When you visit a fast food chain, you are asked on whether you want to order a special meal or a value meal. With this, you are given the opportunity to order a meal at a much lesser price. Fast food chains are famous for taking advantage of the benefits of product bundling and consider this as an effective marketing strategy.

Bundling is one way for you to provide your customers with discounts whenever they buy tow or more of the products or services that you offer. Packaging your cleaning services and products together can be a powerful marketing technique that allows you to sell more, and at the same time gives your customers added value and more reasons to be hooked up to your business.

Some businesses look at bundling as a very simple strategy. This mostly happens when a restaurant offers fries and a drink with a sandwich; a car wash offers a deluxe car wash with wax treatment; or a hardware store that bundles paint rollers with a paint tray.

As a cleaning service you have an excellent opportunity to increase your profits by adding the sale of products or added services to the routine maintenance that you already provide to your customers. While you may not be able to address all of their supply needs, offering trash can liners, toilet paper, paper towels, soap, air fresheners, and ice melt will give your customers added convenience. They can easily order their supplies from you or you can offer to manage the supplies and restock when supplies are low.

Looking at the current supplies that you have could be a wise thing to do when you bid on a new client account. When you prepare your bid, take a 10 - 15% markup on the prices you'll be paying for the products and include this on your bid. Explain to the prospect that you'll bill them for supplies used during the month on their monthly service invoice. By meeting their supply needs, your customer has one less thing to worry about and you have instantly earned another way or means to earn profit.

Bundling similar services together is another way of increasing your profit margin. When offering carpet cleaning, also suggest carpet spotting. Does your customer have a break room? Offer a package that includes cleaning the refrigerator, microwave or other appliances. You can even offer these services on a regular maintenance schedule, such as once or twice a month.

The four seasons of the year could also be a good way to schedule your bundling services. For your residential customers offer a "Spring-Cleaning Package". You might want to include window cleaning, blind cleaning and carpet cleaning. You do not have to give huge discounts when bundling services. Your clients gain value by being able to get all of their maintenance services handled by one company.

How do you decide what services to bundle together? Write down the types of clients you have and the services you are already providing. Make a list of the extra services you can easily provide that will benefit their business without having to cost much on your part. Then offer those bundled services to your clients.

Bundling services and products is one way to add another income stream to your cleaning business. It helps you to up-sell to your customers without having to spend much time or money on marketing. By selling bundled products and services you will see an increase in your profits and your customers will benefit from "one-stop shopping".

For more: How to start a cleaning business