Cracking the Code for Writing Successful Cleaning Proposals

To secure profitable commercial cleaning jobs, you must master the art of writing successful proposals. While coming up with a dollar amount is important, there's more to bidding than simple math.

A proposal is a sales tool, not just a price list. The goal is to set you apart from the competition and persuade potential clients that you're the best contractor to solve their problems. So spend less time writing about the tasks you do and more time writing about what makes you stand out from the competition and why that difference is important to the prospect.

How to write successful cleaning proposals

Cleaning Proposal Preparation

First impressions matter. Search online before meeting a prospect to learn the basics about their company—what they do, who they serve, how long they've been in business, and who is on their management team. This can help set you apart from other contractors they meet.

A site walk-through provides an opportunity to gather real data, and also demonstrate your commitment to the prospect's project. Dress professionally and arrive at least 10 minutes early. Be organized, confident, and outgoing.

If you're participating in a janitorial request for proposal (RFP), stick to the provided format and supply complete information, but only what's requested. The prospect has pre-qualified you to participate in the RFP process, so they don't need marketing materials.

Inspect each room, recording square footage, floor type, and traffic trends. Make note (and take photos) of special areas of concern that you notice or that the client mentions. Ask what problems the client experienced with previous cleaning contractors, and discuss your specialized services, such as floor care and window cleaning.

It can be helpful to create a checklist for walk-throughs to ensure you collect all the data needed to craft an accurate bid and scope of work. Industry-specific apps like Cleantelligent or CleanBid can automate and simplify this process.

Finally, be prepared to answer common questions asked during a walk through. “How long have you been in business?” “How many clients do you have?” “How do I know you'll send the same employees every time?” “What happens if you get hit by a bus tomorrow?”

Coming Up With a Price for your Proposal

There's no one-size-fits-all formula for pricing cleaning jobs. Entering square footage into a calculator won't necessarily result in a bid that accurately covers your costs and allows for a profit.

That's why the walk-through is so important. It allows you to correctly measure the site and clearly assess the scope of work (a detailed list of the tasks and frequencies required). With that data, you can arrive at a price.

Production rates will help you assign dollar amounts to cleaning tasks. If your company is newer, you may need to rely on third-party time standards, such as ISSA's Cleaning Times document. Make it a goal, however, to develop your own time standards based on your real-world experience and data.  Otherwise you're just taking a guess at how productive your own team of cleaners are. And if your guess is wrong, it could mean taking on an unprofitable account.

Production rates are estimates of how long it takes your crews to accomplish specific tasks under normal conditions. As an example, you know that your team can vacuum 8,000 square feet an hour using a backpack vac. For a 10,000-square-foot site needing vacuuming 5 times per week, your workloading math would look like this:

• 5 days/wk = 260 services/yr
• 10,000 sq ft. ÷ 8,000 sq ft/hr production rate = 1.25 hrs per service
• 1.25hrs x 260 services/yr = 325 hrs/yr

Do similar calculations for every task to accurately determine a workload.

Finally, estimate your specific labor costs by multiplying production hours by your wage rates. Don't forget to include additional payroll taxes, insurance, and benefits.

There are additional costs to consider that may not be obvious and may only apply to certain opportunities. This can include supplies, equipment, overhead and administration costs

Cleaning Proposals are More than a Price Tag

There will always be building managers who automatically choose the low bidder for janitorial services. Many others, however, consider all bids that fall into a reasonable range. What sways their decision? The features and benefits a company brings to the table.

In addition to providing nuts-and-bolts pricing information, a winning proposal communicates:

1. Why you do what you do. We know you clean, but why? Explain your mission so your client can feel your passion for the work and understand what drives you (beyond profits).
   
   
2. How you're different from the competition. Throughout the proposal, clearly explain what makes your company unique and special. Remember to avoid generic language like “we're the best,” by highlighting specific qualities. Do you have lower than industry standard employee turnover? Bring that out in your proposal and list all the benefits of why that's important to your prospect.
   
   
3. What your clients think about your services. Having clients tout what makes you great is more powerful than saying it yourself. Include references and testimonials from customers most like the one you're trying to win.
   
   
4. The impact of your services. How will you make your client's facility (and/or life) better? This might be fewer sick days, increased productivity, improved employee morale, or making a better first impression.
   
   
5. Your commitment to them. What can the customer expect when they hire you? Detail the promises you are willing to make, including any guarantees.

A Word About Wording
Words have power. Be mindful of what you say in a proposal because certain words could raise red flags for the prospect or cause problems down the road if you win the project.

Be particularly cautious about unclear guarantees, like “as needed.” A proposal sets expectations for the contractor-client relationship, so it's important that both parties understand what is and isn't included. Set clear limitations, with minimum and maximum numbers, for services to avoid confusion and disappointment.

Similarly, avoid generic sales language that lacks substance. Things like “excellent service,” “prompt,” “friendly staff,” and “affordable price” are empty promises that tend to fall on deaf ears. Worse, these messages can be perceived as shady and turn off some buyers. Stick with specifics.

Finally, pay attention to the words the prospect uses during the walk-through or on calls. Using their own words in your proposal helps it resonate and allows them to see that you've heard and understood their needs.

Presenting a Cleaning Proposal

When your proposal is complete, carefully proofread and spell-check it. It can also be useful to have someone else also read it for mistakes. An error-laden proposal communicates that you don't care about details and accuracy and will make you appear less professional.

We always recommend hand-delivering the proposal and reviewing it with the prospect in person. If it's hard to get them in person, the next best recommendation is to do an online presentation using a tool like Zoom. That way you can use a screen share to walk through the proposal with them. The keeps you in control of the conversation so they don't just jump to the pricing page without even looking at the proposal.

If the client prefers email, call the day after sending it so you can confirm they received it and answer any questions they have.

Whether you're in front of the client or on the phone, don't forget to ask for the sale. “When would you like our service to begin?” If they aren't ready to commit to a start date, ask what they need to make it work.

If You Lose the Bid

You won't win every bid you submit, and that's okay. Very often, if you don't get the project it's because it simply wasn't a good fit for your company. That said, it can be helpful to find out why you lost out.

Smart contractors ask the prospect why their bid was not accepted (in fact, you can write a provision into the proposal that requires the client to provide this information). This feedback can help you shore up weaknesses in your proposal.

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