Concession stands are good business ideas especially when there are sports events in your area. The establishment of a concession stand requires a lot of manpower so if you want to operate a concession stand you must make sure that the money from it will be sufficient to pay your workers and gain a considerable amount of money. Here are some food types that you can choose from when considering a career in the concession stand business.

Hot dogs are easy to cook, serve and eat making it a good concession stand idea. Aside from this, they come at a very affordable place which makes it a favorite. An ideal concession cart comes with a serving station. This serving station will be a place or a corner where your customers can add their preferred condiments. The condiments that you can offer to your customers are mustard and ketchup. You can also add a relish or sauerkraut or anything that is a big seller in your region.

Another favourite concession stand food item that is easy to serve and eat is pizza. However, one good thing about having pizza as a food product for your stand is that it does not require a lot of preparation. You can contact your local pizza shop to provide you with their finish product. If you choose to offer a pizza that is produced by a local pizza shop you need to know how much they sell a slice for so that you have an idea on the price that you have to impose to your patrons.

Sports events take time and customers have high demand for cold beverages. If you are able to make a deal with a popular soft drink company then you can sell their drinks in your concession stands. If you have a limited budget but would like to offer cold beverages in your stand, you can choose to sell homemade juices such as lemonade to your customers. In this type of stand, a fast cooling cooler is an important element for you to be able to serve cool drinks.

Most stands, aside from offering a food product also serve snacks such as peanuts, candies and chips, this is because these snacks do not require a lot of preparation time. The most common snacks offered are popcorn. You can serve your popcorn in different flavors.

During early morning events and events that are held in an environment that is cold, serving hot beverages is a must. Make sure that you have brewing coffee readily available to your older customers. Hot coffee is also a good concession stand idea.

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http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Franklin_B._Smith

Local businesses depend heavily on customer satisfaction, regular clientele, and good reputation. Therefore it is vital to make a favorable impression when meeting the public. It is vital that owners and managers stay above reproach, while maintaining a high profile in the community.

Community Involvement and Local Public Perceptions

It is important to be involved in community events, groups and charity work. Attend local fairs, bazaars, parades and festivals and hand out business cards, small promotional gifts, brochures, sales catalogs or take out menus that are appropriate to promote the store front. It is important to be friendly and outgoing in all public situations. Offer money saving coupons, and gift certificates. When there are community charity raffles, donate a gift certificate to be raffled off. Local marketing frequently involves giving a free sample occasionally.

Social Networking Even Works in Small Towns

Use social networking sites to keep up with clients and try to friend as many people as possible from the community. Build a mailing list of names, street addresses, and e-mail addresses. Send newsletters via e-mail, but no more often that once a month. Send personal e-mails which are friendly and folksy weekly to good clients, close friends, and people in the community, just to say hi. It’s a great idea to build friendships within the community and promote a sense of solidarity between independent store and restaurant owners and managers in the area, both online and in person.

Build a Great Web Presence

Local business marketing online is possible. Start by building a website, which should be frequently updated and informative. Include articles about the area, information about local charities, interesting fact about the products, and a list of products and services. Make the site interesting and attractive. Post the link to the site whenever possible, and make sure the site address is on all the promotional literature and ads for the business.

Run the Business With Integrity

With all the social activities, don’t forget to work hard in the business as well. It is important to satisfy the customers and make sure that prices are fair. Keeping the customer happy is the secret to local business marketing. A friendly smile and a good product are the most important elements of growth of any establishment. Keep a sharp eye on quality, and use customer evaluation cards if those are applicable to the transaction. Repeat business, good publicity and satisfied customers are all vital to local marketing in any town or city. Encouraging people to patronize the location is about providing quality products, good service, fairness and honesty.

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http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Liz_T_Jones

If you regularly attend business networking events then you probably have a large stack of business cards that you carry with you. Many people just carry them in their pocket which results in them handing out bent and distorted cards – hardly a good impression to set!

