Anyone that has started a cleaning business can tell you that getting clients is the most difficult part of the entire process. People get clients differently with some choosing to advertise their business while others rely on word of mouth. Of course, it is quite expensive to advertise your business but there are other free ways to market yourself. Cold calling is another easy way to scout for your commercial cleaning clients.
You can make a lot of money if you learn the right way to do it. If this is your first time, don’t get discouraged! There are many ways to go about finding cleaning customers without spending money on advertising or taking out ads in newspapers/magazines. In most cases, it costs less than $100 with little risk involved.
All you should know about cold calling
You have probably heard about cold calling but maybe don’t have the right experience using it as a marketing channel. That said, it is possible to start cold calling as a novice and work your way up to the professional level. Here are some things you should note about cold calling if you want to use it to land commercial cleaning leads.
Cold calling is not fun.
It’s not fun to make cold calls, and it’s not fun when your prospect hangs up on you or puts you on hold while they finish a personal call. Similarly, it’s not fun when they yell at you for interrupting their day, take forever to answer their phone, or ignore your call altogether.
It is not uncommon to find busy people with things to do and places to go. But if they want to use your services, chances are good that they’ll be interested in talking with someone who can help them get rid of their current cleaning company (if there even is one).
Do your research. Be sure to target businesses that are likely to need your services. cold calling is much more effective when you have a good understanding of your target market. Clients are much more likely to buy from you if you can show that you researched their business.
Cold calling is hard
It’s not easy, fun, or relaxing. If you’re looking for an enjoyable way to spend your time and energy, cold calling for commercial cleaning companies is probably not the best idea! That said, cold calling offers you a simple and free way to market your business without spending hundreds of dollars. It can be an effective way to reach new potential customers and janitorial leads. When done correctly, cold calling can help you build relationships, establish trust and credibility, and ultimately grow your business.
It is easy to get frustrated when you call a number of people and don’t get a single positive response. You will want to give up. You will want to quit and walk away. Perhaps you will even feel that it’s not worth the trouble of making cold calls at all. Don’t give up! Just hang in there, and remember what your goals are. You want new clients for your commercial cleaning business and you want to generate new income.
It is valuable to have a script.
When speaking with customers and potential clients, it can be helpful to have a list of questions that you ask them. This will help you get more information from them than you might normally be able to get in a typical conversation. It also makes it easier for you to remember the important details about their business, which allows for more effective follow-up calls or meetings.
Remember to a set time period to work on cold calling. Get into the habit of making calls every day or at least every other day. Even if you don’t get through, keep calling until you do! You can’t just wait until someone takes your call and then quit for the rest of the week, because then you’ll lose momentum and motivation.
Prepare your commercial cleaning company cold calling script with a focus on the benefits that you offer potential clients. These might include lower costs, more effective cleaning methods, or a better customer experience. Whatever it is that sets your company apart, make sure to highlight it in your cold call script!
Be sure to also have an elevator pitch prepared. This is a short, to-the-point explanation of what your company does and why it’s the best at what it does. It should be no more than 30 seconds long, and it should be something that you can easily memorize so that you can deliver it without sounding scripted.
Be prepared when a prospect calls you back
A business phone number is the first thing that customers will see when they look you up. It’s important to have a business phone number that is answered by someone who can help with the cleaning service, even if it’s just a voice mail with an automatic attendant. This is one sure tip to follow if you want to know how to get cleaning business clients.
If your company doesn’t have a physical address, use an office name as your mailing address so that customers can find you more easily. If possible, choose an office building where other businesses are located and make sure there are signs on the building that point out how to find this new location for commercial cleaning services.
Make sure that potential clients can visit your website easily without having to navigate through pages and pages of links before finding information about your company or service offerings. A well-designed website should be easy for people who aren’t familiar with what you do yet want basic information such as locations/hours of operation/contact information (including email address) without having to search through several layers of menus until they find what they’re looking for at each step along the way!
