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Not sure if this is the right forum or not...I have a general question related to my moving to Florida (it's what I hope to do in the next 2 months). I am printing up new business cards and am trying to come up with one that I can use both where I am in Canada (for the remaining two months) and in Florida.
While in Florida I will be travelling around (once I get a vehicle) to find a place I would like to settle in. Until then I will be all over but will still need to work.
Initially I will be stationary...probably in Orlando.
So...my business card must be good for all those scenarious.
I would like to post what is on my business card without identifying myself or my business at all. Just the basics of what is on the card in a generic sort of way. To get advice on what is on it.
Is this a good forum to get input on such? Or is there a better forum?
Print only a few for Canada. You will need a local area phone and hopefully a business license number printed on them here in FL. That to me would be a professional approach that should increase your business success. I think you need a computer with card stock or a friend who does. It's not hard to adjust as conditions and location dictate. Reputable business contractors have the terms "Licensed and Insured" usually on their cards.
Not sure if this is the right forum or not...I have a general question related to my moving to Florida (it's what I hope to do in the next 2 months). I am printing up new business cards and am trying to come up with one that I can use both where I am in Canada (for the remaining two months) and in Florida.
While in Florida I will be travelling around (once I get a vehicle) to find a place I would like to settle in. Until then I will be all over but will still need to work.
Initially I will be stationary...probably in Orlando.
So...my business card must be good for all those scenarious.
I would like to post what is on my business card without identifying myself or my business at all. Just the basics of what is on the card in a generic sort of way. To get advice on what is on it.
Is this a good forum to get input on such? Or is there a better forum?
Any input would be appreciated.
Thanks.
Carlos
Hey Carlos,
Since you live in a car, how do we get a hold of you - Honk? LOL
Just kidding - I assume you will have a cell phone.
What kind of services do you perform?
Do you have a card that you use in Ontario? if this one works just get the new ones updated the same as your current one after you arrival to your desire location.
As suggested, I would just print a few for up in Canada, then decide how and what you wish to print for Florida.
You can print your own very easily now just using your computer. If you do not have that option, I'm sure you must know someone who does. Many computer programs now easily print very sharp looking cards, and Avery sells blank ones for computer printing that you can buy at any Office Max type store.
I know some of what you were concerned about from the last post, and as I suggested there, if you put your business license number on your card, along with stating that you are insured and bonded, (if indeed you are) then your card will promote trust. You can also become a member of the BBB, and state that on your card. This will instill a level of trust. People want to feel like they can trust who they are hiring....there are a lot of "fly by night" types of businesses out there.........you want to show prospective customers you are legit.
Hey Carlos,
Since you live in a car, how do we get a hold of you - Honk? LOL
Just kidding - I assume you will have a cell phone.
What kind of services do you perform?
That's a good one! LOL.
I have a toll free phone number reachable from anywhere in North America. Anyone care to schedule a window cleaning in Florida? I'll cut you a real deal. Well...I guess I better get there first. LOL.
Window cleaning is what I do, mainly. To the rich and infamous (those persons who are relatively well off but unknown and wish to remain that way).
Occasionally I dabble into driveway sealing but that's only for my really well off clients since it can be $1000 a pop or more to seal an aggregrate driveway.
I have also done snow removal (most boring job in the world but it pays well) - something I won't be doing in Florida - thank God!!
Carlos
PS. Incidentally Big House (kinda ironic being that I am in Little Truck LOL)...I do not live in a car! I live in a truck! LOL (said with my nose up in the air). The biggest kind of truck one can get that is still considered a passenger vehicle. I won't say what it is in case I ever run for President. I don't want to be identified -too- easily. Come to think of it I wouldn't be surprised if I ever bump into someone who says "I know you! Your that guy Carlos on the forum!" from the number of views my posts are getting. I will neither deny or confirm that my real name is Carlos. It could be Juan, or Rodriguez, or John, or Tom. Boy, I sure hope all my posts don't become famous or something - maybe I am cutting my own throat in Florida....I mean who wants to hire a window cleaner who lives in his truck, right? LOL. Maybe I could get some free advertising by letting my story run in the local paper of wherever I end up...hmmm...I'll have to think about that....hmmm....
Last edited by carlos123; 08-13-2008 at 09:56 PM..
Hi Frank (I hope I can call you that - not to diminish the faithful part at all ).
Thanks for following me to this thread and giving me further input. Much appreciated.
Quote:
Originally Posted by faithfulFrank
You can print your own very easily now just using your computer.
Yeah...I've been working on my new cards for a few days. Have to get them just right before I print them out on my laser printer (you should see me lugging that into a McDonald's to use their power outlet LOL).
Quote:
I know some of what you were concerned about from the last post, and as I suggested there, if you put your business license number on your card, along with stating that you are insured and bonded, (if indeed you are) then your card will promote trust. You can also become a member of the BBB, and state that on your card. This will instill a level of trust. People want to feel like they can trust who they are hiring....there are a lot of "fly by night" types of businesses out there.........you want to show prospective customers you are legit.
