Pool Cleaning Business Plan

Many think they can start a pool cleaning business without making a business plan--technically, this is possible. However, to build a successful pool cleaning business, you need to plan the different aspects of it, including budgeting, marketing and evaluating your competition. With just a bit of planning, you can start your pool cleaning business in an organized, efficient manner.


Although you can start a pool cleaning business on a relatively small budget, you still need to plan how you will spend your money. Let's say you want to start your business with $100. With that $100, you will need to pay for equipment, cleaning supplies, transportation to and from jobs and marketing materials.

Working out your pool cleaning business's budget can also help you see areas of need and will help you figure out how much money you will realistically need to put into your venture.


Set a goal for the amount of money you want or need to make with your pool cleaning business. Your profit will be determined by subtracting your business's expenses from the amount of money you make from customers.

For example, let's say you need to make $30,000 profit per year, your start-up costs are $300, and your yearly expenses come out to $1000. If you make $30,000 from your pool cleaning business in an entire year, when you subtract your expenses, you will have only made $28,700, which would be short of your goal.

To meet your profit goals, you need to figure out the number of customers you need to service to reach your target. This can be determined by adding together your yearly profit goal and expenses, then dividing that number by the amount you plan to charge per customer. The resulting figure will be the number of customers you must service per year to make enough money.


The pool cleaning business is mostly all about word-of-mouth referral; you need to be aware of the other businesses you are competing with in your area. Learn what they're doing that seems to be working and find areas that they could improve upon, such as customer service. Then, make a plan to compete with the established pool cleaning businesses in your area by improving upon their weaknesses.


In your business plan, address whether you plan to grow your business in the coming years. This can include planning to add a variety of services, working for residential and commercial properties, servicing a greater area or selling pool supplies to customers.


Business cards or flyers are essential when you have a pool cleaning business, but you can market yourself in other ways, too. Having a website is convenient, and many customers like to look up a pool cleaning business before deciding to hire them. You can also plan seasonal specials and offer discounts to steady, loyal customers in order to retain them.

Advertising is also part of marketing---you should address whether and where you will place advertisements in places such as your local coupon books, phone books and business directories.

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