Your
“Business Entity” is the structure under which you will conduct your company.
There are advantages and drawbacks to each of the alternatives from which you
can choose to operate your business. Even if you’re already in business,
depending on your situation, you many want to consider changing the form of
business entity under which your business is being conducted.
In this session, you will learn:
How to obtain a “DBA” (which stands for “Doing
Business As”, which will be your company’s name).
What’s involved in forming a “sole
proprietorship”.
Advantages and disadvantages of a sole
proprietorship.
The difference between a sole proprietorship
and a “partnership”.
What you need to consider before choosing to
form a partnership.
The pros and cons of a partnership business.
The difference between a “C Corporation” and a
“Subchapter–S Corporation”.
Why forming a Sub-Chapter-S Corporation may be
a good choice.
How a Limited Liability Company (LLC)
differentiates from a Corporation.
How forming a Corporation or LLC can protect
your personal assets.
How you can save several hundred dollars on the
cost of incorporating or forming an LLC.
Hyperlinks to online incorporation and LLC
resources
Before opening for business there are several
activities you need to take care of. This session will help you identify,
organize and prioritize these activities.
In this section you will learn:
What an
EIN is and how to obtain one.
What
you’ll need to open a business bank account.
What type
of licenses and permits you’re going to need, and how and where to obtain
them
An
inexpensive alternative to renting physical office if you plan to start the
business from your home in a community that will not grant a business
license at residential addresses.
What you
need to consider if and when you’re ready to lease commercial office space
from which you will operate your business, including tips on negotiating the
lease.
The type
and amount of insurance coverage you’ll require.
How and
why you need to obtain information on other cleaning companies in your
market.
The
furniture, office equipment, communication, software, printing, and cleaning
supplies and equipment you’re going to need for your business.
If
you’re like most entrepreneurs, accounting is probably your least favorite
subject: “Let somebody else do the numbers crunching; let me run the
business.” However, not paying attention to the numbers is often the reason
many small businesses run into trouble.
Whether you use accounting software, the
old-fashioned manual method, or a bookkeeping service, we provide you with a
standard Chart of Accounts for various assets and liabilities on your Balance
Sheet and income and expense items on your Profit & Loss Statement.
In this section you will learn:
What
“Capital Expense” items are and on what basis they may be expensed
(amortized) in accordance with IRS guidelines for income tax purposes.
What items
will appear on your Balance Sheet as “Current Assets.”
What items
will appear on your Balance Sheet as “Fixed Assets.”
What items
will appear on your Balance Sheet as “Current Liabilities.”
What items
will appear on your Balance Sheet as “Long Term Liabilities.”
How to
determine your company’s current Net Worth, or “Equity.”
How to set
up your Chart of Accounts for your Profit & Loss Statement (P&L).
Why it’s
important to identify sources of income on your P&L.
Hyperlink
to recommended accounting software and tour/demonstration
PLUS this session includes the following
printable PDF documents:.
This session is MUST reviewing even if you’re
already operating a cleaning business.
While most people think that a formal business plan is only used for obtaining
borrowed money or investment dollars, that thinking is incorrect.
Taking the time and effort to create a formal,
written business plan is the only way to solidify in your mind where
you want the business to be. The process forces you to think through your
goals and strategies for achieving those objectives. It’s the roadmap for
your journey to success.
In this section you will learn:
Why you
really need a business plan, even if you don’t intend to use it to borrow
money or raise investment capital.
The various elements that need to be included
in your business plan, including:
The
Executive Summary: a brief overview of the entire business plan;
The
Market: who your market is and what the potential is from that market;
What your
Competitive Advantages are;
What
Marketing Strategies you will employ to generate prospects;
What Sales
Strategies you intend to use to convert prospects into clients;
Your Sales
Forecast for the first three years, and the assumptions behind the forecast;
Your
Personnel Plan: when and how many people you will need as your business
grows;
Milestones
that will serve as “way points” or stepping stones on the progress of your
plan;
Your
detailed Financial Plan; your Pro Forma Profit & Loss Statement projected
out over the first three years;
Your
Specific Objectives: goals that can be measured in quantifiable terms;
The Keys
to Success: what specifically will be required to meet your objectives.
PLUS
Hyperlink
to recommended Business Plan software (take the guided tour)
Hyperlink
to recommended Mailing List site to obtain FREE demographic information on
YOUR specific market.
