{"id":5659,"date":"2022-05-21T17:00:00","date_gmt":"2022-05-21T17:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.zenmaid.com\/magazine\/?p=5659"},"modified":"2025-05-22T03:13:48","modified_gmt":"2025-05-22T03:13:48","slug":"3-hour-work-month","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.zenmaid.com\/magazine\/3-hour-work-month\/","title":{"rendered":"3 steps to a 3 hour work month in your cleaning business"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Here&#039;s How to Get a 3 Hour Work Month\" width=\"500\" height=\"281\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/FqAFg3TFrUI?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p><em>The following article is based on a talk given by Ryan Vo at the 2021 <\/em><a href=\"https:\/\/youtube.com\/playlist?list=PL8Co4V1UoDDCGpF6VpC0DrAtvsNmF6sRv\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><em>Maid Summit<\/em><\/a><em>, hosted and organized by <\/em><a href=\"https:\/\/get.zenmaid.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><em>ZenMaid<\/em><\/a><em>.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>About the presenter<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Ryan is a serial entrepreneur and ferocious business coach who created a highly successful business model. As the owner of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ryanthelionvo.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">LVL UP<\/a>, Ryan said, &#8220;My goal is to help people grow fast, drop the mop, and reduce the amount of time and money wasted with trying to figure things out on their own.&#8221;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 id=\"heading-1\" class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>In this article<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Wouldn\u2019t it be amazing if your cleaning business &#8212; essentially &#8212; ran itself? Imagine only needing to check-in for about an hour a week and trusting your staff to handle everything. While this may seem like a far-off dream, it\u2019s totally possible for you when you focus on the right steps.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In Ryan Vo\u2019s presentation, he shares the three steps to create a three-hour work month in your cleaning business.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ol class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Build a foundation with systems, automation, and procedures<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Have a strong process for hiring and HR<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Invest in the right marketing and sales<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n<p>Get ready to take some notes, and we\u2019ll dive right in!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/lh4.googleusercontent.com\/gx-HIjh3HR6mzcvs_ML9pIxkmTFt_COU2vPHX6VGiGZm7GeHnG6rKOvwgNVqyWQATVnvb_wfrhpynijQhGILMtam4SmaOFZkd15_hxNBq3d9qikH6TM9zPHQBTft6TrbV5dSas34\" alt=\"\"\/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 id=\"heading-2\" class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Build a foundation with systems, automation, and procedures<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Laying a good foundation is the key to your overall success. As you grow your business, you\u2019ll find that each new level comes with a new set of challenges. You need to be prepared for each one, and the way to do it is through strong systems, automation, and procedures.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>First, we\u2019ll talk about tracking your numbers, automating your pricing process, building an amazing work culture, and having a leader\u2019s mindset.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Building a strong foundation takes time, which is why so many business owners fail to do it right. If you can commit to taking at least thirty minutes a day to work on your systems, you\u2019ll work your way to running your business hands-off in only three hours a month!&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 id=\"heading-3\" class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Track your numbers&nbsp;<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>Plan a system to track your numbers. Included in your plan, track how many square feet each cleaning specialist is cleaning, what your customer acquisition costs are, how much you\u2019re spending every week, and how much revenue you\u2019re bringing in every week.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If you find any red flags, take the time to investigate them and fix the problem. You can save thousands of dollars and hours spent by being proactive about your money rather than reactive after problems get out of control.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 id=\"heading-4\" class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Automate your pricing process<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>To automate your pricing process, you need to nail down a pricing tool. Some cleaning businesses want to do a site visit every time they\u2019re quoting a new client. We\u2019ll be the first to tell you \u2013 you\u2019re wasting your time. Ryan Vo calls this \u201cvoodoo pricing.\u201d&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Instead, use a script and decide on predetermined price ranges to quote their estimates. Even if you have time to do site visits right now for new estimates, you\u2019ll start running yourself ragged as your business grows. To avoid this, start using an automated pricing tool today.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Need more help with your pricing? Read <a href=\"https:\/\/www.zenmaid.com\/magazine\/how-much-to-charge\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">this article<\/a> to learn more about pricing your cleaning business.