To Build a Window Cleaning Company Worthy of Some Eyebrow Raising, One Must Avoid Marketing Mistakes
(1st in a Series)
You’ll make many mistakes as you build your window cleaning business, but don’t let marketing be one of them. Marketing is the life-blood of any company, but it’s not always an easy walk in the park. Fact is, marketing mistakes are often unavoidable, especially if you are a new aspiring window cleaning entrepreneur.
Hi. My name is Jim DuBois and I own Squeegee Pros, Inc. out of NC and am founder of WindowWashingWealth.com. Here, starting with the first in a blog series, we will point out the most common mistakes that window cleaners all over the world are making in their marketing efforts. Not only will you discover the major mistakes, but you will also learn how to avoid them or prevent them from occurring again within your business.
Mistake #1: Not Having a Unique Selling Proposition (USP).
What is a USP? Your USP is a very precise statement that explains why your company is special and why YOU can provide greater value to your clients than any other window cleaner in your area. Your USP should answer this question…
“Why should I do business with you instead of your competitors?”
Competition in our industry can be fierce and it can be difficult to differentiate one company from the next. Just take a look at an old Yellow Pages or an online search under window cleaning. You’ll notice that just about every ad says basically the same thing. If you can find a company that is able to differentiate themselves from all the clutter, then that company certainly has an advantage when it comes to attracting more clients. You must learn how to separate yourself from your competition, in all of your marketing endeavors.
In other words, when potential customers look at your company, what do they say?
“They’re just like all the rest.” or “Well, no one can say that…”
See what I mean? In a minute, I’m going to give you some tips on creating your USP for your company. But first let me tell you a story that demonstrates just how powerful a USP can be.
There was a student determined to pay his way through college. To do so, he and his brother decided to open a little pizza place. Brother #1 would run the store during the day while Brother #2 went to school, then run the pizza place at night. Brother #1 would go to school while Brother #2 ran the pizza joint.
After just a few months, this business was losing money and Brother #2 decided that he wanted out. So, in exchange for an old beat up Volkswagon Rabbit car, Brother #1 bought him out and ended up owning the entire business. Soon after, Brother #1 developed a USP for his pizza business that turned that business into a multi-billion dollar giant. His USP went like this:
“Fresh, hot pizza delivered in 30 minutes or less… Guaranteed!”
You most likely recognize that USP, but in case you don’t, it’s Domino’s Pizza. That’s how Tom Monohan (Brother #1) made his fortune. Today, they no longer make the 30-minute guarantee, but that’s irrelevant now. Everyone knows Domino’s Pizza. But make no mistake about it, the business was built on this USP and today that company is obviously very successful.
The important thing to remember is this USP is very simple. It does not promise all things to all people. It never mentions a homemade delicious sauce from the “old country” or even a great tasting pizza. What Tom’s USP did was hit an opportunity gap in the pizza delivery business.
Tip: You can DOMINATE a market if you
hit an opportunity gap!
How to decide on your USP…
You need to really spend some time thinking on this…don’t rush it. The key is to determine what really makes your company stand out from all of your competition.
- It could be that you, the owner of the company, are personally involved in every job that your window cleaning company
- It could be that you only provide one specific service and only offer it in a very specific area of
- It could be that you offer the strongest service guarantee in
- It could be that you use only the newest, cleanest and finest equipment
- It could be that everyone in your company speaks
- It could even be that you are the only company in town that offers a rain guarantee.
- It could even be that you are the only company in town that offers a gift card guarantee to a restaurant if they do not receive their estimate within 3 business days.
- It could be that you are number one on a specific review site in your area.
Whatever it is, make certain that your USP statement comes through in everything that you do. Scratching your head? No need to worry. Try talking to your clients. See what they really like about you and doing business with your company. Find out what else they would like from you – even find out about what they don’t like about doing business with you. This can be a very eye-opening experience and can shape your company’s future, so don’t take it lightly. Carefully consider what you learn from your clients. What is important to them and what can you learn from it? We do this by sending a survey (or accessible via our website) to every residential customer we do business with. The feedback can be surprising and is always worthy.
The key is to answer your client’s wants and needs in your USP. Then narrow it down to 1 to 3 sentences and use it in all of your marketing and promotion endeavors, and also in your everyday conversations with customers. Then, back it up and deliver, deliver, deliver. And ‘live’ your USP in all that you do.
Here is one that we use in my company:
Angie’s List – Rated #1 in “A” ratings nationwide!
A distinction no one in the state, region, or country has!
Now, go back to this phrase: “They’re just like all the rest.” or “Well, no one can say that…”. See how your USP begins to separate yourself from the competition? You want to become the obvious choice for your customers to call.
Marketing IS your business, not simply one aspect of it. You must change your thinking if you are not managing your business with marketing at the fore-front. Not sure which way to turn with your marketing? Click Here for window cleaning business building ideas.
In review: Your USP has an impact on your company’s marketing. Start working on yours today and see how it changes things. Call me at 704-451-0409 if you have any questions. Take control and become your own marketing expert or let my team help you, and your business will boom. Until next time…
Jim DuBois is founder of Squeegee Pros, Inc. out of Mooresville, NC. He is the creator of WindowWashingWealth.com, which specializes in aggressive marketing tactics, the importance of internal company systems, and how to dominate your window cleaning marketplace. All things a serial window cleaning entrepreneur should know to build a huge business. Visit the site for a Free marketing report. Feel free to send any questions or comments to jim@squeegeepros.com.
