Ask Me Help Desk - Starting a janitorial business

Yes I'm still here, I posted my questions above. I'm just waiting on stringer for a response.

Okay. Are you still interested in the advertising aspect of your business?

Yes but not at the moment though. I would like to get things started first, get some work, before I do that

Quote:

Originally Posted by applecs

Hi guys. Stringer, I finally have some time on my hands now to help my parents out with the business. I've been doing research and studying some more since last talking with you. I just wanted to know how you went about everything from the very beginning? when you went to different places, when you did cold calling, when you actually got to speak with someone that makes decisions?

Apple, there are so many answers to this question as so many things apply.

When you first address a prospect or the receptionist, little things like a smile, tone of voice, attitude means so much IMO. You have about thirty seconds to form an initial good impression. You have to be non threatening. Simply be yourself.

You can gain a lot of information from the receptionist; Are they happy with the cleaning? Who presently does the cleaning? Etc.

You have several things on your agenda with the receptionist; Could you speak to the person who 'contracts for janitorial service?' If not, ask them for his/her card (usually it contains all the info you need including the email address.) Has the present cleaning company been there a long time? Have they gone out for bid recently? Etc.

Always follow up with this information if you do not see the right person initially. And IMO and experience this occurs rarely. The 'lead time in most cases from initial contact and signing a contract for mid and large contracts is usually three months due to many factors; length of present contract, decision making time, etc.

When making you first phone contact put a smile in your voice, be polite (realize that he/she gets a lot of calls. (In the three county area surrounding Chicago there are a minimum of 3,500 cleaning companies.) Get to the point, briefly tell them who you are, why you are calling, and a small bit about your company. Ask them if you can offer a proposal. Ask to make an appointment.

Cold Calling : Sell : How To : Eric Wolfram's Writing (You may need to copy and paste this)

Hope this helped some, there is so much more...

Stringer

Quote:

Originally Posted by applecs

Yes but not at the moment tho. I would like to get things started first, get some work, before I do that

By advertising, you'll be more likely to get the work.

What about the buildings that don't have gate keepers or receptionist, the one's that have people in the lobby for front of the building? How would you get a lead from those kinds of places?

Quote:

Originally Posted by applecs

What about the buildings that don't have gate keepers or receptionist, the one's that have people in the lobby for front of the building? How would you get a lead from those kinds of places?

In the smaller buildings such as you described you simply ask if you could speak to the person that makes the decision to contract for services. In buildings that are say 2,000 sq ft or less you have a better chance of seeing that person. These size buildings may not have cleaning 5 or 6 days per week, so be sure to ask how many days per week they require service. The initial contact I mentioned above still applies apple.

Stringer

Quote:

Originally Posted by Clough

By advertising, you'll be more likely to get the work.

I'm actually going to start posting on craigslist pretty soon. What are some other place for good exposure?

Quote:

Originally Posted by Clough https://www.askmehelpdesk.com/images...s/viewpost.gif
By advertising, you'll be more likely to get the work.

Quote:

Originally Posted by applecs

I'm actually going to start posting on craigslist pretty soon. What are some other place for good exposure?

We need to do this in steps... craigslist is good, but not the only place to advertise.

Are you a member of hoobly.com?

Thanks!

Quote:

Originally Posted by Stringer

In the smaller buildings such as you described you simply ask if you could speak to the person that makes the decision to contract for services. In buildings that are say 2,000 sq ft or less you have a better chance of seeing that person. These size buildings may not have cleaning 5 or 6 days per week, so be sure to ask how many days per week they require service. The initial contact I mentioned above still applies apple.

Stringer

Sorry stringer I wrote that wrong, I meant to ask what about the buildings that don't have receptionist or anyone for that matter in the lobby? These aren't small buildings either, they're pretty decent sized, close to 100,000 sq ft.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Clough

We need to do this in steps... craigslist is good, but not the only place to advertise.

