You should have some idea on what type of cleaning business you want to start or expand into. Look into the different types of cleaning and determine what would be the best for you.

Do you want to work days? Then janitorial and office cleaning may not be a good option as most of their customers are cleaned nights and weekends.

A better choice would be residential cleaning, window cleaning, computer cleaning, carpet cleaning and even dryer clean-outs.

Before you can start or expand, you need to know who your competition is. In your free time, go thru the Yellow Pages and local periodicals in your area and identify these companies. What can you find out about each of them? Call them and ask questions that a new customer would ask. Ask about their service and what they charge.

Keep in mind, no two cleaning companies are alike. While you're doing your research, write down your impressions of each; keep good detailed notes.

When you have completed this, do a review and write down your comments on each; what thoughts come to mind? Do you like their setup; do you get a good feeling about them; what is that feeling about? What were the negatives about them? What could any of them do better?

The next step is to identify your interests you discovered from your research and what you can you do better.

By doing your research and identifying your niche, you'll be on your way to a successful business that will stand out from your competition.