Since the cleaning market is enormous, you should choose a particular target niche for your new business. If you are planning to venture into residential cleaning services, you can choose to clean rental units, apartments and condos or private homes. If you want to set up a janitorial business, you can choose to specialize in manufacturing plants, retail premises or corporate offices. At the same time, you need to decide whether you want to focus on small or large-scale clients. If you want to clean carpets, you may want to focus on commercial or residential properties, or both. In order to succeed in the competitive cleaning services industry, it is important to learn how to start a cleaning business, before you make any investment.
Choose Your Target Market
As mentioned earlier, cleaning services are greatly varied. Some entrepreneurs specialize in residential properties while other focus on commercial premises. Other target niches may include window cleaning, rug cleaning, carpet and upholstery cleaning. Just like any other business, it is important to narrow your options when starting a business and establish authority in that field. With time, you can try to diversify and serve a broad array of customers.
Once you choose a market niche, it is important to consider the geographical area where you would like to serve. Whatever niche market you decide on, be sure to plan cleanings and complete them in a timely manner.
Once you have chosen your market niche and the geographical area you want to serve, reassess the area to ensure that it has enough customers. If the area doesn't have a reasonable number of customers, then you may want to re-examine how you have identified your area or target niche. Your market analysis should also include the expenses to serve the chosen area. A densely populated area will enable you to serve a higher number of clients since your will be able to reduce your travel time and keep all of your expenses as low as possible.
Start With a Professional Image
A professional image is one of the most effective marketing tools that you can use. Experts agree that a good image is made up of a number of aspects, including the appearance of your employees. Your cleaning crew must always look clean and smart; possibly they should wear uniform bearing the business logo.
Your automotives, cleaning materials and equipments should also be in proper condition and bear the business logo as well as the website and contacts details. All printed materials such as statements and invoices should be clear and computerized. All your documents should enhance a sense of professionalism on the part of your company.
In addition, having enough business coverage, including worker's compensation, liability insurance and working as a team can help enhance credibility and company image. All those details will play a major role in marketing your business.
Referral Marketing
Obtaining referrals is often one of the best ways to get good customers. If the first customer refers another potential customer to your business, chances are you will be able to persuade them to work with you. To encourage your customers to be your brand ambassadors, you should be ready to provide referral discounts in certain cases.
Every customer that you get can be able to do some referral promotion. However, it is important to request customers to do more business with you. Therefore, for every cleaning job you do, be sure to ask. If you are hired to clean an apartment and your customer is not around, include it in your departure note. Try to make the message brief but sweet. By so doing, you will be able to find business each and every day.
You can establish a very effective marketing campaign on customer referrals. However, you still need to get the first clients, to start with. But where do you find them? Experts suggest that you should start by talking to you friends, relatives, neighbors, employers, former schoolmates and workmates, churches and other religious groupings.
Final Thoughts
Do you want to build your cleaning business and claim the title of the best cleaner in town? Do you want business people to choose you ahead of your competitors? You have everything to gain and nothing to lose. The above tips are proven and time-tested in the cleaning services industry. Some may take time, but once you build a good relationship with your customers, the benefits will be enormous.
Patrick Muthaura is an experienced freelance writer. He is an also a lecturer and consultant on affiliate marketing and internet marketing. Please feel free to visit our website http://eguruwebcontentcentre.webs.com
Article Source: http://ezinearticles.com/?expert=Patrick_A_Muthaura
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