Cleaners ask me this question at least a couple times a week this time of year.
“What do I do when business is slow?”
The answer I give is always the same exact thing.
First and foremost…
If you haven’t mailed something to your entire client database in the past month, do it now. By this I mean mailing a postcard or newsletter in the physical mail to every single one of the people who paid you money in the past two years.
This alone will get your phone ringing if you give a somewhat compelling offer. These are your people. They are the reason you are in business. When you mail to them you remind them to call you. Plus this is a GREAT opportunity to educate them about your additional services they didn’t know you did. And when you give them a special offer, it’s an extra incentive to call you NOW.
Secondarily…
Think Internet marketing. You can do FREE or very cheap marketing online. Mail an email newsletter to all the people you have emails for. Put that same special offer on your blog and Facebook page. Perhaps do a Facebook ad campaign that leads people to your Facebook page. And maybe even do a Google Adwords campaign to lead people to your blog post that announces the special offer.
Third…
Ramp up your referral marketing. This is a great time of year to talk with Realtors, Carpet Retailers, Flooring Retailers, Interior Designers, Plumbers, and other businesses who can refer you. Stop by with a gift bag filled with pre-packaged treats (cookies, candies, etc), educational brochures, and gift cards. Many of these businesses are slow too, so it’s a great time to plant seeds for future business relationships.
Last…
It’s always a good time to do some neighborhood marketing. Every door direct mail, aka EDDM, is the best way to do this. Send a special offer to key high-end neighborhoods that you really want to get into. With EDDM, the postage is only 15 – 17.5 cents per home.
Do something! Your business isn’t going to grow if you don’t work hard at it. These four tactics are tried and true any time your cleaning business is slow.
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