[getmoneydc]

What would be the most efficient way to get customers for power washing driveways I will charge $75 to $100 depending on size. Im more or less trying to start a small business and maybe one day become big time. Any thing helps thank you.

I would like to get 500 driveways
Any coments help

[ballengerb1]

Make flyers and hire high school kids to walk neighborhoods attaching flyers to the outside of the mail boxes. Skip high end communities or expensive areas as these folks probably already have maintenance people and less oil dripping from their cars.

[amricca]

Yes, get flyers out to neighborhoods and hope people start calling you. I did this when I was younger only for painting garages and I got tons of business.

[ac101]

Flyers are cheap and easy to make you can make your own on a PC and just print them up yourself like ballenger said target mid income areas versus high end neighborhoods.

[art in mich]

I concur gents... I still flyer extensively... and after fifteen years I have yet to find a more efficient, inexpensive way of getting your message out to a targeted area. Get 'em done at Staples or Office Depot, though. It's cheaper than printing them yourself. Also, if you roll or fold your flyers for delivery--do it so the printing is on the outside so you have that second before the 98 out of 100 get thrown away (and that's if it's well done) where people still see your message. Concentrate on what the service is rather than your name at the top. Have a hook, such as, "Oil Spots on Your Driveway?", then lead in to your process and why it's so great. Make it informative--yet, not overwhelmingly wordy. Tricky... it really is. Start with 5000 flyers and don't get discouraged if you get no calls until they are all done. It's a true numbers game and you need to do a lot to realize the true response percentage. Also, don't be afraid to repeat the same neighborhoods every month or two. People might throw it out and then wish they didn't. Make people used to seeing it. In my key areas, I get the same % response and I do them once a month (during season). A lot of it is timing. Do they need it now? If not, more than likely, it's going in the trash. Not always, though. I've had calls, literally, years later (I know because I split an offshoot idea to a new phone number that I had combined with another service. I hadn't used that phone number for that service for about 4 years and I got a call). If you do 1000, you might get no calls. If you do 2000, you might get a few calls. If you do 3000, you might get 10 calls. If you do the 5000, you will know if your idea works or not. If you get 2%, you are jamming. 1%, you are in business. Stick with the rural (or street) mailboxes at first. Avoid the mailman. Go at 3 o'clock or so and follow 'em. Sunday is the day(or 'Bank' holidays), I find. People are home, thinking about their homes, and there is no mailman to deal with. I actually have my people drive the wrong way--slowly--and just reach out and pinch the flyers between the flag and the mailbox--sticking up. When you get good at it, you can do about 150 per hour (so 1000 takes 8 hours or so). There are independent flyer delivery services, but I've never had good luck with them.

Try to figure out some upsell items to increase your ticket size. One idea that comes to mind is the self leveling expansion joint "caulk" for driveways. You can get top $ for that service--at least here in Michigan. It keeps the slabs from heaving and cracking when the old expansion joints fall apart which causes the base underlayment to wash out... Just a thought... I think you need your average job to be greater than 100 bucks to really make it worth it though, ideally. Try to set up a maintenance situation also. Repeat business is KEY!!

You will need a hot water attachment for a regular cold water power washer, as well as a really good degreaser (Grainger might a good place to find it). Of course, you CANNOT run hot water through a regular power washer (lukewarm though)--possibly through the laundry tub (with hose attachment on end of faucet) until you get going. Get a "spinner" for cleaning concrete. It attaches to your power washing hose instead of a traditional wand for power (pressure) washing. You walk behind it like a lawn mower--cleaning a 1.5 to 3 foot swath. Check Water Cannon out of Florida. That's where I get all my P washing equipment. Great prices... 800-333-WASH. They are totally legit. I've been dealing with Charlie since '94.

Good Luck!! Hope it works for you...