Scaling a window cleaning company

[Subsonic]

Google Ads needs insurance?

Yep they want me to send them a image of a insurance contract that covers at least up to 500k in damages.

 

[Subsonic]

Are you trying to do local services ads or Google ads? You don't need insurance to run google ads. It's required for lsa

Oh yeah I was trying to do that.

Ill check the actual google ads out once google accepts my payment methode.

 

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[Subsonic]

Nice job. Profit margin for a window cleaning business ranges between 10% to 20%. Let's say it's 15%. You need to be making about 3.500.000 per year or 290.000 per month. That's 966 jobs per month if you make about $300 per job. How many $300 jobs can you do per day? Let's say 5. So one crew brings in $1500 per day. That means you need 193 trucks working full time doing 5 $300 jobs per day each. You will have to be spending about $58.000 on marketing per month (online and offline) to get to that number and grow aggressively (20% of revenue). Double all the numbers if you want to hit $500k after tax. Now set goals and execute!

Just did the math and I only need about 8 trucks working full time to make that much money. (10k per day) Even if I only make 200 per job that still below 20 crews.

193 Trucks doing 1500 a day each would bring ~300k per DAY. That's a whole different level of enterprise.

 

[savefox]

Just did the math and I only need about 8 trucks working full time to make that much money. (10k per day) Even if I only make 200 per job that still below 20 crews.

193 Trucks doing 1500 a day each would bring ~300k per DAY. That's a whole different level of enterprise.

I knew it didn't seem right. That's even easier!

 

[piano]

Why do you have to register? Just keep getting paid under the table until you need to hire multiple employees.

I want to use ads and marketing and one person is enough to tell the Finanzamt what I'm doing here, and I'd get a tasty fine. The fact that I don't have a company also often scares customers away fully, so yeh. (And I wouldn't get taxed yet btw, only if earn more than 20k+)

How much have you been making per week recently?

Phew... A bit weird to answer because my work times fluctuate, but last week I made around 300€ I think? 2 weeks ago though I made probably like 600€. This week is the last where I don't have school and I have some nice news for you btw, I just need to finish writing my update in my progress thread...

 

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[xxx22]

Just did the math and I only need about 8 trucks working full time to make that much money. (10k per day) Even if I only make 200 per job that still below 20 crews.

193 Trucks doing 1500 a day each would bring ~300k per DAY. That's a whole different level of enterprise.

Revenue or profit- 10k profit per day from 8 trucks seems insane on 8 trucks with 15% profit margin, that would mean 67k total revenue and 8.3k revenue per truck per day, to me as a qualified accountant it doesn't add up and it's impossible your calc is correct and I guess you are counting revenue as your profit.

 

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[Qeno]

I've just read the whole thread and it's really great what you achieved and what your goal is!
Concerning the problem with the German bureaucracy and the IHK, could you solve all the problems? May I ask, what insurance you use?

I did a little research a few months ago, maybe it will be helpful for you (I'll add it at the end). I found out that many resources recommend insuring many things (like Corporate Legal Protection Insurance and so on). You didn't do that, right?


Unforunately in german:
Deine Aufgaben bis zum Geschäftsstart
Welche Form?

• Kleingewerbetreibender (Privat haftend) oder UG (nicht Privat haftend; doppelte Buchführung) → Vergleich: Einzelunternehmen gründen: die wichtigsten Punkte
• Kleingewerbetreibender, da für den Anfang einfacher. Außerdem dauert das Auflösen einer UG mindestens 1 Jahr

Was kommt auf mich zu? Was muss ich dann tun?