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><a href=\"https:\/\/get.zenmaid.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.zenmaid.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/free-trial-banner-1.png\" alt=\"\"\/><\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h4 id=\"heading-5\" class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Build an amazing work culture<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>Building an amazing culture in your cleaning business will take your employees from simply showing up to get a check to being part of a family they want to be around. When you work hard to build a great company culture, you\u2019ll reduce the revolving door of losing employees and reduce your client attrition rate. Additionally, you increase your employees\u2019 happiness, which is always worth working towards.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Amazing company culture starts with the hiring process and continues, well, forever. You don\u2019t want to use shiny objects to hire new employees, only to disappoint them with a company that wasn\u2019t what they thought it would be. Be consistent with your company culture in the emails you send, every phone call you make, and every interaction you and your employees have with your clients.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Check out <a href=\"https:\/\/www.zenmaid.com\/magazine\/cleaning-company-culture\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">this article<\/a> to learn about creating an awesome company culture in your maid service.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 id=\"heading-6\" class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Have a leader\u2019s mindset<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>As the leader of your company, your mindset trickles down to every area of your business. So it\u2019s important to have the right mindset. Strive to be a good leader in this way by saturating yourself with leadership resources. Listen to podcasts, read books, and talk to mentors about how they run their companies. After all, successful companies start with great bosses.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Looking for suggestions? Peak into Debbie Sardone\u2019s library <a href=\"https:\/\/www.zenmaid.com\/magazine\/16-books-every-cleaning-business-owner-should-read\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">right here.<\/a>&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/lh3.googleusercontent.com\/K025v1D3P0GOuRpf0pvTk52ZV8YfdtAkncVVX3UKxfZQ0EHEF-A6iQ8BslGseSwqFF3E1jDC3gjlY7HJAhe0_28kuf0gGX1-ogRtVuyLjpoVETRqG_OHlZX5f2Jwpv8xzlX7Lrnb\" alt=\"\"\/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 id=\"heading-7\" class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Have a strong process for hiring and HR<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>The second stop on your journey to a three-hour work month is creating a strong process for hiring and HR.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 id=\"heading-8\" class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Compensation<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>Let\u2019s start with pay. Some companies pay hourly, others pay a percentage, and some hire independent contractors. Ryan Vo\u2019s advice is to skip the independent contractors;&nbsp; it can be too risky, and your clients won\u2019t receive a consistent service. That\u2019s no good.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Compensating with an hourly rate is an okay option because it helps you predict your payroll expenses fairly easily. However, the main downfall is that it can lead to employees working slower with no penalty. (If they work slower, they\u2019ll make more money, right?) Of course, your rockstar employees won\u2019t see it this way, but some will.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>A great way to put some fire under their feet and ensure great work is to pay by percentage. How do you do this? For starters, it starts with having a baseline pricing model in place, as we talked about earlier. So, for instance, if you charge $100 per 1,000 square feet of cleaning, you could pay your cleaner 25% of that, meaning they\u2019d get paid $25 for that job no matter how long it took to complete.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Now, that\u2019s just an example! You\u2019ll need to come up with numbers that make sense in your local market. The great thing about paying a percentage is that it\u2019ll motivate your workers to clean as quickly as possible.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 id=\"heading-9\" class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Attract the right employees with a great ad<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>Finding great employees starts with attracting great people with your advertising. So, don\u2019t just stick with generic messaging like, \u201cHelp wanted\u201d or \u201cHousecleaner needed.\u201d Instead, spruce up your messaging with on-brand headlines to grab their attention. Messaging that seems a little \u201cout there\u201d will grab the attention of someone who will fit well into your company culture.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Grab our <a href=\"https:\/\/www.zenmaid.com\/hiring-ad-free\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">free hiring ad template<\/a> to write the perfect maid service ad to help you get started.