Now that you have put some thought into improving what you already have going with your window cleaning business (discussed in Part 1), Part 2 will cover some ideas to expand your window cleaning world.
1. Establish an Online Presence
If you don’t already have one, create a website for your business. This is one of the best things you can do for yourself and your business. Customers will be able to find you via Google and other search engines. You will create a platform where you can promote yourself. You can tell the world why you should get their business over the other guy.
Make your business known on social media platforms connected to your website. Increase your presence there by staying on top of news, especially news related to window cleaning, and by retweeting/sharing posts from other businesses and individuals who have more followers. You can also market for free through these social media channels. Just make sure you balance ads and information, and don’t spam your channels. A handful of posts per days is usually enough.
Consider the following social media networks:
- Facebook (make a business page for your company)
- Google+ (make a business page connected to your Google business account)
- Twitter (tweet, retweet, and keep up to date on news about window cleaning)
- Pinterest, Instagram, and Vine (post before & after pictures of your customer’s windows)
Make a YouTube channel, even if you only use to create ads for your business. Once more, like, share, and comment on other videos to increase your presence.
Make a blog, because this is a great place to share information about your company, your history, your services, and anything else you feel like sharing. Just make sure that you keep posts here professional, because they will serve as the face of your business. This goes for all of your online posts–website, social media, YouTube, etc.
2. Expand Your Knowledge
The window cleaning business doesn’t drastically change like some businesses, but you can still benefit from keeping up to date on what’s out there. Manufacturers create new tools and make changes to established ones. Health, safety, and environmental laws get updated. And over time, your needs as a window cleaner may change.
Maybe there is one job that takes more time than usual because of hard water. Maybe there is one job that has obstacles difficult to work around with your ladder. Maybe one customer wants a greener solution.
How can you make these jobs more profitable? Easier to complete?
3. Expand Your Networks
Window cleaning is a mostly solitary job, but you can still learn from the mistakes, trials, and successes of others.
Take advantage of information from other window cleaners, from manufacturers, from wholesalers. Find conventions, demonstrations, and gatherings where you can interact with these people. Read and watch as much as you can on the internet.
You never know what single piece of information could change the way you look at and run your business.
4. Think Outside the Box
What ways can you creatively expand your business? What ways specific to you and your area can help you? Only you know the answer to this question, because it will be specific to your area.
For example: One window cleaner hires bike messengers as part time window cleaners.
5. Stay Consistent
Whatever changes you implement, whatever processes you update, make sure to be consistent with how you handle them.
If you put a marketing plan into action–stay consistent.
If you implement a new process for conversing with customers–stay consistent.
If you start posting to social media–stay consistent.
If you missed last week’s post, be sure to check out Part 1.
Want to learn more about how to start your spring right and make your business more profitable? We can help with that! Comment below or email us from the About Page!