Episode #22 -- What Does it Take to Win the Cleaning Bid Over The Competition?

A lot of cleaning business owners struggle with losing a new account to a competitor. They wonder to themselves, “what the heck does it take to win the bid over the competition?”

If you've ever wondered why you aren't winning over your prospects; OR why your competition always seems to win out over you… then watch today's episode!

What Does it Take to Win the Cleaning Bid Over The Competition? People give cleaning proposals every day and many are wondering... what the heck does it take to win the bid over the competition? If you've ever wondered why you aren't winning over your prospects; OR why your competition always seems to win out over you... then keep listening!

There are many reasons prospects decide to go with one company over another. First, they decided to go with a company who was referred to them by a friend or colleague. That's hard to compete with because referrals offer credibility. Two - they were looking for the lowest price. Unless it's a government contract that will only take the lowest price, then you probably missed an opportunity to show the value of what you do. Three - they were impressed with your competitor's presentation, their knowledge, or the proposal itself. And four - they went with the company that best understood their needs and articulated exactly how they could solve their problems.

Some of these reasons are out of your control, like those who decided to go with a friend's referral. Since you can't do much about that, focus your attention on the things you CAN control. Start taking a serious look at the following to see what you can do to improve your close rate:

• First, your appearance. Do you present a professional appearance? Do you wear nice clothes, or do you wear a sloppy shirt, jeans and ratty shoes? Is your breath fresh? Do you smell like cigarette smoke? (Many people don't care for the smell of cigarette smoke and they just might will rule you out if they detect it lingering around you).


• Two - your personal presentation. Do you project confidence when greeting a potential client? Or is your lack of confidence evident in your wet noodle handshake and inability to convey the value your company provides? Good communication skills are important when selling your cleaning services. You need to be able to build rapport with your prospective clients - this goes a long ways towards inspiring confidence in your ability to handle the job. People will not do business with someone who is not confident in their presentation and ability to convey that they provide a superior cleaning service.


• Three - the walk-through. Do you ask the right questions when walking through the building or home? Do you have a specifications list or bid estimation worksheet that you use to record necessary information for creating your proposal? Are you able to confidently answer the prospect's questions?


• Four - Problem solving skills. Have you demonstrated to the prospect that you can solve their cleaning issues? You need to address their concerns and come up with viable solutions. Understanding their needs and offering solutions is what the customer is looking for.


• Five - Presentation of the proposal. Too many cleaning contractors don't put enough effort into the presentation of their proposal. They simply write up a quick bid and hand it to the prospect. Put together a professional proposal packet. You'd be amazed at the positive comments you'll receive when your prospect takes a look at it -- that's because they don't always receive a comprehensive proposal packet. This can sometimes be enough to beat out the competition.


• And finally, find cheerleaders. One of the best ways to win over prospective clients is to get reference letters or testimonials from satisfied clients. People want to hire a cleaning company with a proven track record, and having a few "cheerleaders" in your corner could be just what you need to seal the deal.

Now I'd like to hear your thoughts on this topic. What do YOU do to make sure you beat out the competition? Post your comments below the video at CleaningBiz.tv.

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keeping clients happy, August 25, 2011

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