Welcome, Nettoyage
Thanks!
Greetings from Tejas! My name is Robert & I am an Army & Air Force Veteran (Medics!!!). I found out about 4 months ago I really enjoyed cleaning windows & gutters coupled with the fact I enjoy being outdoors & interacting with clients in person so I started Hartmann Window & Gutter Cleaning in Fort Worth, Texas. I am also married and have 3 daughters ages 14, 6, 2 so I find this new venture to be very therapeutic smile:
I also own the Hartmann Marketing Group but only accept selective clients so I can focus on this new venture.
I am really excited to learn from Luke & all the others in the industry. I have been working really hard to get things in place, especially processes, website, equipment & marketing.
Thank you, Luke & team, for putting this community together. I look forward to my interactions with all of you!
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Love the name Freddy!
Thank you for your service, Brad!
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Thanks! Can’t take credit though, my wife came up with it.
Welcome Robert, glad to have you here. We all are learning from each other. Any tips, do share.
Thank you & will do ! By the way I grew up at Fort Campbell, KY & sure do miss it. Hope you have a great day!
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Cool, yeah that’s in the Western part of Kentucky, we’re in Central Kentucky, Lexington that is. Go CATS!
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Hi, everyone!!! I’m Ron! I have been thinking about this window cleaning business idea for a while. I’ve been watching some videos, and trying to learn how to do the job. This is how I found Luke and Reanna!! You guys think that I should be ok starting as a sole proprietor?? I’m kinda nervous about it, and I’m not sure how to approach the customers to sell the service. What do you guys recommend? Is there some good book that can keep myself more motivated? Sometimes I feel like I need more action, but I’m afraid not to be prepared yet!! is that already happened to some of you??
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Hey @Ron. There was a huge learning curve for me, so don’t feel bad. I always tell people to take massive action, don’t think about the decision or become stalled in any way. Just commit to the decision and worry about the rest later. If you are worried about being a sole proprietor, go get what you need done today. That way, you will know sooner rather than later if it was the right decision. Why wait 3 weeks, 3 months, 3 years to find out you made a great decision when you can find out today and save that time?
Being nervous comes from not having practiced enough or not knowing your product in and out well enough. Go and practice TODAY AND EVERYDAY. Its a perfectly normal reaction and its going to happen. Might as well be now rather than later on a big job you will bid on. Think about it this way, you think confident people who know their product and have enough practice are going to be nervous pitching to people?
I have taken on jobs where I am thinking to myself “What the heck am I doing? I have no idea how to tackle this.” It then forces myself to take massive action and find answers to problems I need to solve. After all, we are problem solvers and we solve problems.
There should be some videos on the forums of me talking about certain things you will find useful. However, I need to update my residential pitches more. I will give you some quick advice on residential pitching from what I have learned.
You are in a neighborhood and nothing is stopping you from pitching, however nobody knows you. You don’t have a contract and all you can do is make a verbal agreement (never leave without a contract but this is the worst case scenario.) There are three steps you need to pitch to a homeowner. You need their attention because you have seconds to capture it, you need to build rapport and you need the pitch obviously. There is no one size fits all close and its not going to be easy. If there were an easy one liner and if it was easy, there would be no money in this. Read on.
So you may get a homeowner to laugh, that will drop their guard a bit. In the summer, I see people washing their cars out in the driveway and I will pull up in my car and say “Hey! Is this where the free car wash is? Can you do my car too?”
Often times a close may just be simple and stall them for a few seconds. “Hey, did anyone tell you I was stopping by today?”.
If you decide to use a different close, they will make a reactionary defense response. Do not engage the response directly, they will either say no, not interested, don’t have time for this, what are you selling, I don’t trust you or slam the door in your face. Any response is fine, if they slam the door, move on. You can always follow up later. If they say no, no is another way of saying yes, I live for hearing no. Any response is fine. You will immediately acknowledge their confusion and move into the pitch and close. “Hey, I know I knocked on your door, you didn’t call me. I get it, and that’s why I have to make this more worth while. I am here to earn your business, not for you to call me. I promise to make this worth your time and money.”
Randomly if they are asking questions you might relate to them like “Oh, you have this brand car? Me too.” or “Oh you watched the game last night? Yeah I like that team as well.” or they may become chatty which may prompt you to say “I know! I can’t believe that happened! Wasn’t that surprising?” when you have them laughing or smiling in good company but not out of fear, you are in a very good position to switch back over to why you are there if you haven’t stated the above already. If you have, just restate and close.
Attitude and a positive upbeat energy that you give off to people that screams service, and the need to want to help people needs to be in there too. You have to be in this to help your potential customers, because its about them. However, the scariest thing to a customer is not the salesperson or going to the store, or being worried about some random thing they have little to no information on. The scariest thing is…making a decision. When not enough information is provided and you use linear questioning “Yes or No.” They will take the easy route out more likely than not.
Instead ask open ended questions that either make them say “Yes, or YES.” with a harder time of saying no. An open ended question might be “I understand you want to see a sample of what I am made of, are we cleaning the outside of the windows first or the inside?” or one thats even better for homeowners “If I had the ability to make one window look great for you, which would it be?” It doesn’t warrant a yes or no response, instead they will think and make a decision more likely. However, there is an opportunity for them still to say no.
Ron, success is only accomplished 3% of the time on the first contact with a customer or anytime we leave a message with them. 80% of your success will be on average the 5th and 12th attempt.
I hope this information is helpful. If you want to send me more personal questions, you can bring them to my attention. I do not disclose any information that is discussed with me privately and when people consult me, their information is kept confidential.
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Excellent. Once you get more money, start handing flyers out as well when you go knock.
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Hi @Ron! Welcome . I highly suggest consulting a tax professional in regards to the sole proprietorship. I try to never give tax advice simply because I’m not a tax professional and I dont know your situation,income ect. Getting started can seem very overwhelming, if I can help please let me know.
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Thanks, @Luke!!! Yeah I have a plan to see a tax professional before a put everything on the paper!! Thank you for your response though, and yes definitely I will let you guys know, cause I have a lot of queeestions hahah 
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G’day guys and gals!
I’m Doug and I run Paneless Window Solutions based in Brisbane, Australia! Been doing windows for about 5 years now, had a few bumps and challenges when I first started but I haven’t given up and business is more than enough to get by! Looking forward to hanging out!
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Welcome to the forum Doug!
Wow Australia! Lots of people from everywhere on this forum. Welcome!