The last few weeks have been very busy. I’ve embarked on a new venture… Copywriting. In addition to getting my first client, I’ve been featured on a blog. Below is the link to the interview:
http://ryanhealy.typepad.com
I almost forgot to mention it… guess I’m excited!
Keith
It has been awhile since my last post. No excuses…
Did you know that using samples is a great way to grow your business?
Yes, but you are thinking… How do I use samples in a window cleaning business?? Elementary my dear Watson, you just do it. The best part about samples is you get to use the word FREE in your marketing.
When most people think samples they think that they should give away free window cleaning. That is one version of samples, but not the only one. I’ve given away free window cleaning when I first started out. I’ve given away free window cleaning to charities as a goodwill gesture. However I’ve not done this for several years.
But I still use samples in my marketin. Here is a small list of samples I’ve used:
Samples are a great way for customers to try out your services without risk. I first learned about samples while reading Scientific Advertising by Claude Hopkins. I’ll give you a free copy just subscribe to the Get a FREE copy of Scientific Advertising.
Keith
Three window cleaning jobs booked in one day… two from the same flyer.
Flyers are great because they get passed around. And I encourage people to pass the flyer telling them they can share the coupons. What I found is people get to bring their friends in on a good deal. This lets customers look good to their friends… but you get to benefit from social proof. What is social proof? People will be more likely to use a window cleaning company if they see other people using a window cleaning company. My customer passes my flyer on to her friend, and the friend thinks that my customer wouldn’t give her the flyer if my window cleaning was not worth recommending. That is social proof.
Let me know your thoughts,
Keith
P.S. If you would like to read more about social proof check out Robert Cialdini’s book Influence: The Psychology of Persuasion
Will the third time not be a charm? Yesterday on the way home from a residential window cleaning job this thought passed through my brain.
You see this is the 3rd time I’ve started my window cleaning business from scratch, or nearly from zero. The first time when I started my business, second when a partnership went bad(very bad.. and blame went to both sides), and third when I moved here to NY.
What my little brain was saying to me was… Are you sure you can do this again? Will the 3rd time not be a charm? Haven’t you just been lucky in the past?
Funny how your little brain will sneak in and try to give your confidence a rattle. I actually indulged in these thoughts for a few miles. My business has been growing, but not as fast as I planned. So, my little brain jumped on the opportunity to exploit a setback. This usually how negative talk works on your self-confidence. It catches you when you are off guard, and attacks.
I caught myself, and shook the negative thoughts out of my thinking. You cannot let these thoughts stick around, or it will spiral out of control. Do you know what I said to myself?
I said to my little brain- Little brain your right things have not been going as planned. But you cannot change the past, you can only change the future. So, I’ll bear down and focus on getting better results and finish out the year strong.
Actually I want to thank my little brain for pointing out a problem. It gave me an opportunity to create a solution, and put a plan in action.
Jim Rohn’s weekly e-zine from Issue 396- June 11,2007 shows you a simple process to conquer doubt. See the archive link here. Give it a try… it works.
Let me know your thoughts,
Keith
A favorite show of mine is Little People Big World. The main reason I watch is because it is a realistic upbeat look at life. The Roloff family is grounded, and fun to watch. Matt Roloff is a business success and keeps family first…not a bad role model!
One episode showed Matt giving a speech to college kids. He started the speech describing the worst day of his professional like. He got fired for being a little person. He said that he was crushed.
What impressed me the most was the speed he recovered from this devastating experience. In fact he mentioned how fast he bounced back from the experience. I’ve read that the speed you recover from a set back is a key ingredient to high achievement.
He has made the news recently with looks from the outside to be an embarrassing incident. (See MSNBC story here) The way I look at it…is everybody makes mistakes. Most of us are lucky that we don’t have reporters following our every move. I’m sure he will bounce back from this better than ever.
It will be interesting to watch how he overcomes this setback. There will be people who criticize him for what has happened, and many will rush to quick, harsh judgment. However there are always people standing on the sidelines ready to pounce. Sometime people secretly enjoy rolling around in a pity party of one. Maybe they find some kind of perverse pleasure, or enjoy the attention they receive. Who knows…
All I know is every minute wasted in a pity party is time lost. My goal is seeing how and fast I can bounce back from any setback.
What about you? How fast do you bounce back from any setback?
Let me know your thoughts,
Keith
My wife is returning Sunday after 2 weeks in China. Needless to say I’m excited. And the internet has made it much easier for both of us. How? Good question…We used Google talk to talk almost daily!
