Know-How Exchange : E-Marketing

Talk to a local SCORE or SBA adviser. They'll help you understand the basics of creating a business plan, marketing, advertising, etc. It's a great free service. Best of luck.

What is your company name? Are you cleaning commerical facilities or residential? The size of client will partly determine the type of marketing materials you create. I am very familiar with the facilities cleaning industry and with further information can assist you better.

I spent 18 years in the office cleaning business in Manhattan, before getting into a much happier business (selling wine.)

My best marketing piece was Hershey's Kisses, with our name and phone number on the little paper string. They worked great with receptionists, superintendents and complainers. While these people won't be able to give you an account, they can certainly make your life miserable if you don't get them on your side.

You would be amazed at how many referrals I got from those people. The receptionist moves to another company; the super lets you know when a new tenant is moving in; the former complainer lets you know (and comes to your defense) when someone else tries to bring in another contractor.

When I left the business, there was not a whole lot of email marketing being done. I really don't know the state of the industry right now, but my guess is that a web site is just about mandatory for any business. As soon as you have a web site, you start collecting email addresses. Separate you prospects from your customers, and work on both. You have to keep selling your customers - both for the highly profitable add on work, and to head off the competition.