How to Start A House Cleaning Business In 7 Simple Steps

Nobody likes to have to answer to someone else so the best job in the world would be one in which you would be your own boss. An ideal job is a job where you answer to no-one but yourself. An ideal job is a job where you can choose your own working hours and set your own wage. So where do you get one of these ideal jobs?

You can have the best job in the world and be your own boss with your own cleaning business. A cleaning business is a fairly low risk business to start and you can choose whether you will work part time or full time hours. You can set your own cleaning rate and you can often earn a full time income by working part time hours.

A cleaning business doesn't require a lot of start up cost and it doesn't require a lot of time to start up. It is a business that as soon as you start getting some clients you can get to work straight away.

The first thing that you will need to do to start your cleaning business is to get hold of some cleaning products. You can start off with the basics and then later on you can get any other products that may be required. Most cleaning jobs will usually only require the basic products.
The next thing that you will need to do is to get some customers. You will need to decide whether you will do cleaning for businesses or for homes and then take the necessary steps to get some clients.

If you decide to do house cleaning here are some ways that you can gain some clients:

* Give out fliers at shopping centers or put in people's letter boxes. You can easily whip up a nice flier on your computer with your name and the service you are advertising.

* Put up a notice on local notice boards or at your children's school

* Place an ad in your local paper

* Ask your friends if they need a cleaner or if they know of anyone who does - many cleaning clients are often gained by word of mouth.

If you decide to clean for businesses you can gain clients by:

* Putting flyers in their letterboxes

* Placing an ad in your local paper

* Visiting businesses personally and letting them know of your service - this is probably the most successful method.

Once you have started your cleaning business as long as you work well and do a good job for your clients they will want to keep you as your cleaner. If they are happy with your work they are likely to refer other businesses or friends to your service also.
When you have a few clients that are happy with your work you can also ask them if they would give you a letter of recommendation or a short testimonial about your work that you can then use to advertise for new clients.

As your business grows you may need to hire some staff to help with the workload. This is when your business can really take off and become very profitable. If you hire staff make sure that they are reliable and will work efficiently as you want to keep a good name for your business.
A cleaning business can be a very profitable business as long as you work well and keep your clients happy. With little start up cost a cleaning business is a fast and simple way to generate a nice income and see income coming in quite quickly.

Learn everything you need to know to start a successful cleaning business by visiting the author's website: [http://www.startacleaningbusinessnow.com]Start A Cleaning Business Now

Home Based Cleaning Franchises Show Strong Growth In 2008

Most cleaning franchises are showing a substantial increase from 2006 to 2007. With the down turn of the housing market and the up swing of the new and remodeled commercial property there remains a need for janitorial services. Here is a small but helpful list of cleaning franchises businesses you can run from your home.

Jani-King

Jani-King (Commercial cleaning) began in 1969 and has been Franchising since 1974. While working the night shift in a Hotel Jim Cavanaugh saw the continued need for janitorial services.

Etrepreneure.com reports from 2006-2007 Jani-King added 496 new U.S. franchises, 29 Canadian, 31 Foreign, and 3 company owned. With commercial real-estate expecting to grow in 2008 it is predicted that the need for janitorial services will also grow.

Costs:

Startup costs $11k-34k+

Franchise fee: $8.6k-$16.3k+

Ongoing royalty fee: 10%

Term: 20 years, renewable

Operations:

Can be run from home

No absentee ownership

Bonus Building Care

Ok your going to think this is too personal but it's the reality of business. Jim Cavanaugh (from Jani-King) divorced and his ex-wife Arleen Cavanaugh started Bonus Building Care and you guessed it, it is a janitorial service. This is a prime example of how fruitful the commercial janitorial business is. BBC was started in 1996 and increased its U.S. franchises from 1415 in 2006 to 1774 in 2007 3 of which are owned by the company.

Cost:

Startup: $8k - $13k+

Franchise fee: $6.5k

Ongoing royalty fee: 10%

Term: 20 years, renewable

Renew fee: $2k

Operations:

Can be run from home

Employees needed to run: 1-5

No absentee ownership

Jan-Pro Franchising Int'l. Inc.