1. Gewerbeamt: Im örtlichen Gewerbeamt füllen Sie die Gewerbeanmeldung aus und erhalten den Gewerbeschein. Das kostet je nach Gemeinde zwischen 15 € und 60 €.
2. Geschäftskonto: Eröffnen Sie nach der Gewerbeanmeldung ein Geschäftskonto, um private von betrieblichen Finanzen zu trennen.
3. Finanzamt: Die Anmeldung beim Finanzamt nehmen Sie vor, indem Sie den Fragebogen zur steuerlichen Erfassung ausfüllen.
4. Buchhaltung & Steuern: Die Buchhaltung will gut organisiert sein. Steuerangelegenheiten mit oder ohne Steuerberater machen, das ist hier die Frage.
5. IHK oder HWK: Nach der Gewerbeanmeldung werden Sie Pflichtmitglied in der IHK. Für Handwerker ist es die Handwerkskammer.
6. Berufsgenossenschaft: Die Anmeldung zu einer Berufsgenossenschaft ist auch für Kleingewerbetreibende Pflicht. Beiträge werden fällig, sobald Mitarbeiter beschäftigt werden (Melde dich bei einer Berufsgenossenschaft an)
7. (Agentur für Arbeit: Wenn Sie nach der Gewerbeanmeldung Mitarbeiter einstellen, benötigen Sie eine Betriebsnummer von der Agentur für Arbeit.)
8. Versicherungen: Um Krankenversicherung, Rentenversicherung bzw. Altersvorsorge muss sich ein Kleingewerbetreibender selbst kümmern. Auch betriebliche Versicherungen sind wichtig.
9. Weitere Ämter & Tipps: Baugenehmigungen beim Umbau von Räumen, Geschäftsausstattung, oder AGB oder Website-Impressum sind weitere wichtige Punkte für Kleingewerbetreibende zum Start.
10. Neben den Ämtern und Behörden sollte ein Kleingewerbetreibender nach der Gewerbeanmeldung folgende Dinge organisieren, damit sein Business von Anfang an richtig läuft. Dazu zählen:
    • Die Einrichtung des Betriebs, der Geschäftsausstattung und des Büros
    • professionelle Website erstellen
      • rechtssicheres Impressum formulieren
      • AGB erstellen

Wie läuft es da ab? Versicherung? Krankenversicherung?

• Krankenversicherung Student: Selbstständig als Student*in: Daran solltest du denken

Bzgl. Steuern? → Steuerberater?

• Buchhaltung A bis Z: alle Themen + Software + Steuerberatung
• Kleinunternehmerregelung: Kleinunternehmer Rechnung und Umsatzsteuer richtig erklärt
• Wird hier alles ganz gut erklärt: Kleingewerbe und Steuern - Steuerpflichten im Überblick
  ⇒ einfache EÜR genügt

Welche Kosten kommen auf mich zu und welche Versicherungen brauche ich?

• Anmeldung: ≤60€
• Geschäftskonto
• Versicherungen
  • Vermögensschadenshaftpflicht 35€
  • Betriebs- Haftpflicht für Gewerbe: 7€
  • Firmenrechtsschutzversicherung 14€
  • Berufsunfähigkeitsversicherung 27€
  • Zusammenfassung: Versicherungen für Startups oder Gewerbeversicherung

 

[Subsonic]

I've just read the whole thread and it's really great what you achieved and what your goal is!
Concerning the problem with the German bureaucracy and the IHK, could you solve all the problems? May I ask, what insurance you use?

I did a little research a few months ago, maybe it will be helpful for you (I'll add it at the end). I found out that many resources recommend insuring many things (like Corporate Legal Protection Insurance and so on). You didn't do that, right?


Unforunately in german:
Deine Aufgaben bis zum Geschäftsstart
Welche Form?

• Kleingewerbetreibender (Privat haftend) oder UG (nicht Privat haftend; doppelte Buchführung) → Vergleich: Einzelunternehmen gründen: die wichtigsten Punkte
• Kleingewerbetreibender, da für den Anfang einfacher. Außerdem dauert das Auflösen einer UG mindestens 1 Jahr

Was kommt auf mich zu? Was muss ich dann tun?

