How to Sell Cleaning Services: A Guide to Boost Your Sales

Want to increase your sales for a cleaning business? Learn how to sell house cleaning services with 6 expert tips. Read Now!

Jeel PatelJeel Patel
||10 min read
How to Sell Cleaning Services: A Guide to Boost Your Sales

Key Takeaways

  • 01Identify and understand your target market to cater to their needs better
  • 02Build a strong online presence to reach potential customers and showcase your expertise
  • 03Use referral marketing by asking your current customers to refer your business to someone
  • 04Create a proposal tailored to your client's needs to close more deals and establish a reputation

You may not need a lot of money to start a cleaning business. But you will need to make money consistently to keep it going. And there is only one way to bring in actual income to your business - consistent and growing sales.

This can be hard for some businesses. But not for you as we will show you how to sell cleaning services with 6 smart strategies.

Implementing those, will not only grow your business but also establish it as a trusted and professional provider in the industry. So let's get started.

Table of Content

  1. Identify and Understand Your Target Market
  2. Create a Professional Proposal
  3. Build a Strong Online Presence
  4. Leverage Referrals and Recommendations
  5. Handle Sales Objections
  6. Manage Your Sales Pipeline
  7. FAQs
  8. Conclusion

Identify and Understand Your Target Market

Your target market refers to the group of people or businesses that are most likely to benefit from your cleaning services.

By identifying it, you can customize your marketing efforts and services to meet its specific needs. And that means an increase in sales.

Here is how you can do it:

Determine the demographics of your ideal customer

First and foremost, consider the demographics of your ideal customer - age, gender, income, and education level.

For example, if you specialize in residential cleaning services, your ideal customer may be a middle-aged or older homeowner with a higher income.

However, if you want commercial cleaning contracts, your ideal customer may be a business owner or manager in a particular industry.

Consider geographic location

You will want to target people in your business region. For example, it makes no sense to reach out to a customer in New York if you are a local cleaning company in Los Angeles. So be clear about the region you want to target.

Identify industry-specific needs

Different industries have different cleaning needs. Thus, understanding the needs of your target industries is a must.

For example, healthcare facilities have strict cleanliness standards and require specialized cleaning services.

Meanwhile, restaurants and food service businesses require cleaning services that adhere to food safety regulations.

Conduct market research

It is used to identify the pain points, preferences, and expectations of your target audience. So, start brainstorming by asking yourself these questions:

  • What need brings a client to me?
  • What do they expect from my services?
  • How can I provide the services in the best possible manner?

However, talking to them directly is most effective. You can use online surveys and social media polls to gather information about your target audience.

Many cleaning businesses do not understand who they are trying to sell to. However, you are not one of them. Follow the points above, and you have given yourself a great advantage over your competitors.

Create a Professional Proposal

One of the tools for increasing conversion is to make such a proposal to your clients that it is hard for them to refuse. How?

Start by clearly outlining your services and the USP (unique selling proposition) that set your business apart. It can be the experience you have in the industry or any unique expertise.

Pricing Strategy

Include pricing details in your proposal but also offer the flexibility of custom pricing for customized services. To go a step further, you can even provide add-ons to your primary service (of course, with additional charges).

Recommended:

For the final touches, make sure your proposal looks visually appealing and professional. Use high-quality images, branding elements, and formatting that make it easy to read and understand.

Are you done with creating your proposal? If yes, then this brings us to …

Build a Strong Online Presence

Every business benefits immensely from a strong online presence. Yes, even cleaning companies like yours. It can help you:

  • Reach potential customers
  • Build credibility
  • Establish your brand

Here are some tips for building an online presence:

Optimize your website

Make sure your website is optimized for search engines and user experience. This means using relevant keywords, having a clear layout, and ensuring that your website loads quickly.

Recommended: To get an idea, here are 23 great cleaning business websites

Create valuable content

Creating valuable content can help showcase your expertise to potential clients. Consider creating blog posts, videos, or infographics that address common cleaning problems or share helpful tips and tricks.

This can help position you as an authority in your industry and attract potential customers.

Don't know how to start? Then read this guide from HubSpot to create a content strategy.

Utilize social media

Social Media Reality Check

To be honest, social media is a great tool to build your brand presence. But it offers less for making a sale. However, a brand presence may indirectly bring you sales you would have otherwise missed.

So if you decide to go with it, make sure to regularly post updates, share valuable content, and engage with your followers.

Pro tip: For faster results, try using social media advertising to reach your potential customers.

