Improving SEO

A couple weeks ago, I spent many hours working on my website. Why? I've been disappointed with it's search engine ranking. Although I'm quite pleased with the layout of my site, the company that helped me create wasn't able to help me when it came to ranking high on search engines.

Althouhgh I have always had a very high ranking on Yahoo for certain keywords. I have never been high up on Google. The highest I got was about 23 down the list.

So I decided to take action.

I bought a book from Chapters. I'm not going to disclose it here due to local competition also reading this blog. If you want to know the book, email me at mike@mmwindowcleaners.com. However, I applied almost everything in the book. However, it only cost me about $30. I have read about two thirds of it so far. I have spent countless hours to implement the suggestions, and improve the layout of my website, and other things.

After about a week, my site went up to about number 5 or number 6 on Google. Other webpages on my webiste are further down the list. I am very happy with the results so far, and I'm getting the calls to prove it.

So if you are going to buy some books for your business. Don't just read it, implement the strategies and methods within. It does no good for you to just read something and forget it. Your website will not climb much if you do nothing.

I found great improvement in my site by just putting $30 down. And I'm continouly working on my site to get it up to #1. Perhaps that is a pipe dream, but being within the top 5 is pretty cool.

Wanna Check out my website? Let me know what you think.Toronto Window Cleaning - M&M

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

Karl Robinson's Extraordinary Blog

http://robinson-solutions.blogspot.com

As most of you who read this blog knows, Karl has a great blog of all the world of window cleaning. He is able to pull up so much articles, that even Google can't match.

By checking his blog out daily, you will be fully informed of window cleaner safety, the latest videos available on the internet that are internet related, window cleaner news, and much more.

He also has a regular assortment, of funny videos, and articles, so not only is reading the blog enlightening, it is also entertaining.

I just wanted to thank him for his favourable mention in his blog

Thanks.

Check out his blog daily at http://robinson-solutions.blogspot.com

Paul's great marketing blog

Paul McQuillan, a lively,passionate, and great contributing forum member, of Window Cleaning Resource and National Window Cleaning Directory, has turned his passion and ability in marketing into a book:

Onslaught Marketing "How You Can Survive the Economic Crisis and Emerge 10x Stronger Than Your Competition"

His website address is: http://onslaughtmarketing.com

And he authours a very interesting and informative marketing blog - http://jointheonslaught.blogspot.com

He has brought up an important missed opportunity. Forced Continuity, or putting customers on a schedule. It has inspired me, and led me to share and agree with his point about forced continuity. Here is the blog posting:

http://jointheonslaught.blogspot.com/2009/02/window-cleaners-take-heed.html

Forced continuity is regularly scheduled window cleaning on a indefinte frequency. Whether that is every two weeks, four weeks, eight weeks, or twice a year.

As Paul goes on to say, many residential window cleaners fail to offer regularly scheduled cleans for their residential customers.

This has inspired me to think of offering this service to residential customers I will attain this spring. The only issue would be to make sure that one can make enough money to drive there, stop, get equipment off truck and clean windows. So an important factor is setting the price at a reasonable level. His suggestion of $80 sounds reasonable.

If you could get many customers to go for this service, a route could be made, causing certain efficiencies to develop and lowering your costs (gas, marketing, etc) per customer.

As an example, Mr Squeegee, aka Tony Evans, anewviewia.com has a winter route, where he cleans some of the windows on certain houses once a month, and has a regular route, which enables him to make some money during a hard time for many residential window cleaners - winter.

Having forced continuity, or putting residential customers on a regular schedule would enable you to make more money per customer. would enable you to get through slow seasons better, and enable you to have a little more of a predictable income.

This is why I enjoy cleaning commercial glass. Everything I do is on a schedule. I can predict how much my company will gross per year, I can schedule my customers for the most efficient way of cleaning them to minimize wasted driving time. I'm cleaning relatively clean glass, and I'm not always forced to market like crazy, since one customer will gross me thousands of dollars a year, for an indefinite period of time, perhaps years. Instead of just making a few hundred bucks, and then trying to get another customer.

Putting customers on a schedule makes a lot of sense. So think about ways you can implement that for your business.