1. Gewerbeamt: Im örtlichen Gewerbeamt füllen Sie die Gewerbeanmeldung aus und erhalten den Gewerbeschein. Das kostet je nach Gemeinde zwischen 15 € und 60 €.
2. Geschäftskonto: Eröffnen Sie nach der Gewerbeanmeldung ein Geschäftskonto, um private von betrieblichen Finanzen zu trennen.
3. Finanzamt: Die Anmeldung beim Finanzamt nehmen Sie vor, indem Sie den Fragebogen zur steuerlichen Erfassung ausfüllen.
4. Buchhaltung & Steuern: Die Buchhaltung will gut organisiert sein. Steuerangelegenheiten mit oder ohne Steuerberater machen, das ist hier die Frage.
5. IHK oder HWK: Nach der Gewerbeanmeldung werden Sie Pflichtmitglied in der IHK. Für Handwerker ist es die Handwerkskammer.
6. Berufsgenossenschaft: Die Anmeldung zu einer Berufsgenossenschaft ist auch für Kleingewerbetreibende Pflicht. Beiträge werden fällig, sobald Mitarbeiter beschäftigt werden (Melde dich bei einer Berufsgenossenschaft an)
7. (Agentur für Arbeit: Wenn Sie nach der Gewerbeanmeldung Mitarbeiter einstellen, benötigen Sie eine Betriebsnummer von der Agentur für Arbeit.)
8. Versicherungen: Um Krankenversicherung, Rentenversicherung bzw. Altersvorsorge muss sich ein Kleingewerbetreibender selbst kümmern. Auch betriebliche Versicherungen sind wichtig.
9. Weitere Ämter & Tipps: Baugenehmigungen beim Umbau von Räumen, Geschäftsausstattung, oder AGB oder Website-Impressum sind weitere wichtige Punkte für Kleingewerbetreibende zum Start.
10. Neben den Ämtern und Behörden sollte ein Kleingewerbetreibender nach der Gewerbeanmeldung folgende Dinge organisieren, damit sein Business von Anfang an richtig läuft. Dazu zählen:
    • Die Einrichtung des Betriebs, der Geschäftsausstattung und des Büros
    • professionelle Website erstellen
      • rechtssicheres Impressum formulieren
      • AGB erstellen

Wie läuft es da ab? Versicherung? Krankenversicherung?

• Krankenversicherung Student: Selbstständig als Student*in: Daran solltest du denken

Bzgl. Steuern? → Steuerberater?

• Buchhaltung A bis Z: alle Themen + Software + Steuerberatung
• Kleinunternehmerregelung: Kleinunternehmer Rechnung und Umsatzsteuer richtig erklärt
• Wird hier alles ganz gut erklärt: Kleingewerbe und Steuern - Steuerpflichten im Überblick
  ⇒ einfache EÜR genügt

Welche Kosten kommen auf mich zu und welche Versicherungen brauche ich?

• Anmeldung: ≤60€
• Geschäftskonto
• Versicherungen
  • Vermögensschadenshaftpflicht 35€
  • Betriebs- Haftpflicht für Gewerbe: 7€
  • Firmenrechtsschutzversicherung 14€
  • Berufsunfähigkeitsversicherung 27€
  • Zusammenfassung: Versicherungen für Startups oder Gewerbeversicherung

I already took care of basically everything.

I payed around 240 in fees so far and there might be a few more.

 

[Qeno]

I already took care of basically everything.

I payed around 240 in fees so far and there might be a few more.

Thats great. Then don't mind my post

 

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[Fasted]

Good hustle here, enjoyed reading

 

[Subsonic]

Can't you just make window cleaning recurring?

I though about that however most people in germany only do windows at most 4 times a year.
I am looking for something I can do every month. The thing I though about is offering window cleaning as a free bonus to my mrr cleaning package. I enjoy cleaning window cleaning to some degree and its the most valuable thing.

I literally just thought of this but that will be my offer:

Free window cleaning when you sign up for our monthly cleaning package. Now I need to find the correct avatar to offer this to.

 

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[savefox]

I though about that however most people in germany only do windows at most 4 times a year.
I am looking for something I can do every month. The thing I though about is offering window cleaning as a free bonus to my mrr cleaning package. I enjoy cleaning window cleaning to some degree and its the most valuable thing.

I literally just thought of this but that will be my offer:

Free window cleaning when you sign up for our monthly cleaning package. Now I need to find the correct avatar to offer this to.

I think you can more money as a professional window cleaning company than just a regular cleaner. You just need to find better customers and reinvest into your business to build a better brand so you could charge more for your services. You can easily charge $1000 to clean windows for someone with a big house like MJ's. What if you do it 4 times a year? That's like $400 monthly for 20 hours of work a year. How much can you charge for cleaning some office?

 

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[savefox]

Are you giving up on Facebook after the first ban? My account got banned like 5 times. Just create a new one and try again. Verify your business on Facebook business manager and run ads through FBM, not your personal account.

 

[savefox]

You don't even have to use a pressure washer. You can do soft washing. Use customer's water

 

[savefox]

Small update again.
Google ads are approved and running. Budget is set to 6 per day x2. So 12 per day.

I have one search campaign and one smart campaign. Why the smart one? Because the search one is getting no impressions.
The smart one has been doing fine so far, 10% ctr and average 30ct cpc.

