Cleaning Business Advertising and Marketing Tips

Getting customers when starting out in a cleaning business can be difficult.  There is a lot of competition and advertising can get very expensive.  Here are some low-cost marketing ideas to help bring in some cleaning jobs:

Free Online Listings

Hopefully, you have already signed up for a free Google Business listing.  If not, do it now!  You may show up at the top of a google search in your area, even if you don’t have a website.  Be sure to check out any other free listing services like elocal.comyellowpages.com, craigslist.org, and a whole load of other free listing sites available.  The more your cleaning business name is out there, the more likely you are to get a call.

Positive Online Reviews

People are drawn to positive reviews. Ask loyal customers to leave a positive review for you.  You can either direct them to a website where your business is listed, or request a review you can post on your website.

Yard Signs

You don’t need anything fancy.  Make sure your cleaning business name and phone number are both prominent in the sign.  You really don’t need much more information than that.  Too much information on the sign will make it cluttered and hard to read.  You only need a few yard signs that you can move to different locations.

Business Cards

Business cards aren’t expensive.  Pass them out everywhere.  Tack a few on the bulletin boards at banks, stores, and other public locations.

Vehicle Advertising

Something as simple as a magnetic sign on your painting vehicle will let others in the neighborhood know about your cleaning services.

Charity Giveaway

Charity auctions are a great way to get positive exposure while helping a good cause.  Be creative to offer something of value, that may cost you some time, but not too much money.  You could auction your cleaning services, or a gift basket full of  food, toiletries, or even premium cleaning supplies.

Community Newspapers

Many communities have small newspapers where people can advertise yard sales, items for sale, and business services.  These newspapers are sometimes called “The Penny Pincher”, “Penny Saver” and other similar names.  Getting a listing for your cleaning business should not cost too much.  These types of newspapers are often read cover-to-cover by their readers, so there is a good chance your ad will be seen.

Prize Drawing

This is a great option for your local county fair or community day.  Have people sign up with their emails.  You could offer a particular cleaning service or a gift certificate to the winner.  You could also choose to offer all contestants a consolation prize such as 10% off a particular cleaning service.  You could also give away a gift basket full of cleaning supplies, food, or something fun.

Community Sponsoring

Depending on what level of sponsorship you choose, this could get expensive.  Often, you can get your cleaning business name on a program or t-shirt for a pretty reasonable cost.

Social Media

Set up free business pages on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and even Pinterest.

Network with other business owners

If you frequent certain businesses and are friendly with the owners, they may be willing to allow a small advertising display or at least let you place a stack of business cards.  If they know about your cleaning services, they will most likely refer you to potential customers.cleaning business marketing ideas

Diversify

You may need to offer some additional services such as power-washing or deck staining in order to broaden your potential customer base.

A Quality Website

An attractive website doesn’t have to cost thousands of dollars. Many web hosting companies offer free templates to help you get started.  A website for your painting business doesn’t need to be complex.  Keep it simple.  A few pages showcasing your painting services, along with clear contact information is all you really need.  The key is to have the website set up properly in order to rank high in your local search engine results.  Don’t forget to add your web address to your Google Business page, your Facebook page, and any other free listings you may have.

Door Flyers

Door flyers or brochures can be helpful, but be selective in where you place them.  Don’t just randomly place them in homes.  Target the neighborhoods where you want to get cleaning jobs.

Reference Incentives

Go back to some previous customers and tell them about your incentive program.  You could offer a small cash reward (maybe $20) for any referrals they give that turn into paying jobs.

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