Tips for growing a cleaning business

[ahhh]

Hi All!

First Reddit post ever and thank you Nick for the ongoing Sweaty Startup content!

I started a cleaning service in Sydney, Australia a couple years ago. It's been slow as I simultaneously manage a full time job but heading in the right direction.

I'm at a point where I'd welcome any experienced advice on how to keep securing sales particularly for office cleaning and also grow a team of reliable and high quality cleaners. I've realised that these are the two biggest challenges and value-add in this field.

Listening to the Sweaty Startup podcast, I'm squeezing in times to walk into offices and ask if they're happy with their current cleaning service (sometimes with donuts but this costs a lot). So far most people have deferred to the property management companies that run the buildings. I've reached out to them but this is obviously cold and ignored so far. Thinking I have to come at it laterally e.g. go to property development meetups and build long term relationships. Will keep at this for now and see.

On the staff side, how you guys find good quality people? Currently, just relying on Indeed ads and word of mouth.

This is getting quite long so happy to clarify anything and looking forward to any thoughts! Be interested in Nick's thoughts too @mariusk

Thanks!

Danny

 

[mariusk]

@ahhh Max Maher is doing a YouTube series with his girlfriend Stacy and she is doing really well at her cleaning business and documenting everything. Check it out!

 

[ahhh]

@mariusk Thanks Nick, will watch the videos on YouTube and see what I can action!

 

[inmatetalks]

@ahhh Not sure if you are a part of any cleaning business owner facebook groups but I'm a part of about 10 of them and they are really helpful. "Zenmaid mastermind" and launch27 domination" to name a couple. There are also a lot of commercial/janitorial groups as well

 

[ahhh]

@inmatetalks Hi Zack, yes part of L27 group although I feel like I've exhausted all the useful advice on a cost-effective basis. Will have a look at Zenmaid mastermind. Where abouts are you based?

 

[inmatetalks]

@ahhh I'm in the US and just starting out in a lower cost of living area. Other FB groups I'm a part of: The commercial cleaners forum, janitorial business mastermind, cleaning quotes residential and commercial. I'm a part of a few other residential groups but it sounds like you're just focusing on commercial cleans.

 

[ahhh]

@inmatetalks Sorry for the late reply Zack. Not used to opening Reddit. How are you going? Actually started and still going with domestic. Just thinking of ways to head into office cleaning

 

[lastdayswarning]

@ahhh What part of Sydney are you in?

My mum used to own a cleaning business and banks were always a sweet job to land. They are kept to a high standard already and are straight forward to clean because of the lack of clutter - they pay well too.

It would be easier to pitch a local credit union than say ANZ or Westpac, but YMMV. You can also try any of the smaller financial services groups depending on where you are in Sydney.

You could hard grind it through the front door, but that can be tricky with orgs that have gatekeepers in place. Leveraging the relationships of others is my preferred approach. Sharing leads on business with other local tradies or service businesses is how I'd go about building a network of aligned but non-competing businesses that can refer you work.

If you can be the guy that connects people to work or solves other people's problems without thought of payment on the front end, work will start to find you if you're good at what you do.