For this reason any networker should invest in a smart business card holder or case to house their cards and keep them in good condition. In this article we look at the different types of business card holders that are available and help you choose the right one for you.

Leather card holders

These are probably at the premium end of card holders due to them being created from, or at least layered with, genuine leather. This gives a luxurious feel and due to the natural durability of leather they last a long time.

These make fantastic gifts for friends and colleagues but also help to create a good first impression when you meet somebody at an event for the first time.

Metal card cases

These are often smaller and able to carry fewer cards than other holders but they are still quite stunning nonetheless. Available in a variety of metals from chrome to aluminium, these card cases are very strong and look great.

Rotary card holders

You will recognise these from the desks of cops and office workers in movies from the eighties! These rotary business card holders enable you to quickly flick through your contact list with the aid of index tabs. They often hold hundreds of cards so make a great addition to any office desk.

With the advances in technology however, many people are opting to keep their contacts completely digital and as these rotary systems are not designed to leave the office, their popularity is diminishing.

Savvy business people still have one for cases of technical emergencies anyway, allowing them to find the details of that PC repair guy they met a few months back with ease!

Card wallets

These are usually much larger and are designed to store many business cards for the purpose of presentation. A little bit like a photo album, card wallets provide a great place to put all of the cards you have collected over the months and years in one single place for reference.

These have additional benefits other than simply finding contacts; if you are a fan of innovative design like myself you can use these as a place to store your favourite business card designs and use them for inspiration next time you design a new card.

Article Source:

http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Matt_Saunders

Look, a soap business can make money. Now if you just want to work out of your kitchen, your potential is limited. But maybe not as limited as you might think. Many people make several hundred dollars a month working out of their homes. Especially during the fall holiday buying season, there is a big demand for handcrafted soap.

Now if you get all distracted about all the licenses and regulations you might have to deal with, you’ll never get started. So don’t let anyone distract you with all that stuff. The first thing you need to do is to learn how to make good soap and how to sell it. As far as I know, our soap business had all the permits and licenses we needed and it wasn’t difficult to do. So it’s first things first.

OK, with a few tools worth about $200, I can make 100 bars of soap in an hour. That’s start to finish.

Two days later that soap comes out of the molds and gets trimmed and put on a shelf to dry.

Four weeks later, I package that soap and it’s ready to go. My total time in making and packaging that 100 bars of soap … 3 hours. It’ll take you longer to start with. I only handle the soap three different times: mix it, take it from the molds and cut and finally package it.

OK, so that’s 100 bars…3 hours to make and package.

Handmade soap will sell for $4 – $6 per bar, depending on where you are. If you’re still with me … do the arithmetic. That’s at least $400 worth of soap you can make in three hours total and then you go sell the stuff. And I can make three batches like that per week with my cheap set-up. Let’s see … 3 times $400… And this stuff almost sells itself if you get in the right places. Can you see the potential of a soap business?

The right places can include many possibilities. I like craft shows with follow-up sales to those who buy at the shows. You can develop a mail order soap business just starting with your sales at the craft shows.

Now if you decide to do a large volume with small equipment this can turn into a lot of work in a hurry. But at a small scale, a soap business can make good business sense.

We sold over 35,000 bars of soap in about four years just working part-time making soap in the kitchen sink. Now think about that. That’s 35,000 bars of soap worth about $4 per bar!

Article Source:

http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Al_Bullington

Once you are able to buy a food truck, this means that you are ready to start a business. However a food truck business is not always a bed of roses. You can expect the best outcomes from having this business but you must also anticipate the worst. The worst being, the possibilities of the truck breaking down in the middle of your route. If this happens you will lose a lot of money and will leave hungry customers. In this business you must be able to find a very good and efficient truck and you must maintain its good condition.

Here is a guideline that you can take if you want to buy a food truck:

Identify the amount that you are willing to spend for your business. Once you have made a rough estimate on how much you are willing to spend devise a business strategy and a plan that you think will work best for you. You must also be certain on your decision on what type of truck you will be using. Choose whether you want to invest on a used truck or a brand new truck.

