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I just want to say thank you (and a quick note about $600/hr)

September 6, 2011 – 10:51 pm

Chaucer had it right. Of course.

It’s been a pleasure getting to know you, working with you, chatting with you, meeting you in real life.

Meeting you in pretend life (on the internet).

Meeting you on the phone.

Meeting you at Window Cleaning Industry events.

Presenting seminars and keynotes for the IWCA, AUWC, WCR, and MWCoA.

Hosting a 2-day conference of my own in Beverly Hills.

Opening the first-ever paid private marketing forum for Window Cleaning Business Owners.

Writing thousands of posts.

Writing over a hundred articles.

Writing two books.

Every word about the wonderful world of window cleaning.

Some of it’s been mispelled.

Some of it’s been short-sighted.

Some of it’s been poorly executed.

Some of it I failed to keep my word about.

But on the other hand…

Some of it has brightened your day.

Some of it has put the spring back in your step.

Some of it has brought you “43% revenue growth”.

Some of it has “changed your business”.

Some of it has “made you look at yourself differently”.

Some of it has been very worthwhile.

So, thanks.

Thanks for caring enough to include me in your life these past 4 years or so. It’s been a privilege, and I’m grateful for it.

The time has come for me to move onward and upward and take these next few steps in my business life to expand my horizons beyond the squeegeesphere.

The truth is, it’s rare to find window cleaning business owners that “get it”.

That “get” the connection between marketing and achieving the business success you’re craving.

That “get” that even if you’d like to stay a one-man show for the rest of your life that marketing is the answer to doubling or tripling your hourly rate.

That “get” that spending a few hundred bucks on some expert advice can save you a month of frustration and help you land thousands of dollars in new work quicker than you ever thought possible.

And those rare few are simply too few.

So here’s what I wanted to tell you: If YOU are one of those rare few, then I would like to continue to help you. I’d like to help you build the window cleaning company you’re looking for. The company you see when you lie on bed at night and imagine the next 12 months.

The company you see that could give you the quality of life you want.

Yes, that company.

The one where you work less and earn more.

The one where you spend more time with your wife. And kids. And friends.

Where you feel better. And sleep better.

You’ll still be working hard, no question. But you’ll be working much smarter. More strategically. More thoughtfully. And more successfully.

If you’re part of my private forum, then expect a private message from me in the next day or so, spelling out some cool new things I’ve got up my sleeve that I’ve been planning for you for some time now.

And if you’re simply a subscriber to my blog, then please believe me when I say that it’s been a pleasure getting to know you a bit better these past four years.

And I sincerely hope that at least something that I’ve shared with you has made you challenge some long-held (but baseless assumptions) about what you are capable of accomplishing in your window cleaning business. Or that I’ve simply given you the courage to charge a bit more. To reach a bit deeper and find a way to deliver more value to the people who matter the most to your business: your customers.

Remember: The one who delivers the most value wins.

What are you doing to deliver more value to your customers?

I hope that my incessant questions and endless articles and loads of videos over these past four years have helped you to answer that question at least a bit better.

Kevin

P.S. As part of my transition into this next phase of my burgeoning marketing consultancy, I’ll be available exclusively to my private clients, moving forward. If you are a member of the WCMM community, then this includes you, and I have a special message for you that you’ll receive by email tomorrow.

If you’ve been meaning to become an exclusive private marketing client of mine, then please email me at kevindubrosky@gmail.com right away, and I’ll be happy to explain how I can help you.

P.S.S. I’ve also decided to take my book $600/hr off the market. If you’ve been meaning to grab a copy of this revolutionary new book, then make sure you grab one before 12noon on Thursday, September 8th, 2011.

After 12:01pm on Thursday, September 8th, 2011, it will be gone.

Of course, if you order it, read it, try some stuff, and you simply don’t love it for any reason, I’ll be more than happy to refund every last dime. All you have to do is send it to my address listed in the front cover.

