What if you had a "magic gun" that could grow your cleaning business for you?
Simply point your fingers at a client and - pow! - you make some money.
Sadly, no such shortcut exists. To grow a truly rich cleaning business, you will have to use all of your determination and brains to keep up the stream of new clients. There is no magic gun...
But there are magic bullets.
We call them "Triggers" because when you press these buttons, they activate that "Gotta have it!" mentality in almost every customer. Use these sales triggers in your marketing and in-person sales, and your cleaning client-base will explode.
(Warning: after you start using these triggers, you may need to hire some new employees to keep up with increased demand!)
The 3 Sales "Triggers" that Automatically Sell Your Cleaning Services
1. Raise - Resolve
Suzy just fired her old cleaning company. Like many of your clients, she had problems with her previous cleaners. She fired them because they were...
- Too expensive
- "Missed Spots"
- Showed up late or not at all
When Suzy first calls you to get a quote, she will probably express one of these objections to you.
Make sure you are listening, because your goal is to squash her objections as soon as possible.
Here's how the conversation goes...
Suzy: “Our last cleaning company never showed up when they were supposed to!”
You: “We use an app on our employees’ smartphones to keep them on schedule. If they’re ever running late, we always call ahead to let you know and you have the option to move the cleaning to another day. We want you to have full control of when we take care of you.”
Suzy: “The last cleaning company was ridiculously hit or miss. Sometimes my house would be shiny and perfect. Other times it looked like no one had been, except for the bill on my kitchen counter.”
You: “We train all our employees to our high standards. Supervisors make rounds to ensure employees are living up to that standard. We want you to always know we were here AND be happy about it!”
The "Raise - Resolve" tactic shows Suzy that you understand what she cares about. You're not just after her money, you want her to have a great experience with your company. You've thought about the common bad habits of cleaning companies and want to provide a superior service.
You're going to swoop in and take away her pain. Do this for her just once, and you'll have a loyal client for a long time.
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Recently, I purchased a new vehicle. I was driving a tiny, two-door coupe that I used to haul lumber and plywood from Home Depot. Not great.
I needed something bigger, so I looked at a bunch of early 2000s SUVs.
Any of them would have been great (or at least better for hauling than my little coupe), but none of them made me feel excited. They reminded me too much of my first vehicle (a GMC Jimmy, may he rest in pieces).
So, instead, I found a newer vehicle that made me feel excited: a Jeep.
I had to apply for auto-financing so that I could buy it, but it was exciting.
A few weeks later, I told everyone how it was a good financial decision because it built credit history (it did) and because I got an amazing deal on the Jeep from a dealership 80 miles away (also happened).
But the truth is, I didn't buy it for those reasons. I bought it because of the way it made me feel.
Here's a secret every successful business owner must know: people RARELY buy anything based on logic. Instead, we make most of our purchasing decisions based on emotion - and then, we justify it with logic.
Think about the last time you bought something big. A car. A couch. A vacation.
What preceded that purchase?
- Anger at your car with the bad A/C that always blew hot air.
- Mild disgust every time you saw your lumpy, stained, college couch.
- Weariness after another long day on the job.
Why did you pick the item you bought?
- The car that made you feel safe or cool.
- The couch that made you feel comfortable.
- The vacation that you thought would make you feel excited, rested, etc.
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How did you explain the decision to yourself and others after?
- The car has top in its class safety features. The financing was too good a deal to pass up.
- The couch was a great deal. You really haggled the salesman!
- The vacation gave some well-needed (and earned!) rest. And you used Priceline and got a great deal on the hotel room!
This Sales Trigger is about helping Suzy make the same progression.
Use emotional language when you are selling your services.
Talk about the amazing feeling of a clean home with no effort on her part. Talk about how it's stress-free when the cleaning company shows up when they say they will. Sell the feelings you provide. Sell the experience.
Then justify those feelings with logic. You have the best prices. You provide the best service at the price point. Give her all the reasons she should pay you for those feelings.
Appeal to Suzy's "Emotion - Logic," and she'll be excited to buy your services.
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3. Conviction - Guarantee
Remember Jack Lalanne? He sold juicers on TV forever. Before that, he was the "Godfather of Modern Fitness."
He used to always say, "I'm so sure you'll love this..."
And then he sold your mom a juicer.
Personal convictions are powerful. With Jack's simple formula, you can close any deal the same way:
"I'm so sure of [promise] that if [promise isn't kept], I'll [guarantee]."
Here's an example you might use in your cleaning business:
"I'm so sure we'll provide the best home cleaning experience you've ever had that if you're unsatisfied, we'll give 100% of your cleaning fee back. No questions asked."
You are convinced your service is phenomenal (because it is). You're so sure of it, you'll put your money where your mouth is.
"Conviction - Guarantee" gives Suzy the confidence to trust you. It takes the feeling of risk out of the equation.
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(Bonus!) Social Proof
Let's say Suzy still isn't convinced. You've got one last Ace up your sleeve.
Do you clean any nearby homes?
- on the same street,
- a block down,
- or someone in the cul-de-sac?
Point out the house to Suzy, write down the address and have her ask the owner about your services.
This shows:
- Total Confidence in the service you provide
- Faith that clients will love you so well, they’ll endorse you
- Willingness to give proof of everything you’ve claimed
In many cases, the Suzys of the world don’t have time to chat with the neighbor about you, but that's not important. It's the gesture that has power enough to close those hard-to-get clients.
However, that doesn’t mean you can slack off and not fulfill promises to clients. Word of mouth is a potent way to get good leads who become long-standing clients. Don’t poison the well with shoddy service and unmet expectations.
All Together Now
Why shoot one magic bullet, when you can shoot them all?
Use every Sales Trigger at your disposal...
- Raise - Resolve
- Emotion - Logic
- Conviction - Guarantee
- And Social Proof
...and you'll start to see a sharp increase in your sales. After this, you might find selling to be too easy. Won't that be nice?