| Are you thinking of starting your own cleaning | | | | first (Allstate, Nationwide, State Farm, etc). Some |
| business?Here is a great starting point:Step by | | | | other places of interest may be will give you |
| step instructions to getting set up for | | | | quotes from lots of companies. If you do a |
| success!First and foremost, you have to decide | | | | search for liability insurance for small businesses, |
| what area of cleaning you would like to do. Do | | | | you will find a lot of companies.Next is bonding. |
| you have an interest in doing residential or | | | | Bonding is there to protect you and your |
| commercial cleaning? With residential cleaning, you | | | | company against theft. The way bonding works is |
| will be working in your clients home. With | | | | if your client accuses you or an employee of |
| commercial, you will work in office buildings, | | | | theft, the police are involved. They will do a |
| apartments, restaurants, construction sites, etc. | | | | criminal investigation. If they find you or your |
| Residential is usually done during the day and | | | | employee guilty, the bond pays out and you then |
| commercial is done after hours. Decide what is | | | | repay the bond. Some clients want you to be |
| most appealing to you. You can even do both. It | | | | covered and people will get it as a marketing tool. |
| is best to start out small and, once you get the | | | | It is up to you if you want to purchase it. You |
| experience, you can move on to offering many | | | | can ask who is carrying your insurance if they |
| services.Set yourself apart from others. If you | | | | offer bonding and add it on to your policy.Okay, |
| offer residential house cleaning and you have a lot | | | | you are bonded, licensed, insured and physically |
| of competition in your area, you may want to | | | | ready to start. Now you need to get |
| offer a "special touch" to your cleaning services. | | | | clients...Marketing is the trickiest, most frustrating |
| For example, offer bed turnovers, laundry service | | | | and time-consuming part of this business. Once |
| (if that is your thing), and dish washing. Never | | | | you get some clients, the ball will start rolling more |
| compromise your prices to try to get ahead of | | | | by word-of-mouth, but for now, you need to |
| the competition!Now that you know what you are | | | | advertise...Flyers are the cheapest and are best |
| interested in and what sort of business you want | | | | for getting just your area. Now, you can't put |
| to set up, you can get started on the business | | | | them in people's mailboxes without going through |
| side of it.First step in setting up your business is | | | | the post office...it is illegal. But, you can put them |
| deciding on a business name. You need to set up | | | | on people's doors and cars. Basically, put them |
| a business name before you can get a license or | | | | anywhere you go which has a bulletin board |
| go any further. Your name should be catchy. You | | | | (supermarket, post office, supply stores, etc). |
| want your potential clients to go straight to yours. | | | | One great way to gain commercial clientele is to |
| The trick to being at the top of the list is to start | | | | compile a list from the phone book of businesses |
| your name with the letter "A". Having a name | | | | and fax your flyer to them. You will be surprised |
| that ties you to the community works best, in | | | | at how much feedback you will receive. Other |
| my opinion. For example, if you live in Westtown, | | | | than that, get listed as much as you can on the |
| you can call your business, "A+ Westtown | | | | internet. There are many local websites which will |
| Cleaning Services". Just make sure no one else | | | | list you for free. Do a search as if you were |
| took that name first. Try to get creative as | | | | looking for a cleaning professional in your area and |
| well.Now that you have a name, you can get | | | | see what comes up. Whatever directories come |
| licensed. Here is a link to the SBA, to see what | | | | up, list there, even if you have to pay for it. |
| sort of business license you will need in your | | | | Remember, you have to spend money to make |
| state. Just find your state, click on it and go over | | | | money!Another good advertising technique is the |
| to the licensing area. Many will just need to | | | | community newspaper. It is cheap, about $10 |
| register with the state and will not need a license, | | | | week and everyone gets one for free. |
| but it varies.... . After you check with your state, | | | | After that we go up in price. Getting in the |
| try your local, township office. Sometimes, they | | | | yellow pages is expensive and you can only get in |
| want to know about your business as well and | | | | at the right time of the year when they are |
| you may need approval. Just make sure all ground | | | | publishing their new book. Call for rates. |
| is covered so you don't run into any surprises. I | | | | When you are ready, get a website. Once you |
| actually went to a township meeting this month | | | | have a website submitted to the search engines, |
| and they discussed another individual wanting to | | | | you will start to come up with the search results. |
| start a business selling cars on EBay. He said the | | | | For example, if you live in Seattle and someone is |
| cars would be in a garage and never seen by | | | | searching for a cleaner in Seattle, your site will |
| neighbors, but he still needed to get approval. This | | | | come up. This will be very beneficial since most |
| surprised me. I never thought about township | | | | people will search while they are at work.Alright, |
| approval. You also need to check on sales tax. | | | | now you are advertised and you should be |
| Some services are being charged sales tax. Check | | | | getting that first call any day now...but what are |
| to see if you need to collect sales tax from your | | | | you going to get asked and are you ready to |
| customers.Once you are licensed, it is time to set | | | | answer questions?They are going to first ask |
| up the paperwork part of your business. You will | | | | what your rates are. Do you know what you |
| need a service contract for your clients to sign | | | | want to charge? Keep it simple. I see people |
| with a list of your policies and procedures. You will | | | | charging flat rates to all these extras. Don't |
| need a checklist to record what you did during | | | | confuse your potential clients and don't make it |
| each cleaning. Those are the most important and | | | | seem more difficult. This will turn them away. Be |
| "necessary" forms you will need. Sound | | | | straight to the point. Have all you want to offer |
| overwhelming? Do you have the time and skill to | | | | and rates written out and ready for their call. You |
| develop these forms? Go to You can get all you | | | | will be determining the time you will be spending |
| will need to start your cleaning business including | | | | there by # of bedrooms, bathrooms, square |
| flyers. When you are ready to hire employees or | | | | footage and type of cleaning. It is typically done |
| independent contractors, you can get those | | | | per hour. Most charge anywhere from $20-$30 |
| forms there as well.Alright, now you have a | | | | per hour. Typically, ovens, fridges, laundry, etc is |
| business name, license and the paperwork. You | | | | not included. Make sure you know what you will |
| are getting closer...Next you need insurance. | | | | and will not be doing. Larger commercial buildings |
| Insurance is a MUST. There are so many things | | | | are generally done by square footage. The |
| you can run into and you should be protected. | | | | amount per square foot varies greatly. If you |
| You may think you can get away with it, but, | | | | want a better idea of the going rate in your area, |
| Murphy's Law, something will happen when you | | | | call other companies and see what they charge. |
| are not prepared. Your clients trust you with their | | | | Stay competitive with their rates. You don't want |
| property. If you should break something, | | | | to go lower thinking that will gain more clients. It |
| especially something expensive, you are | | | | doesn't usually work out that way. Charge what |
| responsible. If you don't want to pay for a $1000 | | | | you feel you are worth and your clients will feel |
| item out of pocket, get insurance. For commercial | | | | you are worth it too.Next they will ask you if you |
| businesses, you will, more than likely, be required | | | | are licensed, insured and bonded. Hopefully, you |
| to have it in order to get clients. Most will not hire | | | | can say YES and give them piece of mind.Lastly, |
| without insurance and a particular amount of | | | | hopefully, they will ask if you are available and will |
| insurance. You will mainly only need liability | | | | book you!It may seem overwhelming reading this, |
| insurance, but be sure you talk to the carriers | | | | but it will become second nature once you get |
| about the best coverage. Make sure you shop | | | | started.Good luck with your business endeavors! |
| around for your quotes. Call your local carriers | | | | |