Drive the Success of Your Home Cleaning Business

You know what? I love the home cleaning industry; it is made up of the nicest people one could ever want to meet, work with, and become friends. In my unique position in the industry I have the opportunity to talk with many service owners, from across the United States and all over the world. On a typical day, I speak directly with no less than five to ten service owners. This serves more than one purpose for me.

First off on a personal level, I LOVE IT; this is the part that has always kept me going through the years, when many wondered why I was on this crazy mission. Years ago, especially in the first years of starting the association, it would get pretty lonely and isolated, I bet sometimes you feel the same way in your business. I soon realized that if I was having a particularly bad, or trying day, all it took was a brief conversation with an eager cleaning service owner or two to set me back on my way. It is the people that have fueled my passion for making industry wide changes for professional house cleaning businesses.

Second, talking with owners of home cleaning businesses and hearing directly from them about what is going on in their businesses allows me to keep a pulse on the industry. I am able to take what I hear from the many service owners I speak with and gauge what is going on in the industry. Many times a good idea for an article turns into a great idea when I talk with several service owners all facing the same issue.

So, why am I sharing all of this with you now? You can do the same thing! Pick up the phone, call your colleagues in the industry. You may not be writing the next great article for a publication like Home Cleaner Magazine, but you can connect, learn, and grow from building and cultivating your own relationships with fellow owners.

Perhaps you strike up a new friendship with a service owner/ owners that may not be your direct competitor but just outside your service area. You know they are out there. Just look in the yellow pages, pick up the phone and call them. Make a lunch date, have regular phone calls, and keep each other in the loop.

 Another great idea to build a strong relationship and have some fun along the way is to take advantage of relationships you build in organizations like Myhousecleaningbiz.com and ARCSI. Plan a “working vacation”, go visit a new place you’ve wanted to visit and schedule some time with service owners in the area. Spend time talking, take a tour of their operation, seeing first hand how others “do it”. They will love to hear your ideas. Not only will you have an incredible learning and sharing  experience, you will be able to write much, if not most, of your travel expenses off as a business expense!

You will find that this type of networking will be the most valuable investment of your time and without a doubt be very empowering and fuel your own enthusiasm for your home cleaning business!

Copyright 2010 Home Cleaner Magazine.