Here's how to Overcome the #1 Objection

"We already have a cleaning service." Ever heard that before?

Well, the fact is that most cleaning services out there are not doing a good job at all. They rush through the cleaning process, do very little dusting if any and they are not giving the customer their moneys worth at all.

So, what do you say to that? You say this,

"I understand. Are they doing a good job for you?"

At this point you should perform the simple 3 second test as explained in the Instant Office Cleaning Kit on page 39 and then say:

"I'd like to submit a competitive bid for you to keep on file because things change"

Nobody wants to be a pushover but your not asking them to hire you at this point and your really not trying to sell them anything either. You want to give them something for free. Your just asking to submit your bid to them (page 30)

Think you can do that? Of course you can!

My customers are getting accounts, submitting bids and making money!

You can too!

Start Your Cleaning Business--Click Here!

Get a BIGGER INCOME in a BAD Economy

Did You Know?

Certain business owners are doing very well Right Now!

I'm sure you can guess what one of them is: Doctors offices, Medical offices and Dental offices. Larger Medical practices consisting of several physicians usually have a business name that ends with the words "Group" or "Associates".

This will tip you off that it's a larger business...doing well financially and willing to pay for a private cleaning service such as yours.

Don't forget the Law Offices. Typically, many attorneys are working together out of one office and they also use the words, "Group" or Associates".

Do they know about your cleaning service yet? Have you submitted your service agreement to them? There are many of these offices in your area Right Now, so make sure they know about your cleaning service and remember...

(1.) Submit your bid (the service agreement on pg.30),

(2.) Mail the bid-follow-up letter,(in the Kit on pg. 32)

(3.) Call them about your cleaning service.(see the phone script on pg.39)

Use the Instant Office Cleaning KitInstant Office Cleaning Kit to get started.

Start Your Cleaning Business--Click Here!

A Cleaning Business is Recession-Proof

I just received this email from Sam:

Hello Emilie,

I just want to encourage you. We have all been hearing on the news about the poor economy.

Hard times, etc. The cost of living is high etc. BUT... instead of being hesitate, you can work on your own recession proof business in your own Office Cleaning Business and get it off the ground for peanuts.

There are many affluent and successful businesses that are doing very well, such as Doctors, Medical Groups and CPA offices and many more. These types of businesses are continuing to make money... regardless of the economy.

They are the prime accounts! These are the types of businesses that employ a private cleaning service and...you can provide them with it.

Here is an account that I obtained. It is a perfect example: The office building pays litterally $ 2500. Dollars Every Month. Month after month and the cleaning gets done in only Two and One Half hours each evening.

YOU CAN DO IT TOO!

You can get an account just like this in your area when you use the information contained in the "Instant Office Cleaning Kit"

There is a section in the Kit that includes: THE BEST PROVEN METHODS FOR GETTING CUSTOMERS AND... YOU CAN GET THEM TOO.

Even if you only get one or two of these accounts, it adds up to a LARGE amount of MONEY every month. MONEY from Part-Time hours that will make a big difference to you and your family.

I reccommend the "Kit" to anyone who wants to make ( more money) from Part Time hours. When you use the Kit, there is no reason to be afraid of getting an account like the one I told you about because you can get them just like anyone else.

Even if your cleaning business is small or just getting started.

The "Instant Office Cleaning Book" explains how to do it right and I know it will be a big help to you as it has been for others.

This office cleaning business is recession proof and you can profit from right now!

Learn How!!!

Go to: Start Your Cleaning Business--Click Here!

I really want to encourage you in this business. I am in touch with people who are getting accounts and making money in this business. I know you can do it too

Until next time... Sam

Wow, Sam sure is inspiring! And he ought to know...he's been in the cleaning business for over 20 years! He knows how to get started right and make money!

The "Instant Office Cleaning Book" will give you everything you need to have a recession-proof business.

Start Your Cleaning Business--Click Here!

What Is Your Price?

Many people in the cleaning business make "Price" their key selling point.
When you cave in to a low price, you may be giving money away. Sure,
price matters but it is never at the top of the list for most decision makers.

Standing your ground to sell a quality cleaning service may have a bigger payoff than lowering your price.