Grab one now, while you think of it: http://bit.ly/eUHWUM

And make sure you use the coupon code “SEPTEMBER” to save 20% off your order!

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[VIDEO] Want to check out the entire 200-page Squeegeenomics Workbook + 6 DVD’s absolutely free?

August 10, 2011 – 9:26 pm

 

 

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Rule #18 – The Bambi Lesson:
Never spend a dime telling an uninteresting story.

August 10, 2011 – 10:01 am

Remember how Bambi’s friend Thumper put it?

“If you can’t say something nice, don’t say anything at all.”

Here’s a twist for your window cleaning business:

“If you can’t say something interesting, don’t say anything at all.”

Never spend a dime telling an uninteresting story. It’s too expensive for your pocketbook. And it’s annoying to your target audience, because it’s nothing more than background noise.

If you’re going to interrupt me, you better have a story to tell. And you better get to it fast.

Let’s get more specific:

If you’re designing a postcard, find something interesting to say before you start the design.
If you’re designing a website, find something interesting to say before you make the first page.
If you’re recording a phone message, find something interesting to say, before you push record.

Otherwise, your wasting your time. And money. And energy. And your wife’s patience.

That’s the Bambi Lesson.

Kevin

P.S. This lesson is related to “c”. But since I didn’t mention the expenditure of money, I felt that I owed you a bit more application.

 

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The 17 rules of being a successful window cleaning business owner.

August 9, 2011 – 10:44 pm

Of course, the word “success” is a bit problematic.

You may measure it in terms of your happiness, your sanity, or your bank account. While they’re all valid, for the sake of simplicity, this list is primarily focused on the money stuff. The purpose of every business is to generate a profit, after all.

If you’re not making money, than you don’t have a business. You have a money-sucking financial death trap. But I’m getting ahead of myself a bit.

Since January 2009, hundreds of window cleaning (and pressure washing) professionals have paid me for advice on how to achieve a bit more business success.

Some of them own companies that are weeks old. Some of them own companies that are decades old. Some of these companies are currently earning $5,000/yr. Some of them are earning $5,000/day.

Surprisingly, the basic stuff stays the same. Here are 17 rules that have helped me, and that have helped my clients, too.

a.) It’s work.

Free rides and silver spoons are for Ricky Schroeder. Expect to work late at night. And expect to fall asleep on your computer keyboard at least a few times. Hopefully you don’t drool too much.

b.) Figure out what you want.

Okay this should have been number one, probably.

Just because another window cleaning or pressure washing business owner wants to have 17 guys working for them within 3 years, doesn’t mean you have to.

And just because your Dad kept it simple and small when he started the business, doesn’t mean that you can’t have 17 guys working for you. Figure out what you want, and then build that thing. Politely tell everyone else to mind their own business.

c.) Don’t be boring.

Cars are boring. Fiat 500′s are different. I checked one out today. Did you know that you can get a roll-away cloth roof for that car? Awesome. Suddenly the Mini Cooper is boring. Good job Fiat. I mean Chrysler. I mean Mexico, where the Fiat 500′s are built.

Burgers are boring. Flip Burger Boutique is different. I’ve been there, loved it, and yes, they have a link on their website that says “design”. DESIGN. On a hamburger restaurant website. Think about that. Oh, and when you go, give yourself some extra time, because you’re going to have to wait for a table.

Window cleaning is boring, too. Clear Skies Window & Gutter Cleaning is different.

Boring is invisible. Different is fascinating. Coco Chanel had it right.

d.) Learn from others.

Sure, you’ve been at this for a while now. You’ve made some good money. You know how to talk to customers. You’re smooth. Suave. Sophisticated. Confident. Guess what? You could be even better.

Lower the ego, and start paying attention to how your competitors are doing stuff, too. Maybe you could learn a thing or two. Maybe they are strong in an area that you’re weak, or they’ve figured out something that you get flustered about. Open your eyes, and you’ll build an even more powerful little revenue machine.

e.) Try new stuff.

