Growth Disclosure – Solo House Cleaner or Big Company?

The Ask a House Cleaner Show and Podcast with Angela Brown

Growth disclosure. Should you confess you are a solo cleaner or paint the picture that you're a big company? We Ask a House Cleaner tips to grow your cleaning business and protocol for expansion and growth disclosure. Angela Brown, The House Cleaning Guru says growth disclosure is a personal preference. A savvy cleaner has plans of expanding, hiring employees and staff. Whether you market your cleaning business as a maid or a maid service is insignificant. Today's sponsor is https://HouseCleaning360.com #HouseCleaning360 is a referral database for home service providers - like piano teachers.

Growth disclosure. Should you confess you are a solo cleaner or paint the picture that you’re a big company?

We Ask a House Cleaner tips to grow your cleaning business and protocol for expansion and growth disclosure.

Angela Brown, The House Cleaning Guru says growth disclosure is a personal preference. A savvy cleaner has plans of expanding, hiring employees and staff. Whether you market your cleaning business as a maid or a maid service is insignificant.

Today’s sponsor is https://HouseCleaning360.com

#HouseCleaning360 is a referral database for home service providers – like piano teachers.

Listen: Growth Disclosure – Solo House Cleaner or Big Company?

Watch: Growth Disclosure – Solo House Cleaner or Big Company?

Hey there, I’m Angela Brown, and this is Ask a House Cleaner. This is a show where you get to ask a house cleaning question, and I get to help you find an answer.

Question: Growth Disclosure – Solo House Cleaner or Big Company?

“Angela, I started my business four months ago and have plans for growth.

So my question is, right now I am my only employee and I’m booking new listings for my business. I wanted to know if it was important that I disclose that I’m currently the only employee. But I do plan to grow, as in I don’t plan to clean long term. I’m just booking up accounts and then providing jobs for other cleaners in the future.

What part of that do I need to share on listings and what is the best way to share that information? I want to avoid creating any false impressions that I am a solo cleaner company and will be cleaning forever. That’s not true.

I do want to be honest that I will be solo until I have employees.”

Answer: Growth Disclosure – Solo House Cleaner or Big Company?

So today’s question is about growth disclosure. How important is that for your business listings?

What are Business Listings?

Now those of you that don’t know what business listings are, they’re also known as citations.

That would be something like Angie’s List, care.com, thumbtack.com, or housecleaning360.com.

This would be where you list your business and then other people can find out more about you and hire you.

Is It Important to Disclose Solo Operator?

The answer is no. It’s not important at all, as long as when they hire you, you are capable of doing the stuff that you promised.

If you promise a variety of services on that listing, you want to make sure you are capable of those services.

No one is expecting you to announce the fact that you’re going to be hiring more people in the future.

It’s like a grocery store opening and advertising that it only has three customers. “Hey, we’re this little grocery store but we hope to soon have 3,000 customers. Today we only have three.”

That’s just weird. You wouldn’t want to advertise or highlight the fact that you’re a solo operator.

Paint the Picture of Your Business

What you want to do is paint the picture, here’s my business.

They don’t know if it’s one person or if it’s 600 people that are just like you. They don’t know and they don’t care. Because they only need one good person to show up to their house and to do the stuff that they promised on that listing.

It’s not secret, it’s not hiding any information. The growth disclosure comes as you grow.

When describing your business you can use the terms “I or We” it’s your personal preference. Some choose to say “I” while they are solo, and “we” as they expand.

Disclose this Information on Initial Walkthrough

Now you show up at a customer’s house and you’re doing your initial walkthrough.

It is important to have this conversation now, but not on your business listing.

Here’s what you say. “Hi, I’m Angela and I’m going to be the person coming out to your house.

As my business grows, I will be bringing one more person with me. As I train them, I will train them how to train other people. No matter how many people come to clean your house, they will all undergo training by me. They will learn to clean your house the way that you and I are agreeing right now.

As my business grows, I might spin off a couple of those house cleaners and assign them to only to your account.

Today I’m going to be the person that cleans your house. As my business expands, it may not be me. I just wanted to give you a heads up so there are no surprises.”

Then as that happens in your business, there are not going to be any surprises.

When the Time Comes

But, let’s say that you’re six months down the road. Now you’re ready to hire somebody. How do you have that conversation again with the customer?

In the back of their mind, you already painted that picture. So now you’re just going to call them up on the phone and remind them.

You can say, “Hey, Melanie. I just wanted to let you know that today is the day that I’m expanding my business. So instead of only me coming over, I’m going to be bringing Shalene. Shalene and I are going to be tag-teaming your house as I train her. She will learn the exact same methods that I’ve already been using.”

Then it’s not going to be a surprise because you told her in the beginning; now you’re telling her again. Then when she meets Shalene, she’s expecting it, because you’ve already set that up.

Now Here’s a Secret

You want to set up high expectations for both the customer and the employee.

If I talk bad about my customer Melanie to Shalene, Shalene will think bad about her from the start. She’s going to think she’s high maintenance, hard to get along with, doesn’t pay on time, etc.

You want to say, “Hey, we’re going to Melanie’s house. She’s super cool. You’re going to like her.”

You’re going to tell Melanie the same thing about Shalene.

Both Will Rise to the Occasion

This way, when they meet for the first time, they already have positive expectations.

Because that’s what you have set up, that is what people will come to expect. They will both jump through hoops to try to live up to the expectations that you have created for them.

If you told the other person they’re super cool, you can tell them that. “Hey, I told Shalene that we’re coming to your house, and I love cleaning your house. I told her how cool you were, so it’s going to be super fun to bring her along and let her meet you as well.”

Now Melanie won’t be a problematic customer because she knows an expectation has been set. It goes the same with Shalene.

It’s awesome when you have the opportunity to do this.

No Growth Disclosure Necessary on Listing

There’s no growth disclosure necessary on a business listing. But you should disclose this when you do your initial walkthrough with the customer.

On your business listings, you can make your business be as big as you want. It’s not deceitful because right now it is you and your ambitions and your dreams.

Like I said when somebody opens the grocery store, it’s a big grocery store, they have high hopes. “Hey! We have a huge grocery store with a massive parking lot and hundreds of shopping carts outside.”

It’s not a lie to say, “We’re opening our doors and we’re new. And we don’t have any customers yet but we’d love you to be one of them.”

No, you just open the doors, this is your business, and be cool about it.

Alrighty, that’s my two cents for today. Until we meet again, leave the world a cleaner place than when you found it.

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