Back in the day, only those with special skills to offer and overflowing savings accounts could start their own businesses.
But today, the market is shifting, and the demand for unskilled work is at an all-time-high.
For instance, most homeowners would rather hire a cleaner rather than use up their precious time dusting, wiping, and slaving away to get their home spotless.
Cleaning services can be pretty lucrative despite requiring neither skill nor a lot of money.
But don’t be fooled – while they look rather simple at a glance, there are a few things that can make them a little more complicated later on.
So before you go ahead and launch your brand new cleaning biz, it pays to ask the right questions. Here are some critical questions worth asking to find out just how ready you are.
Who’s Doing the Cleaning?
With a service like house cleaning, your people will be the backbone of your operations.
If you’ve got the funds to spare right from the start, you can skip having to clean houses yourself and move straight on to hiring your own team of dedicated workers
The cleaners you hire will represent you and your brand to the homeowners that they serve. So choosing the right ones should be done with proper care and consideration.
Because house cleaning isn’t necessarily a technical or complicated skill, anyone can do it.
So your clients will assume that all of the services that offer residential cleaning in your area will meet their standards in terms of cleanliness.
What will thus set you apart is not simply how well your workers can clean, but how well they can satisfy your clients.
A positive attitude, friendly demeanor, respectful tone, and a trustworthy aura all have a significant impact on your clients.
So don’t think that sloppy, despondent, disrespectful workers will get you a good rap.
Before you take anyone on-board, consider your brand and the kind of personality you want it to exude. For the most part, your cleaners should be able to execute just that.
How Much Time Do You Have to Spare?
Are you starting this business as your main source of income and your only endeavor, or are you going to try to manage it alongside your day job?
Although a cleaning business won’t require a lot of skill and money, that doesn’t mean it won’t call for your time.
As with any other business, your cleaning service will only flourish if you give it the attention that it needs.
That said, juggling it with any other job or business that eats up more than half your day could be detrimental to the success of your new house cleaning venture.
In fact, most businesses fail because they don’t receive the proper management at the beginning of their lifespan, so operations are never given the chance to stabilize.
As the owner, your main objective would be to see to it that every single aspect of your cleaning business runs smoothly.
You’re the one who knows what you want out of your venture, and you’re the one with the clear vision of how you want your operations to run.
Anyone you hire won’t have the same clarity, and might not be able to manage the business to meet the end you have in mind.
At the start, make sure you dedicate most of your waking hours to your business to see it through to success.
If you have to hire someone to manage the business for you, try these steps to get them on the same page:
- Develop a mission-vision – It might seem a little premature to serve up a mission-vision. But the reason why businesses have these is because it gives all of the employees the same idea as to the end in mind and the means to achieve it.
- Maintain constant communication – Don’t let a day pass without checking up on your manager. Ask for updates and provide clear instructions on how they can fine-tune operations for the next working day.
- Dedicate at least two to three days – If at all possible, try to dedicate a few days out of your week to your business. Take a day off from work and try to be present to guide your workers and audit their performance.
Do You Know Your Market?
If you thought you could just get started without doing market research, then you’re propping yourself up for failure.
The reason why small-businesses succeed despite the thick competition is because the owners perform the due diligence necessary in order to determine who their audience is.
Why should you even bother? People need their houses cleaned, it’s that simple.
Sure, people need to get their homes cleaned, but the way that you present yourself and your brand will impact whether or not they will choose to trust you with the services they need.
Speaking their language will make it easier for them to identify with your brand.
And when they feel that you’ll click, they’ll likely choose you over your competitors.
For instance, if you check the demographic in your immediate area and discover that most of the homeowners are in their 50’s, would you communicate in a way that appeals to the millennial demographic?
Knowing your audience helps you develop the right marketing plan.
And when you’re able to do that, you’ll be able effectively entice them and convince them that you’re the right guys to hire for the job.
Have You Decided on the Scope of Your Services?
It can be really tempting to try to incorporate a bunch of extensive services and add-ons to your initial structure.
But offering too many intricate services can make it hard to cope with the stress of those first few months.
Experts recommend that you consider the basics first and then expand your scope later on when you feel that you’re more stable and capable.
The reason for shaving down your offered services at the beginning is because you can’t anticipate how things will pan out when the clients start pouring in.
