How we took a one-person startup from £0 to £55k in 6 months. No website, no social media and no marketing budget
The Beginning -it’s all about the Niche
No website, no social media, no marketing budget. That’s no problem when you find a niche, and customers who don’t care about your presence or clout. They just want to know if you can get the uncleanable clean.
Underpin Consultants worked with a new startup, Freedom Cleaning, who wanted to offer specialised cleaning services for nightclubs.
No one thinks how a nightclub gets cleaned. If you can imagine something disgusting, you can bet it’s in a nightclub the day after a big event. But somebody has to clean it, and it’s a surprisingly specialist job.
Freedom Cleaning highlights the amazing potential of finding, and cornering, a niche. And Underpin’s work with them shows how innovative planning and business development strategies can deliver genuine growth of £55,000 in 6 months from a standing start.
Doing the jobs no one else wants…for profit!
Freedom Cleaning was established to fill a conspicuous void in the cleaning industry: the need for nightclub-specific cleaning solutions.
Recognising that nightclubs faced unique cleaning challenges, such as dealing with spillages and heavy footfall, which generalist cleaning services failed to adequately address, Underpin Consultants wanted to find an untapped niche and a key early victory was understanding that nightclub proprietors were in search of cleaning services that not only guaranteed cleanliness but also had a deep understanding of the nightlife sector’s distinctive requirements.
Find what customers want, and then giving it to them.
Underpin Consultants devised a holistic strategy for Freedom Cleaning’s market entry and growth, encompassing:
- In-depth Market Analysis: Rigorous market research was undertaken to grasp the unique needs and challenges faced by nightclub owners.
- Bespoke Service Offerings: Services were meticulously designed to meet the specific demands of nightclubs, incorporating rapid post-event clean-ups, efficient preparations for subsequent events, and specialised attention to bar zones.
- Enhanced Training Protocols: A commitment to excellence led to the development of stringent training programs for staff, ensuring services were delivered with utmost efficiency, discretion, and attention to detail. This focus on quality and reliability quickly distinguished Freedom Cleaning in the marketplace.
- Only doing marketing that worked: No website, no social media, no digital campaigns. Just great service, good business development, word-of-mouth and strategic partnerships. By delivering exemplary service, Freedom Cleaning encouraged word-of-mouth promotion among nightclub owners, further bolstered by a referral program that rewarded existing customers for new client introductions. Collaborations with nightclub suppliers and event organisers helped position Freedom Cleaning as the go-to cleaning service within the nightclub industry.
Setting a Standard
The successful partnership between Underpin Consultants and Freedom Cleaning exemplifies the power of niche marketing combined with strategic business development. By identifying an underserved market segment and deploying targeted strategies, Freedom Cleaning achieved remarkable growth, setting a precedent for how businesses can thrive by specialising in niche markets.
It not only underscores the importance of innovative approaches in business planning and marketing but also demonstrates the value of expert consultancy in navigating the path to success.