There are a couple of things we do to advertise, and number one is the internet. On the week ends I check to see where our placement is, and how we can improve on that. We have been losing our ranking by other companies buying ad words, and online advertising called pay per click. This blog site is a part of our organic search placement.
The real point is that we keep track of other companies in our service area. Ten years ago there were about 4 pages of Google map search cleaning companies and today there were more than 27 pages of a list of 9 companies to a page. After the 27th page the lists go on, but they repeat names according to how many companies buy spaces. That adds up to about 243 cleaning companies in the Seattle area.
Another thing that we do is contact other cleaning companies to chat about the business. We like to know who we are competing against. We also like for other companies to know about us. Many, many of these companies are one person, or a couple, who clean for cheap. If they get over booked we encourage them to refer to us. We also refer business we can’t handle to companies that may be a better fit for some people.
Today I was shocked by the number of new companies. It seems as though they have sprung up in a few short weeks. My thinking is that more companies are paying for Google ad placement as there is less business out there. Some people who have been good clients of ours for years can no longer afford our service. It seems as though the husbands are more inclined to be out of work than the spouses. So we end up getting some of those clients back as once a month.
My concern is going to be the number of people who hire a person, have a bad experience, and may never return to using a service again. As always if you have questions about your cleaner we are always available to answer e-mails, or call ins.
Since 1968, high school, I have worked on properties for rent and sale. My first company was formed in 1972 with a partner. Over the years the business grew. Last year in 2008 my main company A Spring Cleaning won an award for Cleaning Service by the U.S. Local Business Association.
A Spring Cleaning was my own creation. In the 1980s and 1990s we did many things. Dry rot repair, yard work, paint, pressure washing, hauling, and design. In 2000 we changed to a regularly scheduled house cleaning company with the trade name Seattle House Cleaning.
The transition was gradual. A Spring Cleaning got a boost in 2005 with a mention on a national TV show, then a few interviews in the local media, and business was very good. I was also a licensed Real Estate agent with some project properties.
In 2005 I became concerned about the housing market and concentrated on finishing my projects full time. We sold off properties in 2006 then concentrated on the Seattle House Cleaning business. Three years later the cleaning business is good.
Blogging is a part of my daily routine. Most of the time my focus has been on Real Estate and economics. To go along with that we encourage people to be in business. Our cleaning business has branched off into other cleaning businesses and we consult with other business owners.
This site is an extension of what we already do. By sharing what we have learned about the cleaning business we hope you will see it's more than just a bucket and rags that get you the fresh feeling of a clean home. These are just some tricks of the trade and some of the pit falls we experience.