What You Need in Your Cleaning Business Plan?

Knowing you want to start a cleaning business is one thing, but actually doing all of the research, preparation, and planning to start one is quite another. A business plan will not only help you apply for a financial loan, but it will show everyone that you are serious about this endeavor. While it may take a lot of time and effort to craft your cleaning business plan, it is especially important that you put in this work so that you can lay the foundation for a successful business.

Here is what you need in your cleaning business plan if you are interested in starting a cleaning business: you’ll need to include your basic company information, mission statement, market research, profitability analysis, policies and procedures, and a marketing plan.

This may seem overwhelming if you are just starting out, but once you are actively working in your business, you will appreciate that you thought everything out beforehand.

What Kind of Basic Information Should Be in My Business Plan?

Basic company information is important so that no one is left guessing about who you are and how you will operate. You want your financial partners and community members to focus more on the meat of your business plan, so make sure the basic details are covered and clear.

A detailed business plan will include:

• Your name, address, and contact information for the business.
• What type of business it is (LLC, sole proprietorship, etc.).
• Hours your business will operate.
• Company leadership.

Present this information right upfront so that there is no question as to who is presenting the plan, how to contact that person, and the basics of how the business will function.

How to Choose a Mission Statement

For some companies, a mission statement is just a collection of words that do not actually mean anything for day-to-day life. Do not be like these companies! You can do much better.

Your mission statement should be a focused message of what drives your business forward. It should be something that both excites you and is able to be remembered by your customers.

Often it is best to define and tackle a problem with your mission statement so that you seem victorious in the minds of your customers. It also gives you a purpose to fight for as your literal mission.

A quality mission statement will also set you apart from your competition. This may be especially important depending on what the industry looks like in your area. 

If you can establish your mission statement early and repeat it often, no one will be able to forget what makes your business special.

Know some of the best vacuum cleaners for a cleaning business by checking out this article.

Ask More Questions

Before you even craft your mission statement, it may be helpful for you to ask your community more questions. You need to understand their needs before you can determine how to best fulfill them. This process of gleaning information from your potential future consumers is called market research.

As you learn what your community is looking for in a cleaning business, you may want to ask yourself some important questions about who you will focus on as your ideal customer:

• How old is your ideal customer?
• What is their income level?
• What does their lifestyle look like?
• What do they do for a living?
• Do they hold any specific beliefs?

You may be surprised by your findings, so take the time to sit with your data to determine your answers to these questions.

Once you know more about who you will target with your marketing, you should spend some time understanding the overall industry in your community setting. Consider what your competitors look like and whether or not you have differentiated yourself enough to be successful despite their presence in your industry.

Success is More Than Profit, But…

Success may be more than simply whether or not you made a buck that day, but making money is a necessary factor in keeping your business afloat. Write out as many details as possible concerning your costs and projections before you begin.

How much will you charge for various services?

How much will it cost to start your business?

After start-up costs, how much will it cost to keep in business?

How will you fund yourself?

How will people pay you for your services?

Are you buying into a franchise or starting this on your own?

These are all questions that need to be asked as you draft your business plan. The answers will provide insight for you and any other business partners so that it is clear you have thought through every possibility.

What Policies and Procedures Do I Need?

Every business needs to consider basic operating procedures and insurance policies. These documents set out expectations ahead of time to keep communication clear between the business and people who utilize the business. Be sure all policies and procedures are available for partners and customers as needed. 

Cleaning businesses also have a great deal to consider in terms of trade-specific policies. Here are a few questions you may want to ask yourself before jumping in and setting a precedent:

• Will you avoid specific products or chemicals in your cleaning?
• How much of each product will you or your employees use for certain tasks?
• How will your team handle expired chemicals?
• What tools will you require your team to use when handling chemicals?
• What regular safety equipment will be required for your team?
• How will you handle hazardous spills?
• How will your chemicals be stored?
• What training will be required before employees can begin working on their own?

Ideally, deciding on these protocols early will first and foremost keep you and your team safe. If not, and something does happen, it may be helpful to have these in writing to protect your company from a legal attack. Either way, it is always important that you work with a licensed attorney to iron out the details of what you need for a protected business.

How to write a mission statement in your cleaning business by checking out this article here.

How to Get Customers

Once you have established your profitability, plans, and protocols, it is time to spread the word about your cleaning business far and wide. Writing out a marketing plan of action will help to keep you on track as your dream starts to become a reality. This will also prevent you from relying on word of mouth alone, which is much less reliable.

Be Unique

This is where you get to shine just as you are. By focusing on your unique mission, you will stand out in the minds of your potential customers. This will help them remember who you are and why they should give you their business above any competition.

Show Up, and Often

Once you have decided how you will set your business apart in the minds of your customers, you must repeatedly share that mission with them. This will likely involve in-person marketing as well as online marketing. You can send mail, post flyers, make signs, and even show up at community events to share about your new endeavor.

The Online Part…

You might be less comfortable with the online part of that suggestion. Try not to be too intimidated by all of the options ahead of you. Choose one platform and pour yourself into it. Do not overwhelm yourself by trying to master everything at once. It is okay if you are only posting on Facebook for a while. Just dive in and keep it up. 

Add Value

One of the best ways you can market yourself is by adding value to your community. This might mean making YouTube videos that help people learn how to clean better. These videos could include a little plug for your business at the end in case viewers would prefer not to have to clean themselves. 

This could also involve hosting some cleaning classes at a reduced rate, again with a pitch about your business at the end. While it is important that you get the word out, people will be even more likely to remember you if they know you have already helped them in some way.

Frequently Asked Questions

How can I make my cleaning business stand out?

The best way to stand out as a business is in a way that is authentic to who you are individually. Are you obsessed with natural living? Perhaps you should build a health-conscious cleaning business. Are you fast and flexible? Perhaps you can focus on last-minute cleaning needs. Are you experienced with pets? Perhaps you can market yourself to animal lovers.

There is always a way to stand out, but you want to make sure it makes sense with who you are as a person. Consider why you want to work in this field; that may help shed some light on what makes a cleaning from you so unique. 

How much should I charge for my services?

This question is always relative and dependent on your community demographic, as well as what your competition charges. Start by checking the prices of your direct competition and try not to stray too far one way or another. This is also an important question to include in your market research. You need to get an idea of how much your ideal customer is willing to pay for this service so that you do not accidentally price yourself too high and lose clients or too low and lose money.

To learn more on how to start your own cleaning business, check out my startup documents here.

Please note that the contents of this blog are for informational and entertainment purposes only and should not be construed as legal advice. Any action taken based on the information provided in this blog is solely at your own risk. Additionally, all images used in this blog are generated under the CC0 license of Creative Commons, which means they are free to use for any purpose without attribution.