Not too long ago, commercial cleaning companies – or really everyone in the jan-san industry – could get by with a somewhat bootleg-sounding brand. Then, the pandemic hit.
Suddenly, instead of being a service provider focused solely on vacuuming, taking out trash and cleaning restrooms, commercial cleaning companies needed to have expertise in infection control. Customers want to know you have trained, qualified staff capable of keeping their facilities healthy and safe.
It’s likely you’ve taken operational steps to evolve. Maybe you’re ISSA GBAC accredited. Or, you’ve implemented new training programs to ensure your teams properly disinfect surfaces. But, are you positioning your company that way to your customers?
We could go deep into a smorgasbord of strategies to improve your jan-san branding, but let’s save those for future articles. For now, let’s focus on three easy things you can do to build trust with prospects and customers.
Trash the Marketing Speak
Sure, everyone likes a fun headline or turn of phrase. But if your communications rely on hyperbole, unreasonable promises and a bunch of branded terms, you’re in for trouble.
What do we mean? Well, no one is in the mood for B.S. Avoid ambiguous language that doesn’t get to the heart of the matter. Strong writing is important but that begins with clarity, not cute terms.
Too often, we see jan-san branding that promises the world yet lacks specifics. Customers, especially in this industry, will see right through it.
So instead, anchor your messages in the truth. Highlight what you’ve done for others. Speak with levity, empathy and expertise. You’ll immediately stand out in a space where most companies struggle to communicate well.
Don’t Make Everything a Hard Sell
This is a must. Imagine you’re browsing for information or services and every touchpoint is a hard sell. Pop-ups on websites. Annoying live chats (that aren’t really live at all). Aggressive emails.
Gross. Grosser. And grossest. It’s more annoying than three clogged toilets in a client’s facility.
It’s such an issue because we’re all bombarded with sales messages each day. And it’s only getting worse. Do we need to sell? Of course. Do we need to be overt about it every time? Nope. It’s a turnoff for potential clients, so keep it out of your jan-san branding.
Instead try to inform without expectations. Provide value to prospects. Highlight your services, training and certifications. Publish case studies and new technology they can learn from. When you mix in thoughtful, expert-backed information (and yes, you are an expert), prospects take notice.
Then, make it easy for them to reach you when they’re ready to buy your service. And don’t get impatient, the long game pays dividends, here.
Treat Your Content Like a Journalist Would
This is a tough one for many marketers and salespeople to swallow.
Even in an age where “content is king” (and so are clichés), most people continue to produce articles and videos that provide little value to their customers and prospects.
At its core, here’s what we mean: Make sure everything you produce informs, entertains or both.
Before you ever write an article, shoot a video or make a social post ask yourself if it’s interesting to you. If not, scrap it or rewrite it. A good way to go about this is to always start with the headline. Write something you would read.
Then, with the headline in place, find the information to credibly back it up. Use third-party sources, get real quotes from your team, link to primary research whenever possible, get customer quotes, use real photos. The list goes on.
I’ll leave you with this: The main reason jan-san companies don’t do this isn’t because they don’t see the value. It’s because it doesn’t come naturally. It doesn’t feel as direct as shouting from the rooftop, “hey, look at us and how awesome we are.” But when it’s done correctly, others will take notice, work with you, and then shout that on your behalf.