There are 2 types of buyers out there. A price based buyer who wants the best deal on every purchase they make and the value based buyer. They want to know what they are going to get for their money. A price buyer will test you to see if you will come down in price... but ... a value buyer will test you to see if you believe in your price and believe in the quality of your service.

You must believe in it before anyone else ever will!

Stand firm and believe that your quality cleaning service is worth the price you are asking. A good response during your discussion with any decision maker is to ask:
"May I explain to you why you would be smart to invest your money in this"?

Prepare to answer that question and
get what you should be paid for your cleaning service!



Start Your Cleaning Business--Click Here!

Thinking about entering the foreclosure market by cleaning up foreclosed homes? Click Here!

If you've got a few cleaning customers and now need an advanced system to keep your business on track and simplify the paperwork Click Here!

More Tips for Your Success

My friend,Sam Rodman,arthor of Clean Up the Profits!, sent me a few fantastic tips to put your cleaning business ahead of your competition. I want to share them with you:

Do you have a slogan?

It has often been said that you can become the vision that you have
of yourself. It is called visualizing and it is something you can do to achieve greater success for your business. Start doing this by putting a sub-title or a slogan underneath your business name. Say something that makes you stand out or better than other cleaning companies. Put it on your business cards and letters and service agreement under your company name.

Remember...
When you are speaking with potential customers, you never want to be seen as someone who is desperate for a sale. Many cleaning companies make that mistake and if they ever do get the account it is always for a low price. Acting desperate for an account will never work in your favor. Acting professional WILL work in your favor.

Ask questions to gather information. Find out what the competition is not doing for them and be seen as someone who is there to help them and not there to sell them anything. You'll be amazed at the difference it makes.

Decision makers are attracted to a cleaning service that can help them, not a cleaning service who needs them. You can do it!


Start Your Cleaning Business--Click Here!

Start the New Year with New Approach

You need to get noticed and recognized among the new account competition of todays market. To do that you want to do things a better way, a different way than your competition and a way that is sometimes more affordable to a potential customer. To win new office cleaning accounts, make changes and be different.

For Example
"More affordable" does not necessarily mean that you make any less money for your cleaning service. Instead...offer to do a light cleaning and then the next time do a full cleaning to save them money. A full cleaning is everything listed on the first page of your service agreement. A light cleaning is simply getting the trash and touching up the restrooms. That's all and it goes very fast!

This can reduce the price per cleaning around 25% for a light cleaning and you'll still do very well. The customer would save money and you would get a new account.

Saving them money is a great way to get your next new account. Suggest it to the decision makers in emails, faxes, phone calls, letters or post cards.


Need a service agreement-Click Here!

Selecting The Best Equipment

What's The Best Vacuum Cleaner To Use?

For many years my cleaning service used a very heavy vacuum cleaner. It was
a commercial upright machine, something I purchased second-hand and could afford. It was really tough and durable, but it was very heavy. Anyone using it would wear themself out pretty quick. Pushing it, pulling it,
lifting and moving it around chairs and furniture. Then I switched to a brand name lightweight upright vacuum called Oreck XL 2000 Upright Commercial 8 lb Vacuum Hypo Filtration. That worked great but it was not cheap.

When you first get started, just use whatever you have. When you are ready to purchase one, get a lightweight vacuum cleaner and you'll be glad you did. The Oreck XL 2000 Upright Commercial 8 lb Vacuum Hypo Filtration weighs just 8 pounds.

The work goes faster with a lightweight vacuum cleaner and it will be easier on the person doing the vacuuming. You don't have to spend a lot of money. Just be sure to get one that is lightweight for your cleaning business and everyone will be happy when they need to use it. Remember an extension cord too.

Start Your Cleaning Business--Click Here!

DUSTING TIPS

A microfiber dust rag is a great thing to have in your
cleaning supplies. The "microfiber rag" is so effective that you
only need water to clean a hard washable surface. Microfibers in the rag act as the cleaning agent.

This rag can actually reduce the money you spend on cleaners. This "Rag" can be used either wet or dry., A microfiber rag can be purchased almost anywhere cleaning supplies are sold. Always start dusting at the highest point in the room and work your way down to the lower areas last.

For those of you that like the more traditional method of using furniture polisher and an old dust rag ,try using a liquid polisher with a soft cloth when dusting. Old cloth diapers make a good dust rag. A wood polisher that moisturizes and preserves wood while toning down scratches and blemishes on the wood makes an excellent choice for a wood polisher.

