Many entrepreneurs look at starting a cleaning business because of the flexible schedule opportunity and the low startup costs. Whether you are in the beginning stages of starting a cleaning business or are ready to grow in 2019, success starts with finding more clients. Too often, business owners want more clients but are unsure of where or how to find them. You can’t rely on ads to automatically produce results or that you will be privy to a long list of referrals from existing clients. To help, we have put together a list of ways to help you attract more cleaning clients in 2019.

Know your ideal customer.

In the early stages of opening a cleaning business, many owners focus on quantity over quality of customers in an effort to generate revenue. Not every type of client is your ideal match though. It is better to create a list of demographics that outlines your ideal customer by looking at existing profitable accounts. Do they live in a certain area? Have a certain income level? Own a specific type of home?

Engage with potential customers.

Today, more customers utilize the Internet and social media platforms for their research because it is less threatening. Cleaning businesses should utilize live chat on websites to engage with customers and answer questions while they are on the website. On social media platforms like Facebook, businesses can set up a messenger strategy that prompts the user to click on various questions to learn more information.

List your company on business directories.

Online directories including Yelp, Google, and Manta are a great way to increase traffic to your cleaning business. These also allow happy customers to leave reviews about their experience.

Create a referral strategy.

Current customers may not know you are looking for new clients. Increase the number of referrals received by creating a referral strategy. Start by sharing with customers you are are looking for new customers just like them. This will automatically get them thinking about friends and colleagues with similar lifestyles that could benefit from cleaning services. You may also choose to reward customers for referrals, but oftentimes starting the conversation helps enough.

Test paid advertising.

Paid digital advertising on social media and Google are a powerful way to target the territory and types of customers you want more. Unlike traditional advertising, you are not locked into long contract periods which allows you to control advertising depending on current needs.

Build credibility.

Deliver hard work, great results, and what you promise in order to create a credible name for your company and services. When you are true to your word, clients are more likely to share with others, leave positive reviews, and recommend you to the community.

Focus on the benefits.

Don’t get caught up in the price scare by offering proposals below your desired rates. If you find yourself low-balling every project, look at buying online estimating software instead. This will allow you to set rates and customers can instantly request a proposal with a few button clicks.

Share your passion.

When you are passionate about your business, others want to be part of it. Share your passion for helping homeowners with everyone.

Take the challenge to grow your cleaning business and implement these strategies in 2019. If you have questions about online estimating software, contact the team at Compass Wave today.

Running a cleaning or maid services business requires owners to continually look for areas of improvement, build relationships, and be flexible. Being flexible includes being open to a new way of tackling the everyday activities of running a business like creating quotes and providing estimates. Through the years, many companies have changed the way they approach this task by utilizing online estimating software. While technology increases efficiency and creates better outcomes for businesses, some owners still question whether it is worth the investment.

There are several benefits to using online estimating software for your cleaning business. We’ve put together the top benefits below:

Saves you time.

Time is valuable and every minute a business owner spends creating proposals or estimates is time lost doing other valuable tasks. Estimate how much time you spend weekly interviewing potential clients and creating estimates. Is it 5, 10, or even 20 hours?

Now, think about what you could do instead including marketing your business, building relationships, and completing jobs. These three things are extremely valuable to the bottom line of a cleaning business. Online estimating software gives you this time back and creates more available time for other important areas of your life like spending time with family.

Increases trust in your company.

These days most customers rely on technology and the internet for research, shopping, and many other day to day activities. Customers expect the businesses they work with to also utilize technology because it often makes their lives easier. By using online estimating software, your cleaning business makes getting an estimate easier for customers. This sets you apart from other businesses that still require a phone call or meeting to discuss the project and ask questions.

Capture more leads.

A human attention span is minimal, making it vital that you capture their attention in the first nine seconds they visit your website. Traditionally, cleaning companies direct visitors to fill out a form or call for a quote or appointment. Many customers tend to move onto the next possibility (your competitor) when this is the case because they don’t want to wait. Giving them the opportunity to request a quote online keeps them on your website longer and satisfies their desire for an instant answer.

Increases profitability.

As a business owner, your time should be spent on revenue-generating tasks. Creating estimates is not only time-consuming, but they also pull you away from these revenue generating responsibilities. By using estimating software, business owners are able to spend more time where it matters most and increase profits as a result.  

Creates a tracking system.

The best online estimating software solutions also store contacts giving cleaning business owners an easy way to follow-up and track their leads versus close ratio.

Having the ability to track estimates over time in one system is much more efficient than trying to utilize a paper system or spreadsheet.

Attract more traffic to your website or social media profile.

Building an audience in today’s digital world is vital. However, many cleaning businesses struggle because they don’t have a reason to direct traffic there. By adding online estimating software to your website, it becomes more than a digital brochure and encourages traffic.

If you have questions about whether or not online estimating software is right for your cleaning business, contact the team at Compass Wave.