A
printable sample Business Plan you can use as a model for creating your own
personal document.
This lesson provides step-by-step narrated text
on the proper techniques for cleaning bathrooms proficiently and efficiently.
This is an excellent aid to use as an adjunct in both orienting and
training employees, particularly when used in conjunction with the
accompanying supplemental handbook and on-the-job training. At the
conclusion of the lesson the employee can take a brief Quiz to test how much
he or she has retained from this lesson. Depending on whether the employee
has answered each question correctly or incorrectly, a bell or buzzer will
sound, respectively.
In this lesson your employees will learn:
What tools and cleaning supplies are used in
cleaning the bathroom.
The six cardinal rules to remember
when cleaning the bathroom.
What special steps are required when cleaning
the bathroom on the very first visit.
The best and most efficient method of
cleaning shower walls.
How to clean those difficult shower doors and
runners.
The best way to clean the bathtub, sink and
toilet.
Cleaning mirrors streak-free.
Checking for cobwebs and fingerprints.
Dealing with towel racks and other bathroom
fixtures.
Cleaning the medicine cabinet and counter
tops.
The efficient way to wash walls, ceilings and
floors.
This lesson provides step-by-step narrated text
on the proper techniques for cleaning kitchens proficiently and efficiently.
This is an excellent aid to use as an adjunct in both orienting and
training employees, particularly when used in conjunction with the
accompanying supplemental handbook and on-the-job training. At the
conclusion of the lesson the employee can take a brief Quiz to test how much
he or she has retained from this lesson. Depending on whether the employee
has answered each question correctly or incorrectly, a bell or buzzer will
sound, respectively.
.
In this lesson your employees will learn:
What tools and cleaning supplies are used in
cleaning the kitchen
The six cardinal rules to remember
when cleaning the kitchen
What special steps are required when cleaning
the kitchen on the very first visit
The most efficient, time-saving but
proficient kitchen cleaning routine
How to deal with those tough kitchen
countertop problems
Paying attention to glass, mirrors, doorways,
open shelves and switch plates
Cleaning the refrigerator
Cleaning the stove, including hood, stove top
(both electric and gas), stove front, oven door and oven)
This lesson provides step-by-step narrated text
on the proper techniques for dusting and polishing proficiently and
efficiently. This is an excellent aid to use as an adjunct in both
orienting and training employees, particularly when used in conjunction with
the accompanying supplemental handbook and on-the-job training. At the
conclusion of the lesson the employee can take a brief Quiz to test how much
he or she has retained from this lesson. Depending on whether the employee
has answered each question correctly or incorrectly, a bell or buzzer will
sound, respectively.
.
In this lesson your employees will learn:
What tools and cleaning supplies are used in
dusting and polishing
The six cardinal rules to remember
when dusting and polishing
Important information about the feather
duster
How to manage cleaning cloths during the
dusting and polishing process
Special requirements on a first-time cleaning
visit
Cobwebs, fingerprints and wall marks
Dusting pictures and cleaning mirrors
Dusting and polishing the coffee and end
tables, dining room table and chairs, mirror-top buffet (bar) and hutch
Cleaning leather and Naugahyde sofas and
chairs
Cleaning upholstered furniture that may not
need vacuuming
Dusting bookshelves
Dusting drapes, window frames and blinds
The TV, VCR, CD and DVD players and stereo
“Rotation” cleaning
“Visuals” and those things most often
overlooked by cleaners when dusting and polishing
This lesson provides step-by-step narrated text
on the proper techniques for vacuuming proficiently and efficiently. This
is an excellent aid to use as an adjunct in both orienting and training
employees, particularly when used in conjunction with the accompanying
supplemental handbook and on-the-job training. At the conclusion of the
lesson the employee can take a brief Quiz to test how much he or she has
retained from this lesson. Depending on whether the employee has answered
each question correctly or incorrectly, a bell or buzzer will sound,
respectively.
.
In this lesson your employees will learn:
Setup and getting started for best the
vacuuming efficiency
Special requirements for vacuuming on a
first-time cleaning
This lesson provides step-by-step narrated text
on the proper techniques for special cleaning projects. This is an
excellent aid to use as an adjunct in both orienting and training employees,
particularly when used in conjunction with the accompanying supplemental
handbook and on-the-job training. At the conclusion of the lesson the
employee can take a brief Quiz to test how much he or she has retained from
this lesson. Depending on whether the employee has answered each question
correctly or incorrectly, a bell or buzzer will sound, respectively.
