“Customer Loyalty that Exceeds Reason can be achieved by using Emotion and Love as a driving force in your organization. In addition, I can guarantee that you’ll create strong partnerships and have a business that exceeds your wildest aspirations.”
To begin with, make certain that cleaning is something you want to go into before you start your own business. There is a physical requirement for participation. Cleaning is a grueling and exhausting task. Customer service experience is a must. You’ll need some basic office and accounting abilities to get started.
Make sure you have at least six months of money if you plan on quitting your full-time job to start a cleaning business. Alternately, you can continue working full-time and only work part-time at first.
Study every facet of the cleaning services industry. Everything from customer service and advertising to taxation and staff to insurance and bonding, what to charge, and how to clean a house effectively is addressed here. Cleaning your own house versus hiring a cleaning service is a world apart. It takes a long time to become proficient at cleaning professionally. When a customer hires you, they want a spotless house when they get home.
Cleaning Up After a New Construction Project You’ll need more gear if you decide to take on this type of work. Ladders, window cleaning kit with long extensions, a shop vac, and other tools are all required for the job. The majority of these jobs require two to three people. New construction cleaning necessitates a significant amount of additional cleaning. Stickers and labels may need to be removed from windows, showers, sinks, and toilets in bathrooms. Depending on the type of construction, you may be required to clean the vents. To eliminate dust, ceiling fans, scrubbing floors, and woodwork will all be utilized. The cost of cleaning up after a new building project varies depending on where you reside.
Getting your first few customers takes time, effort, and a steady dose of optimism. I guarantee you that you will not receive 100 clients in the first week.
How to Get Your First Few Customers Starting a cleaning service from scratch might be a daunting task. Clients frequently inquire about your company’s history and ask for references. Rather than feigning ignorance about your lack of experience in the cleaning industry, make it clear to clients that you have done your homework and are confident in your ability to clean their homes to their satisfaction, even if it is your first job. Take heart. This is something I cannot emphasize enough. Confidence is contagious, and it’s a good thing for clients to observe. In this way, they may rest easy, knowing that their house is in capable hands.
Friends and family members may be willing to provide a few solid references if you offer to clean their homes for free or at an incredibly low charge. There’s nothing wrong with the idea of working for nothing, but it’s worth it in the long run.
When cleaning your first house, prioritize quality over speed. It takes time to clean efficiently, but with practice, you will be able to do a thorough cleaning in much less time. Be sure to double-check every room after cleaning to make sure you didn’t overlook anything. Make a good impression on your first customers and word of mouth will spread quickly.
Advertising Your company’s public image is everything. Start by deciding what image you want to project before you begin advertising. It’s critical to maintain a good public image. Consistency is key in all of your marketing efforts. Using your company logo on all of your marketing materials is a must. Prior to launching an advertising campaign, I believe it’s best to have a website in place. Keep your logo and color scheme consistent when advertising.
Running a local newspaper ad is an excellent first step. Try to come up with an attention-grabbing ad campaign. Not only should you not provide your services at a discount, but you should also not be selling your services at a low fee. In the cleaning business, there is a great deal of competition. Stand out from the crowd and you will succeed.
An excellent method of advertising is to put your business name and phone number on your vehicle in the form of magnets or lettering. The vinyl writing is what we utilize. Compared to magnetic signage, the lettering appears more polished and refined.
Professional flyers are worth the money, even if you can print some great flyers at home. Promote your cause by posting fliers in public places, such as hair and laundry salons, bakeries, grocers, etc. Post flyers on the cars of neighborhood businesses and grocery stores. In some neighborhoods, you can even go door to door. It’s not possible to mail them. The front entrance is a good place for them, too.
Using door hangers to attract new customers is an excellent strategy. Put up the door hangers in the neighborhood you want to work in. People tend to throw away fliers and adverts that arrive in their mailboxes with the rest of their junk mail. Because of the door hanger, though, they’ll take the time to check it out.
Begin handing out your business cards to your friends and family members now. Your neighborhood businesses may be able to help out by allowing you to leave some business cards on their counters.
A referral program is a terrific approach to bringing in new customers. Offer a discount to existing customers who recommend new customers to your business. When a current customer refers a friend to your business, you can provide a discount.
Online shopping has become increasingly popular as a result of people’s increasingly hectic lifestyles. Working women are more likely to shop for services when they’re at their desks. If you’re running a company, you need a website. It demonstrates to customers that you take your business seriously while also allowing them to conduct independent research on your company at their convenience.
It is possible to protect yourself and your customers from the harmful effects of cleaning products by utilizing only natural ones. The essential oil-infused cleaning products are a big hit with customers. Aromatherapy essential oils provide their home with a sense of peace and tranquility.
Make sure to keep hand sanitizer on hand and wash your hands frequently when cleaning. When cleaning restrooms, wear gloves. Working in a client’s home exposes you to a wide variety of pathogens.
Keep in mind that most customers prefer that you bring your own cleaning materials. Purchasing cleaning products in advance of your cleaning will save them time and frustration. Certain equipment or floors in some clients’ homes necessitate the use of specific cleansers. As a rule of thumb, these consumers will have certain cleaning supplies on hand. We usually never use anything other than the vacuum cleaner provided by the customer. That way, you don’t have to lug a cumbersome vacuum around from place to house.
How Much to Ask for a Job I mentioned previously that you should sell your services on your quality of work and not your affordable charges. Having a low rate will lead potential clients to believe that your work is of poor quality and that you lack expertise. In addition, you want to draw in people who can afford your services. When I first began out, I made the error of pricing my work too low. Cleaning is a grueling job, so don’t undervalue your services. “You get what you pay for,” goes the old adage.
Other firms charge by the hour, some by the room, some by the house, and some charge per square foot. Instead of charging by the hour, I believe it is preferable to charge by the residence. The length of time you spend on a project is irrelevant to a client who knows they will only be charged one fee. Also, your clients will know exactly what they’re paying and won’t have to worry about unexpected costs.
There are no two houses that are exactly alike. It’s also worth noting that there’s no standard charge for all residences. To become proficient at cleaning, you need to put in the time and effort yourself. You are the only one who knows what you want and need to create. Set a goal for your hourly wage so that you can cover all of your expenses while still making a profit.
Advice: When starting your business, charge what you would if you were employing people. When starting out, some people undercharge in order to attract consumers, but this leads to a situation where, as their business expands and they need to add staff, they are unable to pay them since they are losing money on their homes. Don’t price yourself out of the market. This is a physically demanding job, and you certainly didn’t get into it for free.