Specializing in commercial cleaning began in 1991 and has been franchising since 1992. Founded by Jacques Lapointe Jan-Pro increased its U.S. franchise base from 5066 in 2006 to 6409 in 2007. Canadian franchises when from 305 in 2006 to 609 in 2007. 14 foreign franchises were started in 2007.

Costs:

Startup: $3.3k-$49.9k

Franchise fee: $2.8k-$44k

Ongoing royalty fee: 10%

Term: 10 years, renewable

Qualifications:

New worth: $1k-14k+

Cash liquidity: $1k

Business exp.: management skills

Operations:

Can be run from home

Number of employees: 1

No absentee ownership

Servpro

Servpro (residential and commercial cleaning) began in 1967 and started franchising in 1969. Ted Isaacson began providing homes and business with cleaning and restoration services which includes but not limited to disaster protection, air ducts and HVAC systems. Servpro grew its nationwide franchise base from 1310 in 2006 to 1368 in 2007.

Costs:

Investment: $97k - $154k

Franchise fee: $38k

Ongoing royalty fee: 3-10%

Term: 5 years, renewable

Renewal fee: $250

Qualifications:

Net worth: $100k

Cash Liquidity: $60k

Business exp: General, Marketing skills

Operations:

Can be run from home

Employees needed: 5-10

No absentee ownership allowed

Chem-Dry (carpet, drapery & upholstery cleaning)

Robert Harris founded Chem-Dry in 1977 and started franchising in 1978 using a cleaning solution he created. Chem-Dry has worldwide franchise opportunities. From 2006 - 2007 the company grew its U.S. base from 2547-2679.

Costs:

Startup: $25k-$214k

Franchise fee: $13k-$35k

Ongoing royalty fee: #350/mo.

Renewal fee: $750

Qualifications:

Net worth: $75k

Cash liquidity $4k

Operations:

Can be run from home

Absentee ownership is allowed

ServiceMaster Clean (began 1947, franchising since 1952)

It is said that after a chemical accident left Marion Wade partially blind in 1945 he came up with the idea for a commercial and residential heavy cleaning and disaster restoration company. ServiceMaster Clean is part of a unit of franchises which includes Merry Maids and Terminix. ServicesMaster saw a rise in us franchises from 2978 in 2006 to 3041 in 2007. Canadian franchises grew from 166 to 172 respectively. This company has been around a long time and it is no wonder it has experienced the consistent growth.

Costs:

Investment: $21k - $111k

Franchise fee: $17k-45k

Ongoing royalty fee: 4-10%

Term: 5 years, renewable

Qualifications:

Net worth: $50k-75k

Cash liquidity: $15k-25k

Experience: General business

Operations:

Can be run from home

Number of employees needed: 3

Absentee ownership is not allowed

System4 (commercial cleaning)

Began in 2003 and started franchising right away, based in Brecksville Ohio System4 is a nationwide franchiser with 467 franchisees in 2007 (up from 283 in 2006).

Costs:

Investment $6k - $38k

Franchise fee: $4.4k - $32k

Ongoing royalty: 5%

Term: 20 years, renewable

Qualifications:

Net worth: $10k

Operations:

Can be run from home

Employees needed: 3

Absentee ownership is allowed

Building Stars Inc.

Building Stars Inc. began in 1994 and started franchising in 2000. Based out of St. Louis Missouri BB Inc saw an increase in franchisees of 217 to 225 from 2006 - 2007.

Costs:

Investment: $2.2k

Franchise fee: $1.2k

Ongoing royalty fee: 10%

Term: 5 years, renewable

Qualifications:

Cash liquidity: $1k

Operations:

Can be run from home

Number of employees needed: 5

Absentee ownership is not allowed

There are plenty of businesses that already turn great profits. In order for you to get a slice of the pie you have to be in the kitchen. Home based cleaning franchises will show strong growth in 2008. As always, pick your business carefully and plan your moves for growth and longevity.

