Customer Prospecting Tips That Any CRE Service Provider Can Use
For business owners in the commercial cleaning and janitorial service business, they know how competitive it is to find new business. Even with growth in the commercial real estate industry, which is projected to grow between 6.5 and 7 percent every year (IBIS World), there is still a lot of competition for business.
When we launched our Biscred prospecting tool in 2022, this is one of the types of businesses we had in mind that would benefit from our datasets. Not only do architects, developers, property managers, and real estate brokers need to build their books of business, but so do the companies that service CRE: janitorial services, plumbers, electricians, HVAC companies and the like.
We also sought to make these datasets accessible to all types of CRE-related businesses, regardless of size, company age, and type of business. This article uses commercial cleaning business as an example, but the tactics apply to any service provider that seeks to provide services to the many types of commercial real estate properties.
A Better Way To Find and Close Leads for CRE Service Providers
Today's technology uses vast stores of data to deliver business information to your desktop in seconds. It's fast, user-friendly, and highly accurate because it's "live," meaning the company information is updated continuously.
"This is the way businesses connect with each other today," said Emma Thibaudeau, Head of Product at Biscred. "Yes, the information is available on the internet, but how long would it take for you to build a lead list with 100 names? Hours. Our technology delivers it to you in seconds."
Biscred is a prospecting platform that provides companies in the commercial real estate industry (and ancillary companies) with information specific to the types of commercial properties they want to do business with.
Quickly identify the most efficient ways to move leads down the sales funnel until they convert. You can spend your time nurturing leads that are genuinely interested in working with your cleaning or ancillary services, which can make a significant difference in your conversion rate.
To get started, we recommend identifying your targets (more on that in the next section), followed by digital and traditional marketing strategies.
1. Identify Your Target Market
First, you need to identify your target market, which might seem like an obvious statement, yet many service providers overlook this basic step. The commercial real estate industry is huge -- made up of dozens of types of businesses (healthcare, educational, apartment living, office, and more). What are the types of businesses you want to work with? Some of the questions you need to answer include:
Do you want to work with small businesses in the local area? Or, do you want to clean large corporate buildings? Or both?
Do you want to clean and service businesses that might be exposed to hazardous materials, such as hospitals and chemical labs?
What is your geographic radius? How far are you willing to travel to offer janitorial services to a business?
Answer these types of questions, and you've identified your target market. Why does that matter? Because when you reach out to introduce your janitorial service to these companies, you can target messaging directly to them.
For example, for life science properties (hospitals, clinics, medical offices, and laboratories), you can include images and messages that show you are experts at handling facilities that deal with hazardous materials. Likewise, if you're targeting financial institutions, you can tailor your messaging to address security certifications, licensing, bonding, etc.
2. Use Digital Marketing To Generate Leads
Digital marketing encompasses everything you do online to build an audience and generate leads: websites, social media, email marketing, pay-per-click ... you get the gist. With the vast majority of people turning to internet searches first to find service providers, businesses today cannot thrive if they don't have an online presence.
Some of the most important elements of digital marketing include:
Establish a website, even if it is small, that includes who you are, what you do, and how to get in touch for a quote.
Consider using social media, which will allow you to communicate directly with leads. Facebook for business, for example, allows potential customers to contact you directly through Messenger.
Use email marketing to reach out to subscribers who have already shown an interest in your business.
Get listed on local business directories. Hubspot shared this list of online business directories that are free, along with tips for getting your business added.
Consider using a strong pay-per-click marketing campaign to help you get your name in front of as many people as possible as quickly as possible.
You may even want to work with a professional who can help you manage your digital marketing campaign for you, to ensure that your online assets are found when people search Google and other search engines for the solutions you offer.
3. Use Conventional (Non-Digital) Marketing Tools
There are plenty of offline ways you can connect with commercial cleaning leads as well. Some of the most important tips you might want to follow include:
Offer incentives to existing customers when they refer new business to you.
Join local networking groups.
Consider direct mail marketing, where you send postcards and flyers directly to local businesses.
Attend trade shows, which will provide you with face-to-face exposure.
To support these offline lead-generation tactics, make sure you have plenty of print collateral (business cards, brochures) that includes your contact info and highlights of what you do.
Should You Buy Commercial Cleaning Leads?
Because the market for commercial cleaning contract leads is so competitive, there are situations where buying leads could be helpful, but because you work in a hot market, you need targeted data. That is why it is better to work with a strong platform that can help you identify the best leads to target.
Biscred merges people-level data with industry-level data to deliver a powerful prospecting tool.
If you are looking for janitorial leads that can help you grow your company, Biscred provides you with the targeted data you need. Depending on the type of prospect you are looking for, Biscred allows you to narrow down your search, allowing you to focus your marketing outreach on the customers that are perfect for your commercial cleaning business. Use Biscred to get started today, and put your business in a position to grow.