My first job in Alberta was as a sales rep for a commercial cleaning company — my entire role was landing commercial contracts, no paid ads, just phone calls and door knocking with a database to track follow-ups.
The thing that actually worked: stop selling cleaning and start selling value to their bottom line. Every business owner is thinking about costs and liability. So instead of pitching "we'll clean your office," we'd go in and talk about cross-contamination, sick employees, lost productivity. A proper cleaning program isn't an expense — it's reducing the risk of your staff getting sick and your business slowing down. That reframe changed everything. You have to make 40 calls a day, that'll get you 1 appointment. You'll close about 1 client for every 5 appointment. So this translate to 200 calls for 1 signed contracts. It's a number's game and I must admit at some point I did well without even doing that many calls. When you're out meeting a prospect, look at the other building around, get in with the mindset you'll try to have them as client. Door knocking works, you have to sweet talk the nice lady at the front who's job is to prevent you from talking to the decision maker. Fear no rejection.
Also worth knowing: a lot of businesses are already paying for cleaning but getting almost nothing for it. Basic trash emptying, maybe a vacuum. When you show up with a proper scope — measured, documented, priced by production rate and square footage — you look completely different from whoever they have now.
I was averaging over $4,000/month in new contracts consistently, with some months hitting $10–12k or more. Didn't speak great English, brand new to Alberta, no paid ads. Just a database, a follow-up system, and learning how to find the problem the business owner already had before I walked in the door. It's all about how you present yourself. I sure had lot of drive and people notice that. I would say paid ad would be a waste of money. Your flyer will not reach the decision maker. It'll get tossed in the trash before it gets to them.
For the sales side — go learn Brian Tracy. I listened to his audio tapes and followed his method exactly: how to prospect, how to book appointments, how to present, how to close. Old school, but it works. That's what I was running on when I became the top sales rep in the company.
