Being a great cleaner is one thing, but running a business is an entirely different beast. Just because you are good at cleaning doesn’t necessarily mean you can apply those skills to running a business. If you are serious about building a cleaning business, the first thing you need to do is start thinking like an owner. It’s essential that you approach your housekeeping business from a business owner’s perspective and develop your business acumen.

Whether you are just starting out, looking to add a client or two, are expanding your service offerings, or simply taking your housekeeping services to the next level, the following tips will help you on a sure path to growth.

Tips for Building Your Housekeeping Empire

1. Clean like it’s your own home

The quality of cleaning you provide will have a significant impact on your ability to improve customer satisfaction, get referrals, and develop a reputation in the industry. Whether you are doing a simple cleaning job or offering a specialty service, clean it like your own home and make the place sparkle. The extra effort won’t go unnoticed!

2. Develop systems

Creating systems help you better organize your business. By defining an outline for how your company cleans, folds laundry, supervises workers, responds to customer requests, and more, you can ensure that your company will keep running even if you aren't there.

3. Manage your contacts effectively

Staying in touch with current and prospective customers is essential to expanding your customer base. There are many ways you can do this – phone, email, social media, direct mail, or even through face to face meetings. Choose the method that makes the most sense for the customer.

4. Stay up to date with industry developments

Knowing what is happening in your industry helps you make better business decisions. It also enables you to be a trendsetter when it comes to new cleaning products and services. Further, it allows you to be flexible and adjust your service offerings to meet the changing needs of your customers.

5. Establish a niche

There is no shortage of cleaning services you can offer as a housekeeper. If you notice that you excel in a particular area, or are attracting customers for a specific reason, use this to establish a niche or specialization to help you develop a focus for your cleaning business.

6. Become an industry expert

Being the go-to company for cleaning questions is something that can help your housekeeping business take off. All you need to do to get this started is a blog, simple website, or Instagram account. Use these platforms as a launchpad for building your brand and personality.

7. Network

Connecting with other leaders in your industry is important for any business, and housekeeping is no different. While many housekeepers get their first customers through word of mouth and people they know, this approach is typically not sustainable for the long term. That's why it’s important to get out there, meet other people in the industry, attend networking events and promote your services locally. The more people you know, the better.

8. Reward your regular customers

Especially at the beginning, your regular customers are what helps your business stay afloat. Reward these customers in the form of loyalty discounts or referral rewards, and provide additional value in terms of service offerings.

9. Invest in customer service

Housekeeping is a service-based business. Therefore, you need to invest in customer service and offer your customers exceptional service during each interaction. Building strong relationships with your customers is the key to long-term contracts.

10. Set business goals

How much revenue do you want to generate each month? How many new customers do you want to add monthly? How much time will you dedicate to prospecting and working to develop your business? Setting these types of goals will help keep you focused on growing and evolving as a business. It also gives you something to strive for and enables you to keep your eye on the prize.

Every Housekeeper Can Be a Business Owner

Running a successful housekeeping business has to do with more than just cleaning. Being a savvy business person, offering memorable customer service experiences, and becoming an expert in your area will help your business grow and reach new heights.