.
In this lesson your employees will learn:
What “special projects” are
The most effective and efficient way to clean
the oven
The best way to clean the inside of the
refrigerator
The best and most time-saving method of
cleaning chandeliers
This lesson provides step-by-step narrated text
on the proper techniques for professional window washing. This is an
excellent aid to use as an adjunct in both orienting and training employees,
particularly when used in conjunction with the accompanying supplemental
handbook and on-the-job training. At the conclusion of the lesson the
employee can take a brief Quiz to test how much he or she has retained from
this lesson. Depending on whether the employee has answered each question
correctly or incorrectly, a bell or buzzer will sound, respectively.
.
In this lesson your employees will learn:
The tools and equipment needed to get
professional results
This session gives you an overview of the
basis on which the 3Rs Model of human resource management is designed. Very
few small businesses employ a systematic process to their human resource
challenges. The practice is almost non-existent in the cleaning industry.
The 3Rs Model is based on a proven, eight-step process to attract, select,
hire, train, manage and retain good employees. If you’re already in
business, you know that the biggest challenge is not getting and keeping
clients; it’s recruiting and retaining a work force. This session delves
into the need to use a proven, scientific system to win at this game.
In this section you will learn:
The need
for a human resource management success strategy
Factors
in the labor force playing field that effect recruiting and retention
The two
critical ingredients that successful companies use
A crucial element in your hiring and
retention strategy is to have a clear picture in your mind of the type of
employee who will have the highest probability for success on the job — your
success and the success of your employee. Recruiting and hiring must be
seen as a game. A game where the successful outcome is a win-win
relationship between the employer and the employee.
You can hire people for the wrong reason (I
just need a "body" to fill out this team), and people can take the job for
the wrong reason (I just need any "job" to meet some expenses), and it may
work out for awhile. But eventually, and sooner than later, problems will
arise which reveal the nature of the lose-lose relationship that has been
established.
In this section you will learn:
How to
develop a profile of the ideal candidate for the job
The
common characteristics of a “successful” house cleaning employee as
determined by a national survey of house cleaning employees
The Top
Ten reasons given by house cleaning employees for satisfaction with their
job
The copy in your recruitment ad should have
provided enough information to screen out those who would not be a good
match for the job. Some candidates will read the ad and know they’re not a
good fit, and others will not think about the job requirements and simply
call your number. It will now be your job during that phone contact to help
the caller and yourself determine if you should invest the time to go
through the interview and application process.
In this section you will learn:
What
your goal on the phone should be when an individual responds to your
advertising
How to
use the telephone response as your first “screen” of the candidate
The 5
parts of the telephone screen interview, and how to use them to quantify
the candidate’s possible “fit” for the job
Specific
questions to ask with respect to “Fact Finding” and “Background”
information on the candidate
The
three areas of evaluation on which you will assign ratings scores
How to
score the Caller Evaluation Sheet to determine whether or not to invite
the candidate in for an interview
The
mechanics of the rating system that will objectively identify “perfect”,
“good”, and “minimal” candidates and also those who should be considered a
poor fit for the job (so as not to waste your time, or the candidate’s, by
proceeding to the interview stage)
You may have conducted many successful
interviews in the past and have your “own way” of doing things. By putting
a common structure in place for each interview you can begin to quantify
these events and become more consistent and “scientific” in your approach.
You have begun this more structured style in the way you conducted and
scored the phone interview. Now in Steps 2 and 3 you’ll use the
APPLICATION, your INTERVIEW GUIDE and the evaluation scale on each step to
evaluate the candidate.
.In
this section you will learn:
How to
properly prepare for the personal interview step
Questions that you may and may not ask on the Employment Application or
during the personal interview – you’ll be surprised at how easy it is to
run afoul of the law
How to
use and evaluate the Employment Application
The
three Behavioral-Based Questions you need to ask during the personal
interview and how to objectively evaluate the candidate’s responses
How to
score the Application and Personal Interview Evaluation Sheet to determine
whether or not to move on to Steps 4 and 5 in the Selection Process.
PLUS the following printable PDF documents:
Application form (custom-designed, 30-point application for house cleaning
employment)
We’re now entering steps 4 and 5 of the
5-step selection process. By now you and the candidate should be at the
stage where you both think that she and the job are a good fit. However,
until you complete this very critical part of the process you are not in a
position to make a job offer to the candidate.