A general goal for any cleaning business owner is to make a profit. Unfortunately, simply launching a business with the hopes of finding success is not enough to result in a green bottom line. The best thing a cleaning company can do is create a plan that increases revenues, reduces costs, and ultimately grows their profits.

Whether your cleaning business is a few years or a few months old, there are steps you can implement today to help increase profits.

Implement a referral strategy.

One of the most cost-effective ways to increase cleaning business profits is by gathering new clients via referrals. Be intentional in gathering referrals through conversations with existing customers. Share with them that you are looking to grow your business and would love their help in finding other clients like them. Take it one step further by personally thanking them with a handwritten card or publicly thanking them on your social media profiles. When you show appreciation, existing clients are more likely to continue to recommend your business to others that need cleaning services.

Categorize existing accounts.

In the early stages of starting a business, many cleaning companies focus on quantity. However, not every client is profitable or easy to work with. There comes a time when it is best for a business to review their client list and identify which are ideal clients (the ones you want more like) and which are not profitable or cause more headaches than joy. Removing unprofitable customers from your workload is essential to increasing long-term profits and decreasing stress.

Review your pricing strategy.

Are you charging what your services are really worth? It is tempting to charge low prices to acquire new customers, but it is not always a profitable decision. Review your existing pricing strategy and look for areas to increase fees. If you are worried about losing customers, make sure you read number seven below.

Be responsive to customer needs.

People want to work with businesses that make them feel important. The best way to show that customers are more than a number or line item in your billing is to be attentive. Return calls, check in after services and deliver what you promise to retain customers and remain profitable.

Create systems.

Having established systems for how you run your cleaning business is essential to increasing profits. Systems should include established methods for cleaning a home as well as internal documentation and invoice processing. Having established systems increases overall efficiency and productivity for you and any employees.

Use online estimating software.

Estimating software saves cleaning businesses time that can be used on revenue-generating tasks. Online estimating software allows leads to request and receive quotes instantly online instead of having to wait for you to review the request and manually create a proposal. The faster a cleaning business can respond to a quote request, the more likely you are to gain a new client.

Stop selling on price.

It is tempting to focus on price, but it won’t attract a loyal customer base. Learn to sell on value and worth instead. When customers hire you for cleaning, they gain back time that they can spend on more important areas in their life. When you can focus on what that area is and how the customer’s life will be better, they are more likely to commit and remain loyal.

Starting a cleaning business is an attractive venture for many because of the low overhead expenses, flexible schedule, and growing demand. The cleaning industry is expected to grow to $46.3 billion by 2020 according to Statista, making now a prime opportunity to get on board. However, starting your cleaning business from scratch isn’t always easy and requires more than getting your hands dirty.

Just like starting any business, launching a cleaning business requires planning, a solid marketing strategy, and knowledge of industry standards. With more than 875,000 cleaning businesses in the United States, success won’t happen by taking shortcuts.

Here are our best tips on how to start a cleaning business in 2019:

Decide on Funding

While the startup costs for a cleaning business are relatively low (unless you plan to purchase property), it is still important to have a funding plan. Start by contacting local banks or investors to discuss your options for financing, line of credit, or small business loans.

Pick a Niche

Don’t be quick to think that cleaning is cleaning. There are many options and specializing in something is important to your long term success. Do you want to clean residential or commercial? Are you planning on offering carpet cleaning or not? Will window cleaning be a service you offer? Having these planned out ahead will prevent wasted time later.

Establish a Budget

A budget should estimate expected expenses as well as income projections. This is also the time to decide on how to charge clients: hourly or project-based. The two biggest expenses to consider include supplies and transportation. If you plan to hire employees, you should also consider wages, insurance, and taxes in the budget.

Don’t Skip the Legal Stuff

Deciding on a business structure, registering a business name, and requesting an EIN from the IRS are critical in running a cleaning business legally.

Purchase Business Insurance

Buying business insurance for a cleaning business is also important to do prior to the first cleaning job. Every time you enter a client’s house or office, there is a risk something will get broken or go wrong. General liability, professional liability, worker’s compensation, and janitorial bonds are three types of insurance to consider.

Purchase Equipment and Supplies

Many cleaning businesses provide supplies as an added benefit to their clients. Brainstorm a list of supplies needed to complete the services you plan on offering including gloves, cleaning products, towels, aprons or uniform, vacuum, dusters, and squeegees.

Invest in Technology

The right technology saves businesses a lot of time in the long run and programs such as Quickbooks, estimating software, and payroll services are a great place to start. Quickbooks and payroll services help owners streamline and organize billing, payroll, and invoicing. And estimating software, like Compass Wave, allows you to quickly provide cleaning quotes to potential clients online.

Market the Cleaning Business

Marketing is vital to the longevity and profitability of any new business. Building a website, creating social media profiles, and attending networking events are just a few ways to spread the word about your new cleaning business.

In today’s fast-paced society, more and more individuals and families are relying on cleaning services to help them in their daily lives. Now is a great time to start your own cleaning business. Follow these guidelines on how to start a cleaning business, so you don’t miss any of the important steps along the way.