[kimberley]

Hi, i'm 28 and just started a small cleaning business~It started off working for other people {like u do} and was fed up earning others money and having nothing myself, being a mum of 2 daughters i want to give them more.. Ive now done some business courses, health & saftey, also first aid.. ive just bought a van, and having it sign writen  next week, ive had polo-t-shirts done with Domestic & Commercial cleaning on them my business name and stuff, also put business cards in shops all local & advertised on yell.com, but ive still not even had 1 call  . i'm a popular person in my area with good points and my mum and sister are known as very good cleaners with a high rep.. But the work just wont come in Grrrrrrrrrrrrr! lol~ Can anyone help me with maybe where abouts i should advertise more hints and tips of what i could do, i'd be well gratefull*. If anyone takes time to read and maybe help Thanku all very much...

[Gerry Styles]

Yell - waste of money
 when I first started I knocked doors put out leaflets and used local papers and magazines. Found it lomg and hard but got there in the end. You could also try Letting and Estate Agents. If there is any building work, new housing try leaflets around there, it might also pay to look in at the sales office on site as well.

Good luck

[BDCS]

Yell.com - pants, they put me on for 4 months by mistake and I never knew till they billed me !
  Try the local parish magazines and do yourself a website, contact anyone advertising holiday lets and ask if they need an end of let cleaner. It will soon come but you have to be patient, work at it but but waste money on Yell

[clinton]

So how long have you been trading then?If you are doing flyers they need to be good quality and easy to read with just a few  bullet points..people just bin them most of the time..Sounds like you have started the right way with your set up v professional :)aiay will take time and the word of mouth will get you lots of work.. clinton

[mr merson]

Where are you based ?  You can do very well , you just need a leg up  You have done all the right things so far  For free impartial advice , give me a call - 07892 764 854 

[proclene]

Good things come to those who wait!
Allow yourself at least 2 years to become established and around 3-5 to be working full time and earning decent money.

Derek

[kimberley]

Thanks guys for all the advice...   

[dianegreenwood]

Hi Kimberley

Only a newbie myself, started business in April.  See topic 'Whats the best form of advertising' for some ideas to get you started.

I was panicking in April because we completed a grand total of 37 hours cleaning but in July we will do 360 hours so just work your butt off all day then do all your paperwork and lots of research on this forum and elsewhere by night!

I'm off to bed, I'm knackered lol

Kind Regards

Diane

www.freshlymaid.co.uk

[Ian Gourlay]

Diane

Well done

Like your Web site


Hope you charge a decent rate to leave profit for reinvestment

[myvanwi]

Hi Kimberley

Only a newbie myself, started business in April.  See topic 'Whats the best form of advertising' for some ideas to get you started.

I was panicking in April because we completed a grand total of 37 hours cleaning but in July we will do 360 hours so just work your butt off all day then do all your paperwork and lots of research on this forum and elsewhere by night!

I'm off to bed, I'm knackered lol

Diane
I think your website is really appealing to potential clients. We have been in business for eighteen months and we are all absolutely drained both physically and mentally through 'working our butts off' too. I see that you offer other services besides cleaning and we did offer very similar services when we first started, but we dropped them after deciding that there was no market for it in this area. Do you find that your extra services are popular? Also I hope you dont mind me asking, but the information gathered on each client, that we put into a plastic wallet and is left in the clients home, and you do something similar, what format does this take? For example ours has a checklist of tasks, a second page for client requests and supervisors comments. We have not found the best way to ensure that all tasks are carried out on a rotational basis, it seems too complicated to explain to cleaners, especially newish staff what needs to be done on what date at each house without going over and over it and continually writing lists and lists every week. How do you do this? Do you clean offices and if so how do you find this works with employing staff for just a couple of hours morning or evening. I wish you well for your business
Myvanwi

Kind Regards

Diane

www.freshlymaid.co.uk

[Paul Heath]

I see you are based in Devon have got into change over services for holiday homes? Get a web site up and running,advertise in the local/parish mags, don't bother with Yell etc waste of money and expensive. Also get call divert on your phone so you can divert to your mobile and always answer your phone. Don't turn anything down as you never know what it might lead to!! There is loads of work out there its just tapping into the market. All the best.

[dianegreenwood]

Hi Myvanwi

Thanks for the feedback on my website and from Ian too

I see that you offer other services besides cleaning

The extras we offer aren't really being taken up but I think people like the idea of a company that will take care of them, so even if we don't sell any it seems to attract people to us.  However, the fact that we will do the ironing on site and that we will change the beds is proving VERY popular so I would definitely recommend that as its been a big selling point.

Re our home manual, it sounds like yours is similar although we include a copy of our insurance documents. 

I prepare a new checklist on a clipboard for every visit.  I decide when each rotational task is to be done and highlight it on the checklist for that day.  Sounds time consuming, but actually I just reprint and if there are 2 or more visits in a week I just use one list.  The supervisors role is to tick each item, sign and date and then swap it for the previous weeks in the home manual.

I'd welcome help on this as I'm sure theres an easier way!!

Give me a call if you want a chat.

Cheers

Diane

www.freshlymaid.co.uk