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 id=\"heading-10\" class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Use a good onboarding and training process<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>The quality of your services starts with onboarding and training. This part of your business is not something to be thrown together. We won\u2019t go into too much detail about this today, but check out these great resources from ZenMaid to start building your amazing team:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.zenmaid.com\/magazine\/how-train-inexperienced-cleaners\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><em>4 training strategies that turn inexperienced cleaners into A-players<\/em><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.zenmaid.com\/magazine\/how-to-train-your-new-cleaners-for-success-from-day-one\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><em>How to train your new cleaners for success from day one<\/em><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.zenmaid.com\/magazine\/jean-hanson-hiring\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><em>How to onboard cleaning employees<\/em><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.zenmaid.com\/magazine\/pressure-training-program\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><em>How to train new cleaners under pressure<\/em><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><a href=\"https:\/\/rescuemymaidservice.com\/cleaning-tech-bootcamp-affidctbzm\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><img alt=\"\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"341\" src=\"https:\/\/www.zenmaid.com\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/CTB-01-3-1024x341.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12544\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.zenmaid.com\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/CTB-01-3-1024x341.png 1024w, https:\/\/www.zenmaid.com\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/CTB-01-3-300x100.png 300w, https:\/\/www.zenmaid.com\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/CTB-01-3-768x256.png 768w, https:\/\/www.zenmaid.com\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/CTB-01-3-1280x427.png 1280w, https:\/\/www.zenmaid.com\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/CTB-01-3.png 1500w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 id=\"heading-11\" class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Invest in the right marketing and sales<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>The third stop on the roadmap to your three-hour work month is to invest in the right marketing, which is a common challenge for new cleaning businesses. Why? Because marketing well is an investment of time and money.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>It can feel counterintuitive to spend time trying to attract more clients when your employees can barely keep up with the current load. But this is why you need to work on building your systems and hiring process first. Once your business is in a great position to expand, you\u2019re ready to invest in the right marketing.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>A great approach is what Ryan Vo calls blanket marketing; meaning, a diverse marketing plan that stretches across all platforms. Here are some examples of blanket marketing that he uses in his cleaning business:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ol class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Paid marketing with targeted ads on Google and social media<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Guerilla marketing: yard signs, handing out flyers, employee sales incentives<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Email marketing<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Organic search marketing with SEO<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/lh3.googleusercontent.com\/zNyrkyOASU6E7LtacPFU_CFDfbhhvhC5Qpl2CGinre9URutQKtIsomRnPdNEGojSP6YGjkxgjK76GiI2Js502qMH5lVG2pEGv0MGhKjpvMcA6mJ6uO0BlD50gbyZaIPl4t7EMHjh\" alt=\"\"\/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h4 id=\"heading-12\" class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Hiring marketing help<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>When your business is ready for it, hire a marketing professional. Be sure you hire someone (or an entire team) who can be held accountable. In other words, your hired marketing professionals should be able to produce results-based outcomes to prove that their efforts are working. Avoid marketing consultants who can\u2019t provide this for you.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 id=\"heading-13\" class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Sales<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>It\u2019s time to ditch throwing caution to the wind \u2013 you need a sales system for your cleaning business. You can start your sales system by implementing a sales script for every inquiry phone call.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Your phone call script should answer these questions for a potential customer:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Why you\u2019re a great company<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>How you\u2019re a great company<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>What makes you different<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Why to choose you<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>What your process looks like<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>What services you offer<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Why they can feel confident with you<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>How much your services cost<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>Having these answers prepared on a sales call will make you stand out from the competition every single time. If you find a repeated question from clients that\u2019s not included on that list, add it in! Your script needs to be customized to fit the needs of your customers that will put your business in the best light.