Starting a new cleaning business, or any business for that matter, is really scary. Logically, you know that if done right, everything should work out. But the anxiety, nervousness and doubt still remain until you get your first cleaning client. Getting your first customer provides your brain with proof that it’s possible.
This is where most people struggle and give up. But you don’t have to be like most people. In this article, you’ll learn how to get your first customer, the mindsets you need, and what to do after getting your first customer.
How to Get your First Customer
Before we start talking about the different strategies and tactics on how to get your first cleaning client, let’s quickly go over the basics. All your efforts will go to waste without the basics.
Create a Website
According to a survey, 71% of all local businesses have a website. Do you know why? Because websites are an integral part of any business nowadays. The first thing your customers do when they find out about your business is to check out your website.
Having a bad website design or layout alone can push customers away. Now, imagine not having a website at all.
Plus, having a website and an automated booking system that allows your customers to book for themselves will not only increase your conversion rates but save you a tonne of time that you can then invest in other important stuff.
So, create a website as soon as possible. Here’s our guide to setting up a cleaning business website. You can also check out the website for our own cleaning business – Maid to Glow.
Create a Google My Business Profile
Whenever someone asks me “how to get your first cleaning client”, the first I ask back is, “do you have a Google My Business profile?”. Many people underestimate the impact of having a Google My Business (GMB) page on your website SEO and business exposure.
According to a report, on average, local businesses get around 1000 views per month and convert 5% of those views from their GMB page. That means you’re losing out on 50 potential cleaning clients every month if you don’t have a GMB page.
To get the most out of it, make sure you fill everything out on your GMB profile and add as many pictures as possible, along with some posts as well.
Here are some posts and product listings we have for our cleaning business – Maid to Glow:
Create a Promotional/Business Card
You already know why you need a business card for your cleaning business, right? I don’t need to explain. It’s what conveys the most important information about your business like brand name, contact information, address, etc. Often, it’s the first impression of your business.
But here’s something else you can do that we also did with our own cleaning business – give out brochures and promotional cards along with business cards.
Here’s what ours looked like:
You can easily create something similar, offering discounts and offers through VistaPrint. That’s where we made ours from.
You can leave these after one-time cleanings or inside apartment buildings, outside house doors and on cars.
List your Cleaning Business On…
This is the meat of this article, the most effective strategy. If you do this right, you won’t have to wonder how to get your first cleaning client for long. All you have to do is go to these platforms, list out your business and most importantly, fill out all the details about your cleaning business.
Thumbtack
Thumbtack is a review website where users can search for whatever service they need, and the site will show results accordingly. So, if someone searches for cleaning services and you have fully optimized your thumbtack profile, your business might show up on the top. The results also show up on Google. So, you can indirectly rank on Google for ‘cleaning services.
It’s one of the best ways to get clients for your cleaning business.
Yelp
Yelp is pretty much the same thing as thumbtack – a review website. Make sure you do the same on Yelp, meaning fill out all your details, add prices, add pictures and so on.
Google Local Services Ads
Google local services ads are the best way to get your first cleaning client. It’s different from Google Adwords and only reserved for vendors and service providers. You have to pay for it, of course, but it’s totally worth it.
It places you on the top of Google search results with a Google guaranteed checkmark. Personally, this is where we get the most clients for our cleaning business.
We have a much more detailed step-by-step guide on setting up your profile on Yelp, Thumbtack and Google Local Services. Make sure you check it out.
Promote to your Friends, Family and Local Neighborhood
Apart from listing your cleaning business on these platforms, you can also find your first cleaning client through your friends, family and personal network. Most people, when they start a new business, don’t reach out to their existing network of people, not realizing that they could be losing so many potential clients.
Don’t make the same mistake. Promote your business to everyone and ask for referrals. You can even offer discounts or commissions on referrals to boost results.
Run a Door-to-Door Sales Campaign
Lastly, if nothing else is working (highly uncommon), you can always start a door-to-door sales campaign. We touched on this point earlier, talking about business and promotional cards. However, keep in mind that a door-to-door sales campaign is not the best use of your time if your concern is how to get your first cleaning client.
If you do everything right on what we talked about so far, you won’t need to sell door-to-door. But as a last resort, it works great.
Mindset to Getting Your First Cleaning Client
These two are the most crucial elements when talking about how to get your first cleaning client because this is where most cleaning businesses fail.
Don’t Compete on Prices
When you’re not getting any clients or responses, it’s tempting to want to lower your prices. Though lowering your price to a reasonable extent is fine but remember, competing on price is a losing game since there will always be someone willing to do the same job for less price.
Instead, focus on standing out and providing excellent services. This is where your competition can’t beat you.
Tough in the Beginning – Stick With it
As with anything in life, whenever you’re starting something new, you’ll suck at it. But it’s the people who stick with it who get to reap the rewards of their efforts. So, no matter how hard it seems, stick with it. Trust the process and focus on the fundamentals.
Once you get the first client, things will start to fall in place. However, getting your first customer is different from getting consistent recurring bookings and growing your cleaning business. You still have a long way to go!
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