That all makes sense Frank...well generally speaking. They certainly are good things to do. No doubt about that.
But some may be a problem for me to implement. Not to diminish at all the wisdom of what you said Frank but I wonder if most of the things you mention are generally accepted as good business practice but not really neccessary?
You see...and I venture into this just for the discussion if anyone is interested in commenting...for the last four years of building my business (actually about 3.5 I guess) I have had no insurance, have not been bonded, have not been licenced, and have not been a member of the local BBB. In fact I started out without even a business plan. I still don't have one.
Not one single customer in all that time has ever asked me about any of that. A couple of potential clients did but that was all. And they only asked me about insurance and licencing. I win a great percentage of my estimates. I mean something like 80-90% or more! I kid you not. I don't know what it is. Maybe it's my honest face or approach or something.
I just walk up to doors (when I am not getting a lot of referrals and need to generate more business) and just say "Hi...I am in the window cleaning business and was wondering if you would like a free estimate?". The person at the door either answers "yes" or "no". If not I move to the next house and knock on it. If they say "yes" I count their window panes, multiply by my magic formula and give them my figure - adding a few other secret statements as to what kind of window cleaning I do and why I do a better job than most (those statements vary depending on whether the prospect seems inclined to know more or not).
Once I give them a price...about 80-90% schedule a cleaning. Now I don't just go into any ol neighborhood and I just don't go up to any ol house. I pre-qualify them by selecting my neighborhoods carefully based on the type of roof shingles they have, whether they have aggregate driveways, what kind of cars they might have, whether there are cars lining the roadside in the neighborhood or not (if so - the neighborhood is full of young working families - not usually a good neighborhood for window cleaning), and so forth. I've developed a feel for good neighborhoods over the years.
But again I have not been licenced, have no insurance, do not belong to the BBB, am not bonded (some clients with multi-million dollar homes leave me alone in their house while they go shopping).
So I guess what I am saying or wondering Frank is that those things may not be as important as they may seem. At least that has been my experience. I do not believe they would have made any difference at all in my case where I am. My "sales" are immediate in the sense that people either say "yes" or "no" on the spot. They rarely cancel outright after that. Sometimes I have had to reschedule a customer something like 4 times (I think that is my record) and they still don't cancel on me.
Could be the area of the world I live in. I don't know. It's hard to get help up here. Window cleaners - all the one's I know...are so busy they can't handle all the work.
As to a business licence and why I don't have one...I believe in paying for one if I can but...I inquired about getting one for two years running and was always told I couldn't get one because I live in my truck LOL.
On further inquiry I was told that if caught without a licence I would most likely be given a warning to get one.
So...I just kept window cleaning without one and figured I could take the city to court if they ever fined me for not giving me one when I tried to get one (perhaps I was deluding myself on that one ).
Now that I am getting ready to come to Florida in a couple of months I don't want to get one (assuming I could get one) since I would have to pay for a whole year of nothing. They only sell licences for a year at a time here.
Again none of my customers have ever asked me if I am licenced or not. I'm not even in the phone book.
Go figure.
What I am beginning to sense from the input from you and others is that the US might be a bit different. In the sense that so many people down there have been ripped off or something. There are so many con men and women down there.
Here in Canada people are much more trusting I think. Way more trusting.
I will have to figure out how to overcome that lack of trust. Perhaps trying what you suggested Frank - if it's a problem.
I do want to be licenced but there is another problem that I will encounter initially. I don't know exactly what city I will end up in. I am leaning toward Orlando but once I get a vehicle down there and start window cleaning I am going to want to "try" different communities for a week or two to see what kind of response I get to my solicitations. Once I hit on a good city I will then get licenced but it makes no sense for me to paying for licences all over the place. I'll go broke real quick.
As for insurance...the only insurance that people look for a business to have up here is General Liability. The irony is that this type of insurance does not cover the customer at all. It covers me - in the event that I damage something of the customer - that type of thing. Most all window cleaning companies have the same insurance which doesn't do the customer one iota of good. So that's a mute point I think from the customer's standpoint - though I think a lot of people think that such insurance protects them in some way. It doesn't. I mean...having insurance sounds nice...but when you read the fine print in the policy it only serves the interests of the window cleaning company...not the customer...so it doesn't matter if your window cleaner is insured or not - at least with the usual insurance most have.
I've developed techniques - and scientifically so - that allow me to do most all my window cleaning from the ground by the way. Much, much safer for me and it allows me to clean my customer's windows much better than others with a squeegie alone. So my need for insurance (even of the kind that only serves my interest) is greatly diminished.
Carlos
Last edited by carlos123; 08-13-2008 at 09:49 PM..
Reason: Grammatical and spelling errors, etc...
It appears that I have gotten off pretty easy up here in Canada but that I won't be able to do the same in Florida. Fortunately someone told me I can get a licence per county, which doesn't sound too bad (only $30).
