Cleaning Service, Advice on Getting Customers
- Thread starter astral_stardust
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SugarBooty
Registered Member
- May 31, 2010
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I have a friend who does this and she makes 2G a month, off-the-books. She has absolutely no advertising or business acumen and all her clients are from word-of-mouth advertising. She mostly cleans for Navy officer wives. I'm sure if she had any business and advertising smarts, she could have a small army of cleaners doing the work while she stays at home and collect checks by now.
farfetchedmoney
Regular Member
- Oct 9, 2008
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Does she do this on a military base?
chocolatemonkey
Junior Member
- Dec 20, 2009
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Great piece of advice. Opened my eyes, so I'd like to thank you for that.
I guess my issue was when I was trying to sell a network marketing company's nutritional product line when I was 16. Seemed I had little way of giving them a "pay nothing if you're not satisfied, no money up-front" type of guarantee like you mentioned because they had to buy the product first, rather than pay for it AFTER they were satisfied.
Even though they had a 30 day money-back guarantee, it didn't have the same effect as your "free upfront and pay if you don't have any issue with it" approach.
Its my understanding that using your suggested strategy isn't possible with something more structured/unflexible like a network marketing business model where they HAVE to pay upfront, though I know it will work in many other businesses like your upholstery start-up, for example. However, please do correct my assumption about it not working in network marketing if you don't agree and have another take on it.
As an aside, I have nothing against that network marketing company and I don't blame them for my failure in that venture. In fact, I have nothing against network marketing at all, it just seems that age was an issue for it, since I couldn't offer your innovative guarantee. Again, please correct me if I'm wrong and you see a way that I could have integrated such a guarantee.
Thanks again for being such a great mentor to me and others like myself on this forum.
GhostRider1982
Newbie
- Jun 28, 2010
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What I would do is scope out some of the competitors and under cut their prices. Once you figure out a wage that you think you could live with, start calling businesses and offer your services. Like others have said, offer your service free of charge for a couple of days to prove that you are reliable and good at the job.
- Mar 10, 2010
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I think a work around that for a network marketing operation (I'm no fan of MLM myself) would be to offer to pay for the initial outlay for your down line and to do that you would really have to be committed to the product line and have some deep pockets.
Depending on your personality and thought processes, there are a lot of different things someone young could do that generate revenue and that you would be able to offer an iron clad guarantee. Almost any service business could be an avenue to decent revenue and many can be entered into without a boat load of capital.
A few ideas: janitorial service, pressure washing company, window washing company, property locator for real estate investors, landscaping business, carpet dying business, courier service, assembly business...
Kick around the idea of something that you find interesting in the service industry and you would be surprised what you can come up with that can be turned into a profitable business.
chocolatemonkey
Junior Member
- Dec 20, 2009
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Yeah that's what I figured - like you said though, large capital outlay, and who's to say they'll pay for the 2nd month and thereafter, since they got it for free the first month and hence have no money into it, which leads to zero motivation or dedication. Not to mention it appears to be of less value to them because they essentially got it for free at first.
Great advice about service businesses. My issue in past business ventures has been finding reliable employees that actually show up to work and do what's expected of them. Any advice on how to find stellar employees for service-related businesses?
Sorry I don't mean to barrage you with questions like a troll, it just seems like my questions lead to other questions. Haha.
Thanks again!
- Mar 10, 2010
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As to getting reliable employees for a service business, I did what an old boss, Mr. Burkhardt, did for me when I worked as a baker's helper. I was 16 when I got the job and was paid a whopping 2.00 per hour and had to be at work at 4:00 in the morning. On payday, there would always be an extra few dollars in the paycheck.
The first paycheck I got, I went to him and told him that it was wrong as there was an extra few dollars in there. He stated that whenever an employee does a good job, he rewards them with extra in their check.
He made it tough to not do a good job even though it sucked getting up at 3:00 to ride my bike to work.
The first paycheck I got, I went to him and told him that it was wrong as there was an extra few dollars in there. He stated that whenever an employee does a good job, he rewards them with extra in their check.
He made it tough to not do a good job even though it sucked getting up at 3:00 to ride my bike to work.
consciousnesscreates
Power Member
- Feb 17, 2010
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Uk go on best contract you cant just go say hire me to people.
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THis is differece between shitty UK and uSA you think USA is bad but its not that bad where I m stuck living.
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THis is differece between shitty UK and uSA you think USA is bad but its not that bad where I m stuck living.
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- Mar 10, 2010
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I don't know where you are living but your post makes no sense.
consciousnesscreates
Power Member
- Feb 17, 2010
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I am in UK
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Here you have to bid for the cleaning contract at councils, schools etc.
The best and cost effective contract wins the six months or yearly cleaning contract.
- Mar 10, 2010
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I've bid on a lot of different government contracts for anything from bottled water service to courier service to landscaping in the US and the criteria is not always the cost.
Governments have to make sure that the bidder can do the work and often will want to meet with the management/owner and see if they have the equipment and resources required.
When it comes to the private sector, money is almost never the thing that makes the deal when I sell a product or service. I sell using a relationship method, i.e., I find out what makes the buyer tick, what makes them trust me as the seller.
I once got a contract for 8,000.00 a week working like that and overbid my closest competitor by 1200.00 a week. Nice contract that lasted 2 and a half years. I made enough off of that contract to buy my parents a new home.
SugarBooty
Registered Member
- May 31, 2010
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No. She does it for the military members who live off base. She couldn't get in the base if she wanted to.
There are just loads of us Floridians here, aren't there? I would recommend getting in contact with real estate / property management companies in your area. Depending on where you are (and I'm sorry if I missed it if you stated - I'm on my phone while eating sushi and didn't have the patience to read the whole thread) if you are in an area with tourism, get in with a property management company that handles vacation rentals. You can get in contact with companies / homeowners who handle short-term rental properties on websites like homeaway.com and vrbo.com. Although you'll generally make less per cleaning (hint: outsource the work), you'll have a regular and steady source of income as these companies are turning over properties on a weekly basis.
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pyronaut
Senior Member
- Dec 9, 2008
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From my point of view, if you can sell a business for several months revenue let's say 10 months. And in that 10 months you would have made 100k had you kept it. If you sell it right now for 100k. First thing is you have the money right now. And number 2. In those 10 months that you would have otherwise been running the business, you can focus your efforts on another business, and have it turning over profits within the 10 month time frame.
flexpaydude
Elite Member
- May 30, 2009
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True entrepreneur...really enjoy reading these posts.
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