One of the skills that you need to practice when establishing your own commercial cleaning business is presenting your services to a client and making him want to hire you. The challenge in making a sales pitch to a company that has already hired some other cleaning company maybe greater than pitching to a company that is actively seeking a cleaning service provider.
Nevertheless, the best way to create an impression is to be different in approach from other cleaning service companies. Here is a guide on getting that cleaning long term contract that you want.
1. Shop around and look for companies that hold office in and around the vicinity you would like to work at. You should be able to get hold of a name and fax number or phone number of the person in charge of outsourcing a cleaning service.
2. Prepare a smart looking company profile, proposal, bid estimate and a few business cards that you can give out before or after an appointment. You should be able to send in a copy of your company profile, proposal and your bid estimate before asking for an appointment.
3. Make sure that you catch the attention of the person in charge by incorporating a no-strings-attached clause in your proposal letter. Let them know that your intention is just to pitch your cleaning service to them and if they find it to their liking, then that is the only time that a formal business contract agreement will be made. You can send them a draft or sample of a contract with your company if you want to.
4. In the proposal, highlight your strengths and be sure to include any past cleaning jobs that you have done or any current clients that you have. If you still do not have any experiences, put all the cleaning seminars that you have attended as this will most probably catch their attention. Remember, they are looking for a professional cleaning service.
5. Give your prospective client an easy way to contact you for an appointment by adding a reply box in your proposal:
Yes, I’m interested! We can schedule a meeting on ___________ (date) at _____________ (time) in_________ (place). Contact _________ (name of contact person) at ____________ (tel.no.) for confirmation.
I might be interested but _____________ (reason for hesitance). However, I am willing to hear you out on ___________ (date) at _____________ (time) in_________ (place). Contact _________ (name of contact person) at ____________ (tel.no.) for confirmation.
I am not interested at the moment but I can refer you to _______________ (referral) which might be interested in your service.
Including these boxes will cover everything, gives the client a choice, and if they are not ready to hear you out, still gives you the possibility of getting a good referral.
6. On your appointment, make sure that you arrive on time (not too early, and never late). Keep your introduction short as you should have already covered everything in your proposal. Make sure that you get the client to talk about what they need instead.