Know the importance of asking the food vending business essentials from people who used to own food trucks. Ask them where they bought their trucks and ask them which companies are the most reliable. Knowing these in formation will help you save a lot of time and money.

If you decide on buying a used truck, it is important for you to have a mechanic that you can bring along when you would like to inspect the truck. There may be defects that cannot be determined by a layman’s eye and that only an expert can decipher. The mechanic can help you examine whether the used truck you wish to buy is still in good condition. If you cannot bring a mechanic along, ask the seller to give you time to have the food truck you intend to buy be examined by a mechanic. Bring the food truck to a mechanic and have the food truck subjected to a general inspection before deciding to buy the unit.

On the other hand, if you think that it would be a wiser move and a more practical decision to buy a new truck, make sure that the truck you buy is warrantied and find out the extent and the coverage of the warranty that comes with the truck. Ask all the necessary questions that you need to ask before paying for the unit.

Take the food truck for a test drive. This will let you know determine whether you can comfortably maneuver the truck. Make sure that all the parts of the truck and you can easily see the back view from its mirrors. This is a safety precaution for you. If you think that the truck is different to maneuver, ask for a different unit. You must take note that although the truck is in good condition, if it is something that is difficult to maneuver then it is not good for your business.

Once you have decided which truck to buy, ask your seller for a good deal on the price. Most sellers would cut the truck’s original price twenty percent less. Take advantage of this. Learn the art of haggling but do not haggle too much. Just like you, these food truck sellers are also in the business and need to profit.

Article Source:

http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Franklin_B._Smith

Performance coaching is a term that is used commonly in business. Life coaches can use this approach to when they are dealing with a client that is coming to them for professional coaching services. There are all different levels of professionals that would come to a life coach for their professional coaching needs.

For example, a person might be fresh out of college. They might have practiced scenarios in the classroom about how things will be when they graduate, and they start working in their career fields. They might have even read their books about how things will be. These books have been written by industry insiders. However, the only real way for the college graduate to gain their real world experience, is to show up to work and experience the job and experience life. Because this person is brand new to their career fields, they will have so many questions and they will make so many mistakes. Performance coaching can help them in a couple of ways. First, they can gain feedback about their mistakes and learn how not to make the same mistakes. They can also learn any inside unwritten codes and rules that might apply to their situation.

Performance coaching is great for a person who is making serious plans to get their career going to the next level. They might have thought about taking steps towards a promotion, and now they feel the confidence that they need to make such a move. Of course this person would want to make sure that they are getting everything right, and that they look good in front of management. A life coach in this situation would encourage them, and hold this person accountable to their promotion goals. They would make sure that this person has a checklist to set them on the right path. When this person has reached their goals, the life coach can then celebrate with them, and then get them on the path of growth so that they can fit into their new position smoothly.

Performance coaching can benefit the employee and the boss. A good supervisor will care about not only how he comes across to his bosses, but how he comes across to his employees under him. A good supervisor needs to know how to address and how to inspire his employees. The key for this person is to get his employees to carry out the task and the demands of the job in a way that will make them want to stay employed with the company. A life coach will teach a superior on how to be a boss that people want to work for. By the same term, maybe an employee likes their company, and they want to stay on for a while. Getting performance coaching from a life coach will help the employee know that they are on the right track. At the same time, the employee can know if it’s time to go for a promotion, or if it’s time to leave for another opportunity altogether.

Article Source:

http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Bernard_Lajeunesse

Planning to purchase a business unfortunately do not know where to start looking for finance? Are you currently a bit too busy to be undertaking some researching plus negotiating with business finance brokers? Have you been beginning to lose hope because you are always rejected by lending companies or banking institutions?

When your reply is a definite ‘yes’ to these questions then it could be the very best time and also a smart idea to obtain the aid of a business finance broker who is able to accomplish all the finance arrangements in your part.

