Your cleaning company marketing budget doesn’t have to break the bank. In fact, with these ideas, you won’t need a budget at all.
The rules for marketing aren’t what they were. That can be great news for a small business, though. A small cleaning business may not have the deep pockets to launch a full-scale ad campaign, but there are plenty of other ways to connect with your audience. Best of all, not all cleaning company marketing costs a fortune. You can do a lot of marketing for little or no cost at all, and can be just as effective as a big-budget strategy for building your business.
That’s not to say your business isn’t worth making an investment in marketing. After all, the investment usually yields a return. But if you’re at a place where big budgets aren’t an option, these age-old techniques (and some not so old techniques) can get your company the attention it deserves—without spending much money.
10 Cleaning company marketing ideas that work
1. Going door-to-door
The oldest method of marketing remains alive and well today. Going door-to-door with your cleaning services puts a face to a name immediately, and makes you more than just a business listed in a book or an advertisement on a website. Yes, it’s hard work. Yes, there will be a lot of rejection. But at the end of the day, this is one cleaning company marketing idea that costs you nothing but time (and perhaps a little for paper if you’re going to hand out business cards, which we recommend).
2. E-mail marketing
E-mail marketing is a common marketing method primarily because you can reach a lot of people without any cost to you. This works best if you already use janitorial management software to keep track of your clients’ contact information, like e-mail addresses. Just remember to keep your e-mails short, simple, and focused. People get a lot of marketing e-mails each day. Make sure yours is the one that stands out.
3. Cold calling
Cold calling is another seemingly ancient cleaning company marketing technique that will get you more results than you might think. Using a CRM to manage your calls is helpful, but you can do it with just a pen, paper, and a telephone if you have nothing else. Remember, though, not to go in completely cold. Know your prospect, understand their needs, and find solutions for their problems. Now you’ve gained a new client, and you haven’t spent a thing!
4. Offer incentives
If you offer a free room cleaning or floor waxing or some other service, you’ll draw would-be customers in because, hey, who doesn’t like free stuff? And while you won’t make the initial money off the service, you also don’t lose any money either, making this another attractive cleaning company marketing idea. You could set it up as a buy-one-get-one-free deal, or a no-commitment sample.
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5. Attend networking events
Word-of-mouth is one of the best ways to find new business. Go to local and regional events for cleaning industry professionals. Meet your peers and get your company’s name out there. Not only will you develop more leads than you might expect, but you’ll also learn a lot about your competition, which can help you become a better marketer in the future. (And perhaps you’ll learn a few things about improving your cleaning services, too!)
6. Keep a blog
People are eager for knowledge in today’s world. They google everything. Make sure that you show up with answers by keeping a company blog on your website. If you can spend any money, using an SEO firm to help boost your search results is a helpful idea, but merely maintaining a regular, ongoing source of expertise will drive people to your website and therefore your business.
7. Publicize your expertise
Another cleaning company marketing idea that won’t cost you anything is to get yourself into the local paper, answering questions about the cleaning industry in your community and the world at large. Most local papers are happy to listen to pitches that involve connecting people with the communities they live in. Ask if they’ll feature you in a lifestyle section or something like that, offer expertise, and be sure to mention your business a bunch of times by name!
8. Speak at industry events
Public speaking isn’t for everyone, but it’s a great free way to get some attention for your business. Volunteer to speak on a local panel or find an organization that needs a voice like yours to give guidance and know-how that not only positions you as a leader in the industry, but that also builds trust around your brand. And again, no money spent.
9. Join the Chamber of Commerce
This idea will have a small fee associated with it, but it’s an affordable and worthwhile cost when it comes to being discovered within your community. Registering with your local chamber of commerce will help connect your business with the customers who need you while also establishing you as an active part of the community—something that makes customers more likely to trust and patronize you.
10. Social media marketing
Finally, the most common cleaning company marketing method you can use for little-to-no cost is social media marketing. For the cleaning industry, Instagram is a great platform because it allows you to showcase the work that you’ve done in real-time while still advertising your services. Follow those who you want to have for clients, comment on their posts, and use the platform to otherwise connect with people.
Connect on a deeper level with your customers using janitorial management software like Janitorial Manager. Check out a demo today and find out how!