For the additional home based franchise opportunities visit target=_new [http://www.servicesareus.com]ServicesAreUs.com

Run Your Cleaning Business Like a Swiss Watch

Running a successful cleaning business, well it's not easy, take it from me, I have been doing it for 27-years. The trick is time management, but where does one go to learn how to manage, market and run a cleaning business? It is not as if they teach it in school. Being an entrepreneur in the service industry requires skills far greater than a college degree.

You have to be a master at managing, marketing, efficiency, scheduling, planning and you must focus. Easier said than done, perhaps what you need is a really good coach, a mentor, someone who gets it and can help you thru the maze of regulations and traps of self-employed. Most cleaning entrepreneurs have to start from scratch, a seemingly daunting task, but if you have the right help, you can avoid the pitfalls and mistakes that cause most small businesses of this type to go bankrupt.



"Running a successful cleaning business takes an extraordinary amount of time to plan, create, and implement the systems."



States Scott F. Rendall, CEO and President of the Cleaning Mentor - and that is before you even do the work or run the daily business operations.

Truly, I certainly wish I had, had the wisdom and mentorship of the Cleaning Mentor when I started my company. I can tell you this, I probably made every single mistake someone could make in the cleaning business, and it took me a whole lot longer to succeed than it should have.

Looking back now, I would have to advise anyone starting out in the cleaning business to seek professional assistance and find a mentor and coach that you can work with, one who will help you thru the minefields as you grow your company. Nothing good in life is ever easy, certainly running your own company isn't, but why make it any tougher than you have to? Well, that is certainly something to contemplate in 2008.

Learn more about mentorships in the cleaning industry: [http://www.cleaningmentor.com/]www.CleaningMentor.com

"Lance Winslow" - Online [http://www.WorldThinkTank.net/]Think Tank forum board. If you have innovative thoughts and unique perspectives, come think with Lance; [http://www.WorldThinkTank.net/]www.WorldThinkTank.net/. Lance is a guest writer for [http://www.ourspokanemagazine.com/]Our Spokane Magazine in Spokane, Washington

Grow Your Cleaning Business By Creating a Referral Machine

One of the fastest ways to grow your cleaning business is to get referrals from your current customers. There may be times when a customer will pass your company's name along without any prompting from you. However, to really get your clients to work for you, it's important to encourage referrals. You do this by developing and implementing a business generating strategy.

A business generating strategy may sound complicated, but it's really quite simple. All you need to do is set up a system to track where referrals come from, and then reward the individuals (including your own employees) or companies that have sent new business your way.

Before you begin actively seeking referrals, take a look at your clients and make sure that they are happy with your services. If you're not sure how they feel about your cleaning services, send out a customer survey to see what areas they are happy with and where you might need improvement. There are also a few simple, but often neglected rules of courtesy that you should adhere to:

* Make sure that you show up on time to clean buildings. If you are delayed for some reason, explain why you were late to your customer.

* Take care of any complaints quickly.

* Do what you say you are going to do - whether it is dropping off supplies or showing up for a meeting with a customer. And remember, whenever you are meeting with a customer, turn off your cell phone!

* Always remember to say please and thank you.

You may provide the best cleaning service in your part of the country, but what your customer will remember is that one time you had a meeting and your cell phone went off or the time a complaint went unanswered.

Once you are happy with the level of service you are providing your customers, it's time to set up your "referral machine". Begin by deciding what type of rewards you will give your customers (and employees) for sending referrals your way. Are you just going to send thank you notes, or will you send gifts? Gift certificates are an excellent way to reward customers who send referrals; and cash is a good incentive for employees.

How do you get referrals from your cleaning customers? Ask! Think of the different ways you communicate with your customers.

1. When sending out monthly invoices include a referral form that they can pass along to anyone looking for cleaning services. Make sure you have a tracking number on the form or a place where they can write their name so they get the credit for the referral.

2. Do you send out a newsletter? That's the perfect place to let your customers know you appreciate your business and that you are accepting new cleaning customers.