And check out Paul's blog for other great marketing ideas.

Overcoming Barriers to getting customers

As the month of February progress I'm thinking more and more of spring. Not that in Toronto spring ever comes early, but soon warm weather will be here and people will be thinking of getting their houses cleaned.

Our company, while our focus is on commercial, I enjoy getting some residential clients and would like to grow that part of the business more this year.

So I've thought of ways to increase the residential calls I will get in the spring.

I have been paying more attention to my website. Very briefly, my website was on page one of Google when searching the term: Toronto window cleaning. However, I wasted that opportunity, and now it's back to page three. So I've been working on updating my website more, and tweaking it to improve my listing.

Secondly, I've been looking at my commercial customers, and the people that work at their stores as a way to cross-market. They have trust in me, a relationship with me, and I have a free opportunity to sell them on cleaning their house. Many people that work at the store see me cleaning the windows, and know I do a good job, am cleancut, reliable, and friendly.

However, this is important - many think that window cleaning by a professional window cleaner for their own house is something only rich homeowners can afford to pay for. They may feel that it is too expensive.

So if you keep that in mind, you can overcome that objection right away. And open up many more opportunities and get many more customers this spring.

As it was, I spoke to an associate in the store, and gave my card. She said it's probably too expensive. So I said, no, it's quite affordable, and I'll give you a good price. I said that window cleaning starts from just $80 if you have a small house, and are doing the outsides. I said I would give her many options, including cleaning only the outside, or only the first floor windows. Her whole outlook, and demeanor chaged, she enthusiastically said sure, she will definitely call me. She was suprised she could afford window cleaning and an objection was overcome.

So think about common misconceptions and barriers to people hiring window cleaners, or whatever business you are in. Overcome those objections first, because, the customer may just politely take your card, and not call you, because they think it is too expensive or they have some other unstated misconception.

What Is an Independant Operator? And dealing with WSIB

Many small companies subcontract work. They do this without much thought. They might have the same guy do all their work, for many hours each week, using your tools, getting explicit direction and this person earns all their income from you.

In your eyes he his your hardworking subcontractor. Unfortunately in the eyes of many Government Insurance boards, this person is your employee. As such you would be required to register and pay workers compensation insurance. In the event of an injury, or an audit from workers compensation, you may face a fine, years of premiums due, a possible lawsuit from the injured worker for negligence. This would be of course, destructive for your business, causing you much sleep loss, anxiety, and possible bankruptcy to your small business.

So it is essential to find out how your workers compensation board views the relationship you have with your employee, make any corrections you need to to your relationship, or in the worst case begin paying exorbitant premiums to cover your employee, and your butt.

In Ontario, where I live, you have several options. You can seek, the government agency responsible to make a ruling on your relationship, or possible relationship.

I had to fill out this form for a janitorial company. To determine the relationship we would have, and whether I would be an employee (in their eyes), or an independent operator (who is not legally required to take out WSIB coverage).

Fortunately I was viewed as an independent operator for this instance. This is the form you fill out with the contractor, or if you are the contractor, you would fill this out with your subcontractor. You would sign it, and bring it to WSIB with the subcontractors invoices for other jobs he did, his business registration, a copule of invoices of supllies he bought, showing that he buys his own tools/supplies.

I did that an brought it to 200 Front St, Downtown Toronto. This is the form.

http://www.wsib.on.ca/wsib/wsibsite.nsf/LookupFiles/DownloadableFileIndependentOperator/$File/1158.pdf


What exactly is an independant operator in Ontario. This pamphlet, prepared for construction contractors, clearly shows what makes one an independent operator.


http://www.wsib.on.ca/wsib/wsibsite.nsf/LookupFiles/DownloadableFileConstructionIndependentOperators/$File/ConstIndOp.pdf

So what is an independent operator in Ontario?
offers services to various firms
• reports to the government
as a self employed business (Canada Revenue
Agency/GST)
• owns and operates his/her equipment.


I know this post may look only relevant to Ontario residents but it is vitally important to make sure that if you hire subcontractors that your government's workplace insurance board views it as such. If not, you may face crippling fines, and possible bankruptcy.

