Columns
The Laundry Doctor
In Your Face
Never Stop Looking for Creative Ways to Get Your Brand in Front of Your Customers – And Potential Customers If you’re a regular reader of PlanetLaundry, you know that my fellow columnists Stephen Bean and Dennis Diaz are always talking about the importance of your...
PlanetLaundry Podcast, Episode 19: “How’s Business” with the Laundry Doctor
In this episode, Brian Wallace, President/CEO of the Coin Laundry Association interviews Jeff Gardner, the Laundry Doctor. You may recognize Jeff as a regular columnist in PlanetLaundry. Jeff is a laundromat owner, pickup-and-delivery business operator, and...
Avoid Shortcuts
All Garment-Care Solutions Are Not Created Equal I often read the posts and subsequent comments on the various Facebook feeds targeting the laundry business. I love the idea of people interacting with each other and sharing ideas and best practices – especially with...
Wash With Wally
Wash with Wally: Removing Rust Stains
I have a rust problem at my laundromat. A few of my dryers have lost portions of their galvanized finishes in some spots – and, as a result, they are creating rust stains on some of my customers’ clothes and linens. How can I remove these rust stains? There are a few...
Wash with Wally: How to Starch Tuxedo Shirts
I’ve recently been offered a tuxedo rental account, which would require me to wash and starch about 400 shirts each week. How do I starch these shirts in my washers? During which cycle would I need to insert the starch? To starch the shirts in your laundromat’s...
Wash with Wally: The Advantage of Hot-Water Washing
I’ve received a number of inquiries about the overall ability and effectiveness of laundry detergents to clean clothes in cold water. In other words, is there a substantial advantage to using warm or hot water when washing? There is a definite advantage to using hot...
The Business Mind
Vive La Différence
How to Use Diversity Marketing to Boost Sales and Grow Your Laundry Business For a long time, marketing efforts for companies big and small had one major common denominator. Essentially, they all targeted an older, white audience. Years ago, this strategy may have...
Are You Annoying?
Look for Small Annoyances That May Be Bugging Your Customers and Silently Destroying Your Laundromat’s Otherwise Pleasant Atmosphere Believe it or not, you may be inadvertently annoying your laundromat customers without even knowing it. And, honestly, very few of them...
12 Steps to Success in Life and Business
Some Common Sense Advice to Make You a Stronger Laundry Owner – And a Better Person Believe it or not – there is a strong relationship between the behavior patterns of your personal life and your business life. Although there are several different ways to measure...
Viewpoint
Location, Location, Location
Over the last 42 years, I’ve had countless new laundry investors and existing store owners contact me for help finding new locations – more precisely, great locations. Although I would love to take out a magical crystal ball and have such a location jump out in front...
What Can the CLA Do for You?
“What can Brown do for you?” That was the popular slogan for UPS from 2002 to 2010. Simple in structure yet far-reaching in scope, the slogan engaged UPS’ multi-platform customer universe to think about its relationship with the company and how it might be expanded....
Measure Twice, Cut Once
I have a fond memory of my grandfather, a contractor by trade, helping me build a stepstool as a child. He wisely said, “Be sure to measure twice, and cut once.” That wisdom has stayed with me throughout my life. Within our industry, there are countless things to...
Digital Marketing
Home Sweet Home
How to Make Your Laundromat Feel Like Home to Your Customers… No Matter Where Home May Be Last summer, I decided to jet off to the Mediterranean. I thought it’d be cool to pick up a little bit of every language before I went. Trust me, my Italian was more spaghetti...
Spinning Tales of Marketing Magic
How Simple Conversations and Clever Tricks Can Boost Your Business Beyond Just Clean Clothes Imagine strolling through your favorite mall. You know, the one where you always stop for a pretzel or to sneak a peek into that clothing store. As you’re wandering around,...
Spinning Success
Four Marketing Strategies to Implement in 2024 Toward the end of last summer, helping my nephews gear up for the coming school year taught me something interesting about making smart choices. In years past, we typically grabbed the flashiest, most popular items – you...