Offering too many different services will require various equipment and training which also means a bigger capital expense.
To top it all off, giving your workers more routines and techniques to learn puts them in a situation that might compromise the quality they provide.
What you want is for them to feel comfortable first, becoming more and more adept with the most basic service you offer. As they showcase more control, skill, and efficiency, then you can introduce new services for them to learn.
How Do You Plan to Accept Payments?
Bet you didn’t think the mode of payment accepted by your business would make such a big difference.
But it does. Most people will check what payment options you offer before they even make a booking.
That’s because different people prefer to use varying methods of payment issuance.
We owe this to the fact that each individual has unique preferences when it comes to the use and management of their own money.
While you might think that there isn’t a better way to pay for services other than with cash, up-front, statistics will tell you otherwise.
Recent studies have found that a large chunk of the demographic actually prefers paying online with card – before services are even rendered.
For you, this can be beneficial in two ways.
The first is that by offering clients the option to pay for services online, you secure their payment and guarantee your revenue before you even step into their homes.
The second is that by way of online payment gateways, you can tailor different loyalty programs like house cleaning subscriptions that let clients pay for multiple bookings all at once while enjoying a big fat discount.
How Are You Going to Market Your Brand?
No self-respecting small start-up business should be without a digital marketing plan.
These days, anyone can reach a relevant audience, thanks to the power of online marketing tools that don’t require as much money or skill to use.
Sure, these digital marketing tools do have a technical side to them. But some of the most basic, bare essentials can be learned by virtually anyone.
Without a solid marketing strategy, you risk drowning your brand in the ocean of other small business ventures that abound in your area.
So getting aggressive with the way you advertise your name and reach audiences should win you a booking here and there.
With time, your marketing strategy will become the vehicle that blasts your business into being a full-fledged brand of its own, recognizable simply by the colors of your logo.
Digital marketing should definitely be a part of your strategy, but direct mail shouldn’t be forgotten.
Able to target unique demographics within an area that’s exceptionally relevant to your business, direct mail can be yet another potent tool in your marketing arsenal.
If you feel that the whole marketing arm of your venture feels a little overwhelming, don’t sweat it.
Our service offers pristine, clear-cut marketing solutions that promise to ease the process for you without sacrificing results. Reach out to us today to get started on your bespoke marketing strategy to boost sales and widen your reach.
Who is My Competition?
Let’s put it like this – you’ve formulated a great new energy drink that you want to start distributing to local grocery stores in your area.
The only problem is that their shelves are stocked with Gatorade.
So how in the world are you going to catch anyone’s attention when you share the shelf with one of the world’s most popular energy drinks?
In the same way, knowing your competition should help you formulate the right steps to set your brand apart and still earn some clients along the way.
If there are other, well-established cleaning businesses in your area, then that might be a hurdle.
But with the right techniques, you might just be able to slip past the lead.
One of the best strategies that’s sure to catch some attention? Lower prices. Those who patronize your competition might do so because there aren’t any other options in the area.
But if you show up, demonstrate quality, and offer the same services at a much lower cost, then even the most loyal of patrons might give your services a try.
Another way to catch attention would be to shake up your brand personality.
If your competition is going for an edgy personality, try to adapt something more friendly and familiar.
If the competition is aiming for scientific and professional, try a cozy approach with a mother’s warm touch.
Giving your market a fresh face to consider might make them way to give you a shot simply because you’re offering a spin on services they use.
Knowing your competition ties in with your marketing plan.
Sizing up the competition tells you what direction to go so you don’t end up looking like a rip off.
Plus, knowing your competitors tells you how to fashion your brand so that you catch your market’s attention despite there being a well-established name in the same area.
Over to You
So, are you truly prepared to face the world of business ownership, or have you got a few extra loose ends to tie? Asking yourself these 7 critical questions should make it easier for your to determine your readiness.
The answers to some of these questions should also shed some light on what you need to do to secure your place in an ever competitive market.
If you’re looking for expert consultation to help you out with the marketing end of your operations, don’t hesitate to reach out.
Having helped countless small business grow stable and sustained income, we take pride in our fool-proof marketing strategies that take the burden off your shoulders so you can focus on other core tasks that need your attention.
So contact us today and find out how we can help you move mountains and reach the right clients with your soon-to-be cleaning service.
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