Get one with lemon oil and contains a sun-guard. This works great on the routine furniture dusting, but should also be used several times a year on wood cabinets in a kitchen or bathroom. The steam from a shower can dry out a wood vanity or wood medicine cabinet.


When dusting a computer keyboard, try using a toothbrush or a small paintbrush to get between all the keys. An old toothbrush can really get in those tiny, small to reach places.

Feather dusters are another good choice for dusting. One made from ostrich feathers is the best because they are natural.

Start Your Cleaning Business--Click Here!

GET A NEW ACCOUNT!!

If you still want a client for your own office cleaning business then first I would re-read the information on "The Best Proven Methods for Getting Customers" in the Start a Cleaning Bussines Kit.

Then I would work on at least 2 of the methods to get a new customer. You must mix them up and not depend on any one way.

The good news is.. that even in this economy, certain businesses
continue to do very well such as doctors, medical, attorneys, and many others.
These are the clients who always employ a private cleaning service
and they will employ yours too! There is lots of bad news on TV these days.

I suppose they are reporting the truth but the truth is also that your office cleaning business Is... Recession-Proof. Remember that because it will serve you well to do so.

You don't have to do anyone any favors when you price an office. You are in business to make money and you can do that with your own office cleaning business.

There are many offices and office buildings in your area right now that are already employing a private cleaning service. Do they know about yours? They should know because one thing leads to another. I could go on about this but enough for now.

Always stay persistant and use different methods on a regular basis.

Start Your Cleaning Business--Click Here!

Frequency Of Cleaning Effects Your Price

Start Your Cleaning Business--Click Here!

WHEN CLEANING HOUSES OR OFFICES
INCREASE OR LOWER YOUR PRICE
BASED ON FREQUENCY

Don't shortchange yourself. Whenever a customer wants you to lower the frequency in which the cleaning takes place, (meaning they want it done 1 time a week instead of 5 times a week)this is always justification for increasing your price for the individual cleaning to be done. Keep that in mind.

The less often you show up to do the cleaning, the more time consuming the
cleaning will be. Sometimes a customer who wants to save money will only
want their home or office cleaned once a week or even once a month.

That is up to them, but it will take you longer to do the job. The cleaning that takes place will require more trash be removed and the restrooms will take longer to clean because they have not been done in a while. So, raise your price for the cleaning whenever someone wants it done less often or you'll wish you had.

EXAMPLE-

If I estimate a job to be cleaned at $90 dollars for an individual cleaning
to be done 5 times a week, but the customer informs me that they only want it done once a month, I would at least double the price and it would be worth every penny!

Also keep in mind that whatever price you agree on with the customer,they are going to expect a good job from you. Make sure you know exactly what they do expect before you give them a price. You don't want to give them a price and then afterwards find out they also expect you to do this and that.
Make sure they look at your service agreement, in the first place, and
you both know what is expected each time you show up to do the job.

Got a Service Agreement form? Need bid forms? Still not completely sure how to run your cleaning business right? Start Your Cleaning Business--Click Here!

Who Should Buy the Paper Product Supplies?

Start Your Cleaning Business--Click Here!

Here's a Cleaning Tip

Who pays for paper products at an office? You know, the toilet paper, the folding paper towels and the rolls of paper towels. The decision
maker for a large office building told me that he wanted my price to
include all of the paper products used in the building. No way!!

Janitorial supply businesses are commonly the source of all paper
products for small offices and large office buildings. I would respectfully
suggest to the office manager that they set up an account with a local janitorial supply store. You can be responsible for ordering these paper products when they are low and they can be delivered to the office and paid for by the office.

This is how it should be done. There is no way that you can know how much paper products they may use in an office or office building. For this reason I suggest that you offer to order them for the office as need be, but not pay for them.

Just order them when they are low and the janitorial supply company
should bill the office or the decision maker who has set up an account
for doing it this way.


Remember...the happiest people don't necessarily have the best of everything. They just make the best of everything.

Start Your Cleaning Business--Click Here!

Research Your Customer's Business BEFORE You Bid

Start Your Cleaning Business--Click Here!