Some of your ideas might sound crazy. You’ll watch in horror as your friends and peers trash them and publicly drag them through the mud. Don’t sweat it. They’re not trying to hurt you, they just don’t know any better.

So, instead of voicing a crazy idea, try it out instead. Just keep it small, to insulate yourself from cataclysmic losses. See what happens. You never know until you try.

f.) Like people.

Resist the urge to see people only as ATM machines. See them as feeling, caring, thoughtful human beings who want to be happy. Build a company (and a suite of services) that can give them more of what they truly want, better than anyone else can.

When you give enough people what they truly want, you’ll end up getting what you truly want.

Remember: The one who delivers the most value wins.

g.) Stop telling me to “like” your facebook page.

I’ll like you if I decide that you’ve got cool stuff to say, and that I agree with, and can stand behind. Please don’t tell me what to do, because I resent it. And besides, I only take ownership of ideas that I think I came up with, so if you tell me to do something against my will, I’m not going to be very enthusiastic.

Caveat: You can “ask” me, very kindly, and without pressure. Write a unique, personal plea, instead. Try something like this: “I feel kind of weird asking this, since I barely know you and everything, but if you think that the little articles and tidbits that I post on my facebook wall are valuable enough to share with your friends, could you please “like” them? Thanks so much!”

Try that instead.

h.) Be authentic.

If you’re Mexican, show your smiling Mexican face on your website and marketing materials. If you’re African-American, show your smiling African-American face. If you’re a Romanian-Hungarian-Irish-Scottish hybrid, show your smiling face.

If you’re a one-man show, then present that as a strength. (this is rarely done)

If you’ve got 4 trucks, and 10 guys, then present that as a strength.

Don’t pretend to be someone or something you’re not. It’s not healthy in the short run, or helpful in the long run.

i.) Respect the intelligence of the people you sell to.

Start with the assumption that they’re smarter than you. That they are savvy consumers. That they can see through your tricks and games. That they really appreciate honesty and integrity, and will prefer to do business with a company that respects them.

Don’t try to pull any fast ones. No surprise fees. No bait and switch services. No “take the money and run” moves. Treat every customer like they’re your favorite aunt.

Aunt Martha.

j.) Have a plan.

Resist the urge to wing it. Create some goals, complete with milestones. Then pick some inch-pebbles along the way. Here’s an example that might help:

“I’m going to acquire 60 new residential customers this fall. That’s 2 new customers per day during September and October.”

k.) Read one new business book a month.

It’s no coincidence that successful business people read more books. Expand your frame of reference. You’ll be amazed at what you can learn in a couple hundred pages. And mark that book up. Crinkle pages, write notes, and create a little index for yourself at the front of the book, so that you can go back and reference the juicy stuff you learn.

Be a purposeful reader.

l.) Stick to your strengths.

Focus on making your strengths even stronger, and find people who are better than you at your weaknesses, and let them do that stuff.

This past year, I bit the bullet, and hired an executive assistant to help me get my accounts receivables on track, and invoicing lined up a bit better. I’m terrible at that stuff. But she’s good at it.

Think of the leverage you create when you can spend all your time doing the stuff that you’re awesome at…

m.) Turn off the work stuff.

Turn off your phone. And your computer. Go outside. Squeeze your kids. (but not too hard). Squeeze your wife (you can do this a bit harder than the kids). Ride your bike. Sit outside. Take a down day and sleep in. Gain some perspective.

Try to train yourself to turn off your job.

Am I perfect at this? No. Do I know that I need to improve? Yup. At least that’s something.

n.) Treat your customers differently.

Not all customers are equal. Some clients are worth far more to your company than others. Provide your 20% best customers with some special attention and treatment. Treat the rest well, but not as well. It’s not necessary. Or worth it.

o.) Stay in touch.

