The cleaning services industry is thriving with rising demand due to growing building constructions, a greater need for sanitation and a shift to working from home more often.
So, there’s never been a better time to start a cleaning business in Australia!
If you’ve decided to take the leap and are ready to get started, read on as we’ve put together this quick guide to starting your own cleaning business in Australia.
Define Your Cleaning Services
It can be tempting to cast your net wide and offer everything when starting a cleaning business. The issue with being a generalist is that you have to invest in costly equipment to cover all needs, and you’re not specialising in anything in particular, making it harder to position yourself as an expert in your field. Not only does specialising in a few core services allow you to establish yourself as an expert in your niche, but you can also charge more money for these services. Why is that? Because specialists always charge more than generalists.
So, identify your target market, find out what they’re looking for and provide them with the services to meet their needs.
Decide On Your Business Structure
Before offering your services to potential customers, you’ll need to define your business structure. Do you want to operate as a sole trader? Would you rather go for a partnership or company business structure? This is an important step as the business structure you choose can affect the tax you’re liable to pay or your ongoing business costs.
So, before getting started, make sure to discuss with an accountant or legal adviser to find out what the best business structure is based on your needs.
Apply For Your ABN & Register Your Business Name
Once you’ve decided what the best business structure is for you, it’s time to apply for your Australian business number (also called ABN). An ABN is a unique set of eleven digits used to keep track of business transitions for tax purposes. ABN numbers allow the government to identify your business and appear on commercial documents such as receipts or invoices.
You’ll find the step to apply for an ABN on the Australian Business Register’s website.
Also, your business needs a name for your clients and prospective clients to be able to identify you. But until it’s legally registered, your business name could be taken by your competition. So, jump onto the ASIC’s website and register your business name to secure it.
Choose The Best Business Insurance Policy
Cleaning residential, commercial or industrial sites comes with risks. That’s why, as a cleaning business owner, you need public and products liability insurance. This way, your business and assets are protected in the event someone injures themselves due to your negligence or you accidentally damage one of your client’s properties. To find the best insurance policy tailored to your specific needs, hop onto our instant quote generator, where you can get an estimate on market-leading insurance in seconds. Simply enter your occupation and expected revenue to get started.
Purchase The Right Equipment
Now that you’ve taken care of the admin side of the business, time to invest in the equipment you’ll need to deliver the core services you’ve decided to offer. If you decide to offer residential cleaning services, the start-up costs will be fairly low, and all you’ll need is a few high-grade cleaning products and a high-quality vacuum.
For commercial cleaning services, do your due diligence and invest in proper equipment. While this might be a bit costly at first, it will allow you to provide top-notch cleaning services turning first-time customers into loyal clients who will advocate for your business.
Advertise Your Services
Promoting your services and getting your first client can be daunting. Yet, it doesn’t have to be! There are plenty of paid and organic ways to advertise your business these days. In addition to using your social media channels to talk about your services and paid ads on Facebook, Instagram or Google, you can also post about your services on a few websites, including:
- Airtasker
- Gumtree
- Hipages
- Hire a Hubby
- Oneflare
- Nextdoor
You can also print flyers and hand them to local cafes and shops
And when it comes to Facebook, don’t forget to spend some time on Facebook groups involving your target market. For instance, if you’re targeting wealthy families who are too busy with their kids, work and other personal commitments to clean their home regularly, spend time on mums’ Facebook groups in wealthy suburbs. Share cleaning tips and other valuable information to position yourself as an authority when it comes to cleaning and offer your services to anyone in need of help.
This might sound tedious, but it will pay off!
We hope this article will help you get started and set the foundations for a successful cleaning business.
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