BIDDING TIP


This is a great icebreaker that you can use for your cleaning business and it will really work to your advantage, too!

Briefly study up and read some information on the internet about the business (or industry) that you are going to give your bid to.


You can easily and quickly do a search online for some interesting fact or current development associated with the type of business that your potential customer is in before you meet them in person.

For example:

If you know that on Monday morning you are going to go and give a bid to the decision maker of an advertising agency.

Briefly look for some facts about that industry (from a quick search on Google or Yahoo) such as the growth in general and/or the trend in general of that type of business. Using this information in small talk would then be very influential if you were applying for a job to work there as an employee or submitting a bid because they would be impressed with your knowledge of their business and they would remember their conversation with you because of it. Few if any cleaning business owners do a little homework like this before going in to submit a bid and talk with a decision maker.

When you do meet the decision maker, you can mention to them that you read, (such and such) about the business (their business).

You will find them to be very impressed by your knowledge of their business and it will actually assist you in getting their office as a new account and in gaining their favor before you even begin to talk about the price for your cleaning service. Make this small talk / facts /a part of your bidding process because it will help you get the account.


Remember...

You can't make someone employ your cleaning service, and sure...

it is a decision makers choice to hire your cleaning

service, or not, but it is your decision to try to get the account.

Afterall, there is a lot at stake. Steady monthly cash flow is at stake.

Increased income is at stake and quite a good amount of it too.

There is no other cleaning service that is going to do a better job

than you will. You have something of value to offer any office or office

building in town. Even if they are not interested at the moment.

The moment changes and you will be the one they have in mind when

it does because you are the one who is persistant in trying to get them

as a client. Also, if you are persistant in trying to get their business,

it sends them a message that you will also be persistant about doing

a good job for them.

Listen... I know hard working people who have been laid off from their

job or had their hours cut back. That's really what motivated me to share

what I know and develop this great instructional product. It's really... A Great Business Opportunity to get into. Go to:

Start Your Cleaning Business--Click Here!


Also, you should know by now that in addition to the "Instant Office Cleaning Kit" Stan provides great customer service and he's always happy to assist in any way he can.

The Fact Is...


If you depend on One paycheck from One JOB for your income, you're taking a

very big risk. Almost 10% of Americans are out of work... and with the

economy the way it is, more people are losing their jobs everyday.

Source: Bureau Of Labor Statistics

Start and Grow Your Own office cleaning business now and use the Original Instant Office Cleaning Kit to make it happen. Others are having very good success in this business Right Now and you can do it too.

Start Your Cleaning Business--Click Here!

As we all are in uncertain economic times,
I wanted to send this word of encouragement to you.

My friend, Sam Rodman, just recently helped someone who had
purchased the Start Your Cleaning Business Guide.


About one week earlier, he asked Sam for a second opinion on
the price of a bid and Sam, always willing to help his customers who buy his ebook on starting a cleaning business, assisted him with that.

Well, guess what?!? Sam's customer landed a very profitable
office cleaning account that pays him over $2000 every month and, of course, it is very part-time cleaning that gets done.

So...what did the guy say to get the job? What did he do? Well, I can tell
you the same thing that Sam suggested to him. That is this:

**Instead of just giving someone a price for your cleaning service,
and leaving it at that, ASK them some questions FIRST.

!>>Have a brief discussion with the decision maker regarding the price
to get their feedback on the value of the cleaning service from their perspective. Ask the decision maker these questions-and get the answers:

!>>How much were they paying? What was the problem
they were having with their previous cleaning service?

!>>Is such and such a price per month in their budget?

!>>Can they justify a higher price for you if you include the
changing of the burned out ceiling lights?

Always speak with the decision maker in person
and always try to come to an agreement with them
on the price that you want to get paid for your service
before you put that price on your service agreement
and give it to them.


!*!*!*!*!*!*!*!*!

And consider this....

Authority is inner confidence. Trust in your judgement,
in your skills and your abilites. It comes from the inside, from an
attitude of "I can do this and I deserve success"

This attitude will radiate outward to any decision maker as you assert your rights, honestly ask for what you want to be paid and develop a willingness to give to others and yourself.

Pick up your copy of Start Your Cleaning Business--Click Here!
Success is only a click away!

Is Your Competition Under Bidding You?

