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home | Business Planning
 

Business Planning Articles

It takes more to running a successful cleaning company than just a broom, mop and elbow grease.  It takes proper planning so you get your cleaning business started off on the right foot and to keep it running smoothly. 

You have to find the right niche for your business and learn how to develop a network to market your cleaning services.  Having a successful business means knowing how much to charge, what additional services you can offer existing customers, when you should "fire" a customer, how to get up and running on a shoestring and ways to finance your business. 

Entrepreneurial Success: 5 Steps to Staying Motivated
By John Major BetanCourt
Learning to stay motivated goes beyond wishful thinking, it takes positive steps. Motivating yourself to stay and excel at your demanding cleaning business can be example to your employees. It should not be something you do only when the spirit moves you. It's an ongoing process that should include every facet of your business life. This means your mental attitude, physical well-being and appearance, work atmosphere, your interaction with others (clients and employees alike), and your off-the-job environment. . . . keep reading
Stay Out of Trouble with the IRS by Paying Your Estimated Income Taxes
Jean Hanson
Stay Out of Trouble with the IRS by Paying Your Estimated Income Taxes Are you paying your estimated income tax payments? As a business owner, you're responsible for making sure Uncle Sam gets his share of your income. If you're a new cleaning business owner and you haven't yet thought about paying income taxes, now is the time to take a serious look at what you should be paying and when. . . . keep reading
Putting Your Cleaning Business Website on the World Wide Web
Jean Hanson
Putting Your Cleaning Business Website on the World Wide Web Is your cleaning company on the World Wide Web? If not, you could be missing out on potential customers. Don't even know where to begin? You can hire a professional website designer, a student or even do it yourself. But before you begin you need to sit down and plan what will go on your cleaning business' website. . . . keep reading
Make it Fast - I've Only Got 10 Minutes!
Jean Hanson
Make it Fast - I've Only Got 10 Minutes! What do you do when you make a sales call and the prospect says they only have 10 minutes to spare to talk with you? Do you talk fast, reschedule or get them talking about their needs? The way you handle the call may determine if that prospect signs on as a new cleaning customer. . . . keep reading
How to Collect From Slow Paying Clients
Jean Hanson
When you got into the cleaning business you most likely didn't think that one of your roles would be as a collection agent. Unfortunately, many business owners find themselves having to spend time away from the every day business of cleaning to collect from slow paying clients. How do you get those clients to pay up on a timely basis? . . . keep reading
Crime Scene Clean Up -- What You Need to Know Before Entering this Niche
Jean Hanson
Crime Scene Clean Up -- What You Need to Know Before Entering this Niche Are you looking for a new and profitable niche for your cleaning service? Have you thought about crime scene clean-up?  Police, firefighters and emergency personnel who arrive at a crime scene are there to do their job, but that job doesn't include cleaning up the consequences of violent acts. If you have a strong stomach, sympathetic ear, and are physically fit, crime scene clean-up can be a profitable part of your cleaning business. . . . keep reading
Business Software - It Pays to do Your Research
John Major BetanCourt
You as the business captain wearing many hats need to do your homework when it comes to providing software to your office manager who is looking to improve the efficiency of your business office. Or, are you a one-person business owner as well as office manager who is looking for easier ways to effectively do your job? . . . keep reading
Floor Pads or Brushes: Which is the Better Choice?
Steve Hanson
Floor Pads or Brushes: Which is the Better Choice? An important part of what you do in your cleaning company is to keep your client's floors not only clean, but looking shiny and well cared for. Taking the proper care of floors means using floor machines, and a major component of effective floor cleaning is the pad or brushes used on these machines. So which should you use -- pads or brushes? . . . keep reading
Human Resource To-Do's for 2008
Jean Hanson
With a new year here, it's time to take a look at your cleaning business, including how you handle employees and related human resource issues. The following is an "HR" list to do for the new year. . . . keep reading
How to Differentiate Your Cleaning Business from the Competition
Jean Hanson
How to Differentiate Your Cleaning Business from the Competition There is no way of getting around competition. Even if you are the only cleaning company in town, eventually someone else will start up a business and compete with yours. So how do you stand out among all the others out there? . . . keep reading
How to Plan Your Exit Strategy for Your Cleaning Business
Jean Hanson
How to Plan Your Exit Strategy for Your Cleaning Business Whether you've just started your cleaning business or you've been in business for a while, if you haven't given any thought to how you will eventually exit the business, you will probably be unprepared when the time comes. . . . keep reading
10 Mistakes to Avoid When Starting Your Cleaning Business
Jean Hanson
10 Mistakes to Avoid When Starting Your Cleaning Business Many of us who started out in the cleaning field, pretty much took on the world with a broom, mop, vacuum and a positive attitude that we could do it! While this approach can work, it also leaves you wide open to make mistakes that can harm your cleaning business and slow its growth. So we are sharing some of the common "stumbling blocks" in the hopes others can learn from mistakes others have made and avoid some of the obstacles that many before you had to overcome. . . . keep reading
2007 ISSA Convention Recap Part 4: Green Cleaning
Jean Hanson
2007 ISSA Convention Recap Part 4: Green Cleaning ISSA Part 4: Green cleaning was all over the trade show floor. Green products included everything from soy products to a lot more microfiber products including the carts that hold the microfibers. . . . keep reading
2007 ISSA Convention Recap - Part 2
Jean Hanson
2007 ISSA Convention Recap - Part 2 This is Part 2 of the coverage of the ISSA convention. The workshops that this article covers include "The Need for Cleaning and Hygiene in the 21st Century", "Advanced Prospecting-Marketing to Non-Customers" and "Maximizing Your Margins". . . . keep reading
2007 ISSA Convention Recap - Part 1
Jean Hanson
2007 ISSA Convention Recap - Part 1 This is Part 1 recap of the ISSA convention that was held in Orlando, Florida. On Tuesday of the convention there were several sessions that covered the topic of green cleaning and these sessions are summarized in this article. . . . keep reading
What to Look for When Buying a Vehicle for Your Cleaning Company
Steve Hanson
What to Look for When Buying a Vehicle for Your Cleaning Company Are your cleaning customers all located in the same building complex? Probably not. Your customers are most likely spread out across town and you have the responsibility of getting your equipment and supplies to the buildings that you clean. Do you need a cargo van, minivan or pick-up truck to haul your equipment around? . . . keep reading
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