Cleaning Business Archives - Cleaning Marketer

5 Top Cleaning Industry Events You Should Attend in 2017

April 19, 2017 by Lisa Macqueen Leave a Comment

It’s one of my favorite things to do… Attend cleaning industry events – either conferences or exhibitions and literally surround myself with people who are passionate about the same things as me – entrepreneurship, marketing, their businesses and of course, cleaning..

As far as I’m concerned, attending industry events are a must do if you’re looking to grow your cleaning business.

Why? Because you get the opportunity to hang around other successful people and learn from experts while you’re there. AND, you’ll not only get a host of new ideas and inspiration, you’ll also start to operate on a new level (and probably make some great industry friends and contacts while you’re there).

So that’s our focus today – getting inspired, and making a decision to take action and book an event to attend…

Before we dive in though, I wanted to share something that happened to me a couple of weeks ago while I was at an event. .

My husband Hamish and I attended a 2 day marketing conference event in San Diego, CA and as with most events, there were various networking opportunities where you could informally meet other business owners and entrepreneurs.

It was a great event and a lot of fun..

But there was something that happened while we were there that I wanted to share with you, because I know you don’t want to make this mistake.

So, there we were at the first “official” event the night before the conference actually began. Three hundred and fifty business owners and entrepreneurs in this lovely hotel, all asking *kind of* the same question to each other…

“So… what business are you in”?

And you can imagine, some people in the room were powerhouses of the “elevator pitch”, while others just shared what they actually did.

It was great…

Until, we met let’s just call him “Jason”.

Now Jason, was from Alabama, and he was in a bricks and mortar business. And “Jason” was kind of a big deal. He regaled us with stories of the different cleaning businesses he’d hired (and fired) over the years, and each sounded worse than the previous. And then he said:

“So tell me, why would you fly all this way to go to a conference – how could being here help your business when all you do is clean”?

Um… whaaaaaaaaat?

For the record, I put him straight right away… but, his comment made me think about you guys. And to be honest, I rarely meet many other cleaning business owners at events I go to (and I go to a lot of conferences each year).

So where are you, and what conferences ARE you attending?

Is it because you believe what “Jason” thinks is true (and I really hope that’s not the case)… because in the cleaning industry we need to stay up to date. Things have changed (big time) and as business owners, it’s important to stay connected and keep learning.

I’m about to fly back to the US in a couple of days (yes, that’s right. I’ve flown to the US twice in the past month from Australia)

Why?

Because if you’re not continuously working on educating yourself and staying connected by attending cleaning industry events, you and your business may find you’re being out-marketed by your competitors, and you’re using outdated methods that have stopped working.

Have you ever wondered why what worked a few years ago, now is a lot less effective?

It’s because things in our business are changing all the time…

That’s why I head to conferences like the Infusionsoft’s annual user event, ICON every year in Phoenix, AZ. Even if you aren’t an Infusionsoft customer, this event is THE event for small business – because of the amazing speakers, and the educational content alone it’s worth the trip.

And full disclosure here – it was at this event that our very own cleaning business, Cleancorp, won the Small Business ICON Award in front of 3000+ business owners (you can check that out here.)

And I really LOVE attending this event – but even if we didn’t have automation, this is a cool event to learn great sales and marketing principles from..

So, want to know what other events you should be putting on your calendar?

Infusionsoft ICON 2017 Event – 25-27 April, Phoenix, AZ – Going? See you there.

Lisa Macqueen, Infusionsoft Cleaning Business ICON, Infusionsoft for Cleaning Businesses

Meet Us At ICON – Phoenix, AZ – 25-27 April, 2017

Reframe Janitorial Conference by Swept (My friends at Swept have invited me to speak at a few of their Reframed events, so keep an eye out for those dates)

ISSA Cleaning & Hygiene Expo (I’ll be speaking as part of a panel – Melbourne, Australia)

ISSA Cleaning & Hygiene Expo

Here’s a few more that you should definitely aim to attend:

ISSA Interclean North America (September, 2017 in Las Vegas, NV)

BSCAI Annual Convention (September, 2017 in Las Vegas, NV)

ARCSI Event (September 2017 – venue TBD)

So “Jason”, let me put you straight on this…

Cleaning isn’t just cleaning. It’s a thriving business full of dedicated and hardworking business owners and entrepreneurs who see the value in investing in their own education, and offering 21st century solutions to their customers.

I’d love to hear from you – what conferences are you planning on attending this year? Leave me a message below, and who knows, I just might see you there… 🙂

“People don’t resist change, they resist being changed”. Peter Senge

Lisa x

………………………………………………………………………………………………

First time to our blog…? Welcome, it’s great to have you here 🙂 Want to know more about us – check us out here.

Cleaning Marketer works exclusively with cleaning businesses to help them attract more prospects, make more sales, and keep their clients longer.

PS A FREE REPORT FOR YOU: “How To Get Cleaning Clients Even If You’re Brand New To The Cleaning Industry”

Go Grab Your Free Copy By Clicking On This Link: Here

Want fast access to great information to help you build and grow your cleaning business? Go ‘Like’ us on Facebook or hit the ‘Subscribe’ Button on You Tube.