Start Your Cleaning Business--Click Here!

When you are bidding on any size account, there are times when you will come across a situation in which some of your competition may be under bidding you.
Have you ever encountered that before? If not, you probably will sooner or later.

IS YOUR COMPETITION UNDER BIDDING YOU?

You cannot control the price of another persons bid, but you certainly can
control your price. Regardless of what the price may be on any other bid,
you should consider the following:

NOTE: Always make converstion (small talk) with the decision maker.This is very important. The price you charge on your bid is entirely your decision but,you want to try to come to an agreement with them on the price that
you will be charging. Most office managers will take 3 bids and then typically rule out the lowest priced bid right away. Most office managers are reasonable people who do want a good cleaning service. They know that they are not going to get it if all they care about is a low price.

Also remember, there is a security issue at stake.Unlike a lawn care service
that remains outside, your cleaning service will be inside their office
and you will also be given a key to their office.

If the individual decision maker does not care who is in the office there is nothing you can do about that but most decision makers do care about it.
They would not hire just anyone to work for their business as an employee, and they do not want to employ just any cleaning service either.

Basically you want to get across to the decision maker that you would like to submit a competitive bid for them to keep on file.

Things change and when they do,you simply want to be in the right place at the right time. One thing leads to another, so if you are able to submit a competitive bid, be sure to also have a brief discussion too.

Always ask if they would like you to be responsible for changing the burned out ceiling lights?

NOTE: including this additional little service for them justifies a higher price by itself.

Involve the decision maker in helping you to decide what the price will be. After all, they are the one's who are going to be paying it.

Start Your Cleaning Business--Click Here!

I am often asked about bidding on the larger office buildings.
You know, the one's that are over 10,000 square feet in size.
There are many of these and they are all over the place and a great opportunity for you. Once you get them under contract, these larger offices are your 'bread and butter'.

The "Instant Office Cleaning Kit"which you should already have (Get It Here!),contains lots of specific information that I know will be very useful to you in your own cleaning business. As you should know, it contains forms, service agreement, introduction letter, and estimating chart and much more useful information that is proven to be a great help.

The estimating chart in the Kit goes up to 10,000 square foot offices
in size and specifies the individual price per cleaning. Keep in mind that
if the office is in anyway medical that you should charge more because a medical office will have treatment rooms in them and each treatment room has a sink. If the office is medical, I will usually always double the price on the chart because you can get it and because it is worth it.

When figuring out a price for large office buildings that are
typically over 10,000 square feet in size, you should consider
the following as a guide:

BIDDING TIP

Simply multiply the total amount of square feet times .10 cents.
On the large office buildings, this will provide you with the price
per month. The total monthly price is determined in this manner.

Remember, this would be your monthly price and not your
individual price per cleaning. This monthly price is based on
cleaning to be done 5 times a week.

Most all office buildings this size requires the cleaning to be
done 5 times a week. Quite often in an attempt to control the
cost for cleaning they will only want a full cleaning 2 times a week
and a light cleaning 3 times a week. This is to be expected
on the large buildings.

Just ask them if they want the full cleaning
done 2 or 3 times a week but point out to them that the
cleaning service should show up 5 times a week.

A light cleaning takes half the time to do as a full cleaning, but you
can still get your .10 cents a square foot anyway. Especailly if you
are including the changing of the burned out ceiling lights.

This is a great selling point by itself and justifies a higher price
per month. Keep this in mind when estimating any large office

Click Here! for Cleaning for Profits

BIDDING TIP

My friend and author of a fantastic resource for you (Start an Office Cleaning Business), Sam Rodman, just sent this to me. I know you'll find it helpful:

Hello!

In these tough economic times, I thought it important to share
with you my thoughts on bidding. First of all, remember that
the service of office cleaning is in fact a recession-proof business.

There are many offices and office buildings that already pay for this
service because they need it. Even in tough economic times, they still need
it and they still pay for it. So you have that working for you.

I still get new customers for my office cleaning business and you can too.
When the going gets tough the tough going.

BIDDING TIP

Your goal is not to just make phone calls and mail out letters. Your goal is to submit your bid and then mail out your bid follow- up letter. Do those things first and getting the customer will follow.

