Self-employed Private Domestic Cleaner - help no customers yet

[eshuna]

I have recently started working as a self-employed cleaner with an agency, however I have decided to try and work for myself instead as a private cleaner but so far haven't managed to get my own customers. I have public liability insurance and have been police checked. I have created leaflets and business cards and have been distributing them and also created a Facebook page. I am hard working, reliable and trustworthy but I don't know what I am doing wrong since I am yet to get any customers. Should I create a website? Where am I going wrong? Please help? Any suggestions??

Dont bother with a website. Post on local FB selling pages and any local mum's groups/pages. Ive never had any trouble getting clients this way.

Have you had any enquiry calls?

If I were looking for a cleaner I'd ask people I know who employ a cleaner whether they wanted extra hours. Or if you know anyone who's working in homes, get them to recommend you - maybe for holiday cover?

Where a bouts are you OP? My cleaner is shit so am looking for a new one!

Local trade magazine / leaflet, cheap to advertise and often my go to . Our local shop also lets people put cards up advertising .

Hi Annandale, I haven't had any queries yet. Your suggestion sounds like a good idea. Thanks.

I am in Rugby, Warks.

+1 for where are you?

Oops cross posted!

Also, ask all your friends and family to mention you to anyone that even hints they want a cleaner or whose granny's auntie's dog might wat a cleaner

Is it morally wrong to ask the customer from the agency to write me a review on my Facebook page?

Put an ad in your local newsagent too.

OP I'm in Rugby! I don't need anyone myself but wondered Where have you leafleted? Have you tried Coton Meadows/Park? There's a Residents Association with a Facebook page who might put a message out?

I'm sure in fact there was a post a few weeks ago of someone asking for a cleaner.

www.gumtree.com/p/housekeeping-cleaning-jobs/part-time-domestic-cleaner-between-rugby-southam/1179270822

Stylingwax, thank you for the information. I have leafleted at Cawston and parts of Hillmorton. Haven't covered much ground yet. I will check the facebook page you recommended. Your help is greatly appreciated. Thanks again!!! :-)

I started out with a fb page and like other posters have said most of my customers have been recommendations. I have leaflets which don't really generate any business for the effort put in. Facebook is my main source, my friends tag me if anyone on local items for sale pages. You need a logo and a professional page so you can advertise yourself with a link. Good luck, it's a hard job but worth it.

If you were going to leaflet there's a load of new builds down Langlands Place so I'd start there as people have only moved in recently. Also there's a little shop by the Aldi, don't know if they'd take a card.

Thank you everyone for your recommendations. Stylingwax just put a msg on fb thanks a bunch. Lets hope that this will help!!! As you are in Rubgy please put in a word for me if anyone needs a reliable and honest cleaner. Thanks a bunch for the help. My feelings of anxiety and euphoria are starting to dissipate.

The first place I would look would be asking friends, family, wider network etc. If that failed I would look for ads on mn local, net mums and (lastly) gumtree. I would probably post on the first two to ask if anyone had a cleaner they could recommend - so worth looking on these and reply to messages like that. Once you get a few happy clients they will recommend you and you'll end up with loads of clients who all live near each other/have kids at the same school etc etc (but only if you are (a) a good cleaner and (b) reliable and honest - as none will recommend to their friends if they're not sure about you).

Thanks MrsFogi. I tick all the boxes. Grateful for the recommendations too.

I used to own and run a very successful cleaning company, the turning point for me was when I started used Yell to advertise (I'm not promoting them, just stating my experience). I paid for an advert, around. £300 for the year but it was worth every penny, makes thousands and thousands back from that one advertising stream. Websites are important as they make you look reputable.

From my large investment in flyers, they're not worth the card they're printed on, don't bother.

Hope this helps, you'll go from no clients to too many very shortly - be ready haha.

Hi Adopter, thank you for your thoughts. Had a few suggestions about local advertising. Been looking into that actually, just trying to work out the logistics as well as who to advertise with. Thanks :-)