Solo Professionals Ideas

Have you started your office cleaning business yet? Are you hesitating or frustrated in getting new leads and more business? Don't get stuck in a rut, start thinking like your potential customer does. Customer service and customer care are becoming a dying art in today's marketplace, no matter what companies say.

Let's look at your office cleaning business from your potential customers' point of view. Maybe you have a few clients that can give you testimonials or reference letters...that's great! But a potential customer still might not be convinced. Why not give him something free! I don't mean a magnet, pen or some other type of promotional piece. Offer to clean their office for a week Free!

Wait a minute, you say, I could be doing a lot of work for nothing! That could be true, if you don't set it up correctly. Yes, you tell the potential client you're so confident in your work, you'll clean his office for free the first week of service. But, you have a contract or agreement already made up that states if the client signs up for a month, the fee is for 3 weeks instead of four. Should he be dissatisfied with your service, you'll refund the two weeks of prepayment. A different approach is to have the contract made for one week, prepaid. When the client likes your service and signs a long-term contract, the one week prepayment is applied to the long-term payments. This way, you gain a customer and the client feels he is getting a good deal.

This method is also good to gain feedback about your service. Since the potential client has nothing to loose-except one week payment of your service-the customer is more likely to give you honest, constructive feedback. Keep in mind, though, there are always people who like to complain--about anything! Do not take everything personally. Analyze and use the feedback to make your service the best it can be and knock out the competition.

After you have acquired a few clients, it's time to seek referrals. Referrals are the life blood of sales. All great salespeople depend on them, as they are so much easier to close than a cold call customer. How do you do it? Again, offer free service to your existing client. Type up a letter that briefly outlines your service and your relationship to your client. Then offer them a free week of service for every referral they give to you that signs a contract with you. You may be out a week of pay, but you gained another long-term customer that you didn't have before!

These are just a few ideas to get your cleaning business going or expanded. Think "outside the box". Think creatively. Think like your potential customer does. Then your business will blossom and grow.