Why do you think you lose customers? Is it because they are annoyed? Because you blew it? Nah, it’s usually way simpler than that. They probably just forgot.

Yup, forgot.

Stay in touch with them on a regular basis. Tell them you’re thinking of them. Tell them that you like them. Do not try to sell them something every time they hear from you. Just say hi. Or teach them something. Or both.

NOTE: SendOut Cards is amazing for this. Unfortunately, SendOut Cards is also incredibly annoying, with their MLM nonsense. As a hater of nonsense, I fundamentally hate their current MLM system, but their product is amazing.

Google “Send Out Cards” to learn more. I am an affiliate, but I don’t want you to check out SOC because I’m an affiliate. I want you to check it out because it’s awesome.

p.) Be your own lab rat.

You’re a human, too. Analyze what motivates you to pull out your wallet and spend your hard earned money on the stuff that you buy. You’re cheap, too. And yet you buy stuff. How did that happen? Then take those methods and try to sell your stuff with them.

q.) Be a scientist.

Measure the effect of every dollar you spend. Hold it accountable. Ask it what it’s done for you lately. If you buy yellow page ads, that’s fine. Just make sure you figure out if you’re bleeding money, or making money.

Before you mail out 5,000 postcards, mail out 500 first, and see if they do anything for your business. Protect yourself from unnecessary losses by testing small first.

Those are 17 important things that can help you build a more successful window cleaning (or pressure washing) business.

Which of these things gives you the most grief?

Which one do you wish you had some more help with?

What do you think should be added to the list?

Drop me a line to kevindubrosky@gmail.com

Kevin

P.S. Did you enjoy this article? Stick your email address in the box at the top right, and every Tuesday I’ll send you the latest stuff I’ve written about. You can opt-out anytime.

 

 

 

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UPDATE: Manhattan Squeegeenomics Experience Canceled

July 19, 2011 – 9:52 pm

I am very sad to say that the Manhattan Squeegeenomics Experience has been canceled.

It’s too bad, especially since so much interest exists, and it seems like it would have been an amazing event. In only a couple of days, 5 window cleaning professionals grabbed a ticket, even though the event is almost 3 months away.

Why is the Manhattan Squeegeenomics Experience canceled?

The quick answer: As a Canadian coming down to work in the US, the NAFTA (agreement) allows for professional Management Consultants to provide consulting services. With my 12 years of professional window cleaning industry experience, and extensive web-based clientele, I qualify according to NAFTA to come down to the US and do the consulting thing as a Canadian.

But…

NAFTA currently vests the CBP guys (the guys with the guns at the border) to decide on the spot whether or not I will be granted or rejected entry. I cannot apply in advance, or obtain pre-approval.

Just today, I gave a friend of mine a ride to the Buffalo airport, and ran into problems at the border, because I have a record of working in the USA as a Consultant. Every time I cross now, they assume that I intend to sneak into the country and take up secret permanent residency, creating serious risk of me being rejected entry from now on, every time I apply for a TN-1 Visa (the NAFTA Visa thingy).

What all of this means is that you might end up buying a ticket to the Manhattan Squeegeenomics Experience, book a flight, reserve a hotel room, and outlay all this cash only to watch me get stuck at the border for 3 days.

That would be horribly unfair to you, and unfortunately, at this point, it seems like a reasonably likely scenario, given the increasing border-crossing challenges that I am facing these days. It’s not just me, it’s a US-Canada border problem, and from everyone I’ve spoken with in a similar cross-border work situation, it’s becoming increasingly common.

Why?

Who knows…

Thank you so much for your support of and interest in this Manhattan event. Of course, for those who purchased tickets over the past day or two, you’ll receive an immediate and full refund. In fact, you already have.

Moving forward, there are two options remaining:

Option 1: Hold the 2-day training event online, as an interactive webinar.
Option 2: Hold the 2-day training event here in Toronto, Canada.

Which if those two options appeal to you the most?

Drop me a line to kevindubrosky@gmail.com

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