I remember well the first time I went out to purchase my own car. With a little money in my pocket for the first time, I wandered onto the first car lot and was confronted with a question that I had not considered – “what are you looking for”? Two hours and a headache later, I realized that it would have been good idea to think through want types of vehicles that I would consider, and just as importantly, vehicles for which I was NOT interested.
In the same way, as it relates to selling janitorial or cleaning services, BEFORE you start your sales process, it is best to think through the types of customers that are the right fit for your company, and which one are NOT the right fit. This first step will save you time and avoid the frustration of potentiating trying to serve a customer where there is not a fit.
The best place to start this process is your current customer list. Review this list with your team. Answer questions such as – “which customers provide the greatest return?” or “which customers best fit our operational capacity?”. What you will likely discover is some characteristics that will lead to an Ideal Customer Profile.
An Ideal Customer Profile is a full description of a fictitious organization which receives significant value from using your services and provides significant value to your company. Value to your company may come in the form of reasonable margins, operationally manageable, an opportunity to establish a long-term partnership, and ultimately a customer who will speak highly of your services to others!
Once you have a clear picture of the type of customer for which you want to serve, then you can begin your sales process with confidence.
