What is the best way to start a small office cleaning business?

Question

We live in a small town in the Mon Valley area in PA about 30 miles south of Pittsburgh. I need to be able to supplement my income with another method, such as a small cleaning business. Any hints or tips from someone that has done so would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!!

Answer 1

The best routes to take are to research the process of starting a business as well as the industry you're interested in.

I recommend checking out the SBA, Entrepreneur, The Start Up Journal & Nolo. All 4 are great informational resources for the new/small business owner. I posted links for you in the source box.

Associations may be a good avenue to explore. These organizations will address many of the thoughts, questions and concerns you'll inevitably have as well as many you haven't anticipated yet. See the source box for some relevant links.

Research, research, research – this cannot be stressed enough. Read as much as you can about the industry. Here are some book titles that are relevant:

* Commercial and Residential Cleaning Services: A Resource Guide to Developing and Maintaining Your Own Janitorial or Home Cleaning Business by Walter Fenix
* Start Your Own Cleaning Service (Entrepreneur Magazine's Start Ups) by Jacquelyn Lynn
* Cleaning Up for a Living: Everything You Need to Know to Become a Successful Building Service Contractor by Don A. Aslett, Mark L. Browning

* How to Start a Business in Pennsylvania by Desiree A. Petrus, Mark Warda
* How to Start a Business in Pennsylvania by Entrepreneur Press

There are plenty of free informational resources out there. Check the source box for links to articles.

Hope that helps! I wish you much success & happiness in all your ventures!

Answer 2

Hi! I clean small offices and love it so much I made a Squidoo lens about how to start a cleaning business. It has tons of tips and resources for you. I think it even has a list of supplies you need to get started. I will tell you a few other things you need to do. You should check to see if a license or permit is required. Keyword: required. Call your local city or county clerk's office and ask. They will probably tell you that you need a fictitious business name (DBA-doing business as). Usually not required. It is primarily used to open a business bank account and so your government can assess and tax you. So, I'd wait until you are more established. Sometimes local communities do require a permit, so it's good to inquire. You really must have liability insurance or a bond. It will protect you from claims of damage or theft. The price for this varies a lot from one insurance agency to another, so call as many as you can and get quotes. Start with the small amount you can. You can always increase it.Lots more on my Squidoo lens & blog. The links are in my Profile.

Answer 3

The best way is to have cards made up cheaply,you can probably make them on the computer, that way you don't have the expense.
Drop the cards off at businesses, you don't want to have to invest in any heavy cleaning equipment until you can see some money coming in, also I used to give my cards to Realtors, and a lot of times before they show a house. they need someone to go in and clean, especially rental units, and in the Va. area you could charge a few hundred dollars, most of the time it was just a matter of touching up the place, since a lot of people clean the stove and refrigerator etc. in order to get that deposit back .
another thing, that could probably be done on weekends and that is construction cleaning, where they are building new houses or apartments., its a little bit messier, but in some areas pays well.
Or maybe you just want to clean for another cleaning company,but the pay is much less.

Answer 4

Find one stable client before you start. From that you can build as your time permits. Most small businesses fail because they try to do too much from the start. When I started the problem I had was that I soon found more work then I could do. Set you price just under the other cleaning services to start with the idea of raising them when you are established and can be more selective which clients you want to keep. Be on time and give good service! That is hard to find when a business is looking for part time services.

Answer 5

1. Go to the State of Pennsylvania website and find the links for small businesses. Type in 'janitorial', 'sanitation', or 'cleaning' in the search box. See what licensing they tell you that you need to go through, and get it done.

2. Get insured. The last thing you need is a lawsuit over something stupid.

3. Put an ad in the Yellow Pages. Try to get under 3-4 headings. Go for the tiniest ad possible [generally cost $15.00/month].

4. Get some professional shirts [appx $20.00 ea.] embroidered with your businesses name. A screen graphics shop in your city can easily do this. You can either buy the shirts from them or buy them from somewhere else and have it monogrammed by them at $5.00 a shirt.

5. Have a business nametag made. This should cost appx $15.00.

6. Have some business cards and flyers 1-to-a-page made. Make your flyers on Microsoft Word yourself. You can get 1,000 simple business cards made for less than $20.00.
The flyers can be made on colored paper with black ink for $.10 a sheet with a discount after the first 100 flyers. 1,000 flyers will cost less than $100.00. [Print on the flyers a 'coupon' that they can cut out for 10% off for one month's services for 'new' customers. People like feeling as if they are saving money!]

7.Get a city map and a good compass. Locate your house. Put a large black DOT there. With the compass and using your house as the 'dot', draw out a circle in 1/2 inch increments. Keep measuring out 'circles' in 1/2 inch increments until you have stretched your compass out to the max.

8. Visit every business in the first inner circle. Wear your monogrammed shirt, name tag and pressed slacks with nice casual shoes. Find the owner, shake his hand, look him in the EYEBALLS, and tell him if he ever needs cleaning services to give you a call. Also tell him that everything you do is quality, and excellence is not an option. Never go during their 'peak' hours. Scan the parking lot for a general idea. [Most businesses are good to chat in the morning]. NEVER STAY IN A BUSINESS OVER 2-3 MINUTES!! !

9. The first circle will take a few hours. The second circle will take a day. The third circle will take a few days. Add additional days per outer circle.

10. You will get a 3% return on your efforts.

11. Do this every 4 months. Plot the dates on your calendar. The business men will eventually recognize you and use you. Word of mouth will spread your business. The phone book ad will attract 'cold' clients. Wear your shirt, tag, and have flyers and business cards handy at all times. If you have to have a portfolio to keep them in [Walmart sells them for under $5.00], then you do so. Everywhere you go is an opportunity to meet potential clients.
Email me with any further questions.
The links you need are below.

Answer 6

I agree with Mathew,maybe you know someone who has an office that you could start there.The New Professionals,is a book that states,in the next 10 years,the referral business will be the new industry,that will excel in this country{USA}.The first thing I would do is create my A,B,C,lists.A,family,B,friends and associates,C,cold prospects.I find that beauty shops would be the best place to start,then let them speard the word of how good you are,and then you are in,its a lot of hard work and if you want extra money,take time to look at my business.I will gladly help you do that,www.andyhinson.com PEACE!!