Use These Tactics To Get More Clients For Your Outdoor Cleaning Business!
When it comes to digital marketing we have found that cleaning companies seem to struggle more than most, especially the outdoor cleaning niche. Businesses like pressure washing and soft washing companies tend to get boggled down in the day-to-day, and lack the time to do their own marketing endeavors. The daily work also means you will be outside in places where wifi might not be accessible. There is also a lot of time and maintenance that goes into cleaning equipment, chemicals, supplies, trucks, etc. It’s understandable that people in this nice do not always have the time or the know-how to do online advertising without some guidance. Here are some problems business owners in the outdoor cleaning space are experiencing and ways to solve them through online advertising!
Word of Mouth:
The biggest problem cleaning companies have is not just finding leads but finding CONSISTENT leads. Since outdoor cleaning companies tend to meet and interact with people in person they rarely have the online presence to back up the things that they claim in their in-person sales pitches. Most outdoor cleaning companies get clients through word of mouth, leaving their business cards at local shops, and attending networking events. The problem with generating prospects in person is there are only so many people and so much time in a day to do it. If you’re at a networking event with hundreds of people you’ll be lucky to talk to 20 of them and have a meaningful conversation that leads to a sale. Keep in mind most of these people are there to push THEIR brand more than anything else.
When you use word of mouth and networking to aid online advertising it can be very effective and increase the speed of conversions. Imagine leads seeing your website and social media after they spoke with you. Maybe you give them a business card with a QR code that leads to your site or a landing page with a special exclusive offer for seeing you at the event. Everything you’re saying to the lead is just further reinforced by the quality they see online. Having awesome testimonials online from happy clients is the cherry on top!
Social Media, SEO, and Google – The WINNING Trifecta!:
In today’s world, people are on social media at least 5 to 7 times a day on average. After you meet with a lead they’re online within minutes where they are being bombarded with countless ads from other cleaning companies. These cleaning companies may close the deal regardless of the fact you just met with the. The reason is, immersion is important! You want to be at the forefront of your prospect’s mind online or they may go with the competition. To reduce the chance of this happening, we recommend regular weekly social media posting, very localized SEO, and target ads on Search.
Through targeting, you can pinpoint people that are actively searching for cleaning services in their area, instead of simply throwing something against the wall and hoping it sticks or praying the people you communicate with will refer you when you need the business. Next, we will break down these three tactics and how they can be leveraged for cleaning companies.
Don’t Miss Out on Social Media Leads!:
Let’s start with social media. Social media has blown up post-pandemic in a real way. There are BILLIONS of active users on various social media sites. Outdoor cleaning companies tend to do better on the more popular social platforms. Especially with the platforms that a 30s and up crowd will be on. Younger people are probably not best suited to see your content as they have not built up enough credit or wealth to own a home. That means you want most of your social media presence on Facebook and Instagram as they are most widely used in the 30+ age range that you are looking for. Twitter tends to be helpful for extra placement more than anything else, so if you’re short on time, or can only afford a company to manage part of your social media you can skip this site entirely.
Localized social media sites like Next Door and Alignable can also be good places to promote your cleaning business. People buy from those they know like and trust. Next Door and Alignable have done a good job of expanding while giving their users access to just certain cities they are in. That means only active users in your area will see your posts and ads on this site! It’s not enough to have a captured local audience. How do you “hook” them and keep them wanting more? The answer is video!
The Ever Growing Power of Video Marketing!:
What you don’t want to miss out on video. Video is a game changer for businesses, especially in the cleaning space. Don’t let your competition get in front of your prospects before you do! Your average consumer might be watching dozens or even hundreds of videos TODAY. We live in a “binge” society, where people use video content to get information and entertainment. What you might not know is people use social media every day to make their purchasing decisions. Since videos can capture attention faster and for longer periods of time, it makes the process of converting people into customers faster.
Outdoor cleaning before and after videos are basically your sale pitch wrapped into a little bow! Also, consider getting video testimonials from your clients because it’s a huge authority builder and makes your prospect feel more comfortable booking appointments with you vs the competition. Videos that show your process and what to expect are important to your audience as well.
When you compare a company that has a library of video content vs a company that does not the difference is huge. There is an assumption of high quality that comes with having a library of that kind of content. If you’re a one or two-person show this will be a game-changer!
