Starting/buying a cleaning business is both exciting and scary, but the scariest part is figuring out how to get house cleaning clients, and then retaining them. The good news is that your cleaning business already has a specific clientele you can appeal to, and there are more avenues than ever for advertising and communication.
Before you get started, there are a few things you should know about how to get clients for a cleaning business.
1. Developing a Marketing Plan
Knowing how to get clients for a cleaning business takes strategy.
First, figure out who you’re trying to reach and what precisely those people want. Then consider the best avenues to reach those people, whether through newer means, like social media, or just putting up flyers at your local deli shop.
Cleaning businesses have specific clientele, which can include corporate companies, event centers, busy families, and homeowners. If you create a Facebook or Instagram business page, you can create affordably-priced ads that cater to any of those specific groups.
Be sure to take a simple approach to each ad you create. Focus on the main selling points in one ad, and focus on customer testimonials in another; the more clear-cut, creative, and simple your message, the better.
How to get cleaning clients also means printing business cards, especially if you plan to attend conventions or fairs.
2. Customer Referrals
Asking for a referral might be daunting, but it’s a surefire way of how to get cleaning clients fast.
Here’s a secret on how to get commercial cleaning clients: don’t try to be a salesperson. Just be human. We all need help sometimes, and there’s nothing wrong with asking for a favor as long as you are polite about it.
Referrals can come from anybody you know, such as friends, family, or even old clients. But you have to solicit them actively. Knowing how to get commercial cleaning contracts and clients means not waiting for someone to find you and possibly refer you. The easiest way to get referrals is to ask previously satisfied customers. They can refer you with confidence, and also detail what your service does best.
Similarly, you can use these referrals to create testimonials for your business’s website. The more positive reviews you have linked to your website, the more likely it is that a potential customer will look into your services.
3. Coupons/Discounts
Most people will not try out a product or service if they have to spend a lot of money or time.
How to get cleaning clients to try your service means offering a coupon or discount every so often.
Companies will typically offer a discount for a customer’s first service. Not having to spend as much money as a regular customer can make a new customer feel special and more inclined to try it.
Lots of businesses also employ the “buy one get one free” or “bring a friend” discount, which encourages people to bring their friends, doubling the number of customers.
4. Recycling Marketing Campaigns
Some customers are attracted to companies that support worthy causes, such as recycling. Cleaning companies use materials, like plastic and certain chemicals, that can potentially damage the environment, which is why most cleaning companies promote using environmentally friendly cleaning supplies.
A cute environmental slogan might also be how to get commercial cleaning clients. If a cleaning company can keep a building clean, then they–and their customers, possibly–can help keep the planet clean too.
Such a campaign could coincide with Earth Day every spring. You could host a charity event or sponsor a local fun run to not only celebrate the holiday but also encourage the participants to consider fun ways to help the environment.
5. Optimize Your Website Content
How to get a cleaning contract requires the use of technology in your marketing strategy. Knowing how to get cleaning clients means first deciding who your ideal client is. Then figure out what questions they might have and how you can provide the best possible answer. Google Analytics and other SEO tools can help you narrow down what keywords will lead potential customers to your site. You want to be the expert in your field, with the answers your clients need, so do your research.
Make sure your website is easy to navigate and invites users to interact with it. If you have written content, like blogs, keep it friendly and concise. Most businesses will link to their best testimonials and also have a few eye-catching graphics.
6. Social Media
Having a robust online presence is also how to get cleaning clients fast. A website that gets customers’ attention and explains your services is essential, but social media can sprinkle those services all over the Internet in fun and different ways.
One advantage of social media is the plethora of communication avenues you can utilize. You can video-blog about your daily business routines on YouTube or share pictures on Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest, or Twitter. Since most social media outlets have a direct messaging feature, you can also directly reach out to your followers and vice versa.
Keep in mind where you think you can best reach your clients. If most of your clientele is not using a particular social media outlet, it might not be necessary to create a page there.
To keep your online presence fresh, decide how often you want to post new content. Some businesses ambitiously upload new pictures, videos, or blogs every day, while some might do so only two or three times a week. Either way, regularly uploading new content keeps your business fresh in your followers’ minds.
Setting up Facebook ads is also a great way to expand your reach and grow your business. Here are some of the best Facebook ad ideas to help you get started.
7. Building a Professional Network
It’s one thing to know how to get cleaning clients fast, but another to know how to build a professional network, which you’ll mostly accomplish by meeting people face-to-face. Going to conventions and other networking events is an excellent practice for building business relationships. Plus, you can ask questions and maybe hand out business cards.
Such events call for professional, formal attitudes, which can be scary. But remember, you’re presenting yourself as an honest and genuine business owner–just like everyone else at the convention. If you look at everyone as human beings with expertise to share, rather than a means to an end, you’ll have an easier time connecting with them.
Maintaining a professional network is like keeping a group of friends. You should stay in touch every so often and continue to treat them as people, rather than just connections. For example, when you reach out to someone for a favor, don’t leap into demand mode. Send them best wishes, or your hope that they are well–any message that shows you care. The same principle applies to your customers.
