Thinking about how to start a cleaning business? Every business owner who has started a business from scratch will know that it’s no easy feat. Firstly, giving up the comfort of a steady income is risky. Then the act of planning or lack thereof can be a huge challenge to overcome.
Everyone knows there is no business that simply starts up and becomes an overnight success. There is an enormous amount of hard work and huge support from a wider network of family, friends, and industry professionals before most startups even begin to make a profit.
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Start a Cleaning Business
Cleaning businesses are no exception to this. The cleaning industry can be an attractive venture for many as there are minimal costs in order to get going and demand is high. According to an article for the Entrepreneur, some successful cleaning startups saw financial growth exceeding 20% in 2021, and they continue to expand on this.
Cleaning is a service needed everywhere, from commercial spaces to office buildings to homes, making it almost as essential as other professional careers. Furthermore, starting a cleaning business isn’t overly complicated. The test, however, is in winning those all-important first customers. Here is how you can do this:
Define the Company and Write a Business Plan
Every startup needs a clear vision and mission so that everyone knows what they’re working toward daily. In the business plan, remember to include the type of services the company will offer, the fee structure, and what tools are required. You can include digital software applications such as Jobber that will help organize your job scheduling, facilitate online payments and help you communicate with your customers.
Buy the Equipment and Apps Needed
Cleaning supplies can come at a high cost if a business doesn’t source them from a supplier that will give them the best prices. Moreover, machinery like floor waxers might be necessary if this is a service you are going to provide but need to budget for in the early days.
Look around to see if there are any free useful tools you can utilize to help you, especially at the start. Even simple things like this free cleaning estimate template can be super helpful in saving admin time and ensuring consistency in the documents you send out to customers.
Hire a Business Attorney
Each region or country could have specific laws that are industry-specific. It would be best for aspiring cleaning business owners to clear it with a business attorney to ensure that the company complies with all the rules and regulations. Although the expense of an attorney could be something business startups would want to avoid, the fine for not complying with the law could be even more costly.
In addition to other services, a business attorney can explain the difference between a license and a permit, which is something many new businesses confuse, according to an article on the Investopedia website. Small companies that could start as home-based businesses run the risk of being shut down entirely because they don’t have the necessary license, permits, or both.
Hire Reliable Personnel
Personnel will be the face of the company. It’s no surprise then that they have to be professional. To promote their professional image, companies can supply uniforms and train them in basic customer service. Not only will first-time customers be impressed, but it’ll also assist the company in converting them into loyal returning clients. This is a critical part of starting a cleaning business.
Set Up Accounting and Other Vital Functions
Accounting will include invoicing, receipts, quotations, and estimates, which will be crucial for a cleaning company to have for its clients. Additionally, employees will need pay slips and the proper administration of their wages that the employer will have to manage on a software solution.
Create a Sales Plan and Marketing Strategy
Startup businesses often think they don’t need business cards, email marketing, social media campaigns, or other “fancy” strategic marketing plans. Customers won’t know about the cleaning company’s services if plans don’t spread the word about it, making it imperative for the business to have these in place.
People tend to remember the excellent, professional service they receive. They’ll also look for that business card or flyer a business repeatedly hands out to remind them of this. Furthermore, if the marketing material includes a unique offering or discount, clients will often return to make use of this.
Engage With Potential and Current Customers
Customers feel closer to a business when employees can supply personalized service, like giving them the answers to their questions in a timely fashion when they ask. According to a Harvard Business Review article, social media could influence how others perceive the business and its success. Thus, it could be one of the essential platforms for communicating with customers.
In a digitally driven era, clients prefer to find services online and will continue their communications in the same format they find conveniently working for them. For this reason, a cleaning business should ensure many different avenues for clients to get in touch.
Final Word
To start a cleaning business, you will need determination, stamina, and planning everything to the last letter. Without these, the cleaning company won’t even get off the ground, let alone find customers to support it. Fortunately, professionals like business attorneys and software providers are there to assist with the finer details.
With that sorted, a cleaning company can seize new opportunities to make its business known to all potential clients. Through clever marketing techniques that draw in more supporters, startup cleaning companies can expect to make a name for themselves in their area of operation in no time.
