Don't let a lack of funds stand in your way of starting a business of your own. There are many businesses that can be started on a shoestring budget so you can get up and running relatively quickly and start making money. Service based businesses are often some of the best start-ups because you're making life easier for your clients either by performing a service that saves them time or makes life easier for them.
A cleaning business is a sure fire way to make income quickly.
A home based residential cleaning business is one of the very best businesses in 2009 that you can start for very little cost. Here's how to do it.
You may have never considered this type of home business before but it is definitely one to consider in these hard economic times because start-ups costs are low and effective marketing strategies don't require a lot of capital. When you don't have much money, getting started a residential house cleaning service may be just what you need. Of course it helps if you are something of a neat freak.
In today's economy this service type of business can be you and your families answer to an uncertain future. So many people are in the terrible position of no income at all after being laid off from a company they have worked many years for.
What gives this industry a strong appeal to a wide range of people? Flexibility.
There are many niches in the cleaning industry so you can big one that you'd most enjoy or the one you have the most experience with. By doing a little legwork and research may also help you determine which type of service is needed in your area or where there's the least amount of competition bettering your chances for success.
You can have a variety of goals in this industry.
Office cleaning, or window cleaning or branching out to a professional organizer are just a few examples. You can build a company that suits your own particular style and talents. If you like doing the work on your own, then you could stay a small company of one or two people. Or if your talents run more to the administrative side, you could build and manage several teams to do the work. This can be very profitable. Residential cleaning offers predictable scheduled hours that can be part-time or as many hours as you can manage. It's up to you.
So how do you go about getting started?
1. Do some research to determine what type of cleaning service is needed in your area the most.
2. Work for a cleaning service for a few months to gain some experience and see if this is something you really want to. Earn while you learn.
3. Get incorporated for tax and liability purposes.
4. Apply for any licenses or registrations needed in your state or municipality to conduct business.
5. Do you need to be bonded or have a specific type of insurance?
6. Open a business bank account.
7. Start marketing to acquire clients.
You can get started for less money than you think.
Starting your own business often requires a lot of money; however a service related business like house cleaning can be started for very little money. You can use the money you earned while working for the other cleaning company to start your own. With a bucket of cleaning supplies and some cleaning rags you can start an instant business.
How much will you charge clients?
Your fee to clean a house will be based on a few factors. For example: the size of the house, the layout, number of bathrooms, is there a lot of stairs, any specific needs?
Every situation is different. Some individuals want their home cleaned once a week, some who want it done every other week and some just need it done once a month. You should also take into account if there are pets and children, more to clean, and the degree of clutter. Whether there are lots of hardwood floors or rugs, or other materials with specific needs.
Offer a free estimate walk through of the home. All the information can be gathered in order to give the best quote possible. It's easy to create a checklist of services so you can determine a quote while doing a walk through with the client. Leave them a copy of your credentials (licenses', bonding information etc) too along with the quote. If you have a brochure or list of references make sure to leave them as well.
In the beginning you'll be doing the selling. Don't worry. Make it fun.
Scared of selling? Practice with friends and family. Go over what your services are and practice answering question that a typical client may ask. Take your time with clients, be empathetic, listen to their needs, ask questions about why they need help and which aspects of your service will be most beneficial to them. Be nice, friendly, courteous and respectful. Treat them the way you'd want to be treated. Never forget to ask for their business.
Getting paid.
Most cleaning businesses just ask for cash or a check on the day of the service to be left on a table. Most people will give you a key, but some like to leave it on their property. Some people are home the day of service and some are not.
How much do you charge?
Find out the rates in your area. What is the average? Any were from $10 to $25 an hour usually. Call around to get an idea of what other services are charging. Cleaning jobs should be priced by the job and not by the hour! Look at it from your clients' point of view. If the customer knows that they have to pay $100 to get the house cleaned, it doesn't matter to them if it takes 3 or 5 hours. But if you tell the client that the same job would be priced by the hour, they just might question why it took you an hour to do a bathroom etc.
The initial cleaning.
When you are cleaning one house it will not always be priced the same. The first time you clean, the initial cleaning will be different than the subsequent cleaning jobs. You should charge accordingly, anywhere from 25 to 50% more. If you charge $100 for a 3 bedroom house, add $30.00 depending on experience, you will adjust your price on the initial cleaning.
Get the best prices on cleaning supplies.
Any club type store such as Wal-Mart, Sam's Club or Costco are good places to buy in bulk for less. Most of your clients will expect you to bring your own supplies and have your own tools. I recommend that you invest in a small portable vacuum as some clients vacuums will not be what you need to do a good job. If they have central vacuum it's usually best to use that.
So what supplies would you need?
• an industrial grade bathroom cleanser - Scrub free - tubs with a plastic milk container, an all purpose cleanser - Mr. Clean - floors - toilets
• a window/mirror cleanser - Windex (antibacterial) and Vim multi surfaces
• a soft scrub cleanser - Vim cream cleanser
• furniture polish - Pledge - used mostly for the dust mop
• wood floor cleanser - Murphy's oil soap once a month on all wood surfaces
• 2 buckets - for moping and to hold all your products
• a bag of cleaning cloths - linen is best - wash nightly
• a Swiffer Sweeper with dry and wet strips - good for new hardwood floors
• extension pole duster and a duster (feather) several sponges.
Some customers have certain products that they like used in their homes. You should ask at the estimate and note it on the schedule. Also any preferences, write on the check list that you leave with them for the initial first clean. With each visit add comments as to what was done that week for the customer's knowledge but also for remembering what was done.
How Do You Advertise?
Flyers work very well. You can produce an attractive flyer on your home computer and print them out. This method works well for seeking frustrated customers who are not actively seeking cleaning services. They see the flyer and think it's a great idea. A simple website works very well. You can link it to the flyers and your business card too. I make my own, or you can have them produced cheaply online. Having a nice tri-fold brochure as a leave behind is a great idea also. You can place ads on Kijiji (www.kijiji.com) and Craig's List (www.craigslist.org) for your area also. Encourage your customers to talk you up on Angie's List (www.angieslist.com), which could lead you to be eligible to advertise with the ratings company.
Your website.
Make it personal, with your picture and a little about yourself. A 4-5 page website is all you need. Include information about your services, pricing, geographic areas you cover, credentials, references and contact information. Make sure to list all your services with the average price breakdown.
A list of clients and references should be given after giving an initial estimate, so when they see comments from emails from my clients on your website; they can link the name to the comment and call them as a reference, if they choose to.
Buying a domain name, hosting and having a website created should not cost an arm and a leg.
Hire a mentor to guide you through the process of starting your business.
A qualified, experienced mentor will be invaluable in assisting you through each aspect of starting and growing your cleaning business. They will also supply you with the motivation you need to keep persevering if you run into any roadblocks along the way. Spending a few hundred dollars for the services of one on one mentoring and business coaching may potentially save you thousands by keeping you from making mistakes or wasting valuable time that should be spent focusing on starting and growing your business. It will also give you an ally and advocate who has your best interests in mind. Ethos Mentor (www.EthosMentor.com) helps start-up entrepreneurs, such as you, achieve their dreams and create personally fulfilling businesses. Ethos Mentor offers a lifetime membership and a 100% satisfaction guarantee. Serial entrepreneurs are welcome too!
In conclusion.
Starting your own cleaning business right now in this time of economic crisis is a great way to earn a solid income. It really is a great money making business. Your repeat customers will pay you continuously on a regular basis. The growth potential can be tremendous too. As your business grows you can hire employees, build cleaning teams, and create a brand and one day sell franchises. You just can't beat that!
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