Commercial cleaning marketing doesn’t need to break the bank. Find out how to leverage your marketing strategy without spending big bucks.
Advertising and marketing are a vital part of any business. Except for word-of-mouth customers, commercial cleaning marketing is the only way to build, maintain, and grow your customer base. But marketing can be expensive. Depending on your strategy, you may be spending money on everything from branding to flyers to paid media and other costs. Some business owners find themselves wondering if it will produce the returns they’re looking for.
Fortunately, there are ways to leverage your commercial cleaning marketing strategy so that you’re getting the most for your money. It may take a little legwork in the beginning, but putting in a bit of elbow grease will help ensure that you keep your marketing costs as low as possible while still reaching your target audiences and building your client base.
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How to stretch your commercial cleaning marketing budget and still get a big ROI
1. Target research
This may be one of the most critical components to saving money with your marketing plan. After all, it doesn’t make any sense to market to people who don’t need your services! Spend your energy and efforts on those who might hire you. Offices, warehouses, religious institutions, and private schools and universities often use external cleaning businesses and probably make the most sense to market to.
Medical facilities, dentist offices, and other places with strict cleaning regulations can be more challenging to secure, but you may also face less competition. If you include them in your commercial cleaning marketing plan, make sure to point out your certifications and specializations in these environments. And reiterate that expertise when you bid on the jobs like these that interest you.
2. Manage your own website
While it’s probably a good idea to hire a professional to set up your company website, you can save a lot of money by learning how to post basic updates, whether they be to a blog or to your contact page. Rather than paying a consultant to make these updates, taking a few minutes to do it yourself can be an excellent way to stretch your dollars.
A word of advice: Don’t go too far outside your area of expertise here. If you embark on something on the back-end of your website that you’re not sure about, it’s best to call for help. It’s one thing to save money by managing essential updates yourself, but that money will go right back out the window if you have to spend it on an engineer to fix code or something else. Keep it simple, and when in doubt, call a professional.
3. Boost your socials
According to Statista, there are billions of social media users worldwide, and you never know which of them might become customers. Updating your social media accounts regularly is a way to stay at the forefront of the conversation without making a big spend. While some paid content is advisable, since commercial cleaning marketing targets businesses rather than individuals, keeping Facebook and Instagram alive and exciting will help with audience engagement.
For social media marketing to be useful for your business, you’ll want to ensure that you’re updating your channels with posts relevant to your business. Instagram can be a great platform for cleaning companies because you can showcase the work you and your team have already done. This can act as a word-of-mouth referral because prospective clients can see the work, sort of like getting a sample.
Just remember not to get caught up in anything not directly related to business under your company socials. Engage in dialogue, comment appropriately, and paint yourself as the professional experts you are.
4. Networking
Something that costs nothing is local networking. Join your chamber of commerce and other local or regional associations where you may find business opportunities you didn’t expect. This can be a good way to extend your commercial cleaning marketing budget without raising costs, and it lets you connect immediately with people who, if they don’t become customers, may know people who will.
5. Boast about unique services
When you do pay for commercial cleaning marketing materials, don’t spend time talking about the basic services of your company. Potential customers will expect that you empty trash bins and mop floors. Tell them about what sets you apart from the competition. Do you offer carpet cleaning? Do you use eco-friendly products? Find out what your customers need that others don’t provide, and focus your marketing on that.
6. Ask for referrals
If you already have happy customers, they’ll likely be just as happy to recommend your services to others in need. However, they may not do it automatically. We recommend asking satisfied clients if they’ll refer others to your business. Most are perfectly willing to do so. If you’re not finding a lot of success with this, introduce a referral program where there’s an incentive for people who refer services to you, maybe a free cleaning or some other service of nominal value to your business. People love free things, and while a referral program will cost you a little bit in services rendered, it will likely bring about enough returns in new business that the cost will be well worth it.
7. Be active in your community
Volunteerism and other charitable activities can help to boost your company’s image without costing a ton of money. Become well-known in your community so that when a business needs a cleaning service, they’ll know right away whom to call. If you’re volunteering, make t-shirts and have your crew wear them during the event. You might even want to hand some out. Whatever your approach, being a good community member goes a long way for business these days. Stay connected, and the business will undoubtedly come your way.
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