..In
this section you will learn:
“Green”
and “red” flags to be on the lookout for when checking employment
references
How to
use the Employment Reference Checklist to get the information you need
from prior employers
How to
score and evaluate the Employment Checklist and Questionnaire
Ten
questions to ask Personal References to obtain meaningful information on
the candidate
Information you need to obtain to conduct a criminal history background
check
How and
where to obtain criminal history information
Why you
need to obtain a driver’s license background check and how and where to
obtain this information
You’ve
now reached decision time. You’ve taken all the steps necessary to help you
make a measured and objective decision. Most of the time you’ll have made
your decision by this point. However,
when you
have one position to fill and more than one candidate who has proceeded to
this point in the selection process, you can use an objective rating system
to help you make the right choice.
...In
this section you will learn:
How to
use the “Cumulative Decision Maker” worksheet
The
importance of the timing sequence of the hiring decision process
Why you
need to obtain third-party reports expediently
How to
prepare the applicant for acceptance or rejection
Information you need to obtain to conduct a criminal history background
check
How and
where to obtain criminal history information
Why you
need to obtain a driver’s license background check and how and where to
obtain this information
Now the real work of getting your new
employee ready for success on the job begins. Proper orientation will set
the stage for getting your new hire in the right frame of mind for wanting
to succeed at her new job.
In this section you will learn:
Setting
the stage for starting your new hire out on the right foot
The
First-Day Arrival Time Schedule
The
Orientation Outline, Materials and Procedures
Why you
need to keep the first day brief
How to
proceed if you’re starting more than one new person at the same time
It’s important to think of training as
something that goes on forever, as long as the employee stays on the job.
Basically, you will be conducting two levels of training with your new
employee:
Initial Training
Follow Up Training
Beware of the trap that is easy to stumble
into: Training Complacency. “I don’t have time for training,” isn’t
something you want to hear yourself saying. Adequate initial and
follow-up training is the very foundation of your business. The
“vehicle” on which your business moves is satisfying the housecleaning needs
of your clients. However, your “product” is your people,
whose mission is to satisfy the cleaning needs of those clients.
..In
this section you will learn:
That
your “product” is your “people” – and the “People Manufacturing Process”
The
three types of training
The 8
primary technical habits to be ingrained in your employees
The 8
primary behavioral habits to be ingrained in your employees
Pacing
the training in accordance with the trainee’s adeptness
How to
use the “What, Why and How” training technique to improve the training
process
Keeping
the training on track
Testing
the trainees’ comprehension
The
training sequence and factors that can influence the sequence
Cross
training, but; same person on the same job
How to
conduct effective training reviews
How to
use the Training Review Report to evaluate progress
How to
rate the quality of the training and the person doing the training
Compensation is an important element in your
ability to attract and retain employees. If you offer or pay too little,
you won’t attract or retain good help. Conversely, if you offer more than
you can realistically afford to pay, you will be forced to go out of
business by trying to pay higher wages than the business can support.
What is the ideal composition of a team? Is
the ideal number of team members two people, three people, or perhaps four?
Why not just send one person out on the job instead of composing teams of
people? Don’t people trip over one another when they’re cleaning a home
together?
The model we recommend is based on a team of
three, consisting of one person whose primary responsibility is cleaning
bathrooms (the “Bathroom Person”), a second person whose primary assignment
is cleaning the kitchen (the “Kitchen Person”), and a third whose main
responsibility is to oversee the other two team members and take the lead in
the dusting and vacuuming (the “Team Leader”).
This
session will define the role that your team leaders should play in your
company.
If you intend to grow your company into one
that services 200, 300, 500 or more regular clients, you won’t be able to do
it without cultivating good employees to become good team leaders.
. ..In
this section you will learn:
The
duties of the Team Leader
What the
qualifications are to serve as Team Leader
How to
select your team leaders
Rating
potential team leaders using the Potential Team Leader Worksheet
Conducting regular performance reviews is
another crucial element in your human resource management strategy. When
well conducted, performance reviews will help increase tenure. How can
performance reviews improve retention? A consistent finding in employee
surveys has been that employees, who are learning, growing, and feel that
they are making a contribution, stay on the same job longer. You have a
chance to help associates learn, grow and become better contributors through
performance counseling.
