I am starting a cleaning business does any one have any good advice? where should I start?

I want to know every thing there is to know about this sort of business how do I get started , do I need to be lic. do I need to be incorperated if so how ? what type of insurance or coverage protection do I need. what is the best way to advertise, and how do I get those window cling ads for my car. I NEED HELP!!!!I am starting a cleaning business does any one have any good advice? where should I start?
1. You want to know every thing there is to know about this sort of business.





I used to be in sales, Radio sales. Each of the team members had to pick a competing radio station and learn about them, their programing, demographics, advertising customers, etc. To answer your question by using my examples, you will need to do the same thing within your market-niche. At the same time you will need to discover why your business among others will stand out, what will make you successfully different? Pricing? Customer Service? Both?





2. Do you need to be license? Generally speaking, yes you will need a business license so the city can tax you.





3. Do you need to be incorporated if so how ? Legal Zoom.com is where I would send you to get the legal paper work in becoming incorporated. [1]





Do you need to be, consider these mentions from


www.companiesinc.com [2]





Liability Protection, Tax Savings, Business Credibility, Ease of Raising Capital, Prestige for the Corporate Officers, Perpetual Duration, Simple Transfer of Ownership, Centralized Management, and Privacy (The “Corporate Veil”). You can go to www.companiesinc.com to learn more about there resources.





4) What type of insurance or coverage protection do you need? If you have home owners insurance there maybe coverage there, but the best one to ask would be you insurance agent.





5) What is the best way to advertise? Know your market, know and hit hard your demographics. Punctuate pricing and customer service, make it a point to stand out from the rest.





In a previous reply I made these suggestions. From my Book





Pinch You Way to Success (still being written),





Do all you can on your own first. Market research, Demographic research, where is your market place niche . [3]





Advertising, make your own counter-top brochures for local businesses to display. In one afternoon I was able to use my computer to create a nice one-sided flyer, cost me zip. To have them printed 40 count on colored card stock paper ($5.00).





Apply decal's on your car or truck.





In your town you may have seen people advertising for others or themselves using a ';sandwich'; board, (two boards hinged together with a cut-out in the middle to be worn over the shoulders). Generally speaking you want to do the same thing covering your small business with no or not much start up money.





You have to constantly be thinking out side the box, just to stay ahead of yourself.





Take a Part to very Part time job to help pay for some of these things.





At Www.Ooo-Ah-Auctions.com, I am doing the same things I am suggesting you do. Nearly two months ago I was laid off of work, barley scraping by on my UEI, I put that money to cover housing. But, I also teach music/guitar, earning $50.00 bucks a week. With that I buy food for myself and apply the rest somehow to my business idea and gas.





So far I have been able to advertise, (Free - $5.00), purchase the website decal for one of my cars ($35.00) . I bought the my domain name ($10.00), have gotten online, (Hosting fees at $35.00 Per month), and am now pricing the same sort of decals for my other car.





Before my lay off I refinanced a small loan that I had and with a little cash in my pocket I purchased an auction script that allows my website to function, ($100.00).





Even if you have to pinch your way to success, you can still make it. Set your priorities, go without. If I don't get a job soon I'll have to cut my cable TV and maybe phone, I can't afford it, I do not want the added weight of owing the company money I do not have just to either pay them back later or get a negative mention on my credit score.





Where is your niche?





';Niche market ventures may become profitable even though they are by nature small in comparison to the mainstream marketplace, or monopoly; due to the benefits of specialization and focus on small identifiable market segments; even without the benefit of economy of scale. Niche markets may be ignored or discounted by large businesses due to what they consider to be small potential; this in turn is part of the process that makes the niche market available to smaller businesses. The key to capitalizing on a niche market is to find or develop a market niche that has customers who are accessible, that is growing fast enough, and that is not owned by one established vendor already.'; [4]





6) ';How do you get those window cling ads for my car. I NEED HELP!!!! Have a beer, relax, if your not alive to plan your business, you will not be around to reap the rewards.





Most any sign company can help you with those car door signs. You may want to adjust your thinking just a little bit here and go with vinyl/decal type signs like I did. The door signs you are referring to have a tendency to capture moisture in behind them and create surface rust which is not good for your car or truck. Vinyl decals are permanent until you remove them, but would need to be re purchased to be re applied. I have them onI am starting a cleaning business does any one have any good advice? where should I start?
Do you have any experience in the cleaning biz? Home or office? Do you have the proper equipment %26amp; supplies or the money to get them? Do you have any experience in marketing? How are you going to get clients?





You need liability insurance -- at least $1 million. And if you have any workers, they must be bonded with a bond of at least $1 million. This covers you in case your employee steals anything, breaks anything, damages an Oriental carpet through improper cleaning, etc.





You do not need to be incorporated, but you need to register your biz name with Town Clerk/County Clerk. You need an EIN before you can hire anyone, and there are tons of IRS, Social Security %26amp; other tax %26amp; reporting requirements.





Window clings are not such a hot idea -- reduces visibility through car/van windows. Get a sign painted on your company vehicle or get magnetic signs. Look in your local Yellow Pages under ';signs.';





You sound like you have an awfully steep learning curve here. Head for the library and read up on starting a small biz. Also SCORE (through Small Business Administration) offers short classes on various aspects of starting a small biz, and they are pretty inexpensive. If you do not know what you are doing, you will lose a great deal of money very, very quickly.
Obtain a business license. To be in compliance with your state and city regulations, this is an important step. You will want to check your local and state rules, but you may also need to register a Fictitious Name or DBA if you are a sole proprietor.





Advertise your business. Advertise your services by passing out flyers and making cold calls to businesses targeted as good prospects. These might include property managers of apartment complexes and business parks.





Offer an incentive. Offer a first time free cleaning service. You could also offer a discounted rate or a coupon special.





Offer some specific services . Offer to prepare vacant apartments for new tenants.





Get attention with something unique. Chose a business name that would make your business stand out because “it’s very hard to get business. It’s a very hard market with a lot of competition.” You might choose to stand out with something unique that your business offers that your competitors don’t or a unique niche market or a name or website that stands out from the crowd.
Do an internet search for the Small Business Development Center. The SBDC is funded by the federal government for the sole purpose of helping people like yourself open small businesses. There are offices in every state around the country and I'm sure their website will be able to help you locate a branch near you. They'll be able to help you write a business plan to present to lenders and also help you with the paperwork you'll need to file to take care of the legal side of things.