How to Make a Good First Impression With New Clients
So you've got a brand new client lined up. Hooray! The pressure is on to make a good first impression and keep them coming back. But how do you do that? Is there a secret sauce for impressing first-time clients? There are definitely tactics you can use, but they're not so secret. All it takes is some planning and forethought, coupled with a little extra attention to those new cleaning clients to give them the best cleaning experience of their life!
Project a Positive Image
Your client's first contact with your business usually isn't direct communication with you. A friend told them about your company, or they saw a flier or an online ad. You're making first impressions on new clients that you're not even aware of until they give you a call. This means that your marketing materials need to be updated, well-designed, and clearly marked with all of your contact info. People are very quick to disengage with websites or other media where they have to work to find relevant information. And people trust well-designed sites much more than they trust poorly-designed, poorly-executed sites. So make a good first impression on your new cleaning clients before they even meet you!
Be Responsive
Make it as easy as possible for people to contact you, whether by phone or email, and clearly mark what hours you are unavailable or days you are off so people don't try to reach you in vain. When you start a conversation with someone, follow up quickly, and keep the conversation flowing. Don't wait days before writing a new client back - they may have already found another cleaning company! Even if you can only respond with a brief “Got your email, will get back to you tomorrow,” it really makes a difference. The communication should fall off on their end than on yours. Demonstrate that you are responsive and responsible when it comes to communication with new clients, as they will extrapolate your responses to how you will respond to reschedule requests or emergencies.
Come Prepared
Overprepare for your first meeting with new cleaning clients so you can ensure a good first impression. Do plenty of background research, come up with a list of specific, relevant questions, and be able to back up your good reputation with pictures, testimonials, and reports. If you demonstrate your expertise, this will give your new client a good reason to trust that you can get the job done. If they weren't referred to you by someone they know, offer to put them in touch with other clients who have good things to say, showing that you're not just tooting your own horn, but you really do have a good track record.
Be Knowledgeable Yet Truthful
People are suspicious of businesses that seem to have all the answers (at least, they should be). Don't make promises you can't keep in an attempt to please or nab a new client. If you only have two staff on Saturday, don't offer to clean an entire building in an hour. If you're not sure about what's in a specific cleaning product, don't say it's organic and hope it is. People respect honesty and respond better to people who admit that they don't know something but offer to do research and respond promptly. “I only have two staff that day but this is what I can do for you that day,” or “Let's pick a different day and I'll have it done even quicker,” will gain more respect than lies. You don't have all the answers, and that's okay. Your new client needs to know that you're human, and a glimmer of imperfection will secure a connection more genuinely than a robot that spews facts.
In summary, your new clients already have first impressions of you before they even meet you, which means you need to lay the solid groundwork that will pay off as you accumulate new cleaning clients. When you do meet with new clients, overprepare, but don't seem too robotic or unflawed.
Let The Janitorial Store Help
The Janitorial Store has resources to help you make the perfect first impression with your new cleaning clients. Our membership provides training for both employees and management, coaching opportunities, marketing tools, and an extensive learning library. Ready to learn more about how we can help you? Visit our membership page!
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