What's the most effective way to advertise my housecleaning business?
439632
There are several women in my church who are in business for themselves cleaning homes and offices.  Their best advertisement is word of mouth.  I have not used their services, mainly because I don't know what they cost.  I don't like haggling or even rejecting people because their fees are too high, but it's something I definitely would like to take advantage of.  Perhaps you can offer some 'first time customer' and referral specials.  Because the person will be coming into my home, I wouldn't hire someone without a personal recommendation from someone I trust.\n\nAnd for the record, I strongly recommend NOT putting flyers on people's cars.  First of all, there are local laws that sometimes prohibit that (I know - I campaigned for one in my town).  Secondly, I get VERY annoyed when someone takes the liberty of touching my car.  That is a surefire way  to get me riled up enough to not only NOT use the services being advertised, but to make sure all my friends know how inconsiderate the business is as well.  My car is one of the prizes I've worked hard for - don't mess with it!
713321
open a really good dry cleaning business.... full proof against dress stains
883057
TRY ADVERTISING IN LOCAL SHOP WINDOWS
541968
There are many types of marketing promotions that you can do and here are some of them:\n\n1. Direct mail. Prepare a well-crafted brochure and send it to your target markets in Sunnyvale. Find a vendor in your area renting mailing lists of business establishments or take the time and go over the yellow pages and get their contact information. You can read more of how to use direct marketing strategies here http://www.powerhomebiz.com/marketing/direct.htm\n\n2. Publicity. Publicity can oftentimes be more effective than advertising. Not only is it cost-effective (oftentimes you are paying for nothing), but also people are apt to remember an article about your business rather than advertising. People find a write-up or special feature about a business more credible and objective than a paid advertising. Publicity also reaches a wider audience: if you are lucky, the national media might even pick up your story. Contact an editor of your local newspaper and pitch your story. Read the article "Leverage the Power of Publicity for Your Small Business" \nhttp://www.powerhomebiz.com/vol27/leverage.htm\n\n3. Press releases. Send out press releases through your local newspapers about your business. Whether it is about your story or about a sale you are offering, press releases can be very good exposure for you. You can read more about how to harness press releases for your business here http://www.powerhomebiz.com/marketing/public%20relations.htm\n\n4. Use the Internet. The Web can be your online brochure. You can use it to refer your potential clients for more information about your business; and it could also generate clients for you directly. Some of your potential clients may be looking to the Web for a floral designer, and you need to have a strong presence there as well.\n\n5. Network. Join and be active in your local business organizations, chamber of commerce, etc. Increase your visibility in the community. You can find more information on networking here http://www.powerhomebiz.com/marketing/networking.htm\n\n6. Word of mouth. This is the best form of advertising for your business - afterall, it is free. Read "Secrets of Word Of Mouth Marketing" http://www.powerhomebiz.com/vol154/wordofmouth.htm
396021
Depending on where you live, you may be able to contact someone in freelance advertising. Look for small, independently owned advertising businesses for the most efficient costs, for example the editor of your local Clipper (if you have one). You can also do a Google for '[insert city] independently owned advertising' and see what you can come up with.\nThey will help you get your advertisements in mailboxes and maybe even inserts in newspapers, depending on how much you're willing to spend.
365624
Word of mouth is always the best business.  Always ask for referrals from anyone you do business with and ask for referral from someone who says no.  "I was unable to help you, do you know of someone who might need my services"?\n\nBest of luck to you.
1079761
This site has an ebook on just that subject. It's the one about starting your own service business. I have it and my cleaning business is doing great. Hope you have great success.
649219
The local daily in the local language- take an ad out. If u are on a shoe-string budget, then go for a Paper Insert - pay a small sum and the paper gets delivered with ur insert inside.\nNothing works like word-of-mouth (reference selling) in smaller cities. Get a critical mass of sales for ur product, and get ur first few customers to talk about it.
567162
Use a product that you use all the time. Tooth paste, deodorant, soap, brand of clothing, etc. etc. etc. This will give you an advantage because your already familiar with the product. Then just do a little research on that product like history of the product and company. After that set up your projected sales for a month. As a rule of thumb your advertising budget should be 3% to 5% of your projected sale. From there set up your web site and be sure to use power words that sale in your product description and advertising.
805682
Advertise.  Post you picture everywhere, run ads in the paper, pennysaver, harmon homes.  Hand out business cards, leave business cards at delis, pizza places, gyms, laundry mats, everywhere and anywhere.  There is soo so much competition out there, you have to have your name recognized.   Start farming a certain area.  Pick a neighborhood and consistently send out flyers showing recent sales on the street, and suggest they call you for a free market analysis. you can buy promotional items to mail such as little magnetic calanders to mail out, then your face is on their fridge the for entire year.