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 id=\"heading-14\" class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Your next steps<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>We\u2019ve covered a lot of big topics in today\u2019s article! As with any new information, it can feel overwhelming at first. The key is to take one step at a time. Take one concept from this article and work to implement it. Then, move on to the next step. Step by step, you\u2019ll start to see your business grow and succeed. You\u2019ve got this!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>For more resources on how to grow and perfect your cleaning business, check out the replays from the<\/em><a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\/\/youtube.com\/playlist?list=PL8Co4V1UoDDCGpF6VpC0DrAtvsNmF6sRv\" target=\"_blank\"><em> 2021 Maid Summit<\/em><\/a><em>, hosted by <\/em><a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\/\/get.zenmaid.com\/\" target=\"_blank\"><em>ZenMaid<\/em><\/a><em>. The summit featured more than 60 presentations from other maid service owners who shared tools and strategies to help you achieve the highest levels of success in your business.&nbsp;<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>If you found this article helpful for your maid service, you may also like:<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-latest-posts__list wp-block-latest-posts\"><li><a class=\"wp-block-latest-posts__post-title\" href=\"https:\/\/www.zenmaid.com\/magazine\/7-lessons-in-7-years-of-running-a-cleaning-business\/\">7 Lessons in 7 Years of Running a Cleaning Business<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a class=\"wp-block-latest-posts__post-title\" href=\"https:\/\/www.zenmaid.com\/magazine\/cleaning-service-client-onboarding-questionnaire\/\">Your Cleaning Service Needs a Client Onboarding Questionnaire [Free Download]<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a class=\"wp-block-latest-posts__post-title\" href=\"https:\/\/www.zenmaid.com\/magazine\/how-jonathan-berger-runs-a-nyc-cleaning-empire-remotely-from-southeast-asia\/\">How Jonathan Berger Runs a NYC Cleaning Empire Remotely From Southeast Asia<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a class=\"wp-block-latest-posts__post-title\" href=\"https:\/\/www.zenmaid.com\/magazine\/ultimate-guide-instagram-cleaning-business-2026\/\">The Ultimate Guide to Instagram for Your Cleaning Business in 2026<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a class=\"wp-block-latest-posts__post-title\" href=\"https:\/\/www.zenmaid.com\/magazine\/creating-genuine-content-for-your-business-live-from-cleancon\/\">Creating Genuine Content for Your Business (Live from CleanCon)<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n<p>Try ZenMaid for <a href=\"https:\/\/app.zenmaid.com\/sign-up\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">free!<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The following article is based on a talk given by Ryan Vo at the 2021 Maid Summit, hosted and organized by ZenMaid. About the presenter Ryan is a serial entrepreneur and ferocious business coach who created a highly successful business model. As the owner of LVL UP, Ryan said, &#8220;My goal is to help people [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":7,"featured_media":5661,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_seopress_robots_primary_cat":"none","_seopress_titles_title":"3 steps to a 3 hour work month in your cleaning business","_seopress_titles_desc":"Building a three-hour work MONTH is possible for you in your maid service. Start today with Ryan Vo\u2019s three steps to your cleaning business\u2019 three-hour work month.","_seopress_robots_index":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[99,26,98,7],"tags":[33,38,51,32,329,120,34],"class_list":{"0":"post-5659","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-hiring-training","8":"category-mindset","9":"category-sales-marketing","10":"category-systems-automation","11":"tag-automation","12":"tag-hiring","13":"tag-marketing","14":"tag-processes","15":"tag-ryan-vo","16":"tag-sales","17":"tag-systems"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.zenmaid.com\/magazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5659","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.zenmaid.com\/magazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.zenmaid.com\/magazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.zenmaid.com\/magazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/7"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.zenmaid.com\/magazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=5659"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/www.zenmaid.com\/magazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5659\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":12546,"href":"https:\/\/www.zenmaid.com\/magazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5659\/revisions\/12546"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.zenmaid.com\/magazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/5661"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.zenmaid.com\/magazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=5659"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.zenmaid.com\/magazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=5659"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.zenmaid.com\/magazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=5659"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}