Are you thinking of starting your own cleaning business? Well, look no further! Here we will discuss in detail how you can start your own cleaning business from scratch.
The cleaning business is one of the few businesses that require almost little to no experience. Anyone can start a cleaning business with just a little start-up costs.Â
All you need to start up a cleaning business is your business license, business insurance, and cleaning supplies. The low-cost capital makes the cleaning business a very lucrative option for those who want to start a business with little capital investment and no previous experience.
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Table of Contents
Why should you start a cleaning business?
There are so many benefits of starting a business in the cleaning industry. Some of the biggest benefits you will enjoy from starting up your cleaning business include:
1. You will be your bossÂ
2. You will have the option to choose what type of cleaning project you want to undertake
3. If you can gain customer satisfaction, you can rise very quickly in this industry
4. Once you have made a name for your business, you can raise your service charges
5. You will enjoy having a long-lasting relationship with your happy clients
6. You will have a team of crew members who will become like your family
7. At the end of the day, you will have mental satisfaction that you are making this world a much cleaner, safer, and more hygienic place.
The growth potential of this industry is huge. A wide range of people and businesses are continuously looking for cleaning services. Some of the regular customers of this type of business are Homeowners, Business Owners, Real Estate agents, etc.
People these days are much more aware, educated, and cautious about hygiene than ever before. There was a time when cleanliness was only about making things look beautiful, but nowadays cleanliness and hygiene are associated with not only well-being but also a matter of safety and health hazard.
Due to the rising demand for cleaning services, there are huge growth opportunities within this industry. If you are looking to start a new business where you can grow and prosper, the cleaning business might be one of the best choices.
How much money can you make in the cleaning business?
At this point you might be thinking, Is this cleaning business a profitable venture? Well to answer that, you have a scope of earning a lot of money if you can conduct the business in the right way.Â
The success of your business will primarily depend on two factors:
- How are you marketing your business?
- How good are you at managing your finances?
Cleaning businesses are also very profitable because the overhead expenses of the business are quite low in comparison to other services-based businesses. If managed correctly a cleaning business can be a very profitable venture.
As you get to work with your first few clients, if they like your services they will probably refer you to even more new and bigger clients. That means once you have made a bit of a name for your business, clients will come looking for you instead of you having to look for them.
Once you achieve a large number of clients and are continuously getting called for more work, you can then raise charges for your services. With more money, you will be able to spend generously to hire much better crew members and purchase sophisticated cleaning tools, which will let you undertake much bigger work projects and eventually increase both your income as well as your profits.
If you can market your business right and manage your finances well, then there is a good chance you can grow your business and make a lot of money in this industry.
Steps you will find helpful if you are starting a cleaning business from scratch
1. Identify your target market
First of all, before you start your business, you have to identify your target market. This means deciding what type of clients or customers you want to work with.Â
There are mainly two types of markets in a cleaning business,
1. Residential Cleaning Services Â
2. Commercial Cleaning Services
You have to decide what type of clients you want to work with. Do you want to work for homeowners or business organizations?Â
If you want to serve homeowners then your market will be based on residential cleaning and if you want to work for businesses then your market will be based on commercial cleaning service.
Identifying the target market is crucial for your business because your entire business and marketing strategy will depend on it. Your target market will help you to precisely target the right client and develop a marketing plan accordingly.
After determining your customers, you have to have a deep understanding of what these customers are looking for in a cleaning service. Once you know your target market, and their demands, you can then tailor your business priorities accordingly.
2. Determine your service area
After identifying your target market the next thing you have to do is start deciding where you want to serve. One of the easiest ways of looking for clients is to find out locations where there is a high demand for cleaning services.
The demand for cleaning services is growing in most areas. If you want to start a cleaning business, you can specifically target areas where the demand for cleaning services is quite high and is on the rise. Marketing yourself in those places will give you plenty of opportunities and new clients to work with.Â
While determining which geographical location you want to serve, it is best to avoid locations where there is too much competition. You should rather search for areas where there might be a good demand for cleaning services but the other cleaning businesses have not entered that location yet.Â
If you can do this, then you will be able to build strong networks and relationships with the clients of those particular areas. This will give you a first-mover advantage and make it difficult for any other rival businesses to enter that market.
Once you know which areas you are going to serve in, it will become easier for you to reach the potential customers in those places by doing location-specific marketing campaigns.
3. Choose a Brand Name for Your New Cleaning Company
To start a cleaning business all you’ll require is just a plan and some cleaning materials. But to stand out from all the other competitors you must have an Outstanding Brand name.
Your brand name will distinguish you from your rivals and make your business appear more professional. And you must have a logo for your business. Having a brand logo will make you seem more skilled and competent.
An appropriate business name and a well-articulated mission statement will not only make you stand out but will also build trust and confidence among your potential clients.
4. Do Marketing your business
Before you start the business, you will have to develop a marketing plan. This is where you define how you want to market your business. Marketing your business is what will attract clients in the first place.
As you are new in the business if you don’t develop a marketing strategy, it would be difficult to let your potential clients know that you exist. Building a long clientele list will require you to have a good Strategic Marketing Plan.
