Keep your competition close

There is a saying to keep your friends close and your enemies closer. Although a few of your competitors can be your enemy, not all of your competition is, in fact many are not.

My Toronto window cleaning competitors include some good friends and acquaintances, We respect each other, although we do get jealous of each others successes. Especially when they are ahead of us on Google.

Some we have got to know on window cleaning forums, and from there we built up a friendship and trust. And others I have known because many of my friends are window cleaners as well. Because they treasure the flexibility and good pay in the field.

It's good to keep in mind, especially in a service business that there is more than enough work out there for everyone. There is an infinite amount of windows to be cleaned. No one company can clean everyone store and house out there.

Not every business owner has the same focus of his business. In my industry, some prefer to clean stores and commercial, whereas others love cleaning residential and despise commercial. Some do add ons to their regular work, which I will not mention what they are in this post. They serve niche markets and at times make much more than window cleaning.

Keep Your Competition Close

Many times I have used my competition to pass on jobs, to have them do a job under my name. They have also been kind enough to pass on work to me often without expecting anything in return.

They have proven to give me honest and reliable advice when I needed some help with pricing, dealing with employees and subs and their compensation, and common issues in window cleaning.

Of course, you always keep some info to your self, and don't let them know every business strategy that you are planning to implement, but sharing business knowledge is far better than keeping things to yourself for fear that they may copy you. To learn and to grow you do need to share some of what you are doing now and learn what they are trying as well.

Why am I saying all this? Well today, three of my competitors, two - who I do business with who work for me on certain jobs - met up. We enjoyed a burger and fries with them. We shot the breeze, talked about window cleaning, the industry, our marketing, some of our goals and needs, and what we wanted to accomplish in 2012.

So go ahead, have a coffee with your competition. You do of course have to use common sense, take your time to get to know someone, and not give away your "secret" recipe, but sharing information and knowledge with a trustworthy and kind competitor may help you to grow and thrive in the window cleaning field, or whatever field you are in.

I'm not saying there are not unscrupulous or dishonest competitors in your field, so use your head. But there are likely many honest, decent people that are just trying to make a living for their family, that would love to sit down and have a coffee with you. You can learn a lot.

Do you want your windows cleaned? Call the Toronto Window Cleaner. Mike Polsky. At 647-409-8144.

Thanks for reading my blog.

negativity

Negativity is something that you should not listen to too closely in establishing your business. It is a corrosive influence that stops you from pursuing your dreams, establishing a business, or pursuing a direction in your business.

All around the world, in every business there are people saying that something cannot be done. That you can't make money doing something. That a certain venture is unimportant, or all prospective customers are price shoppers who will dump you when someone less expensive comes along.

Of course, when weighing a particular venture, you cannot go in with rose coloured glasses, you must weigh the positives and negatives, but be careful who you are listening to. If you are listening to a person who is unsuccessful (in other ventures too), or didn't try hard enough, then why are you listening? If you are listening to someone who tried every possible method and failed and perhaps is very successful at something else, then he may be worth listening too. Often though, you got to give something a try, and learn from your mistakes. It has often been said that successful entrepreneurs make mistakes.

Why am I saying all this? Well, I have pursued commercial and storefront window cleaning for 6 years, and have been successful both as a franchisee and the initial success I'm enjoying as a independent, incorporated business. Yet over and over again, people say you can't make money at storefront, the customers are price choppers, and they don't care about their windows being cleaned.

If you listen to the crowd, you will never try this lucrative work. So if you want to learn more about pursuing this endeavour ask me, or whatever new venture you are getting into, ask those who know, don't ask those who gave it a half hearted try, or are just repeating what others say.

If one listens to the negative voices, we would never fly, go to the moon, or run space missions. There are always those who say something cannot be done.

What separates a great entrepreneur from a failure. Persistence. Sometimes things don't work out right away, a particular method you are using is failing, or you are pursuing the wrong market. A successful entrepreneur keeps trying before giving up, whereas the negative voices often try a little bit then give up.

Are you in the Toronto area and want your windows cleaned? Call Mike the Toronto Window Cleaner at 647-409-8144