. ..In
this section you will learn:
About
the Performance Review
Why you
need to evaluate the “performance” – not the “person”
How to
use the Performance Evaluation Form
The
SMART model performance coaching system
The
importance of conducting “Exit Interviews” with employees who terminate
Using
exit interviews to improve tenure of remaining and future employees
We’re not going to talk about the legal
zoning issues involved in operating a business from your home. This
discussion will focus on the practical aspect of running your housecleaning
business from your home versus operating from commercial office space, from
the aspect of the potential impact on your human resource challenges. In
this section, we’ll also discuss the issue of supplying company vehicles
versus compensating employees for using their own cars.
In this section you will learn:
The
benefits and disadvantages of a home-based office
How a
“real” office can improve recruiting efforts
A cost
vs. benefits comparison of company vs. employee-supplied vehicles
Why some
companies provide vehicles to employees
How to
compensate employees for providing their own transportation
The
potential “real value” of providing company vehicles
The telephone rings. It’s Mrs. Smith, and
she’s not too happy. She tells you that she noticed her two-karat diamond
ring missing shortly after the team was there last. Your heart skips about
six beats. You hum and haw and stammer and tell Mrs. Smith you’ll look into
it and get right back to her. Now what do you do?
In this section you will learn:
The
subject of employee dishonesty
Preventative measures you can take to discourage theft
Evidence
of why background checks are absolutely essential
How to
conduct an open discussion with your employees on this topic
How to
educate your clients to minimize problems
What to
do when you do “get that call” from a client
How to
handle the situation with your employees when a client reports something
missing or stolen
Rules to
abide by when a client’s property is damaged while in your care, custody
and control
What to
do when a client calls to report damage to his or her property
How to
handle disputed claims
The
types of insurance coverage you should have
Eight
specific questions to ask your insurance underwriter
The Federal Occupational Safety and Health
Act of 1970 requires that all employers with more than 10 employees have an
official Safety and Health Program in place. However, some states exceed
the Federal requirements. For example, at least Alaska, California, Hawaii
and Washington require that all employers have a Safety
Program, regardless of size.
Legal requirements aside, it simply makes
good business sense to implement a Safety Program. Business owners are used
to taking risks in connection with day-to-day business decisions.
Entrepreneurs are, by nature, risk takers. However, taking risks with the
safety and well-being of your employees is not worth the gamble.
In this section you will learn:
How just
one lost work day due to injury could cost you a bundle
The
seven essential elements of a good safety program
The
importance of holding Safety Meetings
Twenty-four Safety Meeting topics
Information and Training Resources
PLUS the following printable PDF documents:
First
Aid Kit and Safety Equipment Checklist required by OSHA
Custom
Safety Program Handbook
Directory of Approved Sources of OSHA-Funded Agencies
PLUS Internet hyperlink to the following:
United
States Directory of Workers Compensation Resources
Bureaucracy is alive and well in America!
Today’s business person — the employer — must not only be very good at
dealing with Human Resources, and wearing a lot of other hats that go with
the territory, but you also have to do all those things in compliance with
Federal, State, County and City laws and ordinances. Just keeping track of
your legal requirements can be a big chore in itself.
This section will cover those areas you must
pay particular attention to relative to your Human Resource Management
Policies and Procedures:
In this section you will learn:
Compliance with IRS regulations relating to federal and state income taxes
and FICA
Federal
and State Unemployment Tax issues (FUTA and SUTA)
How to
avoid fines of $100 (up to $10,000 for repeat offenses) that can be
incurred by failing to comply with INS laws on providing proof of
eligibility of individuals to work in the United States
Compliance with OSHA regulations
What you
need to know about THE AMERICANS WITH DISABILITIES ACT, THE CIVIL RIGHTS
ACT, AGE DISCIMINATION IN EMPLOYMENT ACT, THE EQUAL PAY ACT, THE FAIR
LABOR STANDARDS ACT, and THE EMPLOYEE POLYGRAPH PROTECTION ACT
Laws
regulating how long you must keep various records on file
Specific
federal and state Posters you are required by law to display on your
premises (failing to display one, in particular, could result in a $10,000
fine)
PLUS the following printable PDF documents:
Personnel Records Retention Guide
Full
size copies of the 5 federally mandated Posters
One activity that business owners tend to do,
either too often or too seldom, is conduct staff meetings. Except for
meetings held for training purposes, or to make special announcements, staff
meetings held more often than once a week are probably held too often.
Frequency of less than every two weeks is too seldom. We suggest that you
religiously conduct a staff meeting every week, preferably early Monday
morning prior to the start of the first workday of the week.