I need to really go and market harder because it's been a bit since I got a new customer.

Maybe your cpc is too low and that's why no impressions? I'm paying $10 per click

 

[Subsonic]

I am really starting to question what I am doing wrong.
1. On my search campaign I still get simply no impressions. That is because in my local area the best search keywords get like 20 searches a month.
2. On the smart campaign I am getting impressions somehow but even after 100 clicks no leads. It could be that there is something wrong with my site or with the ad.

 

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[Subsonic]

Stop the smart campaign, you're not gonna get profitable with it. It's probably showing your ads to people in other cities and countries who are looking for wine glasses, or shit like that and google thinks it's relevant. What bidding mode are you using and what are your maximum bids? You these keywords in phrase match and bid at least $1 per click. Here's what your competitors are paying for their ads and if you're paying less than that, google won't show your ads. View attachment 48835

Well those are country wide tho, right?
I'll go check it out but if that's country wide it does not really make sense for me to bid on those because I won't drive 4 hours x2 for a 200€ Job

 

[savefox]

Well those are country wide tho, right?
I'll go check it out but if that's country wide it does not really make sense for me to bid on those because I won't drive 4 hours x2 for a 200€ Job

I chose Frankfurt as geo for those. What do you mean country wide? Are you only bidding on windowcleaning+cityname keywords?

 

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[Subsonic]

I chose Frankfurt as geo for those. What do you mean country wide? Are you only bidding on windowcleaning+cityname keywords?

I thought you checked those keywords Germany wide.
If it's just frankfurt then that's amazing and I should be able to fix my things and get profitable ads.

Thanks a lot man.

 

[Subsonic]

Have you checked the search volume of all the keywords you are targeting? Maybe your targeting terms people simply don't use. Does your Ad headline reflect the search term people are looking for?

Does your website have different landing pages to provide exactly what people are looking for? Example 'Window Cleaning in X'. Do you have a clear CTA on your landing page? Does your page work on mobiles?

Any one of these could be the reason your ads might not be working.

Yeah the volume was the issue.
In the are I was targeting, the keywords for window cleaning, even on broad match had so little volume that Google deemed them not eligible.
Changing area is probably going to solve that issue to some degree.

Landing page is alright for now but thats honestly my lowest priority. Higher is stuff like my websites sql certificate working, having a good offer etc.
I could make landing pages for each area and that will probably help yet those 20% improvements won't help me when they improve 0. Currently there is a much bigger problem I need to fix.

Average visitor time is 1 second. That means people click the link and then get kicked from the site or get a error message etc. It's tough to troubleshoot because when searching the url, it works fine.
(Btw, this can't be people just not being interested in my site. It takes you at least 5 seconds to check the site and see that your not interested and then leave the site.)

 

[Subsonic]

You might need to find more keywords. Or broaden your geo. You need 100-500 impressions per day at least

Man I am already getting more leads than I can handle haha.

If I wasn't in school then maybe but for now I am really limited to about 4 Customers a week at most.

 

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[savefox]

Man I am already getting more leads than I can handle haha.

If I wasn't in school then maybe but for now I am really limited to about 4 Customers a week at most.

Well you won't get many leads from 11 impressions per day long term

 

[Chet Shen]

It did go up to 100 today to be fair.

That's a lot man for me! You're doing great man!

 

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[szalek]

Yep, this is what I'll look into.

@Subsonic if you want I can help you with ads on fb. We have already written about this in relation to your old business, my offer is still available. I am developing my full business now, but I will be able to find some time for you.

The last time I ran adverts in a similar target group, I paid €2.1 per view by 1,000 people. In your country it will be a little more expensive, but I do not know exactly how much

 

[Subsonic]

Time to update this again.

Due to my finals I've take the gas of advertising for now since 7 hours of study a day, combined with eating, gym and a plethora of naps for neuroplasticity, doesn't leave enough time to do lots of jobs.

I've gotten a few through word of mouth and old flyers this week anyways.
Yesterday I got a new record for by earning 100€ for about an hour of work.

Aside from that I wanted to make some ad creative but the whole week was too rainy too take decent pictures. Due to that I'll make use of the might canva and some of my old images today.

Also I really like @Spenny 's style of progress thread so I'll probably think of a similar style format for the following posts here.

 

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