There are many great ways to advertise your cleaning business.
You can:
But there is also another way to market your cleaning business, without spending money.
When your clients are thrilled with your work, they will tell everyone: friends, family, neighbors... They might even shower you with praise on social media or leave you a sparkling online review.
Online reviews serve as free advertising, giving your cleaning business greater exposure and helping you mop the floor with your competition.
Here's why you need more of them…
Nearly 90% of consumers read online reviews when researching
local service companies like yours, and 39% do so on a regular basis.
On the flip side, negative online reviews are now “the number one factor” that causes consumers to form negative opinions about businesses.
Clients are going to review your business whether you like it or not — and whether they like your business or not.
It’s crucial to do everything in your power to make sure your clients want to give you great online reviews.
The more 5-star reviews you have, the higher your overall rating will be. Your business will also appear higher on the page when people search for cleaning services on Google or Bing.
A bunch of 5-star reviews can also remove the effects of any negative reviews.
In the cleaning industry, you have perhaps the best chance to get more 5-star reviews than any other type of service business owner.
Not only do you service your clients on a regular basis, but you also work inside their homes, which gives them a unique opportunity to get to know both you and your work.
While you should feel confident in asking your clients for reviews, it’s important to do it at the right time. Don’t ask all your clients for reviews at the same time - and NEVER ask when you're sending them the bill.
To solidify your outstanding reputation online, you need to respond to your reviews. All of them.
When you get a good (4 stars or better) review, things are fairly simple:
Try to find out the reviewer’s identity and thank them. Write an original response letting them know you’ll be sharing the review with your team.
Your response should mention the services you performed, as well as any other key information that may be of interest to prospective clients.
For lukewarm (typically 3 stars) or downright bad (fewer than 3 stars) reviews, responding can be a little more tricky.
If your cleaning business receives a lukewarm online review:
Your goal here is to get them to improve their review. Lukewarm reviews can usually be saved, so it's worth it to go the extra mile here.
If your business receives a bad online review:
Your goal is to get them to remove the review, take their complaint offline, or somehow change their minds about your cleaning services.
Unfortunately, dealing with the occasional bad review is part of the territory when it comes to owning your own business.
The good news? The better you respond bad reviews, the fewer bad reviews you’ll get.
When it comes to online reviews, location is just as important as quality. These are the most important places to get reviews for your cleaning business:
Advertising can take up a big chunk of your budget — especially if you’re just starting out — and glowing digital referrals can help you acquire new customers. For free.
Anytime you get a "glowing 5-star review" you should think about sharing it on your website, or through your social media.
Once you wow your new clients, they can become repeat customers who leave you more 5-star reviews and send more new clients your way. Be sure to share your success stories, and be ready to clean up — both literally and figuratively — when customers come calling.
Tags: Business Operation
