Use your marketing goals to pare down an online group deal to its target market, set the “right” expectations quickly, and generate new revenue.
You’ve heard the spiel from online review sites, lead generators and group deals: cleaning companies like yours are one of our fastest growing and most searched services among consumers. But it can be difficult for services to focus their marketing through group deals without sacrificing that personal touch and customized experience that cleaning consumers are looking for. 

1) Prepare and Train Your Office Staff
Both adequate preparation and training are essential to make the most of running a group deal online. You can expect to see an increase in the frequency of phone calls and emails in the initial days of the deal, so it may be necessary to hire additional help with answering customer questions and scheduling, or potentially creating a dedicated email address for handling new appointments. 

Additionally, ensuring that all of your employees – in the office and in the field – are knowledgeable on all details related to your deal is essential. You can probably expect questions about the specific services that are covered in the deal, as well as clarification of fine print.

2) Target a Specific Market in Your Deal
A key consideration prior to running a group deal is to identify your business objectives. 

Are you looking for new customers within your existing markets? Specify in the details and terms that only new customers are eligible to purchase your deal. 

Are you looking to expand into additional markets? Run your deal only in the service markets (zip codes) adjacent to your current service range. 

Conversely, if you normally have a very large service area, consider reducing it for the deal to avoid getting overwhelmed by an increase in volume.

We also encourage cleaning services to update all information found on their websites and any social media platforms to ensure that it is accurate. 

3) Make Your Deal Very Specific
Generally speaking, customers respond very positively to a majority of group deals for cleaning services, but the highest success rates we have seen are with offers that are structured for a specified amount of time, usually two, three, or four hours of home cleaning. 

Using this approach to constructing the deal – setting a number of hours with the caveat that the hours purchased can be used toward a customized cleaning – is the first step to creating a clear expectation for the customer. This allows you the opportunity to create a conversation about size of the house, specific needs, and more, with the customer. Beyond that, you get the opportunity to suggest additional cleaning services, upsell other services available and explain loyalty or referral programs to encourage long-term service.

Esteban Deleon, Owner of Brite Cleaning Services in Alexandria, VA, has been in the cleaning industry for 36 years and has been a partner of LivingSocial for three years.  He recommends maintaining records of communication with customers and clearly outlining the details of the deal to set clear expectations. 

4) Deliver Outstanding Customer Service
Lastly, emphasize the importance of excellent customer service by treating voucher-bearing customers like full-paying customers; this is what will inspire them to accept your nudges toward becoming a recurring client as well as referrals to new full-paying clients.  

Clint Perez is a senior executive with almost twenty years of experience driving sales and building brands. Clint serves as Senior Director of Marketing and oversees all consumer and merchant marketing for LivingSocial.