Private Browsing For Accurate Results
The other day I posted an article about how you need to be careful when checking your own website’s search engine rankings. If you missed it I’d recommend that you read that first before reading this particular blog post.
Today I’d like to add to the previous post by recommending that IF you do decide to check your own website rankings by typing in keywords you think searchers might be searching for in your area, then you must browse privately.
I’ll explain how to do this in a second, but to provide a little background, google knows what results are valuable to you. It’s very easy really. I mean if you do the same searches and visit the same websites, google considers these websites valuable to you.
So let’s say you search for your website using a keyword (ie: “boca raton window cleaning” assuming you live in boca raton). Your website is on the front page in the #5 spot. You then click through and visit your own site.
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.
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.
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
Some Card Wording to use…
Hi All,
The other day a window cleaner signed up for Send out Cards and as we talked about how it can benefit his window cleaning business, he asked me if I would send over some card wording that I used within the greeting cards that I sent my customers. I told him I’d send it on over to him, but I also figured I’d post it to the blog.
Read more…
Creating a Free Website
Hi All,
Good morning. I’m back with you today to talk about the process of getting a website online for your window cleaning business.
We started this series of articles by first discussing domain names: how/where to buy it, how to save money (use a coupon code) when buying it, etc. That blog post is here if you haven’t read that yet.
Next we talked about editing the DNS information at your registrar (the place where you purchased your domain name from).
Today we’ll talk about the actual website itself as far as creating one. There are a number of ways to create websites all the way from free methods to paying for expensive web designers.
Read more…
A Synopsis of a Window Cleaning Business
Hey All,
Good morning to everyone. I hope you’re having a fine day. Today I wanted to post a couple of emails that I received yesterday from a window cleaner who is relatively new to the window cleaning business. Maybe it’ll inject an extra step in your walk as you go about building your own window cleaning business.
Email 1
Good day Steve!
I wanted to let you know how I am making out here with my new window cleaning business. Well, what can I say but that I am ecstatic!
I am starting to see how the business works and today I made more money today than I have ever made working for an employer ever. Two jobs today, $450 dollars, and I am not even 1 month into it at an official capacity (started on Jun. 1st w company name). I am getting referrals already, and happy customers all around.
Read more…