Are you a member of hoobly.com?

Thanks!

No, haven't heard of that site. You mind giving me a briefing of the site? Thanks.

Quote:

Originally Posted by applecs

Sorry stringer I wrote that wrong, I meant to ask what about the buildings that don't have receptionist or anyone for that matter in the lobby? These aren't small buildings either, they're pretty decent sized, close to 100,000 sq ft.

If I understand what you are asking Apple all you would need to do is ask whomever you find the same question or ask for the 'manager.'

EDIT: If you cannot find anyone then simply take down the company name, address, etc and Google it for a phone number and follow through.

For new construction simply ask for the Job Sup... he sill usually be very helpful in giving you a lot of info.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Clough
We need to do this in steps... craigslist is good, but not the only place to advertise.

Are you a member of hoobly.com?

Thanks!

Quote:

Originally Posted by applecs

no, haven't heard of that site. You mind giving me a briefing of the site? Thanks.

If you list something on that site, depending on how you word your ad, it can become visible on the first page of a Google search within minutes!

If you're interested in doing that, as well as knowing how to do that, please open up another browswer or tab, and join Everything from Everywhere

Thanks!

I have to leave for a while guys. Apple if you have further questions please let me know.

Stringer

Ok thanks. And when you make cold calls to the decision makers what do you, as in you personally, usually say? Do you have something that you always say, how do you start the call?

Quote:

Originally Posted by Clough

If you list something on that site, depending on how you word your ad, it can become visible on the first page of a Google search within minutes!

If you're interested in doing that, as well as knowing how to do that, please open up another browswer or tab, and join Everything from Everywhere

Thanks!

Yea that sounds great. So after I register I just post a ad, like I would on craigslist?

Quote:

Originally Posted by Clough
If you list something on that site, depending on how you word your ad, it can become visible on the first page of a Google search within minutes!

If you're interested in doing that, as well as knowing how to do that, please open up another browswer or tab, and join Everything from Everywhere

Thanks!

Quote:

Originally Posted by applecs

yea that sounds great. So after I register I just post a ad, like I would on craigslist?

What we do, is to work on the words for the ad here. It will need to be worded just right. Some people's ads never get noticed in searches because of the way that they've worded their ads.

Please let me know, on this thread, when you've joined that site.

Thanks!

Quote:

Originally Posted by Clough

What we do, is to work on the words for the ad here. It will need to be worded just right. Some people's ads never get noticed in searches because of the way that they've worded their ads.

Please let me know, on this thread, when you've joined that site.

Thanks!

Ok I just registered right now.

Quote:

Originally Posted by applecs

Ok thanks. And when you make cold calls to the decision makers what do you, as in you personally, usually say? Do you have something that you always say, how do you start off the call?

Hi, my name is... I am with... we are a janitorial company in your area, and we have been doing business here for over... years. We would like the opportunity to talk with you about becoming your service.

Do you presently use a janitorial service? Are you interested in a competitive proposal to perform our service? There is no charge to sit down for a bit and do a walk through and present a quote for out service.

Is next Tuesday at 2 pm good for you?

(Did you take a look at the site I posted Apple?)

Stringer

Quote:

Originally Posted by Clough
What we do, is to work on the words for the ad here. It will need to be worded just right. Some people's ads never get noticed in searches because of the way that they've worded their ads.

Please let me know, on this thread, when you've joined that site.

Thanks!

Quote:

Originally Posted by applecs

Ok I just registered right now.

Are you using a separate browswer or another tab, please?

Quote:

Originally Posted by Stringer

Hi, my name is............I am with ......................we are a janitorial company in y9our area, and we have been doing business here for over.........years. We would like the opportunity to talk with you about becoming your service.

Do you presently use a janitorial service? Are you interested in a competitive proposal to perform our service? There is no charge to sit down for a bit and do a walk through and present a quote for out service.

Is next Tuesday at 2 pm good for you?