5 Top-Secret Questions You Need To Ask Your Prospects – How To Grow My Cleaning Company

January 31, 2017 by Lisa Macqueen 16 Comments

5 Secret Questions You Need To Ask Your Prospects (So You Can Grow Your Cleaning Business )

I was on an interview recently, and asked what my top 3 Secrets To Grow Your Cleaning Business in 2017 were (you can checkout that interview I did with Joshua Latimer here) and I thought…hmmm

“That would make a great post for this week….”

because as we get into the year, the better equipped we are with information, the better our year will be right?

So, let’s start off with our customers… and making sales because..

Sales are 100% of Profit

..Sales are 100% of profit

But to get a sale, we have to attract a prospect, and then do a great job and turn them into customers, and then KEEP THEM (which is where a lot of cleaning businesses come undone.

Keeping customers can be HARD

Some customers aren’t shy at all about expressing their opinions. They know they’re paying for a cleaning service and they aren’t afraid to communicate exactly what they want and need.

But then there are others who may be hesitant, unconfident, or at least less forthright with you for dozens of reasons. But the hesitant ones could be the ideal customers, the loyal ones that want your services for years to come. They just need to confirm that you’re the right fit. To unlock this information, you need to know what they’re not saying.

Throughout my years in the cleaning industry, I’ve gathered up the most essential ways to reassure current and potential clients so that your business will be booming. And stay that way…

Here’s what you really need to know:

# 1. They’re dying to figure out how you’ll be different.

You know, different from the previous cleaning service that clearly didn’t work out (because otherwise they wouldn’t have called you). The way to not only reassure them but to actually stand out is by asking them this very simple question (learned from the indomitable Skip Miller)..

What’s causing you to change your cleaning service?

And then be quiet. This is their turn to speak! And, they’ll tell you all the things that they haven’t been happy about – which is valuable information for you, because these things are their ‘hot buttons’….

When you know your prospects ‘hot buttons’ you can tailor-make your proposal like a laser guided missile to it’s target – because you’re offering them targeted solutions to their (already existing) problems.

And no-one else will be doing that, (trust me, most cleaning business sales people just talk about themselves and their company incessantly) instead of talking about solutions to their prospects problems…

…Which is how you win your prospects’ trust..

The ‘ol one two’

And if you want to give them the ‘ol one-two punch’ then hit them with this next question (courtesy of the lovely Angela Brown Oberer…)

How will you know your home or office is really clean?

And guess what? This question will tell you EXACTLY the areas that they ‘see’… That is, the areas that are more visible to them than others.

Meaning (insert drumroll here…)

You can focus on those areas and know in advance, that your shiny new customer will see it, and appreciate it…..and stay with you longer..

It’s simple, but crucial for client retention.

# 2. They want to know how you hire and screen your employees.

What is DIFFERENT about your employees and team?

If you have a special “5 step on-boarding process” that includes some cool new ideas for bringing on efficient team members with a great eye for detail – shout it from the rooftops! (And if you don’t -2017 is the year you need to get your talent acquisition strategy as strong as your customer acquisition strategy).

Remember, your job is to be as DIFFERENT as you can from your competitors, otherwise, you’ll end up competing on price because your prospects won’t be able to make a clear distinction between your services and your competitors, so they’ll go with the lowest common denominator – THE PRICE

# 3. They want to know how long you’ve been in business (and whether you have the proper credentials).

Ok, truthfully????? They don’t care.

…..(insert a barrage of negative comments here… ) wait, wait, just hear me out first…

At the beginning of a new prospect relationship, this is simply not the most important thing to your prospect.

Why?

Because you’re not ‘there’ yet (and by ‘there’ I mean, on their mental short-list for the job).

They’re just checking you out… Just think of this as your first date… The time when you bring out “funny, charming you” who’s super interested in everything they have to say….

That my friends, is what a first date is all about…

You’ve Got To Date Your Prospects Before You Ask Them to “Marry” You….

Of course the whole licensed-bonded-insured thing is a great form of outward-facing credibility to the people who matter. How many years of experience your company has is also very telling. These clues speak to your legitimacy and trustworthiness.

And these things ARE important.

It’s just that going on and on about it at the first appointment is just going to bore your prospect to death because, THEY DON’T CARE YET..

But they will.

# 4. They want to know exactly what will be covered.

Whether you use a checklist, talk over problem areas or ask for a list of specifications, clients want reassurance that your team will do a much more thorough job than they’d do themselves if they had the time. That your team will take the time to tackle the areas that matter most (remember, this where you should be talking about those ‘hot buttons’). This should be part of the on-boarding process.

# 5 They want to know what happens if they’re less than pleased with the results.

Nooooooooo….. I just put that point in to mess with you!

Because you, the cleaning industry professional, are going to grow your cleaning business by beginning this relationship positioned as an expert. And you’re going to set your client’s expectations correctly right from the word go.