It takes time to build an online presence. But the effort is worth the results you get. Look for insights and feedback to get better at it.

Leverage Referrals and Recommendations

Think about the last time someone recommended a business to you. Haven't you felt more confident purchasing from that business? Thus, the power of referrals is more than you think.

When people have a positive experience with your cleaning service, they are likely to recommend you to others in their network. These referrals bring you the best leads possible. So, here are some tips to do this right:

Provide exceptional cleaning service

This is a no-brainer. If the quality of your services is mediocre, the referral of your client will turn into a warning to other prospects.

Thus, make sure to go above and beyond to meet the needs and exceed the expectations of your clients.

Ask for referrals

Don't be afraid to ask your current customers to refer you to someone. Let them know that you value them and would appreciate any referrals they can provide.

If feasible, you can consider offering incentives such as discounts or free services for each referral they send your way.

Create a referral program

Referral Program Structure

Create a formal referral program to incentivize current customers to refer new businesses to you.

The incentive usually is a commission, which is a pre-decided percentage of the total amount of business done with the referral.

By doing this, cleaning business owners like you can tap into the power of word-of-mouth marketing to attract new clients.

Handle Sales Objections

When selling cleaning services, you are inevitably going to encounter objections. And handling these objections well will result in more sales. So, here are some tips for it:

Steps to Handle Objections Effectively

  • Listen to their concerns - Take the time to understand their perspective and ask questions
  • Address their concerns - Provide examples and case studies demonstrating your high-quality services
  • Position your services as the solution - Highlight benefits and use testimonials from satisfied customers

Potential concerns can range from the cost to doubts about the quality. Brainstorm them beforehand to prepare well to knock them off. The key here is to always be honest, transparent, and customer-focused in your approach.

Manage Your Sales Pipeline

What is a sales pipeline? Here the what PipeDrive has to say about it:

"A sales pipeline is an organized, visual way of tracking potential buyers as they progress through different stages in the purchasing process and buyer's journey."

To effectively manage it and close more deals, follow these tips:

Track your sales metrics

There is a famous saying from Peter Drucker, "what gets measured gets managed." So, to improve your sales performance, it is important to track your sales metrics.

Watch out for your lead conversion rate, average sales cycle length, and revenue per customer. And then, use this data to identify areas for improvement and refine your sales strategy.

Prioritize follow-up

Most probably, you won't make a sale in the first meeting with your target customer. You will have to follow up when he is ready to decide.

So make sure to prioritize follow-up activities and respond to leads promptly and professionally.

Use tech tools

CRM Benefits

Utilize technology tools such as customer relationship management (CRM) software to streamline your sales process.

With a CRM, you can track leads, automate follow-up emails, and prioritize your sales activities.

Remember always to prioritize customer relationships and provide exceptional service throughout the sales process.

Send Professional Estimates to Boost Your Sales

Branded and accurate estimates effectively convert prospects into paying customers. Use InvoiceOwl to create and send them now.

Start Your FREE Trial

Frequently Asked Questions

Ask yourself these questions:

  • What are my competitors not doing?
  • How can I serve people better than them?
  • What problems do their clients have with their services?

After answering them, exploit them to get an advantage over them. Highlight these in your marketing materials and website to set your business apart.

To effectively market your cleaning services, build a strong online presence through your website and social media channels.

Consider leveraging digital marketing tactics such as search engine optimization (SEO) and content marketing. Additionally, use referral marketing and word-of-mouth advertising to expand your customer base.

For more details, read our blog on "How to Grow Your Cleaning Business."

Your cleaning services contract should include details such as:

  • Scope of work
  • Pricing
  • Payment terms and methods
  • Cancellation policy

Be sure to clearly outline the services you will provide and any limitations or exclusions. It's also a good idea to include a liability and insurance section to protect your business and customers.

Conclusion

You need to hear a maxim in sales - "Don't get caught selling." It is the one who serves the best often wins. And by implementing the strategies mentioned above, you are well on your way to success.

Identify and understand your target market because it will lay a strong foundation for the rest. See you on the other side.

Related Resources

9 Cleaning Business Ideas to Bring More Profit
9 Cleaning Business Ideas to Bring More Profit

Discover 9 effective Cleaning Business Ideas to boost your revenue and grow your business. Implement these strategies and see the profits roll in.

Read more
10 Best Apps for Cleaning Business in 2026
10 Best Apps for Cleaning Business in 2026

Discover the 10 best apps for cleaning businesses in 2026 to streamline operations, improve productivity, and maximize efficiency. Upgrade your business today!