In this section you will learn:
The
purpose of weekly staff meetings
Meeting
preparation
Sample
Meeting Agendas
Recognition & Rewards
When and employee becomes a liability
Managing crisis
How to groom and compensate an
assistant manager without breaking the bank
How to
continue to build on employee relations to improve morale, pride in
workmanship, quality of work and tenure on the job
The cleaning price seems to be the Achilles
Heel in the profitability of many, if not most, house cleaners. There seems
to be no formula used at arriving at cleaning prices. If anything, house
cleaners either shop the competition and then set prices to “underbid” their
competitors, or establish arbitrary prices based on what the market will
bear. Little thought goes into what it costs to provide the service they’re
selling.
You ARE in business for yourself and you may
choose any method you wish to determine what you charge for your service.
However, we’re going to share what we feel is a very viable way of pricing
for profit. We call it the POM=CP Formula
In this section you will learn:
What
elements go into the “P” part of the equation
What
elements go into the “O” part of the equation
How the
“M” part of the equation can virtually guarantee a predetermined profit on
every cleaning job you do, provided the “P” and “O” portions are properly
determined
Detailed
examples of how the POM=CP formula works
Another
look at the “Team Share” compensation method and why it helps make this
formula work so well
PLUS an Internet hyperlink to the following
Web site:
United
States Directory of Workers’ Compensation resources for all 50 states
You now
have a formula for pricing the job that allows for adequate compensation of
your employees, factors in overhead expenses and provides for a
predetermined level of profit for you and you business.
What we’re
going to be discussing in this session are all the elements that need to be
considered in order to determine how much work is involved and the amount of
time it will take to perform the work.
In this section you will learn:
Two
homes could be identical in size, layout and design but one could require
far more time and effort to clean than the other
There’s
a big difference between “old” dirt and “new” dirt accumulations, and how
to “look for” dirt when creating your estimate
The
difference between pricing a first-time or onetime cleaning and routine
weekly, biweekly or monthly cleanings that follow
The
danger in under pricing or “low balling” your first-time cleaning price
How to
justify a higher first time or one time cleaning price to your prospective
client
The
first steps in pricing the work
Using
your Cleaning Worksheet to come up with both the first-time and repetitive
cleaning prices for your clients
Factors
that tend to increase the price of your regular, routine cleanings
Inefficient scheduling of client cleanings will have a major negative impact
on your overall efficiency.
It makes absolutely no sense to fine tune the
cleaning skills of your employees and then turn around and lose it all
through inefficient scheduling of your clients.
.In
this section you will learn:
An
illustrated look at how inexpensive, off-the-shelf software ($40) can help
you schedule more efficiently and prepare in advance for your cleaning
consultation appointment
How to
establish the most efficient routing
Why the
order in which you clean for a group of clients on any given day is so
critical to your bottom line and to employee morale
Why you
need to clean on days and times based on your cleaning schedule
It’s
important to know your teams’ schedule BEFORE visiting a prospective
client
Why you
may need to schedule a client’s first-time cleaning on a day other than
that which will become her regular cleaning day
Options
for fitting in first-time or onetime cleanings into a busy team’s schedule
How to
use a Map Grid in planning your advertising activities
PLUS the following Internet hyperlinks for:
Sites
offering software programs designed to help you schedule and manage your
business
A solid investment in consistent, relatively
intense advertising can get your business to a weekly sales volume and
client base that would otherwise take many years to achieve through lesser
efforts. Actually, attracting new housecleaning clients is the easier part
of the equation (it is much more difficult to attract and keep good
employees). It is basically a numbers game — the more advertising you do,
the more clients you're going to attract — but it requires you to commit
the necessary financial resources to make that happen. You are in a
marketing-driven business.
In this section you will learn:
What you
can anticipate investing on advertising to obtain a client
Factors
affecting your “Client Acquisition Cost” (CAC)
Door
hangers: what they are, how effective they can be; and your options for
using this method of advertising
Factors
that can influence the effectiveness of a door hanger campaign
Direct
mail: your options for using direct mail advertising, and how the direct
mail compares with door hangers in terms of cost and results
Information on mailing list companies, list costs and demographic features
you can choose to obtain when selecting a list
Web site marketing
Information on “coop” or “marriage mailings where literature is
distributed to homes in a “packet” with other advertising literature
Factors
affecting direct mail response rates
Yellow
Pager advertising; what to consider about this media
Factors
affecting Yellow Page response rates
Newspaper Inserts: what are they and are they worth considering?
