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How To Start and Run A Profitable Cleaning Business: by Eric Loiacano
How To Start and Run A Profitable Cleaning Business: by Eric Loiacano
How To Start and Run A Profitable Cleaning Business: by Eric Loiacano
Cleaning Business
By Eric Loiacano
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Eric Loiacano
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How to Start and Run a Profitable Cleaning Business
something more. I did not enjoy what I was doing and at the
end of the week I had a very small paycheck to show for the
the idea and name for the cleaning company I would create and
run for the next 12 years. All the things I went through to start
my company and keep it growing over the last twelve years are
here in black and white for you to use in your own cleaning
business. The ideas are good if you want to run the business
yourself with no employees and they are also good for those
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Eric Loiacano
has for me. Good luck with your new endeavor and I look
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How to Start and Run a Profitable Cleaning Business
TOC
Introduction .................................................................................6
Chapter One It All Starts With An Idea..................................12
Chapter Two The Legal Side of Things.................................32
Chapter Three Start Up Costs ...............................................40
Vehicles.....................................................................................46
Chapter Four Pricing the Job.................................................60
Chapter Five Marketing Your Business.................................68
Summary...................................................................................78
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Eric Loiacano
Introduction
someone else really does not fit the bill because you are
slaving away for eight hours for five days with nothing to show
Imagine you have control. You dictate the hours you want to
work. You know where you stand regarding what you wish to
do. Why let others take the fame and glory of operating a
the amount of money you wish to make. You know what you
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How to Start and Run a Profitable Cleaning Business
success. You know deep in your heart and mind that you cant
work and make money for others so you take the gamble and
risk and start your own company. After all, there are many
business, there are also challenges you must face. You have to
take care of legal stuff like licenses and permits. You have to
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Eric Loiacano
want to start. If you are into baking cookies or other food items,
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How to Start and Run a Profitable Cleaning Business
other people, or keeping the floor cleaned for the majority of the
may just be your ticket to business success. And since this type
get involved.
job to get involved in, we will focus our attention on how to start
and run one in this ebook. After you have read this ebook, you
business, so those who wish to get into this type of venture will
business can start on the right footing, and grow in the proper
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made the first few years in business was that I was obsessed
with gross sales, but what I noticed fast was that gross sales
later and I will supply you with some wonderful tools to track
your profitability.
business. Just know that if you follow each procedure and each
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How to Start and Run a Profitable Cleaning Business
that you have always longed for. You will have a cleaning
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You just need to figure out where your niche is going to be.
Then I will teach you how to become profitable, and that will be
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How to Start and Run a Profitable Cleaning Business
you can see the more you think about it the more ideas you
have for getting your business off the ground. I figured out how
to have work from day one. You can too, if you think hard
about who you can target for business and what services you
have all figured out that hiring someone allows them to spend
more time with their family if they are a homeowner, rather than
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Eric Loiacano
you have two major markets you can shoot for: residential and
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How to Start and Run a Profitable Cleaning Business
getting more clients and keeping busy than if you only went for
markets and it has paid off well for me, but you can choose to
that I knew people I could get work from in both areas and it
business. You may find it hard to get respected for what you do,
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Eric Loiacano
start working for clients. But whatever you do, do not take
On the positive side of it, you can build a really lucrative and
along the way as you are building your business that if you treat
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How to Start and Run a Profitable Cleaning Business
them right, they will make sure you are successful and they will
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your revenue because you can take on more projects than you
category.
desk, you can work in the administrative role and just hire
your desk. If you choose to work with the guys, and use focus
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How to Start and Run a Profitable Cleaning Business
that we were a one stop shop for all your cleaning needs. I
learn as I went. This helped get me into the doors that would
service you wish to engage in. No matter what direction you go,
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must make sure that you and your people who work for you can
such, you will be responsible for going into peoples homes and
line here is trust. You must be sure that the people you send
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How to Start and Run a Profitable Cleaning Business
into a persons home will clean their home without incident. All
some type. You may even use certain cleaning solutions. If this
If you are going to work behind the desk while your crew
does the actual work, you will definitely need business skills.