Warm Hands

I just watched Mr Squeegee's video. Pretty good stuff on staying warm in the winter.

I wanted to show you what gloves (mitts actually) I use to stay warm in the winter. These mitts are much warmer than the typical mitts window cleaners use, they are cheap too. In Canada I can get these mitts for just $17 + TAX at LeBaron at Dundas and Hurontario in Mississauga.

99% of the time your hands will be warm. So invest in some nice Ice Fishing Mitts, these are what I use.

I would recommend using mitts. I know it's personal preference but mitts keep your fingers together, thus giving your hands more heat.

Try it out, if it doesn't work for you - I doubt it, it's just $20 out of your pocket.

But I have used these mitts for 7 winters. Cold Canadian Winters, and I have been very happy.

Another thing, I never feel a cold aluminum pole through the mitts. Never!

Check it out

http://www.harryfalk.com/Body.cfm?CatID=5&ManuID=31&ProdID=89

The High Cost of a Low Price

I just got off the phone with my phone company feeling anxious, frazzled and like I wasted half an hour of my life.

You see, in November I was threatened to be cut off by my phone company, which was actually a cable, cell phone and media company: Rogers Cable. Now that's not because I wasn't paying, but they wanted me to switch to their way of offering telephone service, through the cable line. But that's not the point of the story, so I'm not going to go into that whole interesting story.

After getting scary letters that they would cut my service, and send men to break my legs...just kidding. After receiving those letters, I realized that I would need to find a new phone service or find myself out of a land line.

So in haste, I went with a cheap company that actually uses POTS (Plain old telephone service through the copper phone line). They offered great prices, 5 features including call display name and number, call forwarding, call answer, three way calling. For just $34.95 + TAX. In addition this price doesn't include any sneaky access fees that the others charge for such silly things like 911, Touch tone calling, system access fees, etc.

I wouldn't have to worry, like I would if I switch to cable, that the cable box that converts cable to telephone, would in a power failure run out, and I would have no phone service in an emergency, when cell service would not work (I didn't work in the great blackout). No, plain old copper wire telephone service would work come ice or blackout.

When I wanted to sign up for this service with YAK, I had to wait nearly an hour to reach a live operator, and I had to listen to the same commercial 100 times, that's almost as bad, as the torture the Americans administer to suspected terrorists! After waiting an eternity I got through and signed up.

I was told I would have to wait 5 to 7 business days to be connected. those few days past, and weeks too, when I wondered what the heck is going on?

I called again, and had to wait another hour, and endure the Chinese telephone torture. After finally getting through, I asked what the problem was, they were not sure, but assured me I would get phone service soon. More weeks past, with no phone service, and I just assumed I would never be hooked up.

Until as the new year came in I realized I was connected. I was happy. And knowing I would get many services at fire sale prices.

Shock came in a few days ago when I got my first bill, after just three weeks. 65! I called them, and fortunately got through right away. I guess they are serous about answering the phone when they know they may get their money faster.

Turns out that their prices went up this new year, although the receptionist was strangely unaware of it, what do they not know how much their prices are?

So although I signed up for 34.95 as soon as I was actually connected, I was billed at 38.95. Seems like a bait and switch too me. I was sold a bill of goods, and then they switched it on me. Because Yak made me wait, I fell under their new price.

I was furious, but of course, knowing how one gets what they want on the phone, I kept my voice, determined but calm and fairly low.

They seem to not know that their price was raised even though I been checking their website twice a week every week for months. And the other packages they offer are substantially different. I know what price I was quoted and I have it written down.

They claimed because they're system is computerized they can't give me the price I was quoted and signed up for. That they would have to credit me every month and they were only willing to give me one month and a half credit.

I of course, since they pulled a bait and switch wanted the price I was quoted and signed up for. The lady said she has to research what the price was at Nov 12 on Monday then call Tech Support to enter it manually if that price was 34.95, then call me back.

Otherwise, what did I get for cheaper phone service. Bad Tech Support, and unknowledgable staff, wasted time on the phone, anger, frustration, and feeling I'd been cheated and swindled. A sneaky price increase too.

What a high price to pay for a few bucks.