivery people to do it for you if you can’t do it.

** Follow up – Don’t leave people alone. Follow up until they say "yes" or "no" to your service. Turn your prospects into customers and turn your customers into repeat customers. Read Chapter 7 again in the manual for some good follow-up tips. But make sure you track each prospect you present an estimate to and each customer you perform a window cleaning service for. Then follow up with ‘em…Always!

Note: If you’re a member of The Customer Factor, ignore all the tracking talk above because the software does it
all for you.

** And have FUN! - Remember that you’re supposed to enjoy the journey rather than waiting for the accomplishment of the goal in order to feel satisfied. It took me a few years to figure this one out. But the journey is half the fun.

So those are some success points to apply to your window cleaning business in 2008. And remember that I’m always available for consultation. 

Merry Christmas and wishing everyone a healthy, happy, and prosperous 2008!

Best Wishes,

Steve

Before posting an email I recently received, I urge you to stay tuned to this blog for some exciting news to be released this month. Not sure exactly when, but you’ll be the first to read it right here.

Oh…and I recently put up a website specifically for Send Out Cards which is an outstanding hands-off referral building system. If you’re not working the referrals like you should in your window washing business, I urge you to check this system out. There’s also a short video on the site you can view with more videos to be introduced shortly. And I set up a free gift account if you want to see first hand how easy and fast working with Send Out Cards is. Click here for the website

Ok, I received an email about what to do when it rains. Here it is:

Hi Steve:
 
How’s it going. Well, I did some estimates and I can say that I improved on my pricing. I am losing my fear of pricing, and I’m getting into the mindset that these people are calling to have their windows cleaned by a professional so I must show up and be the professional.
 
I am concerned about one thing though. What happens when it rains. I just had a customer call me to cancel because it is going to rain the day I clean their house. What do you do on rainy days. Do you do estimates? Do you clean windows? If so, how? This is something that I knew would come up but I didn’t know what I’d do about it. So if you could give me your professional advice I would really appreciate it. Thanks.
 
Cordially,
 
Marvin

My Response:

Hi Marvin:

Good morning.  Good to hear from you.

Yeah…it takes a little time to get comfortable with the pricing issue.  As you mention, all it takes is you thinking that you’re a professional and feeling comfortable that prospects are willing to pay a bit extra for professional service.  Not all will obviously.  But most will.

Right…rain can be tricky. In florida, we had rain most every day in the afternoon during the summer months.  To allow for rescheduling, I would stick jobs on either friday, saturday, or sunday if needed.  My general work week was monday through thursday.  On friday I did my estimating.  So it was a day I could use to schedule a job if I needed to. My next open day was saturday if I absolutely needed to stick a job there.  Last but not least (but rarely), I would do a job on sunday.

One thing to keep in mind though is that window cleaning is not an absolutely urgent need for your customers in most cases.  Sometimes it is urgent because the customer may be having a party or get together coming up soon.  But generally it’s not urgent.  So if someone cancels, you can move them to another day during the week like 3 weeks from today for example.  That was my first option actually.  It really worked well.  Because what happened is customers knew how busy I was.  So rain or no rain, they rarely cancelled because if they did, they knew I wasn’t going to be able to come back for a few weeks. 

But as mentioned above, if the customer absolutely needed their windows cleaned as soon as possible, then I would stick the job on friday, saturday, or sunday.  My preference though was to schedule the job during my regular week of monday through thursday whenever my next opening slot was.

Hope this helps.  Take care for now.

Regards,

Steve

An email recently received…

hey steve,
im done reading the manual and am fully ready to get started on this business and will be purchasing my supplies hopefully by the beginning of december. just had a question though.

given i advertise as much as possible but like i said…this service isnt used bi weekly or monthly…or is it? im definitely going to find out when i get out there but just something that i thought of and thought maybe you can shed a little light on it, given your experience.
thanks for the quick replies.
oscar

My Reply:

Hi Oscar:

Good morning and congrats on finishing everything up. 

Right…maid services generally do their customers on a more frequent basis.  Residential window cleaning won’t be as frequent.  It might be every 4 months, 6 months, or every year.  That’s why it’s important to consistently market your business.  Because this’ll get you a steady stream of phone calls coming in that you can turn into dollars.  And by doing this, you won’t be relying on your current customers. 

So keep it consistent.  There are a number of different marketing techniques you can employ as discussed in the manual.  If you just do a handful, you’ll never run out of customers.  The only way that you’ll run out of customers is if you decide not to market your business for a few weeks.  I have seen this happen on occasion.  What happens is a new window cleaner will go out there gung ho, market like crazy, get lots of phone calls, and line up jobs.  But he/she makes the mistake of filling in every available hour doing the actual jobs.  There is no time available to market and expose their business.  So what happens over time is the calls dwindle and their schedule opens up a bit.  So make sure you leave yourself some time every single week to market your biz. 

The great thing about this business is that if you’re consistent with it for the first full year, you’ll then have a regular flow of repeat business coming in, plus you’ll be getting referrals (use Send Out Cards for maximum referrals) from current customers, and of course you’ll be getting new business.  But since you’re now starting at ground zero, it’s necessary to consistently and regularly market your business to get that phone ringing.  Again…you won’t run out of work if you do this consistently.  Fill your schedule up.  Keep it going and continue to fill your schedule up.  Always leave time available for a little marketing though.  And yes, you might not have the advantage of frequent repeat jobs like your mother does, but you’ll still be able to build a very profitable window cleaning business with plenty of repeat customers. The jobs just won’t be as frequent.  But if you have new customers coming in wanting your services, that’ll more than make up for it.  In other words, you’re not just relying on current customers.

Lastly, if you’re looking to fill in any gaps, you can always secure a few commercial window cleaning jobs.  They need your services more frequently then residential window cleaners do.  The problem though is that you do have to be cheaper than you would if you were pricing a home, so keep that in the back of your mind.  But if you want frequent customers, getting a few commercial accounts is an option.

Hope this helps.  Take care for now.

Regards,

Steve