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I quit my Job

Matt Sun

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Hi, congrats
hi guys,

For those who don't know: I'm 21 and have started a pressure washing business in September.

I put my 2 weeks notice in at my day job. I work at a store called Fastenal.
I have now redirected my focus on my pressure washing business. Last month I made about $2,800 strictly from pressure washing. This was my queue to make the leap, I was only making $12/hour so it wasn't that big of a leap.

My next steps are SEO for my website and trying to get into the commercial side of things, or try and find another way to reach more homeowners.
Here's my website: Home - Wash Warriors feel free to check it out. Any tips/advice on SEO, marketing, or my web design would be much appreciated.

Thanks,
Chris

Hi, congrats on the 2800$ mark.

About geting clients: Isn't Pay Per Click better than SEO ? Is there a reason you went for the latter?
 
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ChrisGav

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Good stuff man. A TON of your business will come from referrals if you are good. Impress a few customers and it could spread like wild fire.

Homeowners will start saying "I have this friend that owns this business and he would love it to be pressure cleaned..." that could be your ticket into commercial.

Flyers are another great way. You can always pay someone on Fiverr to make a nice, professional one. Go into a nice neighborhood door to door and leave them on the porch with your website name on them.

Do you have a trailer with all of your equipment or working from your car? That could also be a next step.
I currently just use my truck to haul my equipment. Do not have my own water tank or anything of that nature. I just use the water on site. Thank you for your other tips!
 

ChrisGav

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Great work, Ive always liked the idea of a pressure washing business, its actually quite relaxing / therapeutic as well sometimes, when I'm cleaning out the paths and such things around the house.

I agree that the 'oddly satisfying' video and before / after stuff is a good tactic, its very visually pleasing and will cause people to look at their own grimey driveways etc.

I'm no psychologist - (but am doing some work in a related area) - But one tactic could be to somehow start a job, or do one part of a house / business for free, or something, people with OCD or just a bias of somesort will want the job complete. no one likes the feeling of a job left unfinshed, so that could be a legit tactic (brain hack) that might work well. The key will be in the execution.

Another idea could be about 10% off discount if the client shares the pic on their instagram or fb feed.
Another idea could be about 5% off each for multiple adjoining houses, up to a max of x %. so if 5 neighbours get together, they can each save 25% off their bills. This means less travel for you, and you can knock over 5 joints in one day, or turn up with 2 guys and smash it out.

Lastly as you grow it could be a good business to add in some humour / story telling to build a memorable and likeable brand.

bonus idea - as the trust gets built you will be in a position for addon sales and services, for other related businesses or referral type things - such as surface painting, landscaping, outdoor lighting, letterbox guy, etc.

Good luck!
These are great ideas implementing discounts and incentives for referrals. Interesting thought about triggering some OCD in people.... going to have to give this a shot thank you!!
 

ChrisGav

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impressed by website, nice and easy, should convert well.
put more keywords AND location (!!) into the title.

if you need new business do local facebook campaigns, broad targeting, older (home owners), say how hyper local you are, etc. should work well. Can test this with like 10 quid a day to see if you get responses, maybe do messenger button instead of website link so people click ad and message you directly. have a fantastic facebook page as well, so people like your page and stay connected.
What do you mean by quid?? thanks for the tips!!
 
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ChrisGav

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Hi, congrats


Hi, congrats on the 2800$ mark.

About geting clients: Isn't Pay Per Click better than SEO ? Is there a reason you went for the latter?
Hi, congrats


Hi, congrats on the 2800$ mark.

About geting clients: Isn't Pay Per Click better than SEO ? Is there a reason you went for the latter?
Thank you for the support. pay per click may be better I am not sure. I went on AHREF website to see the common keywords in my area, and what the competition was using to draw the most traffic etc. It said the CPC for an ad involving pressure washing in my area was $7 PER CLICK! not sure how accurate AHREF is with that number but seemed like it could drain my bank account quickly if those clicks don't convert well. Wasn't sure whether or not to go that route.
 

liero1

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What do you mean by quid?? thanks for the tips!!
Sorry pounds or dollars or whatever. Should be much cheaper than ppc where you won’t get the search volume anyway, well maybe a few but really you want to generate demand and not just capture it
 

EricFromCanada

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hi guys,

For those who don't know: I'm 21 and have started a pressure washing business in September.

I put my 2 weeks notice in at my day job. I work at a store called Fastenal.
I have now redirected my focus on my pressure washing business. Last month I made about $2,800 strictly from pressure washing. This was my queue to make the leap, I was only making $12/hour so it wasn't that big of a leap.

My next steps are SEO for my website and trying to get into the commercial side of things, or try and find another way to reach more homeowners.
Here's my website: Home - Wash Warriors feel free to check it out. Any tips/advice on SEO, marketing, or my web design would be much appreciated.

