Starting a cleaning business does not require a considerable investment and prior knowledge or experience in the industry. Furthermore, you can offer various services to potential customers- for instance, window cleaning, floor, furniture, carpet and air duct for commercial or residential buildings.
The demand for cleaning services grows annually, and the market will grow by 6.5 per cent by 2030. As a result, that makes the industry highly lucrative and promises a significant return on investment. The considerable factor contributing to the growth is the awareness of maintaining proper hygiene post-pandemic.
The rising demand for cleaning services naturally allows for market competition. As a result, more and more entrepreneurs want to venture into the cleaning industry.
Since the cleaning business is very lucrative, establishing a company does not generate revenue. Fortunately, this article explains the nine crucial factors you have to consider to succeed in cleaning business.
1. Get the necessary equipment
You should have all the necessary equipment to give your customers the best services. Meanwhile, you also have to determine a niche for the cleaning business. You can consider the following to choose a niche;
- Distillation or disinfection
- Home cleaning services
- Cleaning services for commercial buildings
- Pressure washing
- Swimming pool cleaning
- Janitorial service
After you determine the niche, you can purchase the equipment accordingly.
2. Use a scheduling software
You may wonder why it is crucial to use scheduling software. The software eliminates the difficulties of the conventional system. In the traditional approach, it is very likely to double-book the schedule because of human error. Besides, potential customers would have to wait a little longer to receive confirmation about the booking.
Cleaning scheduling software like Picktime assists you in organizing the customer schedule and digitalizing the schedule for easy management. The software sends automated reminders to customers once they schedule an appointment. Furthermore, the software also makes your cleaning business much more accessible to your customers, as customers can book an appointment whenever they want.
The software also has a 24/7 booking page that eases online booking and payment gateway integration to receive half or complete customer payments.
3. Competitor analysis
Before offering services to potential customers, you must research your competitors. For instance, the services competitors provide customers and their business model. That will assist you in getting a reasonably good idea about your competitors. As a result, you can position your brand in the market and offer services and competitive prices to customers. Furthermore, you can also offer services to customers that the competitors do not provide.
4. Determine the market
The rudimentary step that you have to take before starting the business is to identify the market. For instance, you have to understand the audience in the location where you have decided to establish the business. As a result, you can decide on the sort of service that you want to offer the customers.
Once you have identified the audience, you can develop a marketing strategy to woo the audience.
5. Identify a suitable location
Once you have completed the competitor analysis and determined the market, you have to choose a suitable location to establish the business. This step is crucial as selecting an appropriate place would enable you to penetrate your identified market. While choosing the area, you also have to ensure that there is not much competition.
If you have determined a niche for the cleaning business, you may select the location accordingly. For instance, if you have decided to clean residential buildings, you may consider choosing an area with many residential buildings. Otherwise, if you have decided to specialize in commercial buildings, you can consider selecting a location with many commercial buildings.
6. Charges for the cleaning service
After deciding on the niche, market and location, you have to determine how much you will charge your customers, whether it is a commercial or residential building. For instance, a small business may not generate enough revenue to hire cleaning services. Small companies would instead prefer more affordable cleaning services.
Meanwhile, a small house owner is less likely to spend more on cleaning than an individual who owns a palatial house. The competitor analysis you have carried out will assist in determining how much you will charge your potential customers. Whether you charge hourly or you can offer the customer customizable packages.
7. Select a name for the cleaning business and a logo
You have to select a name and logo for the cleaning business. Remember that you must invest considerable time deciding on a name and logo. Potential customers should be familiar with the name and logo in the long run. You can, for instance, consider a name that reflects your business, values and services.
8. Website
Creating a website for your business is the need of the hour. Potential customers these days spend a lot of time online, and if they need any product or services. They are most likely to search online. Suppose potential customers cannot find the website. In that case, they may be under the impression that the business may not be genuine.
Furthermore, creating a website for your cleaning business is the primary step that you have to take toward maintaining an online presence. You can use standard SEO practices to improve the ranking of your website on search engines. You can also display the clients you have worked with so far. That would inspire confidence in potential customers to hire your services.
9. Social media platforms
You have to maintain profiles for your business on social media platforms. That is where you can market your service to potential customers. Social media profiles also assist in maintaining and improving the online presence. Remember that social media platforms these days are overcrowded. Your online content is essential in luring customers to your cleaning business.
You must identify the appropriate social media platform suitable to promote your business. You can share video content on social media platforms. You can, for instance, share transformative videos. The video should curate how hiring your services would make a difference and how you differ from your competitors.