It truly is significant that you get a very good business finance broker as a good broker provides a dedicated one-to-one service and keeps you fully up to date of the available alternatives, what every single option entails along with its benefits and downside. A good broker is knowledgeable in finding a wide range of suitable finance options without delay. In addition, he offers the expertise to negotiate a better deal than you can do by yourself.

A business finance broker is aware of which type of financing you need. The kind of financing that you will need will depend on your financial means, your expected profit margin, the sector you want to enter plus some other factors. A broker makes the whole process simple and easy; in most cases he gathers some basic information from you via phone and provides a decision in principle within 24 or 48 hours.

When you have determined which financial providers to approach, the brokers can help you tailor and present your proposals in the right way. In order to help tailor your proposals and also to avoid rejections they keep up to date with any policy changes at banks.

The method that you present your proposal can often be the cause of being rejected for finance.

The moment you ponder on raising funds to obtain a business, what comes first to your mind is to get finance from banks. Yet you ought to be knowledgeable that there are a myriad of lenders these days and some of which specialize in particular products or industries. For instance if perhaps you wish to purchase a garage business, it would make sense to request finance from a lender which specializes in funding garages.

A finance broker is knowledgeable with the diverse market for finance provision. Odds are that you’ll find the process complicated and time intensive and find yourself land up picking the wrong business finance provider. You need the aid of a broker to get the best deal.

In regards to raising finance, a one-dimensional approach can be a bad idea. Quite often, banks lend on inflexible terms and more frequently they turn down individuals who are with greatest need.

Business finance brokers aid you have a whole lot more options besides banks. He will likewise tailor a financial package that suits your needs as well as resources from a wide selection of finance companies and kinds of finance.

Because brokers are up to par and extensively knowledgeable of the financial provision market they are fully aware precisely how much leverage they have in negotiations. Thus the moment you have selected a number of providers, the broker can use his expertise in negotiating to obtain a deal with the terms and rates that best accommodates your needs.

Bear in mind that the choice is always yours. A broker is there to offer you options and also assist you have an understanding of them to produce a well-informed choice.

A business finance broker can help beyond purchasing a business – he can assist you obtain working capital as your business grows and expands. Brokers also offer assistance on business planning, consulting, management buyouts, business restructuring, and also buy-ins and turnaround finance.

By simply using the services of a reliable finance broker like Enable Finance you’ll save yourself money and time plus obtain a financial deal that accommodates you best.

Article Source:

http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Angela_Christi_Dysuanco

Let’s say you have a great idea and you are thinking of business start up. What are some of the things you are going to need to do to make your idea reality? The first thing is to think through your business idea objectively and quantitatively.

Thinking objectively means to think in relation to facts, and not let your personal bias get in the way. This is important when you first come up with an idea because excitement can distort thoughts, making a bad idea seem good. Before going any further, the intention here is not to discourage creative thinking, or dispel one from chasing their dreams. Instead, we want to ensure that the ideas that have the greatest chance for success are acted upon, and poorer ideas are not pursued, thus saving personal time and energy.

I find that good thinking can be helped along by following a process, and consulting others. The idea of business start up is something that thousands of others have pursued; countless books and article have been written on the topic. There are a list of common questions which can be carefully thought of, and these will result in a more thoughtful business decision. Here are some of them:

What makes the idea unique in the marketplace?
Who are the existing competitors in the marketplace?
What is the target market for this product or service? If you, yourself, were in the market for the item, what would compel you to purchase it?
What if a competitor were to come along with the same idea, or your competitors were to copy your idea.What would your business do in that case?
What is your competitive advantage? Is it your product? Is it your marketing? Is it your contacts? Pricing? How can you maintain your advantage?
How large is your target market? Is this a currently existing market, or are you creating a new market. (for example, the iPhone targeted the Smartphone market, whereas the iPad created the tablet computer market).

These are some questions that you should be able to answer. Aside from this, it is a good idea to consult a colleague or respected friend for their opinion. Sometimes, their lack of excitement may be a humbling experience. But their response should also ground you, and you should aim to understand their honest opinion.

