Episode 16: Why Some Cleaning Companies Are Successful While Others Struggle & Marketing Worksheet
In this episode learn why some companies are successful while other struggle and the steps you can take to turn it around. Plus, a quick and easy marketing worksheet that will help you hone in on what works and what doesn't.
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Episode #16 - Video Transcription
Why is it some cleaning business owners create successful companies, while others fail? Do they just work harder? Are they smarter? No, not usually... But many of them share a few things in common, and hard work is just the first step. Today I'm going to share with you some of the things successful business owners of all kinds do to ensure they're successful in whatever they set out to do. And these are simple things we can ALL do, so don't think this isn't for YOU.
First, write down your goals and put them in a place where you can always see them and reaffirm your desire to achieve them. I have a big white board in my office right in front of my desk and I put my most important goals there so I can see them every day.
Next, make a list of the benefits you'll receive when you achieve your goals. Are you going to pay off your debt? Take a regular vacations? Have more freedom? Now when writing your goals, make sure they are realistic and achievable. If you decide to start a cleaning business and have a goal to make $200,000 in your first six months, you might be making a goal that is not realistic or achievable. Instead, how about making a goal of gaining two new accounts each month -- something within reach.
Then, make a plan to achieve your goals. Yes, you have to actually do some work if you want to achieve your goals. Simply writing them down and reading them isn't going to do the trick. Work on your plan in short steps that are achievable. The easiest way to do this is to figure out daily steps that you can take to achieve your goals. Be sure to write down the obstacles that you'll have to overcome in order to achieve your goals. When you know the obstacles, you'll be prepared when they happen - and they WILL happen!
What else will help you become successful? Well, start making a list of people who can help you achieve your goals. How many of you think you need to do it all on your own? Come on, raise your hands! Well I say, that's NONSENSE! People are willing to help. That is exactly why we created The Janitorial Store and MyHouseCleaningBiz.com. We enjoy helping cleaning company owners become successful in their business, and others do too.
Another thing you can do is make a list of the skills you need in order to achieve your goals. If you don't have some of the skills you need, who does? Maybe it's something you can contract out because you probably shouldn't be doing it anyway.
And finally, make a commitment to your business. Some people have grand ideas of owning a wildly successful business but it never happens for them because they just can't seem to make the deep commitment it takes to MAKE it happen. I hope that's not YOU, but if being successful in your cleaning business is truly important to you, you'll do what it takes to make it happen.
Coming up next, a quick and easy marketing worksheet that will help you hone in on what works and what doesn't. [See transcription for this below]
Marketing Worksheet - Video Transcription
It seems like whenever I talk to cleaning business owners, they're always looking for the next best "shiny object" when it comes to marketing. When people started talking about Groupon, I saw dozens of residential cleaning companies jumping on the bandwagon to offer deeply discounted rates in hopes of gaining lots of new clients. Unfortunately, many of them LOST money in the deal and it left them wondering what in the world happened!
Whenever I find myself jumping around trying all sorts of new marketing ideas, I end up pulling back the reins a bit to review my progress. In other words, what works, what doesn't work, and where do I go from here? Here's an easy exercise you can do to simplify your marketing and focus on what really works for YOU!
The first thing you want to do is take a sheet of paper and make a three columns. In the first column you'll list what has worked in the past. In the second columnm, you'll list WHY each of these things worked. And in the third column, you'll list what you can do to make it even BETTER! Next you're going to take another sheet of paper and make three columns again. This time you're going to list what has NOT worked in the past. In the second column you'll list WHY it didn't work, and in the last column you'll list whether or not you can improve it to make it better. If you can't, write ELIMINATE on anything you should stop doing completely.
Now that you know what works, what doesn't work, and what steps to take to improve your marketing, you can stop jumping all over the place and focus on doing those things that you know will get you RESULTS!
