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Episode 188

How to Be a Successful Cleaning Business Owner: Episode 188: Mike Campion LIVE

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EPISODE 188
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Episode 188 – How to Be a Successful Cleaning Business Owner

Be a Successful Cleaning Business Owner
Episode 188 Nixon Shum Oriental Building Services
In today’s podcast/ blog, Mike coaches Nixon Shum owner of Oriental Building Services on how to be a successful cleaning business owner. Nixon started out in the restaurant businesses but was offered an opportunity to break into the cleaning world. He figured if he could clean and maintain a restaurant he could run a successful cleaning business.

Nixon has been a successful cleaning business owner for the last 13 years. Recently, he has hit a plateau and wants to take his cleaning company to the next level. Much of his business comes from government contracts. He is based in the Dallas/ Fort Worth area and is not interested in expanding geographically.

RESOURCE ALERT: Check out this FREE PODCAST on how to create a successful cleaning business with government contracts
There are three ways to grow a successful cleaning business:

Get more customers
Get the customers you have to buy more often
Get the customers you have to spend more when they do buy
Successful Cleaning Business Owner Strategy #1- Get More Customers
When it comes to adding more customers, the easiest way is to sell more customers within the niches you already serve. Nixon is happy with the growth he is having with government contracts. He also recognizes business growth in his area and wants to capitalize. For him adding another niche is the right answer.

KEY POINT: When adding a niche, supercharge your growth by leveraging the experience you have in your current niche, check out THIS EPISODE to learn about niche marketing strategies

Pick a niche that has similar traits to the market you serve now. For Nixon and his government experience, good secondary niches might be office space or school campuses. Those prospective clients will benefit from the experience Nixon has gained already. If he moved to restaurants or gym’s, it would be almost like he is starting over.

Successful Cleaning Business Owner Strategy #2- Get the Customers You Already Have to Buy More Often
The easiest way to do this is to make sure that the clients you have are getting the cleaning frequency they need. Is once a week solving their need? Perhaps twice a week would serve them better? Maybe your three times/ week clients would benefit from daily cleanings.

Once you have made sure that you are cleaning as frequently as they need you can find out what additional services you can offer to bring value to their lives:

Floor refinishing
Carpet cleaning
Light bulb replacement
Power washing
Air filter replacement
These are services that people might forget to request, and/ or not get often enough. You can solve this by building it into your monthly billing so they don’t forget and they buy those services more often.

KEY POINT: Clients often don’t know about all of the value you can offer them
For those who don’t sign up for those services build a communication schedule for the year that keeps the services you offer top of mind. Offer services seasonally, perhaps at a discount. Use the month to enter into the conversation your client is already having in their mind. For example:

January = Ring in the new year with clean carpets
February = Love your building and your customers with clean windows
April = Spring Cleaning
October = Don’t let your dirty facility scare off your customers
November = Give thanks to your customer by offering a special deal
Christmas = Give them the gift of a clean building
Successful cleaning business owners communicate these messages using multiple mediums:

Phone calls
Gifts
Direct Mail
Email
Newsletter
Successful Cleaning Business Owner Strategy #3- Get the customers you have to spend more when they do buy
This one is pretty straight forward in the cleaning business.

Raise prices.

Raising prices scares a lot of cleaning business owners, but it is by far the quickest and most profitable way to increase your bottom line profits.

Last but not least, Nixon shares the secrets that helped him become the successful cleaning business owner he is in the…

Lightning Round:

Best advice you’ve received either personally or professionally?

You can’t control what people can say and do. Concentrate on what you can do to the best of your ability.

What’s the biggest mistake you’ve made in the cleaning business we can all learn from?

Always trying to hang on to the employee that is really low on production, hoping they will turn around some day.

What one thing Cleaning Nation can do today to improve their lives or their business?

Share your ideas and put them to work!
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