Know-How Exchange : Other

When you say cleaning, I am assuming you are talking about a cleaning service to clean either homes or businesses in an area?

Some ideas.
- if my understanding is correct, local is the key term. Your advertising should be aimed at the areas you work in. Door hanger fliers, local mailings, perhaps an ad in a local paper, etc.
- use word of mouth when possible. Give discounts to current customers who recommend you to new business
- when you get one customer for an area, promote this to others in the area. Perhaps provide a discount to new customers in the area who sign up on the same cleaning schedule. Particulary if you are working for one customer in a building of many people - try to get as many from that building as possible.
- work with management companies - they often need one time cleaning services when tenants move in/out. Usually want more stuff cleaned, but also pay more for the service.

One issue you will need to address is security - will my personal items be safe if someone is cleaning my place while I am out. That was always a concern for me when I hired a cleaning service.

I understand what you are saying. The others give some great advice on what to do once you get customers, but the key you are looking for is how to start.

First of all, the obvious is to draft a business plan and a marketing plan (or pay someone to do it). Then file for corp. or LCC (again, outside advice from an experienced entrepreneur or accountant will suffice). Next you will need liability insurace to cover any damages your company may be responsible for. Next is getting a Bond to further cover and damages, theft by employees, etc.

Speaking of employees, you need to get the IRS info kit on how to manage the payrolls, taxes, etc. (I have the link), and you need to look into Workmans Comp insurance and/or Work Comp exclusion waivers if you plan on paying employess as contract labor. However, with the long term contracts you will need to seek, it is unlikely anyone would qualitfy as contract labor for very long.

OK, so you have your business created, business cards, brochures, joined the local chamber of commerce in order to acquire targeted lists of contact info for prospective clients and you are ready to go. ..Now what?

Examine the competition. Spend several weeks scouring every nook and cranny of your p[otential competitors: what they charge, who they service, how often, what kind of promotions do they run, how many people do they have working for them, what do they pay, and so on. You can do all this by posing as an interested party and asking for quotes, Get a couple of friends to do the same.

OK. so now you have the busines, you have competitive analysis, so now you need to apply your new info to the business and marketing strategies. Basically wyou want to find an undersaturated niche of the industry and NAIL it in combination with competitive pricing and service on the usual and standard services (i.e. if most don't do windows..maybe you should consider doing windows!).

Now you have you plan/startegy and your pricing structure. All that is left is implementation and employee acquisition. There is almost too much to post here...please send me an email if you require further assistance.

I hope this helps!

Good Luck!

-- Jett Enterprises

"Pick the low hanging fruit first" - start with the one which would be easier to implement. Then after that is going reasonably smoothly, expand out to the next easiest area (making sure you take advantage of any synergies between the old business and the new).

In the end, it sounds like you really are looking to be a facilities service provider for businesses.

Oh, I disagree with one side point Jett made - he said you could pay someone to make your business plan. The main value of the business plan is not the printed document you end up with, but the process. Creating one makes you think about everything related to the business. Having someone else create the plan would reduce the value to you as you figure out what direction to go and how to overcome the challenges.