(Did you take a look at the site I posted Apple?)

Stringer

Yes, and I've actually read one of stephan schiffman's books about sales too. Thank you. Ok then it seems I'll just have to give all of this a try first to see how it goes.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Clough

Are you using a separate browswer or another tab, please?

Another tab

Okay, good!

What's the name of your business, please?

Apple Cleaning Service

That's great that the name of your business begins with the letter "A"! You'll be more likely to be found sooner on certain search engines that operate alphbetically.

Also, when listing in the Yellow Pages of the phone book, your business should be first or near the beginning of the listings.

Now, what specific types of things are you willing to do for people, please?

Please list as much as you can.

Thanks!

Well our company just does commercial janitorial work. Within that there's different things like cleaning windows, sweeping, vacuuming, moping, cleaning bathrooms, dusting, floor care, carpet care, emptying trash and recycle bins. I'm sure there's more but I can't recall anymore at the moment

Quote:

Originally Posted by applecs

well our company just does commercial janitorial work. within that there's different things like cleaning windows, sweeping, vacuuming, moping, cleaning bathrooms, dusting, floor care, carpet care, emptying trash and recycle bins. I'm sure there's more but I can't recall anymore at the moment

Okay, that's good!

Now, what are the possible locations where you'll be wanting to do the work, please?

I'm asking about the State, cities, towns and counties.

Thanks!

It would just be in the northern virginia and southern Maryland area. Arlington, Fairfax, Loudoun, and Prince William counties, and the independent cities of Alexandria, Falls Church, Fairfax, Manassas, and Manassas Park for virginia. Rockville, silver sping, potomac, bethesda, gaithersburg for Maryland.

Thank you for posting that!

Now, I'm going to check out what kind of competitioin that you will have online.

It will take me a few minutes...

I've performed the following searches.

Arlington, Virginia Cleaning Service - Google Search

Fairfax, Virginia Cleaning Service - Google Search

Cleaning Services in Maryland - Google Search

Virginia House Cleaning Service - Google Search

http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&s...f&aql=&aqi=&oq=

Would those places listed on the searches be represetative of what you might be doing?

Thanks!

Yes those are some of the places except for the house cleaning service one

I'm formatting an ad and will be back shortly, applecs...

Np, thank you very much clough for all your help and time

Possible ad:

Commercial Cleaning Services in Virginia could be a possible title for your ad.

A commercial janitorial service in the [list at least several areas]

We offer commercial janitorial work. Window cleaning, sweeping, vacuuming, moping, bathroom cleaning, sanitizing, dusting, floor care and maintenance, carpet cleaning, trash disposal, etc.

References available. Insured and bonded. [I'm not sure what kind of coverage that you have as far as insurance and being bonded.]

Please call [Your first and last name] [Phone Number], or by email at [Email address]

[If you put your first and last name in an ad, it will make you look more credible.]

Keywords: Commercial Cleaning Service in [Location], [Another Location] janitorial service, Prince William county cleaning service, window cleaning in [City and State],

I'm sure that you get the idea. You put in as many things that you can do as well as where you can do them.

Do you get it, as far as how to post an ad, applecs?

If you work at it, and study ads that I've posted, you'll wind up on the first pages in searches.

How do I look up the ads you posted?

I'm going to find the links now.

It will take me a few minutes...

So I should put everything you wrote in the descriptions box except the title right?

Links...

Link One

Link Two

Link Three

Link Four

Those aren't all. But, at least it's a start. Most of what you'll find for a number of pages will be about what I can do.

Thanks!

Quote:

Originally Posted by applecs

so i should put everything you wrote in the descriptions box except the title right?

You can put the title in the box also. But, I would suggest varying it.

For instance, it's important to use words that are variances on words when advertising on the Internet. Ing, er, plural and also singular for descriptive words. Different search engines will pick things up in different ways.

Cleaner, Cleaning, Cleaners are three different types of words that you could use at the same time in ads.