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