Originally Posted On: An Entrepreneur’s Guide to Starting a Janitorial Business, Author at Good News Network
Starting a business right now can be risky unless you’re jumping into the right industry. With the current health pandemic still holding on tightly to our nation, regular businesses like gyms and restaurants are struggling.
______________________________________________________________________
However, starting a janitorial business would be brilliant. You’ll always have job security, even without Covid-19.
______________________________________________________________________
Most business owners don’t have the time or inclination to clean their own properties. Additionally, there will always be homeowners who are too busy with their lives to properly clean their homes.
______________________________________________________________________
But where do you start? Keep reading for an entrepreneur’s guide to starting a janitorial business. ______________________________________________________________________
Identify Your Niche and Target Market
______________________________________________________________________
To be successful in business, you must find a way to stand out from your competitors. In some ways, most janitorial companies are alike. However, there are things you can do to be different, unique, or better depending on your target market. ______________________________________________________________________
For example, you could use only eco-friendly cleaning products and supplies to corner the market of environmentally-conscious consumers. ______________________________________________________________________
Identify your niche and use it to define your target market. Knowing your target audience will make it much easier to effectively market your cleaning business. ______________________________________________________________________
Create a Well-Researched Business Plan
______________________________________________________________________
As many as 20% of small businesses fail in the first year. Quite frequently, it’s because they jump into opening a business without researching the industry or the current market.
______________________________________________________________________
Market Research and Analysis
______________________________________________________________________
When starting a janitorial business, there are few things you need to know about the industry, such as: ______________________________________________________________________
Your local competition
______________________________________________________________________
Startup costs
______________________________________________________________________
Janitorial business expenses
______________________________________________________________________
Marketing strategies
______________________________________________________________________
Financial projections
______________________________________________________________________
Growth projections
______________________________________________________________________
Licensing and insurance requirements
______________________________________________________________________
The local demand for janitorial services
______________________________________________________________________
Take your time researching the janitorial industry and look at your future business objectively. Are you in the right location and time to build a successful janitorial business?
______________________________________________________________________
Your Business Plan
______________________________________________________________________
Armed with this information, you can build your official business plan, which is paramount for obtaining startup funds. Banks, lenders, and investors will gauge your competence, credibility, and potential based on your business plan. ______________________________________________________________________
Your business plan should be divided into the following categories: ______________________________________________________________________
Business summary
______________________________________________________________________
Description of your company
______________________________________________________________________
Your market analysis
______________________________________________________________________
Your business structure
______________________________________________________________________
Your services and/or products
______________________________________________________________________
Marketing and sales
______________________________________________________________________
Financial projections
______________________________________________________________________
Startup Requirements (funding request)
______________________________________________________________________
Remember, the more researched and through your business plan is, the higher your chances are of getting the startup funds you need. ______________________________________________________________________
Acquire Business Financing
______________________________________________________________________
Once your janitorial business plan is complete, figure out how much money you need to get your company off the ground. We recommend starting with as little overhead as possible to give yourself some buffer room. You can always expand as your client base grows. ______________________________________________________________________
You have multiple options for acquiring financing. You can go the traditional route and get a small business loan through a bank. However, this option can be limited based on your personal credit score.
______________________________________________________________________
If you have trouble getting a traditional business loan, look to personal investors, private investors, angel investors, shareholders, crowdfunding organizations, etc. If you’re starting small enough and have personal finances, consider bootstrapping your business. Pull from savings and extra money in your checking account to get off the ground.
______________________________________________________________________
Make Your Janitorial Business Legitimate
______________________________________________________________________
Now let’s talk about making your janitorial business legitimate. In order to operate legally, you need to acquire a janitorial business license through the state. ______________________________________________________________________
You’ll also need insurance. At the very least, you need to get liability coverage. Liability insurance will cover the costs of any accidental damages you or your employees cause to the property of your clients.
______________________________________________________________________
If you own or rent a commercial property, you’ll also need insurance to cover your building, materials, etc. Finally, worker’s comprehension insurance will be necessary if you hire employees. If they are injured on the job, worker’s comp will cover their medical bills, time off of work, and more. ______________________________________________________________________
Take Care of the Logistics
______________________________________________________________________
Next, it’s time to put your startup funds to good use. Buy or rent everything you need to operate your janitorial business. This may or may not include a commercial location, depending on how big you start out and if you can operate out of your home. ______________________________________________________________________
You also need to collect the cleaning products, tools, materials, and equipment necessary to deliver the promised services to your clients. We recommend finding the most cost-effective options, such as wholesale nitrile gloves, bulk cleaning supplies, etc. ______________________________________________________________________
If you’re starting out big enough to have employees, you need to start vetting potential candidates. Take your time to find the right people for the job. Do background checks, ask about credentials, and establish a rapport.
______________________________________________________________________
Finally, consider looking at new or used vans for transporting your equipment, materials, and employees from one property to the next. Company vehicles are convenient are great janitorial business expenses for tax credits. ______________________________________________________________________
Implement a Marketing Strategy to Generate Leads
______________________________________________________________________
Finally, lets’ talk about getting janitorial business contracts. You can’t make any money unless you start generating leads. You need to create a marketing strategy to get the word out about your new cleaning business.
______________________________________________________________________
We recommend focusing on the digital marketing front. Roughly 88% of consumers go online to research products and services. If you don’t have an online visibility, you’re going to miss out on all these leads.
______________________________________________________________________
Start by building a fully-optimized, user-friendly website. Then: ______________________________________________________________________
Implement an SEO strategy to drive traffic to your website
______________________________________________________________________
Create a social media account and post regularly to your audience ______________________________________________________________________
Use paid services like SEM and PPC to boost your online presence ______________________________________________________________________
Start an Email Campaign
______________________________________________________________________
Use your platforms for content marketing
______________________________________________________________________
Marketing in the modern age can require a steep learning curve. If you’re not sure where to begin, hire a digital marketing agency to get started. ______________________________________________________________________
Want More Business Advice?
______________________________________________________________________
Are you ready to start your janitorial business? As you can see, there’s a lot of planning that goes into creating a successful company. But if you’re ready, we have a lot more to offer you.
______________________________________________________________________
Before you go, read through some of our other business articles. Our business blog was designed to help new entrepreneurs like you create thriving companies.