Cross
promotion opportunities with other non-competing merchants in your market
Referrals: how valuable they are and the best way to get them
PLUS the following printable PDF documents:
NEVER
CLEAN YOUR HOME AGAIN brochure
Sample
display newspaper ad
Sample
newspaper insert or flyer
Sample
Yellow Page ad
Sample
neighborhood flyer
Sample
Referral Post Card
Sample
referral solicitation letter
PLUS the following Internet links to:
USPS
Direct Mail 101 site
Mailing list
site (get free demographic information and household population numbers
for your area) as well as cost figures for conducting a direct mail
campaign
Have you ever wondered how local businesses
and business people manage to get articles written about them in the
newspaper? Do they pay for this publicity? Do readers pay attention to
what’s written? You bet people pay attention, and it’s better than free
advertising. Depending on the slant of the story and the way it’s written,
it often comes across like a third party endorsement. So, how can you get
in on some of this free publicity, too?
In
this section you will learn:
How to
look for PR opportunities
What
business reporters and editors look for in Press Releases
How to generate FREE publicity by doing
good deeds for others
PLUS the following Internet links to:
Software
designed to produce professional Press Releases
A
resource site on How to Write a Professional Press Release
Generally, the telephone is the first
personal contact you will have with your prospective client. The impression
made at this juncture can impact your overall marketing effort positively or
negatively, depending on your customer’s perception of the experience.
.In
this section you will learn:
That
important “First Impression”
What to
do when you’re not there to answer the phone yourself
Professional telephone procedures
Sample
Telephone Presentation
Typical
questions you’ll be asked, and how to handle them
By the time you arrive at your prospective
client’s home, she has pretty much made up her mind that (a) she is going to
hire a residential cleaning service and that (b) your service is in the
running for consideration.
To this point, you are still a “voice on the
other end of the phone”, representing a company the client may or may not
know very much about. Obviously, your customer’s inclinations are positive
or you wouldn’t be invited to make a quotation or presentation in her home.
All you have to do now is reinforce the fact that your company will be her
best choice.
.In
this section you will learn:
How to
look and act like a professional
The
Presentation Procedure
Issues
to cover during your visit
The
significance of tracking your conversion ratio of leads to appointments
and appointments to sales
Typical
questions you’ll be asked, and how to handle them
PLUS the following printable PDF documents:
Client
Profile Form
Cleaning
Checklist
OUR
FIRST CLEANING VISIT brochure
Quality
Control Checklist
Client
Invoice
HAPPILY
EVER AFTER client relationship ground rules booklet
It’s amazing how some companies will focus
all their time and resources on finding and selling new customers, and then
spend little or no time and effort on keeping them.
In any business – but in this business in
particular, it’s more important to focus on developing clients than on
selling customers. What’s the difference? A customer is somebody you sell
ONE time; a client is somebody you sell time and time again.
For all the time and effort it takes to find
a new client, it’s critically important to nurture that client once you’ve
got them. And it’s a whole lot cheaper, not to mention easier, to keep an
existing client than it is to go out and replace her with a new one.
.In
this section you will learn:
Guaranteeing satisfaction and reliability
“Little
things” that can go a long way to maintaining client loyalty
Making
and keeping commitments
Access
issues: clients’ keys
Keeping
accurate records can keep clients happy
Negotiating price
Dealing
with client complaints
Dealing with the "client from hell"
How to
deal with clients who want a specific day or time
How to
handle clients who expect a certain amount of time spent cleaning in their
home
Clients
who want to “trade cleaning jobs”
How to
maintain a client’s cleaning schedule even while they’re on vacation
Using
due diligence with respect to client’s property
PLUS the following printable PDF documents:
Client
Satisfaction Survey Card
Series
of sample letters to clients about various issues
This session will give you guidelines for
using all the information in this course to assist you in developing a
workable, manageable and effective marketing and advertising strategy to get
your business off and running and to keep it growing as you progress.
.In
this section you will learn:
The
importance of establishing objectives
What you
need to do before establishing your game plan
Understanding the objective of your advertising – HINT: it is not
to make sales
Advertising response expectations
Rating
your advertising’s effectiveness
Lead
cost versus Sales Cost
Consider
“investment advertising” to launch your business