I have to say the clarity was awesome. I expected some connection problems, or lag time speaking. But that was not the case. It was a clear as talking on a regular phone. And we spent hours talking a couple of times. It sure did make this trip much easier on the missing her part.
The only draw back…arranging our schedules to get together really screwed up my sleep patterns. But it was worth it.
Well have a great weekend.
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Today I got rained out. The customer wanted to reschedule. I tried to tell her about my rain guarantee, but she still wanted to reschedule. Oh well you can’ t win them all.
Do you have a guarantee?
I do…since 2000 I’ve been using not one, but three guarantees. What are they? I’ll tell you in minute. First, let me tell you why you need a guarantee. Most people fear making a mistake when purchasing anything. The risk is on the customer…we know the old adage “Buyer Beware!”. A guarantee reverses the risk away from the customer, and puts it back on you. In the customers mind we have just become more appealing to do business with. In fact there is no risk on their part to do business with you.
Now, I know what you are thinking…”What if some one tries to rip me off?” SO WHAT! Dishonest people will try to rip you off no matter what. The increase in business you from the guarantee will more than offset any dishonest pinhead.
Here are my guarantees: A 7 day rain guarantee (only had it used 4 times in over 7 years), a 100% satisfaction guarantee, and an on time guarantee.
One day I realized that I would do each one of the above things if a customer asked…So why not shout it from the mountaintop.
This time of year we see a seasonal slow down in residential window cleaning jobs. In fact, over at Gary’s Site the Window Cleaning Network there is a thread about this in his discussion group.
Now I could give you positive talk about the slow down…For example:
“The only slow down is between the ears!”
“I don’t have a slow down…because I choose not to participate!”
“I don’t have a slow down…because I think & operate outside the box!”
However that kind of talk always bugs me. I always feel insulted when some pinhead stands there and rattling off those or similar platitudes.
Now, I’m not saying you should wallow in the fact that this time of year is slow for window cleaning jobs. You should just acknowledge it for what it is…A fact. Figure out what you are going to do about it, and move on.
You can one of several things. You can ride it out till back to school time, take advantage of the down time, crank up the marketing machine, or panic. Personally at one time or another I’ve done all four. I find panicking to be the most stressful.
What I’ve done the last few years is a combination of cranking up the marketing machine, and taking advantage of the down time.
This time of year is good for sending out 3-step customer reactivation postcards, 3-step and new mover postcards. On the reactivation postcards put a strong headline (and no…GET YOUR WINDOWS CLEANED, or your company name is not a good headline), a reminder that you miss them, you really appreciate their business, a great offer if they call and set an appointment, a deadline, and your contact info (Funny, but I have received stuff in the mail with no phone numbers, addresses, or websites). On the mover postcards, replace you miss them - with welcome to the neighborhood.
Send each 3-step postcard 7-10 days apart and refer back to the last one. The easiest way is to not change the post card, just put at the top, left - 2nd notice (for the second postcard, Final notice (for the last postcard).
That usually keeps me booked with all the window cleaning jobs I want.
Is…
The Flyer.
Most of the time I’ll get funny looks or comments about using flyers to market my business. Usually will hear…”They don’t work - who would read them.”
However today I booked another window cleaning job off the flyer.
What I really like about a flyer is once you find one that works, it keeps chugging along. Producing steady results week after week, month after month. No worry, no fuss.
The flyer is also very versatile. Pass them out to homes, leave them on store counters, post them on bulletin boards, stick a stamp on them and mail ‘em. The list can go on, and on.
The best part is they are cheap to create, and produce. All you need is a computer, word-processing software, and a printer. If a flyer is not working, you can make quick fixes. Your marketing become flexible adjusting to your customers response.
I’ll get off my soap box now.
Going to get another 500 flyers out tomorrow.
Well it finally happened today…
A person called to complain about getting a flyer at their house. I wonder what took so long? I was expecting one much earlier. The call was left on voicemail before business hours. He said he did not want to see any of my flyers anywhere, or he would get laws passed to stop me.Â
What am I going to do about it? Am I going to stop flyering? Nope — Just make sure we don’t give him another flyer at his house. You cannot let a little criticism stop, or slow you down. You have to let it roll off your back like water off a duck.
Because the only vote that counts is the one who puts cash in the bank. Flyering has a high ROI. For every dollar spent printing flyers & then passing them out returns $11.18 in new business.Â
And the votes are in…keep flyering!