Thanks,
Chris
Just checked out your website, looks really good! One suggestion for the website would be to add an about us page to your website that maybe gives a bit of your story. Also adding reviews/testimonials to the website directly from customers.

When it comes to local business, I would also highly suggest you get some reviews on Google as most of the time I could see people searching "pressure washing in [city name]" and the screenshoted list of businesses come up first. If you're on the top of that list with a very high rating I could see that getting you a lot more sales.

Great work so far man, and I hope this helps!
 
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Lionhearted

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Have you considered pressure washing Semi Transport Trucks (18 wheelers)? Plenty of them out there and it's not like you can drive them through a car wash! All the best.
 

ChrisGav

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Just checked out your website, looks really good! One suggestion for the website would be to add an about us page to your website that maybe gives a bit of your story. Also adding reviews/testimonials to the website directly from customers.

When it comes to local business, I would also highly suggest you get some reviews on Google as most of the time I could see people searching "pressure washing in [city name]" and the screenshoted list of businesses come up first. If you're on the top of that list with a very high rating I could see that getting you a lot more sales.

Great work so far man, and I hope this helps!
Thanks for the feedback. Any idea on how to get listed first on google business? I have a google my business page up.
 

ChrisGav

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Have you considered pressure washing Semi Transport Trucks (18 wheelers)? Plenty of them out there and it's not like you can drive them through a car wash! All the best.
I have considered this actually. How do you even price that though?? Any ideas or just a trial and error sort of thing?
 
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EricFromCanada

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Thanks for the feedback. Any idea on how to get listed first on google business? I have a google my business page up.
Not too sure. Might just be the businesses with the most reviews and best overall rating are shown first so if you could get those numbers out it could help your ranking.
 

kamyfek

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Good job, u are inspired me to open the same business in my country. I have a little questions, where i can write to you?
 

GatsbyMag

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Great job, seems like you already have a lot of great advice here.

My only recommendation is perhaps using LinkedIn for the commercial side. But I'm not sure how efficient that would be time wise. Seems like it might be better to continue growth with consumer side in your local area.

Best of luck
 
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nyc217

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hi guys,

For those who don't know: I'm 21 and have started a pressure washing business in September.

I put my 2 weeks notice in at my day job. I work at a store called Fastenal.
I have now redirected my focus on my pressure washing business. Last month I made about $2,800 strictly from pressure washing. This was my queue to make the leap, I was only making $12/hour so it wasn't that big of a leap.

My next steps are SEO for my website and trying to get into the commercial side of things, or try and find another way to reach more homeowners.
Here's my website: Home - Wash Warriors feel free to check it out. Any tips/advice on SEO, marketing, or my web design would be much appreciated.

Thanks,
Chris

Congrats!!!! That must feel amazing. Thanks for sharing.
 

ChrisGav

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Quick update, been slammed with business. Actually have a $7,500 job this weekend. Blew my mind that I could get jobs that size... incredible. What I’ll make in a weekend would’ve taken me 7 months to make at my old job.

I recently got a mentor who is a real estate broker who oversees 700 agents. He gives me tons of gold nuggets on marketing as well as general advice. This weekend after I get more free time I’ll post the nuggets he gave me this far to hopefully help other people on this forum out.
Thanks guys,
Much love
 

ChrisGav

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Good job, u are inspired me to open the same business in my country. I have a little questions, where i can write to you?
Hey sorry just got on today for first time a little bit and just saw this. Feel free to message me on here directly I would be happy to help.
 
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ZCP

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@ChrisGav awesome!
(i did not read the whole thread, so let me know if covered above)
have you got procedures and training in place and a crew doing the actual work?
read Emyth Revisited
check out all @Johnny boy threads.....
nice work!!
 

ChrisGav

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@ChrisGav awesome!
(i did not read the whole thread, so let me know if covered above)
have you got procedures and training in place and a crew doing the actual work?
read Emyth Revisited
check out all @Johnny boy threads.....
nice work!!
Appreciate the pointers will check them out thank you. And no, as of right now I’m a one man show. Was thinking I should wait until I’m entirely booked personally before expanding into employees as I don’t personally mind doing the work. Thoughts?
 

Johnny boy

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Appreciate the pointers will check them out thank you. And no, as of right now I’m a one man show. Was thinking I should wait until I’m entirely booked personally before expanding into employees as I don’t personally mind doing the work. Thoughts?

practice managing. It’s a skill. You’ll learn how awful people can be. Better to learn it now than later. I hired the second week of my business being started just for that reason. It changed how I grew the business because managing employees is a huge factor. It affects everything else. It’s like solving an algebraic formula without knowing one of the variables, it just won’t work
 
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ChrisGav

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practice managing. It’s a skill. You’ll learn how awful people can be. Better to learn it now than later. I hired the second week of my business being started just for that reason. It changed how I grew the business because managing employees is a huge factor. It affects everything else. It’s like solving an algebraic formula without knowing one of the variables, it just won’t work
How do you manage not having jobs to constantly keep them working? Does this encourage them to look for another job?
 