It’s more than just the price
You don’t always have to be the cheapest in order to make a sale! Remember that you are selling a service, and sometimes the price isn’t the most important factor people think about when hiring someone for a job.
It’s important to remember that when it comes to hiring a cleaning service, price is not always the most important factor for customers. They are often more concerned with your reliability and professionalism. For example, if you’re running late for an appointment and don’t call ahead of time to let your customer know, it could leave her feeling like she’s not as valued as other customers by your company.
If you want to sell commercial cleaning services in a professional way, then make sure that every interaction with prospects reflects your dedication to quality work and customer service! When cold calling potential customers for your commercial cleaning company, it’s important to remember that you’re not just selling a service – you’re selling yourself and your company. This means that price isn’t always the most important factor. Instead, focus on building relationships and showing prospects that you’re a reliable and professional business that they can trust. By doing this, you’ll be more likely to make a sale and grow your business!
Plan ahead for referrals from current clients.
You should be asking for referrals from your clients at every opportunity. This is the easiest way to grow your business and ensure that you have a steady stream of work within a reasonable time frame, without having to spend any money on advertising (which is typically expensive).
You should be asking for referrals during the first meeting with each client and then again when you send them their invoice. You can also include it as an itemized line item on the invoice itself—for example, “Referral Fee $75” or “Additional Services $75”—to make it clear what they are paying this extra fee towards and how much profit it represents for you.
The Process of Cold Calling
How does one get more leads for commercial cleaning clients? One way is to write down the names of companies in your community that could use your services and contact them directly for an appointment. You will need a good list of contacts, or start with one or two names and work from there! Don’t forget about restaurants! They usually need lots of help too if they are busy enough…so try some local restaurants as well (Not chains). There are many ways to go about finding cleaning customers without spending money on advertising or taking out ads in newspapers or magazines.
As you can see, the process of getting 10 weekly cleans is not an easy one. It takes planning, effort and time for the best results; but we’re here to help you make it easier by breaking it down into steps that will get your leads coming in thick!
First off – cold calling isn’t just about making appointments anymore, so, what should happen during such a campaign? Let’s break down everything involved so there aren’t any surprises along.
STEP 1: Define your target audience
Are you going after private schools? The medical industry? retail?. Once you define your niche and your target audience, it’s time to get a database and start to call.
STEP 2: Get your hands on a good Database
We currently use D7 Lead Finder, and we have found that it is affordable and fairly accurate. You can also use Google Maps and Linkedin, which are the most accurate and free databases out there.
STEP 3: Identify the Decision maker
It’s easier to pass the gatekeeper if we know the DM name. In the cleaning industry, we usually find that the most common decision makers titles are; Office Manager, Facility Manager, General Manager, and Business Owner.
You can also call and ask them to point you to the person that is responsible for hiring your cleaning services. Once you know the DM (Decision Maker) name, enter it into your CRM or system.
Remember to keep your data organized, otherwise, all the effort would be a waste of time.
STEP 4: Call asking directly for the Decision Maker
When calling, ask directly for the Decision Maker that you identified in the previous step, and, if you can’t get ahold of the person ask what is the best time to reach them, take notes of that and try calling again at that time.
The game of cold calling is much more than just picking up the phone. It’s about trial and error, but also improving your script for any situation that might arise next time around – even if it means writing out all possible scenarios beforehand so you can be prepared!
Final thoughts: The ABC of cold calling for commercial cleaning companies
As the owner of a commercial cleaning company, you know that cold calling can be a great way to generate new leads and grow your business. But what are the best ways to go about cold calling for your company? Before you start cold calling, take some time to research your potential customers. Find out as much as you can about their businesses and their cleaning needs. This will help you tailor your pitch to them specifically. You also need to do it regularly but the success rate will depend on how you do it. Remember that some people do not enjoy cold calling and may be irritated. However, that is not a reason for you to stop cold calling. It can produce some wonderful results if done the right way. Book a call with Sam today if you want to reach out to us and find out how you can get more clients.
