One of the most important things about owning a commercial cleaning business—or indeed, any business—is to know how to market it. It’s especially crucial to know the most effective methods to achieve specific goals, such as acquiring new customers or getting sponsorships.
If you’re struggling in this aspect of business ownership, here are some ideas that will amplify your marketing efforts and boost results:
Do Some Flyering
While it’s definitely something old school, flyering remains to be an effective marketing tool. It’s especially effective for a cleaning business because it’s a more direct approach. The key is to be strategic about where you place or distribute the flyers. For home cleaning, in particular, try putting flyers in people’s mailboxes.
It’s also easy to produce flyers at home, if you have a printer. Make sure to include all the important information, such as the services you offer, the cost, and contact information. As much as possible, provide multiple ways to get in touch. Many people prefer email or social media nowadays, but having a telephone number will always be a plus.
Advertise on Social Media
Speaking of social media, you’ll be missing out on a lot of great opportunities for reach and engagement. To make the most of these platforms, however, you need to get a lot of things right.
The first thing you have to do is to create an official business profile. This is much better than creating a personal account and then promoting your business there. A business profile communicates professionalism, which customers often associate with good service.
Then, you need to post relevant and engaging content regularly. Consider creating videos featuring before and afters, or even customer testimonials if they consent to your recording. Photos are also a great way to showcase before and after photos, as well as to promote your latest offers.
For additional reach, consider investing in paid advertising if you have the funds. You should also take advantage of trending topics and hashtags, so that your content will always be found by your target market.
Lastly, keep in mind that you don’t have to be on all social media platforms. Study which ones provide you with the most reach and best conversion numbers, then focus on that. Being on every social site can dilute your message; it can also be taxing to keep up with all the updates, especially if you’re working alone.
Develop Your Website
Your website is your cleaning business’s address on the worldwide web. Thus, you need to have one that looks well-done and contains relevant information. If you can commit to it, collect email addresses through your website and send your subscribers newsletters regularly.
Of course, there should be a way to contact you through your website. Besides indicating your telephone number, social media sites, and email, provide a feedback form as well. This makes the communication experience more seamless and pleasant.
Content-wise, it’s always a good idea to have a blog on your website. This will establish your company’s credibility and authority, which help create an impression of reliability. A gallery of your previous jobs, as well as testimonials from customers are also great ways to show your quality of work.
With regard to developing your website, your best bet is to hire professional web designers and developers. However, if you’re a little short on budget, you can opt to build a website using free online tools.
Create a Referral Program
Even in a highly digital world, word of mouth remains to be an effective marketing tool. This is because people are more inclined to trust those that they know, rather than brands that they know are only selling their products or services.
One way to take advantage of word of mouth is to devise a referral program. Give your customers a referral code or a sign-up code, which can be used by others to avail discounts and other special offers.
Attend Networking Events
Building a strong professional network is an important part of running and growing a business. With the right contacts, you’ll be able to come across opportunities that may not have been available to you otherwise.
A good way to establish this type of business relationship is by going to networking events. Don’t limit yourself to cleaning industry gatherings and trade shows, either. Explore adjacent industries, such as equipment and chemical manufacturing. You may even find potential partners in the IT and software industry.
Other places or events where you can conduct your networking activities include community associations. You can also organise your own, if there’s a lack of events or groups in your immediate area.
What you have to remember is that cleaning is a basic service. Everyone will need it eventually, which means you won’t run out of customers. The key is to ensure consistently high-quality, innovative services and know how to market them. Hopefully, the above-mentioned tips can help you with the latter.
Good luck on your business endeavours.