[Mean Clean]

We're new here, and sorry to jump in with what is probably an age old question.....I did search the FAQ's but couldn't get more than a couple of tips, and to be honest, wanted more - much  more !

We're not only new here in this forum, but sort of new to cleaning as well .....well actually, new to picking up new work. We're a family team and for a good few years we have been running a cleaning company with just one or 2 contracts - sort of a "side line" to be honest as we had other business commitments going, but now we're free to concentrate on just cleaning as other work has ended. We do commercial office cleaning and handle a number of buildings for one major customer ( London city offices) , and another one for a quality furnishings showroom. But now we are ready to expand we're not sure what's the best way to go about  drumming up new contracts. Is it all down to the dreaded cold calling? Isn't there a better way?! No one ever seemed to respond before to leaflets and flyers and we ended up feeling like it was a total waste of time. How do you go about contacting and getting interest from local businesses, for exampe the local car showroom, or local offices? What is the best way ? When we cold calll we just end up feeling like a nuisance.....any suggestions would be gratefully taken on board. We got out existing 2 contracts through 1 very lucky cold call years ago ( out of goodness knows how many we made) ! and the other one contacted us - not sure how they got our details.

We also want to know what's the best way to go about getting sub contract work?

Help please !!! 

[martin19842]

well what can i say.

welcome to the big wide world of business.

sell, sell, sell.

cold call, phones, door knocking, referrals, mailshots.  lots and lots of activity, and reactivity.

a web site, not to gain business, but to show case your business.

ask your existing clients, if they know anyone else who is looking for cleaners, or are unhappy with their current supplier.

door knock 10 clients either side of your existing clients,

" hello we have a contract down the road, like to let you know about our services, do u have cleaners at the moment "? yes , greathow are they doing ? ok, great heres our info for if you get any issues,

or great when do you review the contracts? make  a note, then call back when they review.

the question is how much activity do you expect to do, to win one new client

everybody will have a differing success rate, i knew one company that would make 25000 outgoing calls a month, and get 2000 appointments.

others will make a lot less calls, but target a whole lot better, to achieve a better potential success rate.

you should be looking ahead, how many clients do you want in 6 months, 9 months and 12 months? that will determine  an activity level.

thats a start for you

regards

martin

[Alan Rowley]

A website is a must. There are several cleaners in my town, but we are the only ones with a website. Gets us quite a bit of work, especially once you've got them indexed by Google.

[Samuel]

Never feel like you are being a nuisance..... You are offering your services to other people who are in business.

When I first started out, I too was a bit shy, and did everything by mail without a follow up call. After six months and no replies, I soon got over the shyness and decided that in order to keep my business, I had to be brash and meet with potential clients.

I literally go to a prospective client and when they say 'Can I help you ?', I normally respond, 'Actually, I'm here to help you'.

Introduce yourself and your business, together with p.l. insurance and tell them what you can do for them.

I guarantee they will not bite your head off. Try it!

[Alfa]

Samuel you are right they do not bite but I still do  not feel confident to go on the potential clients' doors and offer them our help. We have one letting agency which gives us 3-4 jobs per week and we want to go around all local lettings to let them know about us. Every day we say"today is the day let's go and find jobs" and we do not go.......... We feel embarrassed and I know, that in the end of the day we are the losers.

[Andy Foster]

I understand totally how you feel, I felt the same way until I ran out of money and then the penny dropped, no-one is going to do it for me!

Please don't let yourself get to that point before doing something about it.

I had to bite the bullet and get out of my comfort zone and do it!
Pleased to say that ever since, it has been OK and haven't had to do it again... yet!!!

Good luck.

Andy

[BDCS]

If you can't do it find somebody who can ! pay them for it !

[marcusj]

What is the worst that can happen Nevy?
Before going to potential clients run it through in your mind picture yourself words flowing freely out of your mouth, the clients hanging on every word the more you speak the more they want you.
Your voice clear concise a big ray of sunshine flooding over you, you are the one and they want you.
Slightly tongue in cheek but the more you run through the potential meeting in a positive light the easier it will be.
I bet when you run through it at the moment your fumbling for words hot sweaty you heart is pounding.
Have a play with it and i am sure you will notice a difference.

[dustee]

experiencing the same issues myself ( and i thought it was just me )
but as you say time to get in peoples faces  nothing to lose except a business/livelihood