Recommendations for New Businesses

Below are some ideas / suggestions that have helped others get started over the years.

• Buy a domain name from Cloudflare.com
• Sign up for Google Workspace for professional email (the Basic $6/mo plan)
• Get a business number from OpenPhone.com or other VoIP service so you don't publish your personal cell phone number everywhere
• Get a simple but solid website (See our Starter Package)
• Start researching CRMs (customer relationship management apps) / scheduling apps ( you can get away with google calendar for a while but a scheduling app is very helpful ) References Here
• Don't bother with expensive SEO monthly service until you get to $300k+ in revenue (it's not effective in the beginning and it's expensive) Read more about that
• Create your google maps / google my business page or equivalent in your area and set up your service area and services. Join the Google Guaranteed program.
• Join any other big services sites (yelp, thumbtack, angi, etc.) that are active in your area
• Have a strategy / process for collecting reviews; make it easy for them by sending them the appropriate links (e.g. google lets you send a link directly to the new review form) (ask every time, do some discounted cleanings for friends to get the first 10)
• Take on lower cost clients in the beginning to build up your reviews and then replace them with higher paying customers (once you have 20 reviews, it's easier to get the higher paying customers)
• Shoot for 2 reviews a week and respond to every review (this is the best SEO strategy in the beginning)
• Join local business networking groups like the Chamber of Commerce and BNI to get referrals and clients that are business owners and will review your service and give you good feedback. There are also many free local business networking events.
• Teach techs to take good quality before and after photos for your website, google maps page, and social media
• Consider doing local vendor events (see this link for ideas on how to find events: https://directsidekick.com/how-to-find-vendor-events-near-me/)

Email Services

• Google Workspace (10% off for a year with this link: https://referworkspace.app.goo.gl/MuqM)

Phone Systems (VoIP)

• https://openph.one/referral/EuRnlpL (Open Phone)
• https://voice.google.com/about (personal)
• https://workspace.google.com/products/voice/ (business)
• https://www.calilio.com/calilio-pricing
• https://signup.grasshopper.com/plans
• https://www.phone.com/pricing/

CRMs / Scheduling Apps

• Jobber (get an extra 20% off for up to 1 year with this link: https://go.getjobber.com/maidtech)
• Service Autopilot https://www.serviceautopilot.com/
• Maid Central https://maidcentral.com