How would this sound in a real sales appointment? Something like this:

“John/Sarah, as a business, my team and I strive and work towards excellence, however, as with everything in life, it’s impossible to get a perfect score or 100/100 every single day.

Wouldn’t you agree John/Sarah?

So with that in mind, I’m going to be calling/emailing/dropping by on a weekly/monthly/quarterly basis and asking you – ‘are we meeting all of your needs’?

If you feel there’s even a small improvement that could be made, would you do me a favor?

‘Sure..’

Would you let me know before it becomes an issue so we can make any ‘course corrections’ needed, so you can have the service you signed up for, and my team and I can proudly call you our customer for many years to come?

Try this strategy… by getting your customers’ help right from the beginning, it sets up the whole shiny-new relationship on the right footing…

Why?

Because they’re worried about trusting you (they’ve been let down before, remember).

And you’re worried about asking them because you may be afraid those questions will open a can of worms. That’s always a possible outcome, but what’s more likely is that your team’s services will improve, you’ll learn a lot about what makes people lifelong customers AND your business will flourish because you weren’t afraid to ask.

So there you have it… how to grow your cleaning business by knowing what some of the thoughts are that are typically in the back of prospects’ and customers’ minds (but aren’t always addressed out of fear), AND knowing some of the right questions you can be asking to relax your prospect.

What do you think? I would love you to share some of your own experiences. Do you have another ‘top-secret’ question that your prospects ask? Leave me a message in the comments below and share your thoughts – I promise, I read and reply to every message..

“The most important thing in communication is hearing what isn’t said.” – Peter Drucker

Lisa x

………………………………………………………………………………………………

First time to our blog…? Welcome, it’s great to have you here 🙂 Want to know more about us – check us out here.

Cleaning Marketer works exclusively with cleaning businesses to help them attract more prospects, make more sales, and keep their clients longer.

Want fast business growth? Register for the next Cleaning Business School – Fast Growth Ideas for Cleaning Businesses who want to attract more prospects, make more sales and keep their clients longer.

Prefer a live event in either San Diego or New York City in 2017? Get inspired, empowered and take your market by storm. Book now

PS A FREE REPORT FOR YOU: “How To Get Cleaning Clients Even If You’re Brand New To The Cleaning Industry”

Go Grab Your Free Copy By Clicking On This Link: Here

Want fast access to great information to help you build and grow your cleaning business? Go ‘Like’ us on Facebook or hit the ‘Subscribe’ Button on You Tube.

How to Hire & Retain the Best Cleaning Employees

October 27, 2016 by Lisa Macqueen Leave a Comment

How to Hire & Retain the Best Cleaning Employees

You’re a diligent boss who’s careful to hire the ‘standouts’….but you’re finding it challenging to say the least, to get the right applicants to even show up for an interview, much less be a great fit for your cleaning business.

You hope they’ll stick around so that you can continue to provide superior service to your clients with a reliable cleaning team. You want to keep hiring exceptional people, but also recognize and encourage a long-term commitment to the job. Below are some practical examples on how to do just that.

Know Your Company’s Hiring Reputation.

It’s great to know your reputation with clients in order to stay profitable, but knowing how prospective employees regard your company is also essential. Your public persona inadvertently tells those out in the job market how they’ll be treated. Does your staff speak of you highly? Do your social media channels and website give the impression that your company offers a rewarding experience for its employees? College kids with good grades can also make amazing staff, just ask Student Maid… Each of their team must meet a 3.5 minimum GPA requirement to even be considered for the job – and they’re having great success in hiring great staff, who are committed to them and their clients.

Pro Tip: Become a ‘role-model’ company…. the type of organization that people look at as more than just a paycheck. Be a paycheck with purpose…

Conduct Interviews with Current Staff.

We know it seems strange, but interviewing existing employees who’ve made it through the long haul with you can be incredibly beneficial in the hiring process. Find out the reasons for their loyalty and what makes your company a great place to work. Offer a referral bonus program to encourage employees to recruit good prospects for you…

Establish the Right Company Culture

Allow staff to develop strong bonds. Make your company a place of respect and active listening. If your employees feel like their feedback is heard and even implemented occasionally, it can make a significant impact in workplace contentment. Treating people well, especially in the early stages of employment, is proven to boost retention, and will definitely boost loyalty.

Pro Tip: Ask your team: “What can we do to help make your job better?”

Recognize That Rewards Go Beyond Money

While bonus checks are always eagerly welcomed, recognition in front of peers, involvement in company parties and group activities, or even lunches with you and the rest of the team can make a crucial difference in keeping someone around. Verbally recognizing good work is key. It’s easy to forget to do so on a consistent basis, but people relish this praise and work harder because of it.

Pro Tip: Something that Jancoa does (that I love), is they take a cold can of Coke in to their employees when they go and do site quality visits and while they’re there, they thank their team for their hard work…

Show Them a Real Future

Hire and promote from within when possible in order to spur motivation. Delegate responsibilities that help your team members grow and gain relevant skills. Encourage ownership over job duties and thinking of themselves as ‘problem solvers and relationship builders’ when they’re out at a clients’ site.

