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Getting Commercial Clients
Posted By: cureforpanes* on 12/1/2006 2:48 PM (CST) 125 Points
I own a window cleaning company and I do real well with residential prospecting (however, I want to do better).

Commercial accounts (car lots, office buildings etc..) are tough for us to get into.

Does anyone have some thought on this very tricky area?. What ways would you use to get in the door?

Paul

Posted by: kpalmer Member Response
12/1/2006 3:01 PM (CST)
I would drop them a single card stock flyer which had a very clear message about your services. Maybe something like:

he is an insurance guy and his street address is inside his window; a person is walking by with a note on it with his address on it - but she can't see his address cause his window is too dirty. The address on her note corresponds with his number inside the window.


or


he is an optician, his customers are already somewhat unable to see. They walk past his door to his competition who has clean and clear windows, nice displays and gets more business


or


a man with dirty hair, greasy face, lots of dirt, dirty shirt, really dirty windows with egg rolling down the outsides, tin cans on the ground and the man standing in the doorway holding a magic marker made sign which says: "discount, today only on haircuts" the caption on the bottom of course reads: "clean your windows and make more money, starting today" or something like that.


or
 
Posted by: Chrissie Member Response
12/1/2006 3:06 PM (CST)
I used to work at a place that was a part of the historic district. There were a lot of antique shops, kind of a strip mall type area. We used to have a guy come in and do our windows. He just showed up one day and asked about cleaning the windows. The operations manager told him yeah go ahead and every month he comes back and cleans the windows.

I thought my story might help :)
 
Posted by: adammjw Member Response
12/1/2006 3:10 PM (CST)
If you do so well with homeowners I think you might as well be successful with companies.

A couple of things to consider:

- can you count on any referrals on part of commercial customers?
- have you tried to put your company's name,benefits you offer in front of these clients(leaflets, brochures, yellow pages ads,canvassing, telemarketing)?
- are you strong enough as far as your service force is concerned to cope with larger orders?
- have you checked pricing,service level of your competition in the area?
- do you know who you are competing with?

What's your marketing strategy now toward companies?
What did you do so far that had failed you?
Have you tried to offer free sample window-cleaning to prove how professional & competent you are?
How vital it is for you to extend your business to companies?
How much of your time are you willing to devote to build that market?

Hope it give you some hints.

Adam
 
Posted by: JudyJudyJudy Member Response
12/1/2006 3:23 PM (CST)
I would think commercial accounts already use a janitorial service and expect that to be covered by them. You could contact local janitor/cleaning services and work out something with them.
Also, construction companies who are building or remodeling could use your services. Contact them.
Just a couple ideas.
judy
 
Posted by: cread Accepted Answer
12/1/2006 3:53 PM (CST)
Paul

A couple of things. I have never seen a janitorial service that does windows as part of its regular service. But contact them and see if they could use you offer them a percentage maybe 20% of the price you charge on a residual basis for as long as you have the client.

We used a guy who stopped by one day. He did fine we paid him and never saw him again. If you knock on our door tomorrow you will get the business. Drive down the street and anyone with dirty windows ask for the business, and a contract for regular cleaning.

I would talk to your residential clients first. Basically everyone of them works for somebody or owns a company.

Talk to commercial real estate companies about cleanup for buildings they have for lease/sale. Then when they are leased pitch the new tenant/owner. Talk to contractors about cleanup after construction and then of course let the new owner know who did the great job and offer a contract to keep them that way.

Your local business journal/newspaper should list
new leases and/or building purchases. Also a press release to the local publications and or pitch an article, your a copywriter. They always need editorial.

Definitely a local based web site.

Find, buy, steal, rent, create a list of local business email addresses and send short well written timely emails to the business owner.

Good luck,

Charles

Chamber of Commerce. (takes a while).

Join the local Rotary club. All the business owners are there you should be too.

Get your bank to give you a list of local clients that you can call/email.

Do the local Christmas House or similar things for free for the right to post a sign with fliers to be picked up.

Spring cleaning specials, that might be a flier that could work. Direct mail is expensive however.


Good luck,

Charles
 
Posted by: cureforpanes* Author Response
12/2/2006 11:10 AM (CST)
Fantastic advice everyone!

The wheels are turning.
 
Posted by: smadani81 Member Response
12/2/2006 2:56 PM (CST)
hi
I want just mention that commercial clients need to provide trust for them, show them that u r going to offer value for them, for example reduce their costs, be on time or providing some other values.
Relationship is the first thing if u r not powerful enough in this market, a joint venture with other companies who provide some maintenace jobs for them, will work also
Good Luck
 
Posted by: Jo Masterson Member Response
12/3/2006 12:27 AM (CST)
Hello,

If you see business with dirty windows... offer a fee sample...

That's how the guy who does our windows got the business. He cleaned them for free, left a card & price sheet and then showed up in a few weeks and asked if we were ready to have the windows cleaned again. We said yes, based on his sample, and the ease of him coming to us.
Jo
 
Posted by: mbarrett* Member Response
12/3/2006 4:37 PM (CST)
Simple strategy....

Goal: Increase Sales.... Increase Profit...Both....

WARNING: You need a plan....most small service companies start out small....in a nitch....low overhead...word of mouth...etc....I would like to know what you currently do with your existing residential customers....do you offer other services within that master segment???...leaf removal etc....make certain that is as "PERFECT" as it can be......then you can duplicate that process for the commercial market....

You problable do not have a budget..... Need 5K minimum to make an impact.....

First you need the desire and financial abaility....higher work men comp....insurance.. ..labor issues....

Remember.....washing windows anyone can do.....Managing a Window Washing busineeess is challenging....labor, ladders and leaves.....

#1 Data is key...of the decision maker...many people have goofy ideas....I have done this same thing and built 3 $5+ million dollar businesses....

#2 A marketing plan...would take 10 minutes....
#3 One of 20 great softwares that can send a high quality....like never seen in your industry proposal crm system.....

This is a start to success.....be careful....it will work!!
 
Posted by: cureforpanes* Author Response
12/3/2006 5:56 PM (CST)
You have a service that could help in those areas Mr Barrett?
 


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