How to Advertise a Cleaning Business

Edited by Mary de Cobos, Krystle, TheRedTerror, Maluniu and 5 others

A cleaning business is in the business of removing any emotions from what is an emotional experience, so your marketing materials should give the customer the impression of professionalism and make buying your service as easy as possible.

Advertising a cleaning business is difficult because most of your competition offers the same services you do.

Here's how to do it, so that people take notice of you, rather than all your competitors.

1-    Be prepared to do the work in half the time to the highest standards possible. Give examples in your marketing materials.
2-    Match your skills to those which the customer has need of. For example, if you are expert at floor and carpet care, 

       communicate this clearly in your proposal and meetings with the prospect.
3-    Know that guaranteeing the work before you do it is the ultimate in professionalism and attracts immediate attention.
4-   Give examples of how you have solved  problems previously. Don't always use references or referrals, which might be too

       vague. For example if you use an industry - specific product, get a quote from the manufacturer or even better, quotes

       from other users (for example: "product voted No.1 by XXX magazine")

5-    Offer the benefits of working with you. List the service features and then the benefits and compare the two. This then

       turns the features into benefits. For example "your customers can relax in perfectly cleaned surroundings" is an example

       of "what's in it for me" rather than "daily office cleaning" or even "Sparkle clean"

6-    Give the customer a reason for choosing your business. Remember, if the prospect currently has a cleaning

       service and is considering switching, it is because they are dissatisfied with either the price or level of service they are

       currently receiving. Make sure to focus on how your service can resolve that, if possible.

7-    Make yourself readily available. Give phone/mobile numbers/email/web address and answer them. Give your permanent

       address, not a PO Box number.

8-    Give a contact form on the brochure at the end of the message or on the reverse and give them any offers you might want

       to, at this point.

9-    Find places to advertise your business:
        -On your local community notice board and anywhere local where it is free
        -On your van, and include the roof, if you live and work in an area with high rise buildings.
        -Free papers and church magazines. These are more often read than newspapers
        -If you specialize, advertise in niche magazines (for example if you specialize in marble refinishing, advertising in the

         local condominium manager's association magazine or newsletter would be ideal)
        -Door to door leaflet drops, but always target your area properly. Its no use offering a carpet cleaning service to your local

         run down area, but your local more affluent community may be more accepting of the service.
        -Face to face brochure drops by setting up a meeting with people in the buildings you want to work in and just by asking

         them what they want. Then show how your service can give them this.

10-    Acknowledge that the most important thing is getting a reputation for excellent, skilled, quality work at a reasonable

         price. You must show that you are thoroughly reliable and consistent and if you say you are going to be at a certain place

         at a certain time, then do so. Show this in your marketing materials. Get this right and you won't need to advertise at all.

        They'll come to you!

    -Never offer a free "blitz" clean in your marketing materials. You will find that you will have a mountain of work to do and you

     may not get anything more from a potential customer.

    -Use the free available social media, Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest

    -Don't forget your business card! Use both sides and do not use a standard format. You can put a business card in some

     very unusual places. Use your imagination.

    -Use easy to read true type faces (Arial, Helvetica, etc.) not very large or capital letters. Use a graphic designer to put the

      brochure together if you don't have the skill. It will make you look a professional.

    -A three fold brochure can contain a lot of information. Use an insert as well, to hold even more, your prices, etc. or your

     contact form.

    -Ask for the order! Just make sure that you can actually do the work, though.

    -Go easy on the stock photographs - they are meaningless and look like stock to most people. Use your own photographs of

     before and after.

Janitorial Services: Marketing 101

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