Taking these steps will ensure a solid team to bolster the success of your cleaning service. Watch your business grow from the results. And if you’re serious about business growth, come join us at Cleaning Marketer. Join a community where business owners in the industry gain access to information that attracts prospects, makes sales and keeps top clients on the roster. Click here to grab your free copy of “How To Get More New Clients, Even If You’re New To the Industry” ..

Today’s quote:

“No such thing as spare time. No such thing as free time. No such thing as down time.

All you’ve got is life time. GO”! Henry Rollins

Lisa x

………………………………………………………………………………………………

First time to our blog…? Welcome, it’s great to have you here 🙂 Want to know more about us – check us out here.

Cleaning Marketer works exclusively with cleaning businesses to help them attract more prospects, make more sales, and keep their clients longer.

Want fast business growth? Register for the next Cleaning Business School – 8 Weeks of Fast Growth Ideas for Cleaning Businesses who want to attract more prospects, make more sales and keep their clients longer.

Prefer a live event in either San Diego or New York City in 2017? Get inspired, empowered and take your market by storm. Book now.

8 Tips on How to Make Your Boss (and team) Respect You

July 25, 2016 by Lisa Macqueen Leave a Comment

What’s the team culture like in your business?

What are the 8 Tips on How to Make Your Boss (and team) Respect You? Now before you start thinking… “you can’t make people respect you – respect is earned” (which it most definitely is and I wholeheartedly agree with you), hear me out for a minute…

As a cleaning business coach, one of the first conversations I have with new clients is this: “Have you ever wondered how your team (or boss) views your performance at work? I’m not talking about your annual performance review here, but how they actually think about you as a member of the organization? In other words, do they look at you as someone who dreams big and get’s things done, or do they look at you as someone who just turns up, does what you have to, and leaves….?

Let’s face it, no-one goes to work wanting to do a bad job right? Most of us want our boss or our team to think we’re easy to work with, or efficient, or an asset to the business, so today, let’s look at what we can do, to make that happen…

# 1. What Value Are You Bringing?

Look at how you add value to the business. Are you bringing great new ideas on how things can be improved in your department or the business as a whole… (I heard a great quote from Sally Hogshead, “If you’re not adding value, you’re just taking up space”. Don’t take up space in the business.

# 2. Ask For Feedback

Make it easy to give you feedback without the drama that can sometimes be associated. What I mean by that is, ask questions like, “Should I handle that differently next time?” or, “How would you have done that better?” The point here is to look at it as a great opportunity to get real feedback that will help you become an even better member of the team (as well as their boss).

# 3. Don’t Get Frustrated Easily

I once worked with a woman whose frustration threshold was so low, she had the entire office (and business) on red alert constantly. It was counter-productive and damaging to the morale, and although she was an incredible asset in some ways, eventually, we had to let her go because we just couldn’t endure working with her a minute longer – she was, quite literally, punishing…

What we learnt from that experience was huge.

Your company culture is something that must be protected, and if you have a team member who is not in alignment with your company’s purpose, values, and mission, well, it’s better to make a change sooner rather than later. Remember, in an office, residential or strata cleaning business, company culture is critical to success.

# 4. Don’t Overshare

Communication is great, but please don’t overshare. If you’re cc-ing people in on everything you’re doing in the hope of getting extra credits, please stop that right now. People are busy so just share with them what they need to be consulted on, to approve, or informed about. As a rule of thumb – if you’re unsure, just ask..

# 5. Don’t Schedule Too Many Meetings

I read a great article on Linked In this morning and this phrase really resonated: “In most businesses, you have to get approval to spend $500, yet you can call a meeting that runs for an hour with 20 of your staff and no-one questions it..” Forbes did an awesome article on just this subject too, that’s definitely worth a read: “Too Many Meetings, There’s a Simple Solution for That.

# 6. Accept That Everyone’s Different

Everyone has their own way of doing things – their pet peeves or weird preferences.

That’s ok, ok?

If your office manager wants the commercial cleaning company to use luxurious toilet paper over the ol’ 2 ply – Roll with them (excuse the lame pun…) – it’s really not that big a deal.

# 7. Frame Your Concerns

If you’ve ever worked with what I like to call the “dream stealers” you’ll connect with this point. Dream Stealers are people who will tell you every reason why something can’t be done. They don’t want to try anything new. They don’t care that you’ve come up with an innovative new way to offer your service, or engage with your team or clients, and then the dream stealers come in and tell you every reason why it won’t work and it can’t be done.

I’m not against constructive criticism, BUT

how about re-framing your objections to: “what makes the most sense for the business” or “can you explain in a little more detail how this will help our business?” Instead of just saying “Nope, not going to work because…”

Now if you’re a business owner, of course, you’re the one with everything on the line, so naturally, you will have the final say, and you do need to be straightforward about that too. A great way to frame it would be: “I understand that X doesn’t sound like a big deal, but it’s driving me crazy. Could we try doing ___?”