Another option is to ask your target customer directly. Keep in mind that what people say, and what they do, is different. This is the bane of customer focus groups around the world.

What you are doing in all of these steps is preparing for a business plan. The business plan is not only a document which talks about business strategy, but also contains numbers pertaining to financial projections, pricing, costs, market size, and so on. Numbers also ground us in reality.

There is a lot of advice regarding how to create a business plan. One thing to remember is that the business plan is not a magical document. Having a business plan does not guarantee success; conversely not having a business plan does not mean you are not qualified for business. In a similar vein, starting a business is a personal decision. People may say, “You are not qualified,” or “You don’t have what it takes,” or so on. There is no barrier to entry for starting a business. However, the reason why people emphasize characteristics like leadership, team work, etc…, and the reason why people make a big deal about business plans is that considering these qualifications is a sign of deliberate thought about what it takes to make it in business. Successful businesspeople are respected because success is elusive. No one has the single magic formula here. That is why tens of thousands of books have been written about business.

If you have created a well thought out business plan, or have deeply thought about your business, the rest of the process is more methodical. You need to have a formal business structure, and get appropriate permits and licenses from your locality. This is a matter of paperwork, albeit a lot of paperwork. The paperwork is necessary, and fortunately once it is out of the way, you only have to deal with various issues once in a year.

Business start up does require a few more steps. This includes choosing a name, finding a place to work, getting a phone number, and so on. These can be done on an as-needed basis. Your most important job will be strategy and marketing. Focus on these and take the rest as it comes.

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http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=William_E_Wright

Networking is vital for any business as it is a successful way of expanding your companies client base. Advertising via newspapers, magazines, television or radio and giving away promotional items are all great ways to spread your company message, but networking is a more personal way of connecting with your clients and building up a personal rapport.

Choose the right event

You will need to attend the right event that is appropriate for your business. Go to events that are relevant to your industry and where the guests are going to be in need of your product or service. Trade shows and conferences all provide fantastic networking opportunities and not only can you gain business but you might also meet people that can help your business.

First impressions

First impressions always count. Make sure your first impression is a good one as you only have one opportunity. Shake hands with people that you meet, make eye contact and use their name when introduced. More importantly, don’t forget their name. It can be flattering to have someone who has just met you to remember your name and if they introduce you to someone else it can make you feel that you are worth remembering. You want to make all potential clients feel this special, so get good at recalling people’s names. Be genuine when you meet people. Don’t come across as trying to win friends for business sake only.

Quality contacts

It is the quality contacts that you want, rather than just to collect a large group of names that could lead to nothing. You are better off spending time dealing with a few people and making positive and useful connections, rather than speaking to masses of people but only being able to afford them limited time. It would also be hard to go into detail with these people and remember everything about them. Creating a good network of business contacts means developing a relationship on a more personal level, so you want to be able to afford potential clients your undivided time.

Be clear

Don’t confuse or overwhelm your target audience. State clearly what it is that you do and what your company provides but don’t make the focus all about you. Briefly outline who you are and what you represent but then work to finding out what your potential customer needs, and then show them how you can solve their problem. Be a good listener and when you know exactly how you can help them make sure you don’t bombard them with information. Highlight how you can help them and then offer to expand further at a time in the near future that best suits them. Wet their appetite and have them coming to you for help when they are ready. This way you won’t come across as a pushy salesperson.

Follow up

You need to maintain a relationship with these new contacts, so follow up where you left off. If you promised to come back to a person with an answer to their problem then make sure you do it. Even a polite card or note to people that you spoke to, saying you enjoyed meeting them and hope that you can deal with them in the future, can be a great follow up method. It puts your name and business back in front of them and will create a further good impression.

Article Source:

http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Isaac_Nicholson

“If you use Emotion and Love to drive your sales and your business, you will create Loyalty Beyond Reason. And I promise you, you will build relationships and enjoy a business that exceeds beyond your wildest expectations”

First of all, before you decide to start your cleaning business, make sure this kind of work is right for you. You will need to be in good physical condition. Cleaning is very hard strenuous work. You will need to have good customer relation skills. You will need to have basic office skills and some accounting skills.