Read more
8 Carpet Cleaning Marketing Ideas
8 Carpet Cleaning Marketing Ideas

From social media advertising to local SEO, here are eight creative carpet cleaning marketing ideas to build brand awareness, generate leads and increase sales.

Read more
50+ Most Unique Cleaning Business Names That Are Not Taken Yet
50+ Most Unique Cleaning Business Names That Are Not Taken Yet

Discover the unique cleaning business names of 2025. Elevate your brand with these fresh, original and unclaimed names. Stand out from the competition today.

Read more
Reporting

Get business performance insights with InvoiceOwl sales reporting software. View your monthly, quarterly, annual income, outstanding payments, and taxes owed.

Read more
Carpet Cleaning Invoice Template
Carpet Cleaning Invoice Template

Carpet cleaning invoice template

Read more
Cleaning Invoice Template
Cleaning Invoice Template

cleaning invoice template

Read more
Contract Labor Invoice Template
Contract Labor Invoice Template

Contract Labor Invoice Template

Read more
9 Cleaning Business Ideas to Bring More Profit
9 Cleaning Business Ideas to Bring More Profit

Discover 9 effective Cleaning Business Ideas to boost your revenue and grow your business. Implement these strategies and see the profits roll in.

Read more
10 Best Apps for Cleaning Business in 2026
10 Best Apps for Cleaning Business in 2026

Discover the 10 best apps for cleaning businesses in 2026 to streamline operations, improve productivity, and maximize efficiency. Upgrade your business today!

Read more
8 Carpet Cleaning Marketing Ideas
8 Carpet Cleaning Marketing Ideas

From social media advertising to local SEO, here are eight creative carpet cleaning marketing ideas to build brand awareness, generate leads and increase sales.

Read more
50+ Most Unique Cleaning Business Names That Are Not Taken Yet
50+ Most Unique Cleaning Business Names That Are Not Taken Yet

Discover the unique cleaning business names of 2025. Elevate your brand with these fresh, original and unclaimed names. Stand out from the competition today.

Read more
Reporting

Get business performance insights with InvoiceOwl sales reporting software. View your monthly, quarterly, annual income, outstanding payments, and taxes owed.

Read more
Carpet Cleaning Invoice Template
Carpet Cleaning Invoice Template

Carpet cleaning invoice template

Read more
Cleaning Invoice Template
Cleaning Invoice Template

cleaning invoice template

Read more
Contract Labor Invoice Template
Contract Labor Invoice Template

Contract Labor Invoice Template

Read more
9 Cleaning Business Ideas to Bring More Profit
9 Cleaning Business Ideas to Bring More Profit

Discover 9 effective Cleaning Business Ideas to boost your revenue and grow your business. Implement these strategies and see the profits roll in.

Read more
10 Best Apps for Cleaning Business in 2026
10 Best Apps for Cleaning Business in 2026

Discover the 10 best apps for cleaning businesses in 2026 to streamline operations, improve productivity, and maximize efficiency. Upgrade your business today!

Read more
8 Carpet Cleaning Marketing Ideas
8 Carpet Cleaning Marketing Ideas

From social media advertising to local SEO, here are eight creative carpet cleaning marketing ideas to build brand awareness, generate leads and increase sales.

Read more
50+ Most Unique Cleaning Business Names That Are Not Taken Yet
50+ Most Unique Cleaning Business Names That Are Not Taken Yet

Discover the unique cleaning business names of 2025. Elevate your brand with these fresh, original and unclaimed names. Stand out from the competition today.

Read more
Reporting

Get business performance insights with InvoiceOwl sales reporting software. View your monthly, quarterly, annual income, outstanding payments, and taxes owed.

Read more
Carpet Cleaning Invoice Template
Carpet Cleaning Invoice Template

Carpet cleaning invoice template

Read more
Cleaning Invoice Template
Cleaning Invoice Template

cleaning invoice template

Read more
Contract Labor Invoice Template
Contract Labor Invoice Template

Contract Labor Invoice Template

Read more

Written by

Jeel Patel

Founder & CEO at InvoiceOwl

Jeel Patel is the founder of InvoiceOwl, a highly-rated estimating and invoicing software designed to streamline contractor businesses' invoicing and estimating workflows. He holds a degree in Business Administration and Management from the University of Toronto, where he developed strong analytical capabilities and business acumen.

More about Jeel

Ready to streamline your invoicing?

Join thousands of contractors who trust InvoiceOwl for professional estimates and invoices.

Start Free Trial