3. Call or schedule an appointment with your current customers to discuss how things are going. Ask if you can send them a referral form that they can keep on hand.

4. Ask for testimonials from your current customers. Then print part of their testimonial on a referral form that they can give to people who are looking for a cleaning service.

5. Put together a list of the individuals and business that could send referrals to you. This includes not only current customers, but employees, networking groups, suppliers and professional service providers (your accountant, lawyer, tax preparer, etc.) Send information to all the individuals on your list letting them know you are building your business and are looking for referrals.

6. People are busy with their own lives and their own businesses. So it is important that you thank them when they take the time to send a new customer your way. Taking the time to send a thank you shows that you appreciate the referral.

As any successful business owner will tell you, referrals from current customers are the best way to grow your business. Indeed, it is more cost-effective to give cash and gifts to individuals that send referrals your way than to it is to run an ads in your local media. Provide good service to your cleaning customers and remind them you are growing your business and the referrals you get will pay off much better than any money you spend on an advertising campaign.

Steve Hanson is co-founding member of The Janitorial Store (TM), an online community that offers weekly tips, articles, downloads, discussion forums, and more for anyone who would like to learn [http://www.thejanitorialstore.com/]how to start a cleaning business. Visit The Janitorial Store's blog and get inspired by reading [http://www.cleaning-success.com/]cleaning success stories from owners of cleaning companies.

Copyright (c) 2007 The Janitorial Store

How To Start An Office Cleaning Business - Tips From The Pros

You're looking to make a little extra cash or you need a job. Office cleaning is an easy, low-cost business that will make you more money than you ever dreamed of! In fact, many of the pros I interviewed said they started out intending to remain small, as a one or two person operation, but soon had so much business they were either farming it out or had to hire help! It's up to you what and how you want to build your office cleaning business.

To be successful as an office cleaning business, you need to start out knowing as much as you can about every aspect of running your business. It's not just going out and buying some cleaning supplies, knock on some doors, print up some fliers and away you go! There are some very important steps to take before you ever step foot into your first clients office and the pros are going to guide you through the process.

Tip #1-You need a business license or fictitious name AND be bonded

Getting a business license or fictitious name or DBA-Doing Business (depends on where you live as to which), is relatively easy and well worth the $25 or $30. First decide on what you want to call your cleaning business, it should be short and memorable, although using your name will do nicely, too. Call either your city or county recorder's office or clerk and ask about how to apply. A lot of cities and counties have websites that will give you this information. Then, follow the procedure, and within a few days you'll have your business license or fictitious name certificate.

Next you'll need to get a bond. What is a bond? Bonding insurance is for protection of the person you clean for just in case you break something or you hire someone they might steel something the insurance will pay the person back. The pros suggest you call around to various insurance agents to find the best deal. You don't need a million dollar bond, but probably a $100,000 will do. Most of the pros have say it should cost you somewhere between $100-$300 a year and if you don't find that kind of rate at first--keep calling insurance companies! Later, as you hire workers, you will, also, need liability and worker's compensation insurance. But for now, a bond will do.

By being bonded and having a certificate that shows that to potential clients, it eliminates an objection in the clients' mind. After all, you are going to be in the clients' business office after hours and he/she needs to feel confident you are trustworthy.

Additionally, now you can set up a business account using your business licence, fictitious name or DBA certificate. This is important for taxes and makes you more viable.

Tip #2-Getting Your Cleaning Supplies

Most of the pros recommend you purchase your cleaning supplies at a big discount store and don't forget to check the dollar stores, too! You'll need things like:

glass cleaner

furniture polish

general all purpose cleaner

trash bags-in various sizes

rags

dust cloth and/or broom

toilet bowl cleaner and brush

paper towels

vacuum-preferably a little weight or easy to carry one

-anything else you can think of.

One pro suggested that you buy several plain spray bottles to transfer your cleaning supplies so your clients won't know what products you are using. Another made a point of saying some good, solid durable cleaning equipment is a must.

