Posted / 22nd April 2019
The cleaning industry is a booming business – in fact, it’s currently worth over £5.6billion[1] in the UK alone. With drive and determination, it can be a lucrative enterprise to get in to. Sounds great, right? So, how do you go about setting up a profitable cleaning business?
- Get started on your own
To get the ball rolling and to be begin building a reputation, you’ll probably have to start cleaning by yourself. If you’re still in full time work, start building up a small clientele on evenings and at weekends.
2. Get some branding
Start handing out business cards and leaflets with a recognisable name and logo. You could even have some t-shirts printed with your logo on, to start giving off the air of an established and highly professional business. Kit yourself and your employees out with aprons and professional looking cleaning caddies when the time is right.
3. Research the competition
Look at other local cleaning businesses and analyse where they might not be offering everything people want. Don’t copy other businesses, but use their pricing as a useful guide. It’s important to be respectful of your competition and try not to directly poach their clients – simply use them as inspiration.
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4. Use word of mouth
There are so many ways to get the word out about your cleaning business, without forking out for expensive marketing. Create a Facebook page, post in local business groups and selling pages, ask your friends to spread the word, drop off leaflets in busy residential areas, or even put an ad in your local magazine.
5. Be professional from day one
Being invited into someone’s private space is quite a big deal. By using professional looking staff, vehicles and paperwork, you’ll reassure the client that their home is in safe hands. Don’t let this level of professionalism slide – be sure to train employees on proper protocols.
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6. Never stop learning
As you build your business, you may find that cleaning trends change and certain products or methods go out of fashion. Many clients look for eco-friendly options or pet safe products. You need to keep on top of the latest trends and recommendations by completing regular trainings.
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7. Get insured
It’s always better to be safe than sorry. Make sure you have a good insurance policy and inform clients too, it’ll build your reputation and keep you protected.
8. Get an accountant
Finally, running a business is a lot of work. After a long day of organising your teams, cleaning and driving around, the thought of doing accounts can be rather daunting. Take the difficulty out of it by employing an accountant. In this business, any time you are not out cleaning is a waste of money. Plus, an accountant can sort out your income and expenses a lot faster than you can.
Feeling confident? In such a big and booming industry, it can be easy to get overwhelmed by running your own cleaning business. Sometimes it’s easier to work for someone else, sometimes it worth the freedom of going out on your own.
The keys things to remember are: be professional, be consistent and be polite. Cleaning is all about reputation, so work hard to protect and build yours.
[1] https://warwick.ac.uk/fac/soc/ier/ngrf/lmifuturetrends/sectorscovered/propertyandfacilities/sectorinfo/subsectors/