7 Easy Added Revenue Generators for Sweeping Businesses

Added services for pavement-sweeping customers are increasingly common. There are sweeping company owners who maintain a purist model, committed to sweeping only, reasoning that they should stick to what they do best. Others have expanded their service offerings to provide various related pavement maintenance services. Some have gone further to offer other exterior maintenance services, and some have even branched into storage rentals or event equipment rentals. Let’s explore some service additions that can generate strong supplementary revenues to help support growth goals for sweeping companies. 

7 Easy Extra Revenue Generators for Sweeping Businesses

Naturally, it’s typically simpler and costs less to improve an existing service than to create a new channel. However, adding something new can go far in building a brand’s image as an innovator, a leader on the cutting edge of the industry. That’s a good way to excite customers and employees, build confidence, and increase repeat sales, referrals, and word-of-mouth advertising. Here are seven valuable options for you to consider to increase revenues:

1. Add Benefits to Existing Service Lines.

Canvass your existing customers. Ask what additional benefits they would like to have you provide to help them and their customers. If what they suggest makes sense to you as an add-on, offer a reasonable price to include the new service feature. For example, you may choose to add small landscape debris pickup in areas adjacent to the street sweeping route or area surrounding the parking lot.

2. Track Your Competitors’ Offerings.

As a policy, you should routinely survey your competitive market and use your analysis to make adjustments to your own services menu and pricing. You may not necessarily need to be the cheapest provider, but you do need to know what your competitors are offering that may make their service a better value. Create alternatives that are better or equal at a slightly lower price to motivate your target audience.

3. Offer Incentives for Referrals.

Along with word-of-mouth advertising and repeat sales, referral business is at the top of the list of the best ways to generate revenues for any business. If you don’t already have one, create a simple system for approaching customers for referrals. The very best time to gather referrals is at the time of the initial sales transaction. So, as a priority, ask your new customer for all the referrals he or she can provide before you leave the sales meeting. After that, consider offering incentives for future referrals, like a discount or a free month or two of an additional service.

4. Offer Service Tier Levels.

You may find that you can provide an appealing incentive to your current and prospective customers by simply offering tiered account levels. For higher-tier customers, perhaps customers with incrementally longer-term service commitments, you may consider offering a small discount percentage or dollar amount. Or, you might offer a free related service, such as an annual power washing treatment, or a free monthly or once-weekly portering service.

5. Add More Service Product Options.

Adding one or more new simple services can generate strong additional revenue. For example, portering is widely viewed as a cash cow service add-on for sweeping companies. Some good direct or subcontracted service additions that are working well for many commercial sweeping businesses include:  

  • Portering 
  • Trash Can Rental & Servicing
  • Gum Removal
  • Debris Removal
  • Power Washing
  • Asphalt Repair
  • Parking Lot Striping
  • Roll-Off Rental

6. Collaborate with Local Businesses.

Partnering with related types of local businesses, like asphalt repair or power washing services, is a smart way to network in your business community. You can offer discounts on their products and services at the time your customers contract with you for services you don’t offer directly. This can be done on a subcontracting arrangement or as a fee referral. Either way, it’s an easy way to serve your customers with a wide open range of convenient new opportunities for them to deal directly with you for the related work they need from your trusted associated local providers. 

7. Offer a Compelling Discount.

Depending upon your market’s competitive profile, improvement may simply be a question of how much customers can expect for their dollar. If you have margins that support profitability with a price cut, you may consider a modification for more competitive pricing. Sometimes just a nominal discount can be enough to help customers and make your business recognizable as the one offering the overall best value. 

Measure Profitability of Your New Revenue Stream

Launching a new service line is a big moment for any business. However, in some cases, it can turn out to be too much trouble for the net amount of profit it adds to your bottom line or the value it adds to your brand. So, treat each change as a test. Set benchmarks for it. Track the time, dollar, efficiency, and overall cost/benefit metrics you create for it. Ultimately, if it costs more to start and maintain the add-on than it’s worth, or if it is adversely impacting the particular brand image you are striving to establish, prepare to discontinue it. But, to remain most competitive, stay open to trying new ideas that may benefit your customers and your business. 

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