Why Commercial Accounts Matter
Well David, I’m writing a book—don’t worry, I have an editing team, because writing isn’t exactly my strongest skill. But let’s talk commercial accounts. What a topic!
Honestly, if it weren’t for commercial accounts, I’d be broke. I can’t survive waiting around for someone to call about a deck that gets cleaned once or twice a year. I need consistent work—scheduled maintenance programs and monthly or weekly commercial accounts that keep my crews busy day and night.
People say commercial accounts are hard to get. Maybe. But hard to keep? Not really.
Commercial Accounts 101
Alright competitors and comrades, here’s your crash course.
1. Build a market plan
Like David said: define your market and plan your attack.
2. Target the right people
You’ll often have better success going after corporate franchise operations, not the individual franchisees. Remember: with franchisees, it comes straight out of their pockets.
3. Get on vendor lists
Push to get on their approved vendor list. Once you’re in, you’re listed in their internal directory. They don’t open the yellow pages when they need something—they call approved vendors with set pricing. That’s how it works. It’s a huge milestone, and hardly anyone talks about this. Rookies, take note: if they say they already have someone, prove you’re better—not cheaper.
4. Payment hurdles
- They’ll ask if you’re on their vendor list. If not, they can only pay you cash on the spot.
- Managers also struggle to approve large invoices. They won’t tell you this—you have to ask. Offer to split big bills into two or three invoices if needed.
5. “We do it ourselves…”
When they say they have their own pressure washers, they usually mean they already have approved vendors. Rarely does a corporate McDonald’s clean their own stores.
A manager might say this just to get rid of you. I counter it. I’ll tell them straight: if they really have an in-house guy, he should be fired. Give me his boss’s number—I’d love to show him how much money they’re wasting. That usually snaps them into reality. They either throw me off the property or start listening. It’s aggressive, but it works. They end up respecting me, even if they don’t like it.
6. Break in with one location
Once you clear these hurdles, get that first location under your belt. Then ask the manager if you can use him as a reference.
7. Sell to the district manager
Offer to run a short seminar or demo on pressure washing for district managers. Corporations love presentations and educational materials. Prepare a packet for each manager. Maybe do a quick live demo or slide deck for the DM. Talk about:
- The chemicals you use
- Your equipment
- Your cleaning techniques
- How to evaluate pressure washing companies
- How you stand out (never trash competitors—just sell your strengths).
Make eye contact. Shake every hand. Leave behind mugs, calendars, pens, notepads, business cards, and brochures.
8. Follow up, again and again
Visit them five times or until they throw you off the property. I once closed a deal after a manager joked, “Ron, if you promise not to visit me again, I’ll hire you.” They respected my patience and persistence. I never pressure anyone—after I educate them, I keep showing up so they know I’m ready to serve.
How valuable are commercial accounts?
Here’s a simple example:
- Restaurant weekly service
- 2 locations
- 4 hours per week
- $19,500 annually
I’ve been working on this one for two months. Visited them about eight times over the past year. Last visit, I pinned down a meeting, pointed out how the current company was damaging their sidewalks and skipping areas. The owner admitted he wasn’t happy, and told me to circle back after the new year. He even showed me the competitor’s invoice—so I know the ballpark rates. I’ll likely charge more, because I can prove why it’ll take more time to do it right and avoid damage.
Final thoughts on sales & business
As for the book I’m writing—two heads are better than one, and five are even better. Listen to your customers; they’ll tell you what they need. Sure, it’s fun sometimes to sell people things they didn’t know they needed (I enjoy the hunt). But if you don’t love selling, get out of business—go get a government job with nice benefits and a retirement plan.
PS: If my posts are too long, just scroll on by.