Business Start Up Question

[Milhammer 14]

Hello to all. I have recently started a new pressure washing business and I'm trying to get steady business. I have begun by going door to door doing free demonstrations, but it seems people would rather avoid the obligation to want to pay me then to have there front walk/porch cleaned for free... Any advice or examples of how you all got started would be great! (I did search previous threads but came up empty). Thanks for any replies.

Casey

Exterior Restoration

"Solving Big City grime"

Houston, Tx

[jetstream1 18]

It is like bird dog in car sales you can make 20 calls a day and be told no

but one day you will get a bird dog that will send you sales led.s

you have to over come being told no...You are on the right track to gain work

Have you made cold calls yet to bigger biz maybe fast food chains,stores strip malls there is lots of work up for grabs you just have to sell sell sell

one day the light switch will turn on.It takes time to build

good luck

[A and J POWERWASHING 64]

there are many ways door hangers ,1000 door for about 100.00 one house will about pay for them .then there are phone books,

[Washaway 64]

Flood neighbourhoods with flyers. I started this business by photocopying hundreds of flyers at Kinkos, onto coloured paper. The flyers I designed myself in Powerpoint:)

Certainly nothing to write home about...but it did the trick.

Once you start landing jobs you'll learn how to price appropriately and your flyers will change drastically.

Just don't give up!

[A and J POWERWASHING 64]

washway is right the flyers I was talking about where not the best but they worked . ALSO DO NOT GIVE UP

[Rick2 42]

Yellow pages and flyers. I always keep 3 different flyers in my truck and car. If I see a dirty house, I leave a flyer. A dirty wood fence, I leave a flyer. A moldy roof, you guessed it.

It takes a while to build up a good base. Do good work and the customers will do the advertising for you by telling their friends about you.

Eric

PS. Don't give up.

[Milhammer 14]

Thanks to all for the prompt replies. I guess Flyers is a good way to go. I actually printed some flyers out today and went to Kinkos to use their cutting board ;) So I'm going to start passing them out asap. Is there a down season in this biz? It seems like people would want their homes cleaned up for the holidays, but they also have gifts to buy so it may be hard to free up cash. Is Spring or Summer generally better? Thanks!

[tinsley 14]

Try gift certifacates

[Bryan C 14]

If you have the initial money, spend the money with a good graphic design person to create your flyers, postcards, and logo. It is money well spent. Keith from KBK Graphics has designed a ton for the PW industry - you will love his prices as well.

PM me if you would like to see mine...

[Tracy Handl 108]

Got Business cards? Anyone gets within 3 ft of you, give them a business card. One job generated will pay for all those cards. You never now who will pass the card on to whom. At this stage advertise ALL the time. If your passionate about your business, you will be talking about it with folks in the strangest of places. Be ready with that card. A chance encounter with someone you may not think would be a prospect could lead to to very profitable work! Keep your name out there and you'll get found.

[Milhammer 14]

Got them in the mail yesterday. I will definitly take everyones advice and advertise like crazy. I actually majored in advertising, so time to put it to use!

[Ron Musgraves 240]

Casey, give me a call. I can have you a job by morning. (Tracy) business cards are a great idea.

[Milhammer 14]

Appreciate the advice Ron.

[Rick2 42]

Speaking of business cards... Spend a little extra and get the magnetic ones for the customers you actually get a wash job from. Don't give them to people you only bib for and never hear from again. Your real customers will put it on the refridgerator and will be looking at your name for years.

[4000psi 16]

Yellow Pages. I started in the yp this year and got on average 5+ calls a month throughout the summer. Not everyone used my service but manny did. Off those jobs, if you do quality work, I got manny refurals. I am contimuing this year and adding two more yp books in the next county.

Also if you have insurance go talk to appartment complexes. I walked in one day and presented my business and left some cards. I wound up getting over $5,000 from them. Plus refurals. Just for walking in. And i've done that to other places as well.

The bottom line is apearance and first impression. Have a nice polo with you co name on it. That speaks volumes for you company. No as much about the business as possible. So you can answer every Q they have.

God speed bro.

[Don M. 14]

Casey, give me a call. I can have you a job by morning. (Tracy) business cards are a great idea.

Hey Ron, can I call you too?

[Littlefield 65]

Around here in the malls, the Hat Shack will embroider your logo on a nice hat for 6 bucks. If you do a dozen, you no longer pay for the logo, just the hat, and the logo is free.

[arnoldshauling 14]

I already have a hauling buisness Arnold's Hauling San Jose / Santa Clara County and it seems that power washing and hauling go hand in hand. I have not pursued it as much as I should beacuse I have a small 13 hp 3.5 gpm cold water unit and to do a really clean and fast surface job it really pays to get a bigger hot water unit with atleast 5 gpm. To answer your question I have found in the hauling buisness I am on a 24/7 advertising campaign door to door, yellow pages, word of mouth, family, freinds, flyers and I found a new one and maybe this will help you get buisness fast.

If you get pizza delivery doorknob advertising hangers deliverd to you. Call them up and ask to speak to the manager. Ask the manager if you share part of the cost for the hangers can you put your advertisement in the back? That way someone else will deliver youre advertising in the neighberhood all you pay for is part of the cost for material.

Hopefully this will help you...Goodluck & God Bless

Arnold

P.S Check out my new commercial

YouTube - Junk Removal

[Milhammer 14]

Well today while going door to door I was confronted and warned that I could be ticketed for soliciting without a permit... hmmm. Do you guys have a permit and recommend getting one, or should I just learn to be more unassuming?

Great idea Arnold, I'll have to check into that.

[MMI Enterprises 289]

Likely depends on the city yer hitting but yea they want ya to get a permit for a day or maybe it by the week. Just another scam for cities to make money and keep hard workers and the free market down.. Places don't let ya flyer parking lots neither. Next thing will be no dropping of cards or literature at places of business..Meanwhile the USPS can spam all they want..GOOBERMINT SCAM IT ALL IS I TELL YA!!

[Ron Musgraves 240]

Hey Ron, can I call you too?

SURE.........

[Ron Musgraves 240]

Around here in the malls, the Hat Shack will embroider your logo on a nice hat for 6 bucks. If you do a dozen, you no longer pay for the logo, just the hat, and the logo is free.

I used to order them bythe Gross, about 3.50 each. Nice part wool caps.

I'm putting in a new order in a few days.