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before you actually make the leap. And after you make the
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How to Start and Run a Profitable Cleaning Business
you want to focus on. There are various ways to perform your
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This will give you a great basis for when you are
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How to Start and Run a Profitable Cleaning Business
equipment. You can work from home and just use the
Although you will get some clients who prefer you work
during the day, you will more than likely get them where
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How to Start and Run a Profitable Cleaning Business
you can work in. Just like the other services listed
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has paid for itself ten times over. A lot of guys try to get
do, bite the bullet and buy a van and a truck mounted
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How to Start and Run a Profitable Cleaning Business
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does have its rewards and can be very profitable. You just have
save money, but the best move I ever made was to an office
which was across the street from an office park. I made a deal
with the landlord to let me clean and manage the building and
everyday they drove into their park they had to look at my sign
you decide whether you should work out of your home, I agree
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How to Start and Run a Profitable Cleaning Business
pay for space if it is positioned it the right area. The space will
than that to owning and operating the business, as you will see
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business, you have legal issues to deal with. This means you
government will quickly close your doors and prevent you from
large fee, is not exactly the highlight of your day, but it must get
done.
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How to Start and Run a Profitable Cleaning Business
fees you may need, but every city and state has different
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zone variance, you are breaking the law and can get
long as you can show your business will not disrupt the
to get one. Most times you will probably find that you
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How to Start and Run a Profitable Cleaning Business
to make an appointment.
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doors.
the use of the size, location, and type of sign you use.
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How to Start and Run a Profitable Cleaning Business
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may not have any requirements for it. But you want to
be sure first.
legal parts of it. You wouldnt want to open your doors and have
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How to Start and Run a Profitable Cleaning Business
You could face heavy fines and get blocked for any future
protect yourself and do all the right tasks to get your business
up and running.
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When you open your cleaning business you will need capital.
employees. Plus, you need money to hold you over till you start
the asset you are trying to purchase. This money will enable
sources where you can get the money you need to start and
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How to Start and Run a Profitable Cleaning Business
There are many ways you can get money. Here are just a
equity tied up into it? Can you borrow off the equity in
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Eric Loiacano
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How to Start and Run a Profitable Cleaning Business
in writing.
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not that hard to do. You just have to go with the sources at
hand and do your homework. If you dig deep enough you may
I gave you the options above because I felt I had to, but the
debt. When I first started out I had money that I had saved that
pay anyone who helped me complete a job that was to large for
equity loan on my house and the list goes on. Why did I do
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How to Start and Run a Profitable Cleaning Business
before you know it. I caught my mistake in time and was a able
to pay back all the debt I incurred, but I am here to tell you that
a job take 15-20% of the money you receive for that job and put
of the company and in a short time you will have enough cash
20% do 5-10% as long as you are holding the money and not
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you should be able to take this money and put it aside every
you read in this book this is the best advice your going to get.
Vehicles
your clients location. More than likely you will want to get a van
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How to Start and Run a Profitable Cleaning Business
van. In other words do you want special luxuries inside the van
doors? if you have a few pieces of equipment that can get dirty
which way you are leaning with your business I will recommend
When I first got into business we had pick-ups with four wheel
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cleaning. At the time it worked out great for us but as the years
outfitted them with caps so that the weather did not affect our
equipment and they have been the best trucks for us. If you
into anything less than a 1 ton van. We have had great luck
with GM vans, but that does not mean you can not put them in
giving this to you through errors of my own you will never have
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How to Start and Run a Profitable Cleaning Business
were 1500 pounds over the gross vehicle weight due to the
weight of the machine and the water in the fresh water tank and
However, if you are going to insist that each employee uses his
accident. If they dont you may have to add your own. If you do
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is extremely effective.
Personnel
need for employees. You sure cant do all the work yourself,
If you run a maid service, your needs will vary depending on the
size of your client base, how much capital you have to start
with.
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How to Start and Run a Profitable Cleaning Business
business with just yourself working it. But eventually, you will
will depend on how much capital you have to work with and
duties.
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to help you so you can hire the people to help you run your
things, but you do not have to do this all over night. You can
other part of your business, take your time and hire the right
person the first time and you will never have any problems.
Hire the wrong person and your problems will only get worse.
Equipment
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How to Start and Run a Profitable Cleaning Business
up debris and dust easily. A good vacuum cleaner can cost you
their weight in gold. So you have to make sure you get the right
job. The best and most versatile vacuums we are using today
allow you to not only go under and around desks but they also
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motors with higher CFMs that are even better now than the old
beater bar upright vacuums we used years ago. But if you only
wisely and get yourself a back-pack vacuum first, you will not
be disappointed.
buildings, you will have tile floor, either in the hallway, corridor,
or entry way. Some have carpeting, but not too many. You will
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How to Start and Run a Profitable Cleaning Business
enough power to strip the floor and polish it. You may want to
get at least one or two of these. The price tag can be anywhere
run into a supplier who is having a sale, or if you can prove you
equipment unless you have a need for it, even then if the need
is not all that great most rental centers today rent these
machines and even have the pads you are going to need. As
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cleaner, you will want to have at your disposal dust brooms and
dust pans. This way you can get up debris the vacuum cleaner
cant reach or is too big to get sucked up. The broom you get
that you have to constantly have to sweep to get all the dirt and
dust. Instead you may want to get a dust broom that is large
Those areas get stained pretty much. And some of those stains
are pretty tough to come off. Utility brushes can help here.