Many of our clients use video and their prospects assume they have multiple soft washing trucks when they have one. The idea is if you look like a semi-large company people assume you’re doing something right. With video, you can strike a balance and put out “get to know me” videos where you talk about your business and your passion for helping people clean their homes.
Always appeal to your audience’s emotions. Put yourself in THEIR shoes. Think about how good it would feel to have a clean home if you are struggling to do it on your own and just how relieved you will feel when the right company comes along to solve your problem.
Leveraging YouTube to Get Cleaning Clients:
When you start creating videos, social sites like YouTube can be VERY effective. YouTube is considered the 2nd largest Search Engine and people go there typically to solve problems. People looking for cleaning companies will search for things like “how to clean a roof” or “when should I clean my roof” on YouTube every day. Do these searches on YouTube (or anything similar) on your own and you will see literally thousands of options at a click of a button. The videos with the catchiest thumbnail and the highest views are usually the ones that people click on, so make sure these videos are well thought out and interesting. You can also connect your YouTube videos with your websites or other social sites. Often times we make “longer form” YouTube videos that are 5-10 minutes long and we make shorter posts for other platforms. This pro tip gets you more content on more platforms!
Localized SEO Benefits:
We also mentioned hyper-localized search engine optimization. If people can’t find you on Google does your business even exist in today’s world? It’s not just social media videos that attract attention, cleaning companies also need to be visible in relevant searches on Google. Since most outdoor cleaning companies can only service certain specific areas, localized SEO will give you visibility with people in your area. Cleaning companies need a robust presence on Google for local searches. If your company is located in Orlando it’s a pressure-washing company you want to come up on Google searches like “Pressure Washing Company Orlando” and “Best Pressure Washing Companies in Orlando.”
Your localized Search Engine Marketing should include relevant backlinks, blog articles, tags, and keywords. You want to make sure you’re making changes on your website too. Make sure the keywords you use are not too broad or you’ll rank for indoor cleaning, which of course will give you prospects you cannot service. When it comes to keywording in the outdoor cleaning niche it’s best to be more specific.
How to Best Use Google Ads to Boost Your Local SEO:
Search engine optimization can accelerate just by having Google ads. Google likes activity and when people utilize all the tools in their toolbox. When local SEO and Google ads combine your average cost per click goes down, sometimes significantly! Google ads can be expensive, so it’s important to be very localized and specific with targeting the outdoor cleaning niche. Focus on small geographical areas and only certain keywords. Commercial property clients might be harder to come by from Google searches in your industry, so focus more on residential at least at first.
Google ads are at the top of the search. It cuts past the red tape and gets you in front of more people faster! There is also your Google Business profile (previously called GMB). Your Google Business Profile is another way to advertise on Google. You can also post content there, giving it a slight social media element.
Google Reviews for the win!:
Do you have Google reviews? Well, you should because they are game-changing! Google reviews are a gold standard in terms of online reviews. People look at Google reviews to build trust with companies they are thinking of doing business with. Outdoor cleaning companies should remember they ate meeting people in their homes or places of business. Most people are not going to let someone in their home if they have no reviews or a low review score. Outside of Google reviews, you can also get reviews on Facebook and many other sites. Take some of those reviews and use them for your site and as content across multiple social platforms.
Conclusion:
Remember, there isn’t a one size fits all strategy or approach to getting business for your cleaning company. It takes a mix of things working together to convert higher-ticket clients and of course time. Nothing happens overnight. Your online marketing should be your virtual salesperson. Having recurring content that goes live on an almost daily basis should be the goal. Unlike a salesperson who needs time to eat and sleep, prospects can see your social media content and Google ads every day around the clock. That is a constant reminder to your audience that you exist, the value you bring to the table, and why you’re different than your competitors.
If you know what you do is different than most other companies and you have a high quality of skill and customer service you owe it to your community to be front and center. Why have them skip over you to go with a lesser company that may even cost their home serious damage? The answer is simple. You need to take a diverse approach to marketing, with a sound strategy you will increase your bottom line!
Need a company to do the marketing for your cleaning company? We can help!
If you need help growing your cleaning company online and don’t have the time to do it, contact COSMarketing Agency. We work with soft washing and pressure washing companies to help them with their client acquisition. Branding, social media, search marketing, and target ads are things we do for cleaning companies on a daily basis. This saves our clients a ton of time and gets them in front of a much wider audience quickly. Our first appointment is free and includes an assessment of your social media presence. Book a meeting today at 407-334-9378 or visit https://cosmarketingagency.com/. Talk soon!