If you need to, involve a salesperson in your business. If you do that , I suggest that you offer them a 10 percent commission every month for the first 6 months on each new account. At that point the commision would stop.

Whatever price you come up with for a new account you should still try to discuss it with the decision maker and come to an agreement regardless of any other bids they may have. You want them to employ you and your cleaning business over any others.

So , discuss the situation with the individual in charge. Point out to them that your cleaning service includes everything listed on the first page of your service agreement.
In addition to that,( if need be) tell them that you will include the changing of the burned out ceiling lights as part of your service. This is a very good selling point and quite often a deal breaker. Most cleaning companies do not perform that service but you can offer to include it.

There is always a price range in which an office or building could be cleaned for. Normally that range could go up about 50 percent higher than the price that you have in mind.
Point out this range to the decision maker and ask them if this is in their budget?
Try to come to an agreement with them and get the job for your cleaning business, regardless of any other bids. It's not all about the price.

There is a security issue for them to consider as this is an indoor service. They don't want anyone in their office anymore than you would want anyone cleaning your home. Especially different people all of the time. Get personal with the decision maker.
What is it going to take for them to employ you and your cleaning business over anyone else?

Be persistant with them. Follow up with phone calls , letters and even a personal visit.
Build up your own list of prospects. Even if that list starts out small, say 10 prospects,that would be just fine. You can refine your list as time goes by. Keeping only the hottest prospects on your top 10 list. Keep in touch with them and always try to come to an agreement with them in person.

By asking them the question, "is that in your budget?" you are involving them in the price.
You are getting their feedback and their help in coming to an agreement on the price. Most people will be helpful with you and they will at least open up with you regarding the price they are willing to pay you for your service. Use questions as a tool when speaking with the decision maker as this will always help you out.

Start an Office Cleaning Business
For more tips and resources check out my Squidoo lens--http://www.squidoo.com/StartAnOfficeCleaningBusiness

Starting a Cleaning Business in Today's Economy

I often get asked the quickest way to get started with a cleaning business. But it seems everbody wants a short and quick answer!

The question is not how to start quick, but how to start a cleaning business correctly! You see, if you start off right, although it means taking some time in planning and preparation, you will be more successful faster.

Think about it. You can go out and bang on doors, so to speak, tell them you have the lowest price and hope that will do it. Oh, sure you may get a couple of customers, but they will only last as long as someone else doesn't come along with a lower price!

Presenting yourself, and your business, professionally and selling the benefits you have to offer a customer will ensure a long lasting relationship and referrals. It may surprise you that there are many, many cleaning customers that are unhappy with how their current cleaning company is performing. But they either don't have the time or don't know where to look to find an alternative cleaning company.

Then you appear at their doorstep, promoting your superior quality and whatever else you can provide that your competitors are lacking. You have a professional appearance, sales letter & flier, professional contracts, bid forms, pricing sheets and such.

Wow! No longer do you need to underprice your competition! You're selling value, getting their money's worth to the potential customer.

Find out how you can easily have all the tools and resources you need to be as professional as you should Click Here! and get the job!

Get New Business for Your Cleaning Company & Some Cleaning Tips

Remember this. The majority of clients that employ a private
cleaning service are affluent business people. These people own
a very successful business already and they can afford to pay for
a private cleaning service.

BUSINESS TIP

In almost every county there is a County Tax Collectors website available
for public viewing. Call them and find out what the URL is for that
website in your area. On that website you can locate all new business
licenses. Scan through them and pick out one's that appear to be good
potential customers for your cleaning business based on the name of
their business or type of business and contact them about submitting
a bid for your cleaning service.

CLEANING TIP

In your cleaning supplies that you use you should always have
some particular items for scrubbing when need be. Here are
one's that you should always have and use.

When you encounter a toilet bowel that has a ring around it inside the toilet it can be very difficult to remove UNLESS,you use... either a "griddle screen" or a "pumice stone" which is available at most any janitorial supply store. This items will work great for you.

Also, when trying to get a difficult mark off of a countertop try using
a Scotch Brite scratch-free scrub pad or for baseboards or doors
try using a product called "Magic Eraser" which you can find at most any
Wal Mart store. Both of these work great for getting marks off without
doing any damage in the process! I'm sure you will like them!