# 8. Don’t Give In to An Active Imagination

Sometimes, when we receive a text or an email from someone it can sound a little, well, sharp.

And no-one, absolutely 100% no-one, enjoys receiving an email or text like that.

If you’re the recipient of this type of message, sometimes your mind starts to go over it, and play it over and over and before you know it, that message is making you miserable. You’re feeling undervalued, overwhelmed or just plain upset by it – all because the sender didn’t put a ‘smile’ into their communication or was very blunt. So, if you’re confused or even just a little concerned about someone’s words or actions, don’t stew on it. And don’t send a dozen text messages backwards and forward about it either. Just use these magical 4 words to solve this:

JUST . SPEAK . TO . THEM .

Something like “Hey I might be misreading this, but do you have any concerns about how I’m handling XYZ?” Here’s the trick – say it calmly, and be genuinely curious and open. If you take the other route and get angry, frustrated and upset, well refer back to Point # 3 ” Don’t Get Frustrated Easily”

Conclusion

What do you do to earn the respect of your team or your boss? I’d love to hear, so please comment below and share your ideas…

What are your struggles in marketing your cleaning business? Let me know in the comments below and I’ll try and answer it in my next blog post… (I read and reply to every comment you leave me)…

Today’s quote:

“Keep away from people who try to belittle your ambitions. Small people always do that, but the really great make you feel that you, too, can become great. – Mark Twain

Lisa x

………………………………………………………………………………………………

First time to our blog…? Welcome, it’s great to have you here 🙂 Want to know more about us – check us out here.

Cleaning Marketer works exclusively with cleaning businesses to help them attract more prospects, make more sales, and keep their clients longer.

Want fast business growth? Register for Cleaning Business School – 4 Weeks of Fast Growth Ideas for Cleaning Businesses who want to attract more prospects, make more sales and keep their clients longer.

Prefer a live event in either San Diego or New York City? Get inspired, empowered and take your market by storm. Book now.

5 key points every cleaning business should know before marketing online

July 13, 2016 by Lisa Macqueen 9 Comments

Lisa & Hamish Macqueen, Owners of Cleancorp

Do You Know the 5 key points every cleaning business should know before marketing online?

What are the 5 key points every cleaning business should know before marketing online? If you’re running or own a cleaning business, one of the most important things you need to know is that in today’s economy, you need to stay relevant. Especially when it comes to marketing your cleaning services.

Whether your focus is on janitorial, residential, carpet cleaning, industrial cleaning or all of these services, your customers needs are evolving faster than at any other time in history – it can be overwhelming for some cleaning businesses just to know where to start in order to keep current with their marketing.

Today’s marketplace is shifting and changing in ways that most of us wouldn’t have predicted even 5 years ago. Make no mistake, if you don’t market your cleaning business you won’t make sales.

And sales is 100% of profit.

Here are the 5 key points every cleaning business should know before marketing their business online:

# 1 – Decision makers are everywhere – not just at the top

This is especially important if you are a B2B (business to business) operation, like Janitorial. Just because someone has the authority to make a purchase for a business, does not mean they are going to be the one making the actual decision. This is an extremely important distinction to make because if you direct all your marketing towards the higher level executives of a business, or the perceived decision makers – you’re missing a huge opportunity.

# 2 Change your focus

In business today, dismissing junior employees could mean overlooking the exact people you need to be noticed by… Remember, it’s often the more junior employees who do the researching for new cleaning services. If you can build a good relationship with them right from the start, they will be much more likely to influence a decision in your favour…

What’s the definition of a “Millennial”?

# 3 – You cannot avoid millennials any longer

Because Millennials are the first generation to have grown up with the Internet, they are far more focussed on technology, and they use technology for everything. What this means for cleaning businesses, is that to market yourselves effectively to millennials, you need to get online. From now on, you should be using technology in a whole new way.

Millennials will be influencing workplaces more and more, especially as they move into more senior roles in the future. If you aren’t marketing to this group yet, you definitely will need to in the future… so, my advice would be why wait? Start right now.

# 4 – Mobile is more crucial than ever

You’re possibly reading this on your mobile device.. These days everyone uses their mobile to gather information before they make a buying decision – and yes, that also goes for businesses.

As a cleaning business, it’s wise to give your potential new customers the opportunity to interact with you over mobile at every stage of their buying process (even the purchasing stage… if you don’t have this automated, you are missing out on a lot of opportunities)…

# 5 – The role of video in marketing has changed

Unless you’ve been hiding under a rock, you’ll know that video is now an essential part of having a conversation with your prospects. In fact, your prospects, are using video as a way to compare products, check out reviews and share with colleagues or friends.

What this means for a cleaning business is that because video is forming such a big part of the decision making conversation, you need to make sure you have plenty of engaging video content available for your viewers, so that your target audience – whether carpet cleaning, residential, commercial or any other type of cleaning service, can engage with your brand at each stage of their buying journey.

