How to Work With Your Customer’s Budget

Business by definition is a win/win. Two people or organizations have something the other wants… and they trade. It must work for both parties. When a potential customer wants your service and you have an open slot in your schedule, finding a win/win is in everyone’s best interest. If the potential customer has serious budget constraints, you’ll need to […]

Back-to-School is a Great Time to Begin Self-Employed Housecleaning

Back to School Possibilities

If you could work when the kids are in school and be home when they are home, would life be simpler? Better? More do-able? Being locked into a rigid office job or always checking to see next week’s hourly schedule can add significant stress to family life. Straddling conflicting responsibilities is a no-win. If you […]

When You Need to Cancel

There was a freezing rain weather advisory for our area today; and freezing rain is one of my least favorite things. Rather than risk going to work and wishing I hadn’t, I decided to cancel. I don’t do that often. Reliability is an important trait to your customers~ it literally means that they can rely […]

How to Get Great Customers

In a business as personal as home cleaning, it matters who your customers are. Great customers let you know, in one way or another, that they appreciate the work you do. Usually, it looks something like… They trust you to do your professional best, and don’t micro-manage. They don’t begrudge you the professional rate you charge. They don’t cancel on a whim. They have their space picked […]

10 Keys to Designing Your Ideal Work Schedule

If you’ve ever had a job where your life is controlled by your work schedule, then you know how valuable it is to be able to choose the days and hours you work. When you clean for a living, you can shape your work schedule around your life priorities… and not many livelihoods offer that benefit. If you want to be home by the time your 2nd grader gets off […]

25 Extras Your Customers Might Want to Pay For

Most customers are looking for help with the basics: kitchen, bathrooms, dusting, and floors. But beyond the basics are plenty of other house cleaning chores on your customer’s ‘to do’ list… and it’s possible they’d be interested in help with some of those items, too~ if you ask. Generally, ‘extras’ tend to be a great […]

3 Steps to Winning Your First Customers

When you first start to clean for a living you need customers ASAP but have no professional experience, no referrals and no momentum. Take heart~ you have the qualities you need to jumpstart the process and they count for more than experience. Who are your future customers? Maybe they are older and in need of some support to […]

Hidden Expenses That Can Sink a House Cleaner

Most house cleaners bring their own equipment and supplies to the job and are usually given due credit for that expense when a customer weighs the rate they will agree to pay… whether by the hour or by the job. But there are many other (and greater) expenses that customers, and often house cleaners themselves, might not […]