Not all tactics get you cleaning jobs at the same speed. Some work in 24 hours. Others take three months to pay off.
If you need more bookings now, start at the top of this list and work down. If you're playing the long game, you'll want everything here running together. Here are 9 tactics ranked by how fast you'll see results — with exactly what to do for each one.
Quick Reference: How Fast Each Tactic Works
| Tactic | Time to First Result | Effort Level |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Text your past clients | Same day | Low |
| 2. Ask for referrals directly | 1–3 days | Low |
| 3. Offer a recurring booking discount | 1–3 days | Low |
| 4. Get 5 new Google reviews | 1–2 weeks | Medium |
| 5. Optimize your Google Business Profile | 1–3 weeks | Medium |
| 6. Post on Nextdoor | 1–2 weeks | Low |
| 7. Automate your follow-up sequence | 2–4 weeks | Medium |
| 8. Build a referral partner with a related business | 2–6 weeks | Medium |
| 9. Local SEO on your website | 2–6 months | High |
The 9 Tactics in Full
Text Your Past Clients (Results in 24 Hours)
If you have even 20 past clients and you haven't texted them in the last 30 days, this is usually your fastest path to a booking today. Most cleaning businesses rely on email or assume clients will rebook on their own. They usually don't. A single text reminder often brings a strong percentage back. Send this 3-line text: "Hey [name], it's [your name] from [business]." "It's been a while since your last cleaning — would you like to get back on the schedule?" "We have openings next week. Reply here or call/text anytime." If you have 30 past clients and text all of them, in many businesses 3–7 will respond within 48 hours and 2–3 will rebook. Do this before anything else — it costs nothing, takes about 20 minutes, and often works quickly.
Ask for Referrals Directly (Results in 1–3 Days)
Every happy client knows at least 3–5 people who could use a cleaning service. The problem isn't that they don't want to refer you — it's that nobody ever asked. Ask at the end of a cleaning visit, or immediately after a client says something positive. Say: "I'm really glad to hear that — the best way we grow is through people like you. If you know anyone who'd be looking for a regular cleaner, I'd really appreciate the recommendation. We'd give them a discount on the first clean, and we'd send you a thank-you credit too." A $20–$30 credit toward their next cleaning for every referral that books is the standard. You don't need a formal program — just honor it consistently.
Offer a Recurring Booking Discount (Results in 1–3 Days)
One-time cleans pay once. Recurring clients pay every week or two — forever. Converting a one-time client to recurring is the fastest way to grow monthly revenue without getting a single new customer. Offer after any one-time clean: "Before I go — if you'd like to make this a regular thing, we give a discount for recurring clients. A lot of people do biweekly and save 15%. Want me to lock in the same day and time for every two weeks?" Standard structure: Weekly = 20% off. Biweekly = 15% off. Monthly = 10% off. You're not asking them to spend more. You're showing them how to spend less.
Get 5 New Google Reviews (Results in 1–2 Weeks)
Google reviews are the most direct trust signal for local service businesses in 2026. A company with 8 reviews and a 4.8 rating gets more clicks than one with 50 reviews and a 4.1 rating. Send a text to 10–15 happy clients: "Hi [name], this is [your name] from [business]. Would you be willing to leave us a quick Google review? It only takes 2 minutes and really helps us a lot. Here's the link: [your Google review link]" For every 10 texts you send, typically 2–4 people will leave a review. Do this once a month for three months and you'll have more reviews than most competitors. Get your direct review link: search your business on Google → click 'Write a review' → copy the URL.
Optimize Your Google Business Profile (Results in 1–3 Weeks)
If you haven't fully set up your Google Business Profile, you're invisible to most local searchers. Showing up in the Google map pack can double your inbound calls without any ad spend. This week: make sure your hours are current, add at least 10 photos (before/afters, your team, equipment), write a description that includes your city and services, add every service using the 'Services' section, and post one Google Business update per week. The one thing most people miss: your primary category matters more than most settings. Make sure it's 'House Cleaning Service' or 'Janitorial Service' — many businesses have the wrong category and wonder why they don't rank locally.
Post on Nextdoor (Results in 1–2 Weeks)
Nextdoor is underused by cleaning businesses and overused by their customers. Homeowners ask for local service recommendations constantly. Create a free business account and post an introduction: "Hi neighbors — I'm [name], owner of [business], a local cleaning service based in [area]. We specialize in [residential/Airbnb/move-in-move-out] cleaning and have been serving [neighborhood/area] for [X years]. If anyone's looking for a reliable, trustworthy cleaner, I'd love to connect." Then set up notifications for any post where someone asks about cleaners. When you see one, reply immediately — the first response often gets the job. One rule: don't be spammy. Post your intro, reply to relevant questions, and let your reputation do the selling.