Tip #3-Where and How to Find Customers

Here's what some of the pros do:

* "I have a cleaning business and I have found that profits are better to clean smaller businesses and new home construction."

* "I stopped into real estate offices with business cards, put an ad in the Yellow pages, and put fliers around. After that, all I tried to do was be as professional as possible. I think it's very important to look the part. Get a nice clean truck, get it tastefully lettered with a nice logo, and also get some shirts. When you're going around to the few accounts you get in the beginning, you'll be noticed along the way. "

* "Also, advertising is relatively inexpensive. Flyiers and word of mouth seemed to be my best marketing tool. Offer a discount or free clean for new customers or as a referral bonus for your clients who refer new business. But the most important piece of advice I can give you is to get bonded/insured. It doesn't cost that much and it gives clients piece of mind."

* "no, don't hire a telemarketer. Make a flier on your computer, make a bunch of copies and post on store bulletin boards, on car windshields, doors, etc. also, you could send a business card and flyer to real estate agents in your area that could suggest your services to clients moving or for their own rental properties for move-ins/outs. Another method is to browse the rentals section of the newspaper and either call or mail a flier/card to landlords. Placing a classified ad in the services section of the newspaper is good too. Make sure you always carry your biz cards w/ you and hand them out at every opportunity...with tips at restaurants, when paying bills, leave them on a table in a store or bathroom."

This should give you a good start on the right foot!

Kate Carpenter has been cleaning offices for many years and really increased her income by following these tips! Learn more tips and resources at http://www.squidoo.com/StartAnOfficeCleaningBusiness

Start A Cleaning Business The Fast And Easy Way

By J.C. Williams

Nobody likes to have to answer to someone else so the best job in the world would be one in which you would be your own boss. An ideal job is a job where you answer to no-one but yourself. An ideal job is a job where you can choose your own working hours and set your own wage. So where do you get one of these ideal jobs?

You can have the best job in the world and be your own boss with your own cleaning business. A cleaning business is a fairly low risk business to start and you can choose whether you will work part time or full time hours. You can set your own cleaning rate and you can often earn a full time income by working part time hours.

A cleaning business doesn't require a lot of start up cost and it doesn't require a lot of time to start up. It is a business that as soon as you start getting some clients you can get to work straight away.

The first thing that you will need to do to start your cleaning business is to get hold of some cleaning products. You can start off with the basics and then later on you can get any other products that may be required. Most cleaning jobs will usually only require the basic products.
The next thing that you will need to do is to get some customers. You will need to decide whether you will do cleaning for businesses or for homes and then take the necessary steps to get some clients.

If you decide to do house cleaning here are some ways that you can gain some clients:

* Give out fliers at shopping centers or put in people's letter boxes. You can easily whip up a nice flier on your computer with your name and the service you are advertising.

* Put up a notice on local notice boards or at your children's school

* Place an ad in your local paper

* Ask your friends if they need a cleaner or if they know of anyone who does - many cleaning clients are often gained by word of mouth.

If you decide to clean for businesses you can gain clients by:

* Putting flyers in their letterboxes

* Placing an ad in your local paper

* Visiting businesses personally and letting them know of your service - this is probably the most successful method.

Once you have started your cleaning business as long as you work well and do a good job for your clients they will want to keep you as your cleaner. If they are happy with your work they are likely to refer other businesses or friends to your service also.
When you have a few clients that are happy with your work you can also ask them if they would give you a letter of recommendation or a short testimonial about your work that you can then use to advertise for new clients.

As your business grows you may need to hire some staff to help with the workload. This is when your business can really take off and become very profitable. If you hire staff make sure that they are reliable and will work efficiently as you want to keep a good name for your business.
A cleaning business can be a very profitable business as long as you work well and keep your clients happy. With little start up cost a cleaning business is a fast and simple way to generate a nice income and see income coming in quite quickly.

Learn everything you need to know to start a successful cleaning business by visiting the author's website: [http://www.startacleaningbusinessnow.com]Start A Cleaning Business Now