The cleaning industry is a crowded marketplace, and today’s economy calls for out-of-the-box thinking when trying to attract business and broaden your customer base. The industry is expected to grow globally at a rate of 6.9 per cent from 2025 to 2030, and more companies are interested in hiring external cleaning and janitorial services. In fact, premium retailers are investing in carpet cleaning and janitorial services at an 84 per cent rate. But this means that it will be even harder to attract attention as cleaning companies compete for business. Cleaners need to expand their services to offer something unique, attract new clients, or expand their existing customer base.

While commercial cleaning may be your specialty, there are other services you can provide to win more contracts when you get creative to capitalize on new opportunities as they arise.

Office relocation

As the return-to-work movement continues and workplaces adjust to shifting schedules, many companies are relocating to better address the office traffic. They may need extra cleaning because of more attendance, or they may be moving and need help with the relocation. For offices adding more people, work on a customizing a cleaning schedule that addresses the changing traffic and use of space. For relocation, there may be an opportunity to clean two spaces, as you prepare the new space for employee arrival, and clean out the old space for a new tenant.

Maintaining communication with your clients and building owners may help you learn and benefit from these changes in building occupancy with adjusted and expanded cleaning services.

Deep cleaning

Deep cleaning is a service you can sell in addition to your regular cleaning service to your current clients. This type of cleaning involves more intensive treatment, including services like cleaning windows, shampooing carpets, stripping floors, pressure washing, upholstery cleaning, and more.

These types of cleans may be appealing to your clients seasonally – to help remove salt stains from winter use, for example – or annually as a fresh way to start the year.

More sectors

If you typically focus on office cleaning, why not expand your offering by targeting different sectors? Could you approach local restaurants to see whether they could use your services? Or does expanding to residential cleaning make sense for your business, labour force, and your clients?

Start by researching the markets you may be interested in and what’s required to service those sectors. Next, begin marketing your services by canvassing neighbourhoods, approaching existing customers and setting up a referral program, or partnering with other businesses to make contacts and reach companies in other sectors.

Consulting

Commercial cleaning companies can also offer consulting services to offer guidance on maintaining a facility, provide custom cleaning plans, or offer staff training for improved cleanliness and a safer work environment.

This service requires a personalized approach, starting with assessing the customer’s needs. Next, a plan can be created with schedules, labour allotment, equipment lists, and more for an efficient and detailed plan. Staff training could also be provided to help companies be better prepared for the work ahead.

When selling this service to potential clients, the benefit of a commercial cleaning consultation may include increased sustainability, cost savings, reaching a higher standard of cleanliness, and increased operational efficiency.

Expanded marketing

If you want to stick with the services you already provide, but want to grow your existing customer base, there are a few steps you can take to up your marketing efforts:

• Tell your story. Connect with potential customers with a transparent approach to your company so they know who you are and about your business.
• Market your company on social media. Interact with your customers, follow hashtags, and post thoughtful, informative content to grow your audience.
• Ask your current customers to post testimonials and Google reviews to help increase your online exposure.
• If you have a budget, invest in social media advertising, local radio, Google AdWords, and anywhere else that can help spread the word about your business. This type of marketing can help you narrow down your target customer, appeal to potential customers in a certain geographic area, and raise your ranking in Google searches to increase your exposure.
• Reach back out to those lost leaders who you may have worked for in the past or who have contacted you for a quote. The time may not have been right before, but they may be in the market for your services now or in the future.

And don’t forget about your existing clients – just because they have hired you for one type of cleaning, doesn’t mean they don’t need additional services. As you expand your brand and your business, don’t be afraid to approach your regulars and see whether they might be interested in a greater investment or referring you to someone who might be.

Building a growing a commercial cleaning business is not an easy feat, but as the market continues to evolve and grow, so too, should your strategy. With the increased demand for safe cleaning and the projected demand, now is the time to try and expand your services and broaden your customer base to thrive for years to come.