The Original and still the best start - up guide for your own Office Cleaning Business is Starting an Office Cleaning Business. Get it-Click Here!

Office Cleaning--Pros Agree It's the Most Stable in These Economic Times!

I belong to a network group of cleaning professionals-from residential to large commercial independent businesses. We were discussing how business is and if anyone was loosing clients. The residential cleaners are loosing customers as people cut back expenses. Large commercial cleaners-the ones that clean places like auto dealerships and gyms, etc-are loosing clients as businesses close and this group is also having difficulty collecting.

The one area of cleaning that everyone, and I do mean everyone, agreed was not really feeling the economic pinch was Cleaning Small Offices!! Why? Because those small, usually independent, businesses will always need someone to clean their offices and because these business people are, and have been, very cost conscious, they are more likely to hire an independent - YOU - over a franchise.

Our little group also discussed some of the best small businesses to get as clients because of the daily need. The two that came up the most were, drum roll please...dentist offices and funeral homes. The last one surprised me, but as I thought about it, it's perfect!

I just had to share this with you!

Do you need forms, contracts, introduction letters, bid sheets or anything else for your office cleaning business? For practically nothing you will get everything you need to start off right-no costly mistakes-Right Here!

Bidding or Estimates on Office Cleaning Jobs--Tricks and Tips

Need Bid Forms or Estimate Charts? Everything to get you started professionally is included in the Office Cleaning Business StartUp Kit!

You've got the appointment to do a bid or estimate, so how do you give yourself the winning edge?

I will share a few of tips I have come across from Pros in the cleaning business...

1. Do more listening then talking....

2. Point out a cleaning issue that you observe , but not in a direct manner, like a swipe of a area that has a collection of dust... put it in there head that they can do better with who they have cleaning the place...

3. You dress according to the type of account, shirt and tie is usually best.
Should you wear something with your company logo on it , even if its just a shirt.?
If you have a nice company dress shirt, wear it. But if you just have a company t-shirt, I would still go with a dress shirt, even if it isn't branded. You want to look good regardless, the logo on the shirt is just a bonus.
It's an old saying, but first impressions sure do count. I wouldn't dream of doing a quotation/survey without a shirt and tie, no matter how small or whatever the state of the contract is. I think if you've made an effort then you have made the potential client feel important right away, which can only be a bonus.... :


4. You take legal pad, 2 pens, any company brochures and business cards
Legal pad? .... does a legal pad look less professional than the fancy black binders people take with them....?
The key to the pad or binder you take is it must be extremely easy to use, without a lot of fumbling around, or it will make you look unprofessional. You want something either clipboard style or something that flips completely around so you look slick when you open it not like a high school freshman on the 1st day of school with a new 'jumbo organizer'.

5. You arrive in a clean vehicle, company or not
Whatever you drive make sure it is clean and looking good. That's a priority with me anytime I go to a bid or to clean. Pull up front get out like you own the place. Always appear to be successful even if you are not as of yet.


6. You only ask questions about pricing and current cleaner if you FEEL they will talk to you about it. If they come across as pure business and professional, don't ask--you will look unprofessional. If you establish a quick rapport with the person and they are talkative--then go ahead and try to work it in

7. I always wipe off the chair that they point to when they tell me have a seat, it leaves them questioning their current service.

8. Wear dark pants, make a point of wiping your finger on things and then on your pants, by the end of the walk you will look like an old dust rag, which you can then dust off, adding to your point.

9. Keep it simple and be confident in yourself. Doesn't hurt to listen to some "pump up" music on your way to the bid either. Puts you in the ZONE.

10. Be on time. Never show up late. If you go into a restroom and there is a toilet stopped up ... plunge it. Be complimentary of their office (not how clean or dirty it is). Find something in the person's office your meeting with to talk about for a few minutes. They might have a sports team, etc., you can have a few positive comments about even if you do not like them. I always check the tops of pictures when they are walking us around. They will catch a glimpse of you doing this. I have also had timely phone calls come in that I really really had to take. But have the phone on vibrate.

If you aren't already doing the above tips, you could be losing potential clients, business and your reputation. Implementing these time tested strategies will help your cleaning business be successful.

Need more resources? Visit How to Start an Office Cleaning Business for more tips from the pros and more exciting resources to get you going fast and on the right foot!