It might surprise you to learn that the cleaning industry is rather large and can be highly profitable. However, that’s likely the reason why you want to tap into it and start your own business. And most successful companies aren’t even that large either. You can have fewer than 10 employees and still experience significant success, provided of course, that you run it well and plan thoroughly before going ahead.
Starting your own business is an exciting / scary time! It is a big step towards complete independence, being your own boss and having something for your self to build and to cherish. In the beginning it can be terrible overwhelming because there is simply so much for you to consider. That being said; with some careful consideration and some research, you shouldn’t run in to too many problems.
The fact is, if you want to experience success then you’re going to have to work hard for it. It’s not going to be a walk in the park, it’s going to be difficult and it’s going to be demanding. However, after a while, as your roots begin to take hold and your reputation begins to build, everything will seem to come together. You’ll find that you will be able to delegate more work to your employees and start to enjoy the fruits of your labour…but that’s a long way off.
1 – Identify Your Target Market
What sort of cleaning company would you like to build? Commercial, domestic or specialist? What kind of experience do you have? Research your market, take a look at who your competitors are, and you’ll be able to start building a realistic plan to get things started.
2 – Gather Any Relevant Qualifications
When it comes to residential and domestic cleaning, you won’t need any formal qualifications. However, if you’re looking at commercial or specialist then you might well need a certain qualification to tap into that market. Even if you’re not officially qualified, you should certainly look to hire cleaners that are, so that you can focus on the business and administrative side of things.
3 – Build a Thorough Plan
We can’t stress enough; quite how important a business plan is. You must look at the bigger picture and plan your growth, consider any pitfalls you might encounter along the way and budget accordingly. Look at how much income you plan to make, how many clients you aim to pick up and how much money you’ll want to spend on marketing. Writing a business plan might seem boring or pointless, though it’s an incredibly useful exercise that will inspire some brilliant ideas.
4 – Build Your Client Portfolio
If you are starting off with domestic, you might have friends or family that would like to take you on. Rely on word of mouth in the beginning but take full advantage of every marketing avenue that you can in the beginning. Build a cleaning company website like this one. Get a Google My Business listing immediately, start building on your social media and watch as the clients begin to roll in.
5 – Grow
As your clients start rolling in, you’re going to have to be prepared for growth. Have a number of potential employees on hand ready to call when the time comes. Don’t bite off more than you can chew! The last thing you want is to take on clients and then let them down. Be realistic. Be enthusiastic. Work hard. Grow.