If you are planning on leaving your full time position to start a cleaning business, make sure you have at least six months of savings. Or keep your full time job and start out part time.

Research all the aspects of the cleaning service business. From customer service to advertising, taxes, employees, insurance and bonding, what to charge and how to clean a home professionally. Cleaning your own home and cleaning professionally is totally different. Learning how to clean professionally takes a lot of time. When a client pays for your services they expect to come home and find their home spotless.

Getting those first clients takes time, persistence and patience. You will not get a hundred clients overnight.

Obtaining Those First Clients The hardest part of starting your own cleaning service is obtaining those first clients. Most clients want to know how long you have been in business and want references. The best thing to do is let clients know that, yes, you are new to the business but that you have thoroughly researched all aspects of the cleaning business and assure them that you know what you are doing and that you are quit capable of cleaning their home to their specifications. Be confident. I can’t stress this enough. Clients love to see confidence. It relieves their worries and lets them know that their home is in good hands.

References: To get a few good references when starting out, ask some friends or family members if you can clean their home for free or at a discounted rate. The sound of working for free may not be appealing but it will be worth it to get some good testimonials.

When cleaning those first homes, go for quality, not how fast you can clean the home. Cleaning efficiently takes a long time, but you will get to the point where you can do a thorough cleaning in a short time. After cleaning make sure you go back and double check all rooms to make sure you didn’t miss anything. Impress those first clients and word of mouth will spread soon.

Advertising Your company image is everything. Before you start advertising, decide what image you want to portray on your advertising material. Your image is very important. Be consistent with all your advertising. If you have a logo be sure to use it on all your advertising materials. I think it is best to have a website developed before you start advertising. When advertising, stick with the same logo and colors.

Advertise in Local Paper: Start by running a text ad in your local newspaper. Try to come up with an eye catching ad. Do not sell your services on low rates, sell your services on your quality of work and what you can do for the client that other companies don’t. There is a lot of competition in the cleaning service. You have to stand out from the rest.

Magnetic Signs or Lettering for your Vehicle: Having your business name and contact information on your vehicle is a great way to advertise. We use the vinyl lettering. The lettering looks much more professional than the magnetic signs.

Flyers: You can print nice flyers on your home computer, but I would suggest investing in some professional flyers. Hang flyers at Hair Dressers, Laundromats, Restaurants, Bakeries, Grocery Stores, etc. Put flyers on car windows at local groceries stores and businesses. You can even go door to door in neighborhoods you would like to work in. You cannot put them in mailboxes. but you can put them in the front door.

Door Hangers: Door hangers are a great way to get new clients. Pick the neighborhood you would like to work in and hang the door hangers on the doors. When people get flyers or ads in their mailbox they usually throw them away with the junk mail. But if there is a door hanger on the door they will take the time to look at it.

Business Cards: Start passing out your business cards to friends and family members. You can also ask your local businesses if you can leave some cards on their counters.

Referral Program: A great way to obtain new clients is through a referral program. Offer existing clients a discount when they refer a friend. You can give your existing clients a discount when the friend uses your services three times.

Website: These days people live very busy lives so they use the convenience of the internet to shop for the services they need. A lot of working women will shop for services while at work. Everyone that has a business should have a website. It shows clients that you are serious about your business and allows them research your business in their own time.

Cleaning Products: By using all natrual products, you can offer your clients a healthy cleaning experience and protect ourselves against harsh chemicals. Clients love the natural cleaning products with essential oils. They come home to a healthy clean home filled with the wonderful scents of aromatherapy essential oils.

Tip: Always carry hand sanitizer and wash your hands often while cleaning homes. Wear gloves when cleaning bathrooms. You will be exposed to a lot of different germs in clients homes.

