Your business could go into a holding pattern or may suddenly fall short if you have more than a few regulars cancel around the same time. Summer is almost here and that usually means a few cancellations. This is just a normal occurrence in the cleaning industry that you should plan for every year.
Even your best client could run into sudden money problems or scheduling issues. And when this happens, the house cleaner is the first to go. You’ve got to have prospects on the back burner to fill these appointments or you could be sunk.
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Old Prospects
Ever wonder what happened to those prospects you bid a few weeks or months ago? Did you ever call them back and try to get an appointment? Not everyone will schedule your service the first time they contact you. Your schedule many have conflicted with theirs or they may have received a better quote for the service they needed. Very often a prospect just didn’t know enough about your business to provide them with the trust they needed to schedule an appointment.
Sometimes when a prospect receives a better quote, that includes using a service that charges less, promised more or perform the work in a different configuration. But that’s OK because this gives you a chance to sell them again and build trust and show your perseverance. Wouldn’t you rather do business with someone that is persistent rather than someone who never shows up again? Your list of prospects is constantly growing with names of people who want or need cleaning. That means you have a targeted list of people interested in having their home cleaned which gives you a reason to contact them again.
They may try other services, but those other services may not work out for them. That’s why you must do regular follow-ups. Why spend money on new advertising when you already have prospects that you know need your service? And why wait until those sudden cancellations
occur?
Offer Incentives
Summer is also a time when many homeowners get their house cleaned for the first time. They’re looking for a deep cleaning, but may not be ready to jump into ongoing service. Look back through your prospects for those requests and offer them a deal to get them on your schedule.
Look for ways to offer more services to your existing clients. Add-on services are a good way to do this, especially when you’re charging them a flat fee for their ongoing service. Consider what would interest your clients and come up with a package deal that includes one or more of the following:
- Oven
- Refrigerator
- Pot Shelves
- Cabinets
- Pantry/cabinet clean-out/organization
- Indoor plant cleanup
- Dust/wash shutters
- Ceiling Fans
- Chandeliers
- Move furniture or appliances to clean behind
- Garage organization
- Closet clean-out
Fill your monthly schedule with regular tasks you need to perform throughout the year to ensure the health of your business. This is easiest when you have created a business plan and a marketing plan. Many people create a 5-year business plan and an annual marketing plan. Your business plan should contain your goals for the length of the plan. The marketing plan contains the steps needed to meet the goals in the business plan.