Your marketing strategy will mainly focus on 4 things, these are :
1. Your Brand – Your Brand identity needs to set you apart from all the other competitorsÂ
2. Your Team members – The professionalism of your team members needs to be highlighted
3. Your Equipment – You need to communicate the effectiveness and efficiency of your tools and cleaning equipment.
4. Your Work Ethics – You will need to convey your integrity and work ethics to potential customers.
To develop a proper marketing plan, first of all, you have to figure out who are the people you want to target and have a plan on how you can reach those people. Based on the types of your customers, your marketing channel and medium will vary.
Figure out who you’re trying to reach and what those people are looking for. Then consider the best avenues to reach those people. Some of the effective ways to reach your potential customers can be done through the following ways:
Ask for referrals: After completing a service you can ask how satisfied your customers were. If they seem to be happy and satisfied, then you can provide them with your business card and ask them to refer you to anyone they know who needs similar services.Â
You can also ask your family, friends, neighbours, acquaintances, or former colleagues to refer to your business if they find any potential customers.
Ask clients for reviews: You can request your happy and satisfied customers to give a positive review on your Facebook page and Google Business page. A good review from your previous customers will boost your brand image and attract more new customers.
Coupons/Discounts: Giving coupons or discounts may be the easiest way to get new clients. Many clients will try out your service, only if they think they are getting great value for their money. For example, you can provide a first-time discount to anyone who comes through a referral.Â
Optimizing your web content: Optimizing your web content might help you get in touch with clients that are looking exactly for the type of service that you are providing. Make sure that your website is friendly, welcoming, and portrays professionalism.
Social Media Marketing: You can create a business page on social media and promote your business through stories, pictures, and videos to build awareness of your brand. You can use Facebook, Instagram, and Youtube to promote your business.
5. Purchase the necessary Supplies
After you have determined the type of cleaning business you want to start, established a brand, and have mapped a proper marketing plan, you are almost ready for the business. At this point, you would need to buy right the tools, equipment, and products for your business.Â
If your workforce is the heart of your business then your products are its soul. While purchasing the supplies you have to keep in mind that the right tools will greatly increase the effectiveness and efficiency of your workforce.Â
A good quality product will increase the confidence of your crew members and keep them happy and motivated. It will also portray professionalism to your clients and enhance your brand image in their eyes.
Some of the basic Supplies you will need are :Â
1. Vacuum cleaners
2. Mop and bucket
3. containers Â
4. Both long & Short DustersÂ
5. Brooms and Dustpans
6. Paper towels
7. Microfibre clothsÂ
8. Glass cleaning cloths
9. Protective rubber gloves
10. Cleaning Brushes
11. Laundry Bag
12. Disinfectant wipesÂ
13. Spray bottleÂ
14. Trash bags
In addition to the must-have cleaning supplies mentioned earlier, you can take a greener approach by including eco-friendly alternatives. One game-changer is the reusable bamboo towel. Unlike your typical paper towels, these are not just eco-friendly but also pack a punch in durability. The best part? They’re biodegradable, making them a guilt-free choice for those aiming to minimize their ecological footprint.
Speaking of eco-friendly options, you can consider checking out reusable bamboo towel amazon. It’s a convenient platform where you can easily find such sustainable alternatives. By incorporating these green practices into your cleaning routine, you’re not only staying on trend with the growing demand for eco-friendly solutions but also showcasing a commitment to cleanliness that goes hand-in-hand with environmental responsibility.
Also, keep in mind that sometimes the client will provide you with all the necessary cleaning products and equipment. So make sure that your staffs are flexible enough to work with those products.
6. Hire the right kind of staffs
Finding workers for your cleaning business will not be a very difficult task. After you announce a job vacancy you will certainly get lots of applications from all types of people. However, for hiring the right people you will have to go through some procedures.Â
Because your clients are going to leave their home, business, and valuable possessions to your crew members, you will have to make sure that the person you are hiring is honest, trustworthy, and responsible.Â
Before hiring an employee, ask for references. If possible speak to that person’s current employer. You never want to employ someone who might steal something from a client’s home or office.
As for skills, cleaning is the type of job that almost everyone can do. When looking for a cleaning professional all you have to do is find someone who is friendly, hardworking, has a sense of professionalism and work ethic and you are good to go.Â
As long as your hired employees are responsible, reliable, and trustworthy you will most likely not face any problems.Â
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7. Set the right price for your services
Different types of clients will require different types of services. Depending on the scale of work, deadline, types of equipment used, and the number of crews required, the charge for your service will vary.Â
Service charges in commercial cleaning will be comparatively much higher than residential cleaning mainly due to the work being on a much larger scale.
For example, commercial cleaning of a hospital will require more cleaners and more powerful cleaning tools than cleaning a regular house. But for the same reason, commercial cleaning services will also charge more money than residential cleaners.
Some of the basic things to consider while setting up service charges can be done by:
- Visiting the site to clearly understand the Scale of workÂ
- Calculating the time required to complete the task. One of the best ways to do this is by calculating the area and the intensity of the work projectÂ
- Calculating the total labour cost associated with a projectÂ
- Calculating operation-related costs, such as the amount and price of cleaning products required to complete a project
- Including the overhead costs such as office rent, marketing cost, etc to your total expenses
- Fixing a percentage of profit you want to make from each of your projects.
The final and most important point
We have discussed most of the steps that you would have to go through to start your new cleaning business from scratch. But one of the most important things to remember is that in this business, client satisfaction is everything. Â
If you are passionate about your business and care about your clients and their needs, this will above all be the most important factor in how well you will be able to do your business. Happy customers will almost always lead to a happy business.
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