Remember most customers prefer that you bring your own cleaning supplies. That way they do not have to worry about going to the store for cleaning supplies before you clean. Some customers have special cleaners for certain appliances or floors in their houses. These customers usually will have these cleaners on hand for you to use. We almost always use the customers vacuum cleaner. That way you do not have to carry a heavy vacuum from house to house.

What to Charge I mentioned earlier that you should sell your services on your quality of work and not your low rates. If your rates are too low, clients will think that your work is sub-standard and that you are not experienced. Also you want to attract the clients that can afford your services. I made the mistake of pricing my work too low when I first started out. Cleaning is hard work, charge what you are worth. As the old saying goes “You get what you pay for.”

Some companies charge by the hour, some charge by the room, some charge a flat rate per home and some charge by the square foot. I think it is better to charge by the home, not by the hour. If a client knows they have to pay one set fee, they don’t care if you take 2 hours or 5 hours. Also your clients will know what they are paying up front and won’t have to worry about added expenses.

No two houses are the same. And there is no set charge for all homes. You have to clean for awhile yourself to get some experience and to work out a system to clean efficiently. Only you know what you want and need to make. Decide what you need to make hourly to cover all expenses and still make a good profit.

A word of advise: Make sure when you start your company that you charge what you would charge if you had employees. Some people make the mistake of under charging when they start out just to get customers and then later on when they grow and need to hire help they aren’t making enough money on their houses to pay help. Don’t under price your work. Cleaning homes is very hard physical work and you didn’t get into this business to work for nothing.

New Construction Cleaning If you decide to do this type of work you will need more equipment. You will need ladders, window cleaning kits with long extensions, a shop vac, etc. These types of jobs are usually 2 to 3 person jobs. New construction cleaning requires a lot more cleaning. You may have to remove stickers and labels from windows and bathroom showers, sinks and toilets. Some require that you clean the vents to remove dust from construction work. There will be ceiling fans to clean, scrubbing floors, and cleaning woodwork to remove dust. New construction cleaning rates depend on the area you live in.

Insurance and Bonding. You need to be an honest person and somewhat personable. People will need to trust you to be in their homes. Most clients are concerned about having someone new in their house, with good reason. You should be bonded and fully insured. Liability insurance rates depend on your insurance carrier and where you are located. Each person you hire will increase your liability insurance. It’s well worth the cost. You can pay quarterly or yearly. You can purchase your bond through your local insurance company. You will need to renew the bond every year. *Note: if you hire employees and cover them under your insurance, they must be an employee on payroll and not a sub-contractor. If you employ them as a sub-contractor your insurance will not cover them. If they are a sub-contractor they are required to carry their own insurance. You

Hiring Help If you start out cleaning the homes by yourself, you will eventually get to the point where you need to expand your business. Start out with one part time employee. Train her and let her take your place one day a week. Then have her take your place 2 days a week and so on. This will give you the free time that you need to market your business and obtain more clients. After you get more clients you will be able to hire more part time help. Eventually you will be able to stop doing the cleaning yourself and just run the business end, which is the only way you will be able to grow your business. When training new employees, always, either train them yourself or have a lead person train them. Make sure there is a lead person on each and every cleaning job. Employees have a tendency to slack off when they are on their own.

Growing Your Business You will eventually get to the point where you have enough employees and lead people and you will be able to stop working in your business and start running your business. You will find that after awhile it will get to be too much trying to clean everyday and at the same time giving estimates, answering calls, scheduling, doing book work, obtaining new clients, etc.

Remember one of the most important qualifications for a cleaning service is TRUST. A client has to know they can trust you alone in their home. After you acquire a few cleaning positions ask the clients if you can use them for a reference. Most of the time they are more than willing to let you use them for a reference. This is how you build your business and acquire new clients is through referrals. Be dependable. Most clients will want to be set up on an every week or every other week schedule on the same day of the week. Try to always keep this same schedule unless the client asks you to switch to another day. If you have to cancel a cleaning date, make sure you try to reschedule at the earliest possible date to make up the cleaning.

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