316534
Put an add in a related newspaper, send flyers around in related type establishments like restaurants also word of mouth. good luck
791875
advertise and go ask places that clean for a sub contract, then come clean my place for answering
802943
I have a house cleaning business and I charge by the square foot. I have deep cleans which are done initially to get the house ready for a general clean. I charge 9 cents a square foot for a deep clean and 5 cents a square foot for a general.\n\n A general can be done weekly, bi weekly or monthly. Alot of people who clean houses charge by the hour but you cannot make any real money that way. Never tell the customer how you charge just say I charge by the job which is true. I have been doing this for a while and if you break it down I make between $25-35 an hour sometimes more. \n\nAlso a great thing to get into is office cleaning, it is much easier and you can make more money because even though you still charge by the sq foot you can clean an office quicker than a house.\n\nAnother thing I want to mention is people will call you for a move out clean you can charge 12 cents a sq foot for that because a move out clean consists of inside the appliances and cabinets and stuff. You don't have to do move outs just wanted to throw that in.\n\nYou have to be legit with a license and a company name though for people to pay that kind of money and you really have to know how to clean people are really picky. I hope this helps Good Luck!
1000555
The best routes to take are to research the process of starting a business as well as the industry you're interested in.\n\nAssociations may be a good avenue to explore as well. These organizations will address many of the thoughts, questions and concerns you'll inevitably have as well as many you haven't anticipated yet. See the source box for some relevant links. \n\nResearch, research, research – this cannot be stressed enough. Read as much as you can about the industry. Here are some book titles that are relevant:\n\n* Commercial and Residential Cleaning Services: A Resource Guide to Developing and Maintaining Your Own Janitorial or Home Cleaning Business by Walter Fenix\n* Start and Run a Home Cleaning Business by Susan Bewsey\n* Start Your Own Cleaning Service (Entrepreneur Magazine's Start Ups) by Jacquelyn Lynn\n* How to Start a Home-Based Housecleaning Business, 2nd (Home-Based Business Series) by Laura Jorstad\n\nThere are plenty of free informational resources out there. Check the source box for links to articles.\n\nHope that helps! I wish you much success & happiness in all your ventures!
476309
The best business will depend on what you want, how you define to be interesting. A person may consider a pet sitting business to be the most exciting work in the world, while another person would rather watch TV than take care of dogs. Or someone may want to clean other people's houses; but if the thought of cleaning your own room makes you sick, then cleaning houses is not for you.\n\nThe key is to determine what your interests are, what you want to do, what is suitable for your lifestyle and your overall goals, and what can fit with your resources.\n\nDan Ramsey in his book "101 Best Home Businesses" has a chapter on how to find YOUR best home business. He suggests these 10 steps:\n\n1. List 5 things you do best\n2. List how others would benefit from what you do best\n3. Find out how to give people what they want\n4. Learn the value of your services to others\n5. Find out who else offers similar services\n6. Learn from the successes of others\n7. Learn from the failures of others\n8. Plan your own success\n9. Make low cost mistakes\n10. Enjoy what you do and how you do it\n\nHe then made suggestions on the best home businesses according to type. Here are a few of them:\n\nBest Businesses Using Craft or Physical Skills\n- antique restoration\n- auto detail service\n- carpet cleaning business\n- errand/delivery service\n- housecleaning business\n\nBest Service Businesses \n- bed and breakfast operator\n- caregiver\n- catering service\n- senior day care center\n- tutoring service\n\nBest Professional Businesses\n- desktop publisher\n- magazine writer\n- import/export service\n- income tax preparation service\n- event planner\n\nSome other home business ideas:\n\nTop 10 Home Businesses with Rapid Break-Even Time http://www.powerhomebiz.com/vol33/breakeven.htm\n10 Profitable “Go-Out" Home Businesses http://www.powerhomebiz.com/vol31/goout.htm\nLow Cost Startup Businesses http://www.entrepreneur.com/lowcostbusinesses/0,6617,,00.html\n\nYou can also check out the following books:\n\nTurn Your Talents into Profits: 100+ Terrific Ideas for Starting Your Own Home-Based Microbusiness \n The Best Home Businesses for the 21st Century \n 121 Internet Businesses You Can Start from Home \n The Best Internet Businesses You Can Start \n 101 Ways to Make Money at Home
1170254
Call competitors in your market and act like a possible customer and see what they charge. Then you can be competitive. You may also want to ask what type of cleaning chemicals they use. I did this for a number of years and found that I could get a more loyal customer using natural, safe products verses toxic chemical products. It is better for your health and theirs.
574335
I have not found an 'advertised' home business that people are making money at. I've actually asked that question here.\n\nI have had success in getting a product (that may be the hardest part) then selling it on EBay.  From there I designed my own website, advertised it, and conducted business from there, using EBay just for getting rid of overstocked or discontinued items.