Columns
The Laundry Doctor
Productive, Efficient and Motivated
Three Keys to Building a Strong Wash-Dry-Fold Team With both the post-COVID-19 era and the laundry outsourcing revolution upon us, many store owners I speak with are seeing their wash-dry-fold businesses growing rapidly. Given that, how do we – as employers, without...
Are You ‘Socially’ Awkward?
You Don’t Need to Be a Social Media Guru to Grow Your Laundry Business Online Over the years, I learned to accept that I simply can’t keep up with everything that’s happening these days in the social media and online marketing world. When it comes to search engine...
Locked and Loaded
Are Lockers the Answer to Building a Profitable, Round-the-Clock WDF Operation? I’ve recently had a number of store owners approach me about the use of lockers for their laundry operations. At The Laundry Doctor, we’ve been utilizing lockers to help facilitate the...
Wash With Wally
Wash With Wally: Attracting Customers, Equipment Layout
I’m in the process of building a laundromat. I have never been in this type of business before, so I’d like to know what laundry customers want, what attracts them and what keeps them coming back. In my opinion, there are six main elements that your new laundry...
Wash with Wally: Cross-Training Your Laundry Attendants
I recently hired a new attendant and have discovered that he possesses great mechanical skills. So, I was thinking of cross-training him to handle some of the more simple equipment issues that arise at my store, in addition of course to his attendant duties. Is there...
Wash with Wally: Drying Capacity, Business Hours, and More…
I’m short on drying capacity at my store. During the weekends, I have customers waiting for the dryers. Should I add more 30-pound stack dryers, which are what I currently have? Or should I replace at least some of the 30-pounders with larger-capacity stack dryers? If...
The Business Mind
Uncovering the Root of Organizational Decline by Jumping into the Trenches
By Ashlee Hofberger It can happen to any organization: a lag in performance, slowing of cash flow, and negative reviews. While nothing specific about your product or service appears to be the issue, you can sense something is off, and it’s enough to hurt business. One...
Persistence Pays Off
When Owning a Laundromat, the Secret to Success is a Constancy of Purpose Famed American writer and lecturer Dale Carnegie firmly believed that “flaming enthusiasm, backed by horse sense and persistence, is the quality that most frequently makes for success.” And I...
Every Word Matters
The Absolutely Essential Rules for Writing Effective Advertising and Marketing Content In the competitive landscape of advertising and marketing, the power of words can make or break your laundry business’ promotional efforts. Crafting compelling advertising copy...
Viewpoint
It’s Gotta be the Shoes … Right?
Spike Lee’s famous Nike ads with Michael Jordan were always talking about shoes as if the shoes made the magic. But we know that the shoes are just part of the equation and the real magic comes from the person wearing them. Bob Nieman spent more than two decades...
Viewpoint: What a Year It Has Been
At the beginning of the year in this space, I posed the question: “What can the CLA do for you?” More than a catchy (and borrowed) tagline, it was a sincere effort to solicit feedback from CLA members – our customers – as to what they wanted the association to provide...
Our Industry is Alive, Well… And Thriving
Having now had the opportunity to fully digest my time at last month’s Clean Show in Atlanta, I’m happy to report that the self-service laundry industry – as well as the residential wash-dry-fold and pickup-and-delivery segments of the business – are alive and well....
Digital Marketing
Pushing Through
How Laundromat Owners Can Overcome the Uncontrollable and Still Thrive By Dennis Diaz A few months ago, I read a story that hit me hard - in the best way. It was about my high school football team. I didn’t play football, but as an alum, I felt a swell of pride...
Marketing Through Design
How a Well-Planned Laundromat Boosts Customer Engagement and Loyalty I have the exciting opportunity to sit on the board of a concert venue, and we spend a lot of time talking about the overall experience for attendees and the artists. Every detail matters – where the...
How to Market Your Amenities
Make Your Laundromat a Place People Love I recently renovated my house and faced a big challenge –furnishing it. I had the basics in mind but wanted everything to come together just right. So, I called a few furniture stores I liked, and one of them said something...