Networking Tips for Residential Cleaning Companies - Part One

Many people cringe at the thought of having to "network" to gain business for their cleaning company. But networking is one of the best ways to meet people and build relationships, and as you know, building relationships is the cornerstone of building a successful cleaning business.

If you feel uncomfortable with the thought of networking, then change the way you think about it. Most of us think that networking is an activity, an event to attend, or a "thing to do", in order to market our business. Rather than think of it that way, look at networking as an attitude, or a skill to be developed. It's something that can become a part of us every day, and can be shared with everyone we meet.

So how do you change your attitude about networking? Start replacing the negative self-talk with positive self talk. For example:

• "I can start networking easily by calling all the family, friends, and colleagues I already know and tell them I'm looking for referrals for my cleaning business."
• "I am confident that the people I meet will offer to spread the word about my cleaning business because people like to assist others who ask for their help."
• "When I approach people and ask their advice, they'll be happy to offer it because they love to share their knowledge and experience."

Now that you're ready to start networking, you'll want to do it effectively. In order to do that you need to be able to carry on a conversation with the people you meet. Ok, I can tell you're cringing again... Not to worry. The key to keeping a conversation going is to ask lots of questions. Following are questions you can ask when you first meet someone at a networking event. Keep asking questions and the conversation will flow naturally.

• "How did you get involved with (name of group)?"
• "Tell me about your business." (Ok, well that's not a question, but it's the typical ice-breaker)
• "How long have you been in business?" - or - "How long have you been doing...?"
• "How did you get your start in this business?"
• "What do you enjoy most about what you do?"
• "What challenges do you face in your business?"
• "What have you found to be the most effective way to promote your business?"
• "What advice do you have for someone just starting out?"
• "Who is a good referral for you?" (Let them know you're interested in helping them with their business).
• "This is my first time attending this group." You could follow up this statement with, "Can you suggest two or three other people here that I might meet?"

If you want people to be interested in your business, then you need to show an interest in their business. People like to talk about themselves, so don't monopolize the conversation by only talking about your cleaning business. A good way to get them talking is to ask questions like:

• Can you expand on that?
• Can you explain that to me?
• Can you give me an example?
• That's very interesting...tell me more!

Now that you have an idea how to change your attitude about networking and how to keep the conversations moving, the next step in effective networking is to lay some ground rules for attending networking events so you can plan ahead for what you want to accomplish. In Part Two, I'll show you how to do that, plus teach you how to grow and nurture your network -- how to keep your network fresh!

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Jean Hanson helps owners of residential cleaning companies build a more profitable and successful cleaning business through her online community at MyHouseCleaningBiz.com. Read inspirational cleaning success stories at http://www.cleaning-success.com, and sign up for House Cleaning Profit Tips at //www.myhousecleaningbiz.com.