CareCPA

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How do you manage not having jobs to constantly keep them working? Does this encourage them to look for another job?
If they aren't working a job, have them go door to door to drum up more.
 
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ZCP

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@ChrisGav look at if from the other direction ..... if they do what you are doing, what could you then do to help the business?
 

Johnny boy

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How do you manage not having jobs to constantly keep them working? Does this encourage them to look for another job?

Well that’s a reason why we only sign regular maintenance contracts so they have steady work all year until I fire them in November and hire someone else from craigslist in February.

The quality of this labor is also the reason why we only offer basic services. It commands a pretty good price still but I only have to pay $12-$15 an hour or so for these types of people which are pretty bad but it works well.

Also, you’ll learn about a whole lot more. Mostly on why directions need to be crystal clear and you have to assume people will MISUNDERSTAND you any time you give them a chance. Every employee loves to say “i thought u meant”

Plus it will make you more assertive. It makes you into a man if you aren’t already. I’ve met 35 year old guys who weren’t men yet. So it’s not something that you just get when you’re 18. Looking multiple 40 year olds in the face and telling them they’ll get in “trouble” for the mistakes they make like not taking care of lawn care equipment properly is a weird thing, makes you feel like a babysitter for grown ups. But it changes your personality definitely. It’s very easy to let it leak into other areas of your life, which is good. I feel like I can handle anything.
 

zblundell

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Great website! Not a fan of the pressure washing gif forcing me to watch. The constant back and forth with the washer is a little too much. Get some business cards and hang them in laundry mats, coffee shops etc. I would also advertise on a billboard when you really get more business. Get it out there today!!
 
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broswoodwork

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Mostly on why directions need to be crystal clear and you have to assume people will MISUNDERSTAND you any time you give them a chance. Every employee loves to say “i thought u meant”
It's so frustrating, isn't it? What the hell is wrong with people? Not only do they not improve over time, they continue to F*ck up the same mindless tasks they do every single day, despite having a checklist and a picture workflow chart.

I refuse to believe I'm that much more capable than the average person.

Sorry... /rant
 

Johnny boy

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It's so frustrating, isn't it? What the hell is wrong with people? Not only do they not improve over time, they continue to F*ck up the same mindless tasks they do every single day, despite having a checklist and a picture workflow chart.

I refuse to believe I'm that much more capable than the average person.

Sorry... /rant
It's been figured out by other people. Learn. That's what I say to myself when there's anything that's pissing me off. Many people have made millions and even billions of dollars before me, in tons of different industries. It's possible somehow so just figure out how to do it.

But that feeling of other people being stupid will just get worse and worse and worse.
 

w1zman

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Love it dude. Im using YOIST for Wordpress which is a plugin, it seems to be a good pick based on reviews and ive seen my site get to the first page of google as well. check it out if you'd like :) davidwizman.com
 
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w1zman

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to add- I absolutely love the video on the main page and before and after sliding photos

suggestions;
-id put an about page discussing who you are, an the history of the business
-start and instagram, link it to your site, and post every job you do to instagram, before and after
-optional- you could put testimonials if you'd like as well
 

ChrisGav

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Well that’s a reason why we only sign regular maintenance contracts so they have steady work all year until I fire them in November and hire someone else from craigslist in February.

The quality of this labor is also the reason why we only offer basic services. It commands a pretty good price still but I only have to pay $12-$15 an hour or so for these types of people which are pretty bad but it works well.

Also, you’ll learn about a whole lot more. Mostly on why directions need to be crystal clear and you have to assume people will MISUNDERSTAND you any time you give them a chance. Every employee loves to say “i thought u meant”

Plus it will make you more assertive. It makes you into a man if you aren’t already. I’ve met 35 year old guys who weren’t men yet. So it’s not something that you just get when you’re 18. Looking multiple 40 year olds in the face and telling them they’ll get in “trouble” for the mistakes they make like not taking care of lawn care equipment properly is a weird thing, makes you feel like a babysitter for grown ups. But it changes your personality definitely. It’s very easy to let it leak into other areas of your life, which is good. I feel like I can handle anything.
That is one issue I run into with this industry. How do you set up recurring business with pressure washing. It's the sort of thing you only need to do once every 6 months - a year, any ideas?? Also began to throw window cleaning into the mix to get some sort of recurring business but have not had any luck selling that yet.
 

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