Automate Your Follow-Up Sequence (Results in 2–4 Weeks)
Most cleaning businesses lose 40–60% of potential clients not because the client went with a competitor — but because nobody followed up. The sequence that converts: Immediately after inquiry → auto-reply confirming you received the request. 30 minutes after inquiry → your actual quote or text to schedule. 24 hours later (if no response) → "Hey, just wanted to make sure you got my message — happy to answer any questions." 4 days later (still no response) → "We have a couple openings next week if you'd like to get started. No pressure — just didn't want you to miss out." For existing clients who haven't rebooked: if someone goes 45+ days without rebooking, trigger an automatic check-in. Set this up in your scheduling software and then forget about it. It runs in the background and converts clients you would have written off.
Build a Referral Partner with a Related Business (Results in 2–6 Weeks)
A real estate agent, property manager, Airbnb host manager, or home organizer touches clients who need cleaning services constantly — and most don't have a trusted cleaner to refer. Becoming that cleaner for even one active real estate agent can add 3–5 move-in/move-out cleans per month with zero marketing cost. Find 5–10 local agents or property managers (LinkedIn, Zillow, Google) and send: "Hi [name], my name is [your name] and I run a residential cleaning company in [area]. I work with a lot of move-ins and move-outs and thought it might be worth connecting — I know your clients often need a reliable cleaner for transitions. Happy to offer a discount for anyone you refer. Would you be open to a quick call?" You're not asking for anything immediately. You're offering value. One good partnership can generate recurring referrals for years.
Local SEO on Your Website (Results in 2–6 Months)
Local SEO takes longer than anything else on this list, but it creates inbound leads that cost you nothing and keep coming in without ongoing effort once they start. The fundamentals: create a dedicated page for each city or neighborhood you serve (don't try to rank one page for five cities). Your title tags should include your primary keyword + city: 'House Cleaning Service in [City] | [Business Name].' Write at least one blog post per week targeting a question your clients search for. Get listed on Yelp, Angi, Thumbtack, Houzz, and the Better Business Bureau. You'll start seeing impressions in search results before you see clicks — that's normal. The curve typically starts slowly and then accelerates.
The 3-Week Plan to Stack These Together
You don't need to do all nine at once. Here's a realistic sequence:
Week 1
Text your past clients (Tactic 1). Ask for referrals after every visit this week (Tactic 2). Send a Google review request to 10 happy clients (Tactic 4).
Week 2
Optimize your Google Business Profile (Tactic 5). Post your intro on Nextdoor (Tactic 6). Offer every new one-time client a recurring discount (Tactic 3).
Week 3
Set up your automated follow-up sequence (Tactic 7). Start reaching out to real estate agents (Tactic 8). Add two city-specific pages to your website (Tactic 9).
What Separates Growing Cleaning Businesses from Stagnant Ones
It's almost never the quality of the cleaning. Most cleaning businesses that struggle do good work. The difference is follow-up, visibility, and systems.
The businesses that grow consistently stay in front of past clients instead of waiting for them to remember to call. They ask for referrals and reviews without assuming clients will do it on their own. And they have automated systems that follow up on inquiries while the owner is focused on the work.
None of these are complicated. They're just habits — and the businesses that build those habits early outpace the ones that rely on word of mouth alone.
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ServiceHub automates follow-ups, reminders, and booking confirmations so nothing falls through the cracks.
How LeadDuo Helps You Stay in Front of Clients
LeadDuo helps cleaning businesses automate their client follow-ups, reminders, and review requests so you stay in front of clients without doing it manually.
- Automated Follow-Up Sequences: Set up inquiry and re-engagement flows once. They run in the background and convert clients you'd otherwise lose.
- Review Request Automation: Trigger review request texts automatically after each completed job — timed for when clients are most likely to respond.
- Recurring Booking Reminders: Automatically check in with clients who haven't rebooked in 45+ days before they book someone else.
- Lead Pipeline Visibility: See every inquiry, quote, and pending booking in one place so nothing falls through the cracks.
?FAQ: Getting More Cleaning Jobs
What's the fastest way to get more cleaning bookings today?▼
How do I ask for referrals without feeling awkward?▼
How many Google reviews do I need to rank locally?▼
How long does local SEO take for a cleaning business?▼
Should I use paid ads to get more cleaning clients?▼
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Want the exact follow-up sequence templates?
If useful, start with the exact scripts and timing sequence from this guide. Then use LeadDuo to automate the follow-ups, reminders, and review requests so your calendar stays full without manual chasing.
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