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How to Start and Run a Profitable Cleaning Business
Also, they now have what they call yellow dust clothes that do
you have at least one can of each to take to the clients sight
save you money because you pay less on bulk purchases and
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have the stuff around for a few jobs. Starting out just buy as
you need for the jobs you have. I would not buy in bulk until
As you can see, there are things you need to get before you
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How to Start and Run a Profitable Cleaning Business
get these items and machines ahead of time before you start so
you wont have to stop a job, or refuse a job, because you dont
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You cant quote too low you will not make enough to pay for
quote too high, you can outbid yourself and lose the contract.
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How to Start and Run a Profitable Cleaning Business
look at the materials you buy and how much they cost.
you use, unless it is part of your home, gas, and oil for
your expenses for one year, but not adding in labor and
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Eric Loiacano
materials and that will give you the profit and overhead
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Credit
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How to Start and Run a Profitable Cleaning Business
proper time each month and wait till they send you the check in
the mail.
want to get a deposit from them before you start the job and get
the balance at the end of the job. This is especially true for very
in the past.
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contract, what was done, the time involved, the disclosed price,
60, or 90 day term. Or they may have certain terms for certain
invoices. Find out what terms they use for services rendered
and when they pay. This way you can send them your invoice
on time so you can get paid at the correct time of the month.
You also may want to include any discount incentives for fast
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your business and get it to the eyes of people, they wont know
homework. You must find what your niche will be. You need to
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How to Start and Run a Profitable Cleaning Business
facilities. No matter what niche you decide on, you will have to
clients.
Once you know who your niche will be, you must decide what
areas you will serve. Where are the clients? Are they in the city
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location, this is where you will market your business. You will
focusing on what your niche will be and where they are. The
can market to the best places, but you still need customers.
The best way to get your feet wet and start obtaining a client
establish one or two clients from the start. You can do this by
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How to Start and Run a Profitable Cleaning Business
clubs. There are always people you can sell your cleaning
will remember for a long while. This way when people are
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words that will just ring in their ears. But you have to make it
are that when people think of clean, they associate you with
they used Things go better with Coke. This stuck in your head
Not only your slogan needs to fit what you do, but you also
have to look the part. What do you and your employees wear?
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organized. The way people look at your vehicle is how they will
perceive you and how you run your business. Keep your
vehicles clean and organized. If your vehicle gets dented, fix it.
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How to Start and Run a Profitable Cleaning Business
Dont let your clients see the damage. They will think little of
you if they see you cant take care of your responsibilities. How
can you take care of them if you wont take time to fix your own
stuff?
without it, you are dead in the water, because your business will
used the Val-Pak and Super Coups that you always see come
in the mail in the Light Blue envelope or now the bright yellow
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ones. The reason I did this was to build a client list, most
people that use these are shopping price only, and that is O.K.
in the beginning. It is your job to win them over here and then
do what you say you will and show them that your worth more
look at price as a factor. Trust me, thats how I got from $15.00
per man hour to $40.00 per man hour. The other idea I liked
about these coupons was that I could hit about 10,000 homes
for around $300.00. You cant do that with regular mail, the
costs are much greater. Once you start building your list of
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How to Start and Run a Profitable Cleaning Business
our services. These have served us very well over the years
other marketing pieces as well, but starting out you should keep
you can get with just this group and then you layer in the other
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Summary
you take the correct steps to do so. You have to evaluate the
packs and save a lot of money in the process. The main thing
to engage in. The type you decide will allow you to focus on the
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How to Start and Run a Profitable Cleaning Business
niches you can fill. You could start a maid service, do carpet
your start up costs. You need to look at the cost of your building
you will work out of (unless you will work from home). With this
case, you will need to consider the legal aspects of starting the
business including any and all licenses and permits you will be
required to possess.
possible when you are starting out. Then there is the cost of
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Eric Loiacano
Remember save 15-20% of every job you do and you will have
There are various ways to get money for your business. You
you can adjust accordingly. You must figure this out quickly,
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How to Start and Run a Profitable Cleaning Business
you can fall behind very quickly if you lose money on the jobs
business. Of course there are a lot more items you will need
that I did not cover in this book like Business Plans, Marketing
involved here because you are just starting and feeling out if
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support@profitablecleaning.com.
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