Conclusion

Marketing strategies that may have worked even a year ago for your cleaning business, will lose their effectiveness over time. As more and more tech-savvy consumers look for cleaning services, it will be the cleaning services who use modern marketing methods to reach their audience, who will win.

What are your struggles in marketing your cleaning business? Let me know in the comments below (I read and reply to every comment)…

Today’s quote:

“Stay focused, believe in yourself and trust your own ability and judgment”.

Mark Cuban

Lisa x

………………………………………………………………………………………………

First time to our blog…? Welcome, it’s great to have you here 🙂 Want to know more about us – check us out here.

Cleaning Marketer works exclusively with select cleaning businesses to help them attract more prospects, make more sales, and keep their clients longer.

Prefer a live event in either San Diego or New York City? Get inspired, empowered and take your market by storm. Book now.

How to Manage a Cleaning Team (so it takes up less of your time)…

July 6, 2016 by Lisa Macqueen Leave a Comment

How to Manage a Cleaning Team (so it takes up less of your time)…

If you’re a cleaning business owner, I’m sure you’ve wondered how to manage a cleaning team more effectively, so that it takes up less of your time… right?

It’s one of the most common things I hear from time poor cleaning business owners. Instead of focusing on winning new accounts, they’re often spending countless hours every day, managing staff and dealing with issues that stop them from growing their business.

It’s enough to make you scream…

Or, they have team members who are just the wrong fit. But they keep them on out of either misplaced loyalty, or fear of what will happen if they move the ineffective staff out of their business.

It’s enough to make you scream…

However, if you have team members who just aren’t ‘cutting it’, you need to show leadership to the rest of your team, and make the necessary changes. Interestingly, recent studies have shown that over the past decade, many organisations have been investing in developing their leadership rather than developing management skills.

(A cleaning business owner needs both of these skills. If you feel like you’re lacking in these areas, investing in cleaning business coaching, will be a great way to shorten your learning curve..)

Management skills are those ‘one on one’ relationships between cleaning business owners (or managers) and the people in their team.

Having strong management skills, leads to a strong business. It’s as simple as that. So what do strong managers do differently to everyone else?

They communicate. Really well, and, have the difficult conversations when they need to.

Managing and leading a cleaning team is much easier when everyone understands their role. In other words, they understand the expectations of you, their manager, and the customers’ expectations.

And they work together as a team. Working in alignment, rather than individually because good management shares the vision for the business. Company alignment to a clear (shared) purpose is the biggest motivator you can create as a leader seeking to achieve scalable growth in your cleaning business. Once your team buys into the vision that you have co-created with them, it will be easier for you to delegate and focus on growth, because you won’t need to micro-manage all of the details, because your team will take responsibility and ownership.

How to Manage a Cleaning Team (so it takes up less of your time)…

Good employees, share that vision, because they helped create it. They helped create the purpose (your why), the values (the how), and the mission (what you’re striving for).

So, effective cleaning team leadership and management, is all about the shared purpose of the business, and the conversations you have with your team. Having great communication – what you say, and how you say it, is paramount.

Within a cleaning business there are so many different conversations we are having each day. Conversations around ideas, delegating tasks, feedback from colleagues and clients, and the conversations that happen in our meetings.

To help you have better conversations here are the keys to success:

A good conversation is two-way. It involves speaking and listening, and it’s imperative that everyone takes part in the conversation and is heard.
Secondly, be clear on what the conversation is about, and what the objective/s of the conversation are: “Today, we’re going to discuss the feedback we received from Mrs Smith, and how we can fix our process to ensure that never happens in the future” .
Be respectful and open. It’s ok to be vulnerable with your team, it helps them to understand your position, and build trust..
Finally, be mindful. Try to focus on building the relationship and encouraging new thinking. If a team member comes up with a great idea, thank them for their input, and encourage more: “That’s a fantastic idea Jane, how do you think we could incorporate that into our service offering”….

3 Costly Mistakes Cleaning Business Owners Make in Sales Conversations

June 6, 2016 by Lisa Macqueen Leave a Comment

3 Costly Mistakes Cleaning Business Owners Make in Sales Conversations

If you’re a cleaning business owner, or you’re involved in the sales process for a cleaning business, the whole point of your sales and marketing is twofold; to fill your calendar with loads of appointments with your prospective clients and win more clients. BUT, here’s the thing. If you can have a conversation with your prospective client but then can’t navigate your way effectively through the sales conversation

you’ll be wasting a lot of your sales and marketing efforts (not to mention $$)….

Which is why in today’s post, I wanted to shine the light on why it’s so important to focus on the needs discovery conversations – in other words, why does your prospect feel like they need your service?

So let’s look specifically, let’s look at three costly mistakes you want to avoid…

Costly Mistake #1: Not vetting the prospect

Every cleaning business owner has one guaranteed want: a hot prospect interested in working with them on the other end of the phone…

And look, we all get excited if a great new potential opportunity comes to our cleaning business. But here’s a question we as cleaning business owners need to ask ourselves

… Do YOU want to work with THEM?

And the only way to really answer that question is to have a vetting process.