I think I will "try" different counties and instead of putting my licence number on my card I will set up an extension on my toll free number that once picked from a phone, will give my licence number for whatever city I am working and licenced in. Or maybe a list of where I am licenced. Not sure if that's workable. I'll have to think about this more.
Apparently the State of Florida demands that sales tax be collected and that everyone be licenced. Up here one does not have to collect sales tax until they make $35,000 in any one year so it's a bit more laid back for young businesses - I think.
Carlos
As someone who loves cleaning her windows about as much as going to the dentist the "Anyone care to schedule a window cleaning in Florida" caught my eye.
There are a couple "challenges" you may encounter here in Florida.
HOA & Gated communities
Many communities that have a "Home Owners Association" have the standard "No soliciting" sign at the entrance to the neighborhoods.
Though from the amount of folks I get ringing my doorbell offering to sell me "meat from their truck" water softeners and my favorite, a representative from the same alarm company whose stickers I have on my front door and garage wanting to sell me an alarm system. These folks I just kinda point out the stickers and smile. The others I just politely say no thanks , however there are a few neighbors who actually call the cops
Your gated communities well that pretty much prevents you from getting in.
I found out a couple years ago that the businesses in the strip malls have to do their own window maintenance. I have a friend who owns one of those shipping stores and he was saying he was having problems finding someone reliable.
With the number of smaller strip malls in Florida,probably a "bazillion",this might be an avenue for you to explore.
Many of the towns have local "coupon" type of magazines for "Advertising, Marketing & Direct Mail" many of the local homeowner service type companies advertise there
Here is the link to the one in my area Mint Magazine - Your Cybersavings source for coupons
Something like this would get your name out there and into some of the neighborhoods.
I know when one of the neighbors was having their house pressure washed many of the other neighbors stopped and asked for cards and next thing you know the guy was doing quite a few houses.
This works especially well if you have those nifty magnetic signs on your truck that lets folks know "You want to watch the game, wife wants the windows washed, no problem at all, just give me a call"
I have a toll free phone number reachable from anywhere in North America. Anyone care to schedule a window cleaning in Florida? I'll cut you a real deal. Well...I guess I better get there first. LOL.
Window cleaning is what I do, mainly. To the rich and infamous (those persons who are relatively well off but unknown and wish to remain that way).
Occasionally I dabble into driveway sealing but that's only for my really well off clients since it can be $1000 a pop or more to seal an aggregrate driveway.
I have also done snow removal (most boring job in the world but it pays well) - something I won't be doing in Florida - thank God!!
Carlos
PS. Incidentally Big House (kinda ironic being that I am in Little Truck LOL)...I do not live in a car! I live in a truck! LOL (said with my nose up in the air). The biggest kind of truck one can get that is still considered a passenger vehicle. I won't say what it is in case I ever run for President. I don't want to be identified -too- easily. Come to think of it I wouldn't be surprised if I ever bump into someone who says "I know you! Your that guy Carlos on the forum!" from the number of views my posts are getting. I will neither deny or confirm that my real name is Carlos. It could be Juan, or Rodriguez, or John, or Tom. Boy, I sure hope all my posts don't become famous or something - maybe I am cutting my own throat in Florida....I mean who wants to hire a window cleaner who lives in his truck, right? LOL. Maybe I could get some free advertising by letting my story run in the local paper of wherever I end up...hmmm...I'll have to think about that....hmmm....
Car less
Car los,
I think what you are doing is pretty cool and avant-garde. You can literally travel around the continent and find the place you may later desire to call home. That is cool. If I were young and single I probably wouldn't have the guts to do what you do.
I have to be honest though - if I knew you were homeless I'd forget about hiring you. But the way you are set up, who'd know. Also, I would tell you to "get out of here" if you knocked on my door in a cold call format! There are reports all the time about people doing what you do, and stealing the people blind. I trust you are not like that - but buyer beware.
You may not have a business plan on paper, but you seem to have one in your head. Your business model is a little different - you find it difficult to franchise it, when you want to grow the business.
I believe you will have a lot of success in Florida quite frankly. I met an elderly gentleman on my last return trip from there. He does exactly what you do, and has developed a substantial business that he and a friend operate. They take care of a select list of elderly clients, washing windows, cleaning gutters, making sure that their house is cared for when they go on vacation, pool service work for them, and making sure that their lawn is mowed. He started slowly and through word of mouth, has as much work as he wants to do. He keeps it small.
As far as the insurance, the reason that people want to see that you are insured, is incase that there is some damage, you can have your insurance company pay the claim. As a general contractor we have to have liability insurance, and we require all of our subcontractors to "Name our company as Additionally Insured." That way, if there is a problem we can collect directly from the insurance company. It cost nothing to have an additional party "Named as Additionally Insured" not just as a "Certificate Holder". That doesn't offer any other protection to the damaged party.
Anyway, good luck! Keep in touch, and let us know how your travels go. How are you connecting to the internet - wirelessly? Do you tap unsecured wireless networks? Or do you just plug it in your cigarette lighter? LOL
You're adventurous, and resourceful!
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