[tracie ledford]

Hi I am Tracie Ledford and I am new to this site. I read your answer and was amazed at the info I got from you. I live in Georgia, I have 15 years experience in the cleaning field. I have cleaned schools for 13 years with the county,church for 5 years,medium size office, and in a college.I can do anything from stripping and waxing to general cleaning.I do own some equipment, what else can you tell me on how to start my own business.

Clough - Previous question asked is below.

Hello my name is Tracie . I am wanting to get my own business started up in commercial cleaning. How do I do this? How do I find jobs to bid on? How do you actually do the bidding? Where can I find estimated prices to know how much to bid?:)

Question above moved from Forum Help by another Moderator

[Stringer]

Hi Tracie,

I have read you response and I will respond later today if possible. I am off to a meeting presently.

Stringer

[Clough]

Hello, Tracie!

I just moved your first question that you had posted as a response to someone else's question to it's own thread so that it will be for you and get the most exposure as well as responses. This place doesn't operate the same way that a chat room does. So, it's best to be posting new questions on an entirely new thread if you want your question to get noticed the most. I then merged your other question concerning commercial cleaning, which was the one that I had noticed with the other one that you had posted. My response that I had posted to it is below. I'm sure that Stringer can give you more details concerning actual cleaning business because he is into it on a large scale. The information that I am best at giving is for small business in general and also that which concerns advertising. Thanks.

What is the location or locations where you will be wanting to do the work, please? It would help to know that because the prices will vary greatly depending on the location, and if we know the location(s) we might be able to give you an idea as far as the price that you might charge.

To look the most professional, you should have a neat and organized bidding sheet based upon the services that you provide and the areas of a building that you will be cleaning. Such a bidding sheet can be put together using a program on the computer such as Microsoft Excel or Word. Other programs that format spreadsheets or documents will also work. You should include your contact information at the top of it.

To find the jobs on which to bid, you can "cold call" business (which means to visit them personally and hand them a flyer telling who you are and the services that you provide.) Or, you could advertise in the local media, Yellow Pages of the phone book, network with friends, post free ads and/or have free websites on the Internet or hang up your advertising "shingle" wherever you can find a public bulletin board where you might be able to advertise for free. I have a number of small businesses that I run. Most of the business that I get comes from the free ads that I have placed on the Internet. If you would like to know more about advertising on the Internet, please let me know.

You can find out what people might charge for services by talking to people at places that provide mainly janitorial supplies, calling people that you will find in the Yellow Pages that do cleaning or asking companies how much they are paying for their cleaning service and then offering them a better deal.

[Clough]

Here is the answer given by Stringer on another question to which Tracie is in reference with her question in Post #1 above. Link is here: https://www.askmehelpdesk.com/busine...ss-150163.html

Originally posted by Stringer

The only way I knew that you had any experience in cleaning was because I looked at your profile. Please give more information and be as specific as possible when posting a question. This helps and I can be more specific to your needs.

Appartently you already have a residentual cleaning company and have some general experience. There are some major differences in Commercial Cleaning;

1. How you price is different
2. How you figure your labor is different
3. There are differences in the methods that are used to clean
4. You will supply all equipment and supplies unlike residentual
5. Much more...

Now if you are simply asking how you find commercial business then I suggest that you start by personnaly visiting smaller to medium sized companies. Then as you grow and gain more experience in this phase of the business pursue larger accounts. You will find that the larger accounts demand more professionalism and are more demanding of your service.

Put together a PROFESSIONAL brochure which should include all pertinate information about your company; phone number, address, brief experience, AND what you can do to resolve their cleaning problems/needs, etc.

Another bit of advice; do not give pricing over the phone, always do a proposal listing the specifications and your monthly price. Take my advice, this will protect you in this business as some clients think they are getting something that you did not include in your pricing.

You did not ask how to price, however; pricing is usually determined by the square foot sometimes by the labor hours needed. Always give a monthly sum price on your proposal.

If you have further questions, just respond to this post, I would be happy to respond.
Stringer