What I mean is having a method to assessing whether you actually want to work with this particular client or not.

Are they invested in making a change in the cleaning at the home or business? Are they communicative and accessible to deal with? Will they pay you on time? Do they value the expertise your cleaning business has, or do they simply want their existing cleaning problems to go away?

PRO TIP: One of my favourite questions to ask when I’m just getting to know a prospect is… “Can you tell me what is driving you to make this change in your cleaning service provider” How your prospect answers this question will tell you a lot about them.

Costly Mistake #2: Trying to answer every question as it is asked

More often than not, when we’re sitting in front of a prospect, they will be firing questions at us in an effort to make a decision on whether you’re ‘what they need’ and they want to find that out as fast as possible.

And good manners dictates that we should answer every one of their questions right? It might be impolite to do otherwise right? We might make the wrong impression if we don’t – right?

Wrong.

PRO TIP: Conversations with your prospects are NOT interrogations people! Just because they ask a question, doesn’t mean you have to answer it. A fantastic method to avoid answering a question is to go to the bridge… When you use a ‘bridging’ statement, this will help slow things down, i.e: “I’m glad you asked that question Bob, but I think the real question we should be looking at here is…”

In fact, often times that polite knee-jerk reflex means you will find yourself responding to a question that you shouldn’t be answering in the first place.

For example, you may be asked a question by a prospect that, once you step back to think about it, you realize you probably should have answered it in a different way, but because the questions were coming at you so fast, and you really wanted to win this cleaning contract, that sometimes, you’ll almost tell them what you think they want to hear, or what you think it will take for you to win the business.

PRO TIP: Set a pace from the start of the conversation that when your prospect asks you a question you take a calm breath before responding. If you do this from the get-go, not only will you set an expectation with your potential client that you’re someone who is thoughtful in your responses — but this will also help you to condition yourself to slow down in your responses.

Costly Mistake #3: Not understanding that your biggest competitor is actually your prospect’s inability to move forward

A lot of cleaning business owners drive themselves absolutely nuts worrying about what their competitors are doing, and the possibility of missing out on opportunities. But the truth is, you’re losing more deals to clients who are doing NOTHING to fix their cleaning problems, than you are to people who offer similar services to you (hard to believe, but trust me, this is true..)

And this is something really important for you to remember when you’re having a conversation with your prospective client.

Why?

If you’ve been reading my blogs or following me on Facebook or YouTube, you will have heard me say many times, that only 3% of prospective clients are what we’d call “hot” prospects, or in other words, ready to make a change – ready to hire a cleaning service right now. The other 97% are not. Essentially, the chances of your prospect deciding not to move forward at all is usually a lot greater than the chances of them moving forward with someone else.

PROTIP: Make sure that you spend time in your initial sales conversations talking with your prospects about why they feel they need to fix their cleaning problem right now — and why they feel they need your help to do it.

It’s absolutely critical that they hear the words coming out of their own mouths first. The next step is that you then reframe what they just said to you, back to them and get their agreement that you’ve understood those points accurately. This strategy will deepen their commitment to their decision to fix their cleaning problems, and get the help they need – from your cleaning business.

Are you having great conversations with your prospects..? What’s getting you great results and filling your sales funnel?

C’mon over and let me know in the comments below.

That’s the great thing about the Cleaning Industry, you meet so many people who’ll join you for sections of the journey. It’s a relationship business, where happiness and business success comes from within. If you think well, you’ll do well..

Today’s quote:

We pay respect to one of the greats today. “Float like a butterfly, sting like a bee”. Muhammad Ali

Lisa x

………………………………………………………………………………………………

First time to our blog…? Welcome, it’s great to have you here 🙂 Want to know more about us – check us out here.

Cleaning Marketer works exclusively with select cleaning businesses to help them attract more prospects, make more sales, and keep their clients longer. To learn more about our industry-leading Client Attraction System, click here.

Ready for business growth? Register now for Fast Growth Cleaning Business MasterClass New York, or San Diego in 2016. Get inspired, empowered and take your market by storm. Book now.

Your Customers are BORED

May 17, 2016 by Lisa Macqueen Leave a Comment

Your Customers are BORED

Are you boring your potential prospects and clients to tears?

More specifically they are likely bored when they hear from you on social media.. ESPECIALLY, if you are posting about before and after toilet shots, or floor shots…. sorry to everyone out there in ‘cleaning business owner land’, but,

[SHOUTING:] No-one cares!

It’s the same ol’ same for most cleaning businesses, they just keep focussing on themselves, and not what’s interesting to their prospects and clients… oh, and that’s if you even contact them at all.

In today’s video I am going to make it short and simple for you…

...if people are bored when they interact with you, they aren’t going to buy from you.

So, how do you sell and promote the same services, packages and deals you sell everyday in your cleaning business without being boring?

Check out today’s video here:

Once you’ve had a chance to watch, I’d love to know if you’ve ever struggled with ideas for social media posts for your cleaning business, and how you overcame that…?

Are you doing something amazing in social media, that’s getting you great results?

