Know-How Exchange : Advertising/PR

First off, the profit margains in laundry services is nowhere near as great as to afford you to waste money advertsing. Any ad you do must be cost effective, and generate MORE in sales than it cost you to place. That said, ads in airports are out the window as Interspace charges an arm and a leg (and perhaps a washing machine or two).

Consider the immediate area around your place of business (I assume you are located in a wealthy neighborhood where lots of above average white collar job executives live?). Sending out direct mail pieces is affordable, but will take at least 3 mail drops BEFORE you begin to see any results. Ideally, you want to have a marketing plan in place where you are contacting your entire neighbrohood around your plant at least three times a year, preferable four. It is hard to ignore a postcard delivered directly to your door. Like, who doesn't get mail?

Another idea is to buy and pay for Google Adsense keywords. DO NOT run google ads nationwide unless you are offering a mail in/return mail laundry service (and yes, some dry cleaners who are clients of mine DO offer mail in dry cleaning and laundry services)(another service opportunity for you - your laundry guaranteed delivered to your door anywhere in the world within 24 hours - yes, some dry cleaners do that). Bid on laundry services related keywords for your city. Drive traffic to your web site.

Yes, you should have a web site. You need to have a basic web site that promotes your services, tells people how and what you do, and perhaps a simple form or two so folks can sign up for your service or request your services. Here are a few web sites that we have done for dry clenaing clients: https://www.feigenbaumcleaners.com , https://www.nutonecleaners.com , https://www.cricketcleaners.com ,

Notice how all these sites promote pick up and delivery services (and more, much more).

Jump into social media marketing as well. Collect testimonials via your Facebook page and use them in your advertising. Basically you want to collect as much 'convenience' references as you can.

Put up digital signage in your lobby educating people what services you have available, and about your executive travel services. Signs come in all sizes, from small ones your staff can wear, to 52 inch flat screens. See www.upsell.ca for more information about digital signage.

Do email marketing. Collect email addresses of satisfied customers. Send out newsletters and specials once in a while.

Get into referral marketing in a big way. Sign up with BNI or some similar group. You will meet executives from all over, as well as learn how to network, do elevator pitches, and build a great referral networkwhere others will refer your services to their networks. It is great leverage, and you get great lunches and breakfasts too.

Also, sign up for the coin op laundromat trade magazines. I write for Fabricare Canada and American Dry Cleaner magazines writing about dry cleaning promotions and marketing, and would be happy to get you a free subscription to the trade magazines for your industry. Feel free to contact me via my profile here on Marketing Profs. If you have any questions, feel free to ask me. No obligation, no cost.

Darcy Moen
Customer Loyalty Network