C’mon over and let me know in the comments below.

Today’s quote: “Find people who play at those things that for you, are work…. ” John Assaraf

Lisa x

………………………………………………………………………………………………

First time to our blog…? Welcome, great to have you here 🙂 Want to know more about us – check us out here.

Ready for business growth? Register now for Fast Growth Cleaning Business MasterClass New York, or San Diego in 2016. Get inspired, empowered and take your market by storm. Book now.

What Do Complaints Mean To A Cleaning Business?

May 10, 2016 by Lisa Macqueen 4 Comments

Have you built up enough ‘satisfaction-equity’ with your clients? Today’s video may be the most important cleaning industry tip and concept you’ll hear – especially if you’re striving for happiness in your business.

And it’s all about complaints.

Most of us in the cleaning industry deal with complaints from time to time, and let’s be honest here, it’s never great to hear from a client that they’re not happy, or that somehow, our commercial cleaning, janitorial or maid service team have let them down.

But what if the conversation was all about feedback for your cleaning business?

Good old fashioned, honest, feedback….

Most people, particularly business owners, love feedback.

….So, what would happen to your cleaning business if you changed your perception? What would happen if you turned that complaint into what it it really is, which is ‘feedback’…?

Once you’ve had a chance to watch, I’d love to know if you’ve ever struggled with complaints in your cleaning business.

What specific change in your approach made the biggest impact?

C’mon over and let me know in the comments below.

Today’s quote: What seems to us as bitter trials are often blessings in disguise. Oscar Wilde

Lisa x

………………………………………………………………………………………………

First time to our blog…? Welcome, great to have you here 🙂 Want to know more about us – check us out here.

Ready for business growth? Register now for Fast Growth Cleaning Business MasterClass New York, or Los Angeles in 2016. Get inspired, empowered and take your market by storm. Book now.

Are You Committed To Your Cleaning Business?

May 3, 2016 by Lisa Macqueen Leave a Comment

Are You Committed To Your Cleaning Business?

If you head is nodding yes, you’re going to love today’s video episode..

And honestly…

Even if you feel pretty darn good about your attitude to your cleaning business, there’s always a next level to reach for. I mean, I’m a business owner and I coach business owners for a living and I’m always catching little habits and patterns to change.

In today’s video, you’ll learn why commitment totally eclipses interest when it comes to running a cleaning business. (Pssst..I even talk about what the big shift was for me going through this process 🙂

Once you’ve had a chance to watch, I’d love to know if you’ve ever struggled with your commitment to your business and…

What specific change in your approach made the biggest impact?

C’mon over and let me know in the comments below.

Today’s quote: Be the best. It’s the only market that’s not crowded. George Whalin

Lisa x

………………………………………………………………………………………………

First time to our blog…? Welcome, great to have you here 🙂 Want to know more about us – check us out here.

Ready for business growth? Register now for Fast Growth Cleaning Business MasterClass New York, or Los Angeles in 2016. Get inspired, empowered and take your market by storm. Book now.

So where are you, and what conferences ARE you attending?

So, want to know what other events you should be putting on your calendar?

Infusionsoft ICON 2017 Event – 25-27 April, Phoenix, AZ – Going? See you there.

Reframe Janitorial Conference by Swept (My friends at Swept have invited me to speak at a few of their Reframed events, so keep an eye out for those dates)

ISSA Cleaning & Hygiene Expo (I’ll be speaking as part of a panel – Melbourne, Australia)

Here’s a few more that you should definitely aim to attend:

ISSA Interclean North America (September, 2017 in Las Vegas, NV)

BSCAI Annual Convention (September, 2017 in Las Vegas, NV)

ARCSI Event (September 2017 – venue TBD)

So “Jason”, let me put you straight on this…

..Sales are 100% of profit

# 1. They’re dying to figure out how you’ll be different.

What’s causing you to change your cleaning service?

How will you know your home or office is really clean?

# 2. They want to know how you hire and screen your employees.

# 3. They want to know how long you’ve been in business (and whether you have the proper credentials).

# 4. They want to know exactly what will be covered.

# 5 They want to know what happens if they’re less than pleased with the results.

Know Your Company’s Hiring Reputation.

Conduct Interviews with Current Staff.

Establish the Right Company Culture

Recognize That Rewards Go Beyond Money

Show Them a Real Future

# 1. What Value Are You Bringing?

# 2. Ask For Feedback

# 3. Don’t Get Frustrated Easily

# 4. Don’t Overshare

# 5. Don’t Schedule Too Many Meetings

# 6. Accept That Everyone’s Different

# 7. Frame Your Concerns

# 8. Don’t Give In to An Active Imagination

# 1 – Decision makers are everywhere – not just at the top

# 2 Change your focus

# 3 – You cannot avoid millennials any longer

# 4 – Mobile is more crucial than ever

# 5 – The role of video in marketing has changed

Conclusion

To help you have better conversations here are the keys to success:

Get The Power Follow Up Planning Checklist

Recent Posts

Popular Posts

Contact Us

Tags