accounting & advertisement question

[brite]

all,
new to mat business want to find out how can I do accounting myself on mat business. Any suggestions on softwares out there like quickbooks, ms money, myob, peach tree.

Next question how many of you have used CLA advertisng package and benefited from that. The mat I purchased is in high competation area where we have 4 mats around in 2 miles. Want to compete and new to the business so do not want to waste $. Conservative approach here trying to break even initially.

[Howard]

Quickbooks works great!

[brite]

what version of quikbooks you are using and any payroll software to use.

[Duane]

I use the services of PayChex for payroll. Very simple, just send them the hours and they send you the checks. They take care of everything else.

And if you are a CLA member you can get a discount.

[Laundry_Mike]

Quickbooks standard works well for me, unless you need to download your information to excell. If you don't have a boatload of employees, it's easy to process your payroll through quickbooks. For accounting and bookkeeping purposes, Quickbooks is the most popular, and user friendly software. You won't be sorry.

[brite]

Any suggestions on advertising like offering coupons. I am new so I am not sure what type of coupons I shoudl offer.

[Duane]

If you just bought an existing store then spend your money on fixing up the store (fix or replace equipment, paint, lighting, etc.) before doing any advertising. Customers won't come to a store just because you bought it. It needs to be fixed up and improved first. Once you get it back in top shape then worry about advertising.

Once you have your store in shape or you built a new store then you can start with the advertisement.

Several things:

Radio or TV (usually too large of advertising area for your store and expensive)
Local paper
Door hangers to all rental units in your area (make sure it is legal)
Road signage (temp sign to indicate new owner, new equip, etc.)
Local school paper (if close to a college)
Flyers through out the area.

There are several other ways. Search this site as this has been discussed before.

Duane.

[fishmanz]

When I first opened, I put a $5 coupon in the paper and got back 100 of them from people coming in to check us out.

Last week I put an ad in the same paper, no coupon but said " mention this ad and recieve $2 off your next purchase". Only 2 people mentioned it.

From this I have decided that a coupon you cut out is a better incentive to get them in the door. If they go to the trouble to cut it out, they often use it. They may make a mental note to "mention" an ad but quickly forget about it.

our industry is a neighborhood buissness and tv and radio are to broad a medium for laundry advertisment. Nobody from 30 miles away is going to drop off their laundry or even come in to do it themselves based on seeing your ad on tv or radio. Spend your money on a nice sidwalk sign. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/cool.gif

[Sudzbouldercity]

Has anyone tried Valpak? I spoke with them recently and the cost is about $0.05 per household with about 10,000 households per zone. They can customize the ad to fit your message.

[JamesD]

[ QUOTE ]
Has anyone tried Valpak? I spoke with them recently and the cost is about $0.05 per household with about 10,000 households per zone. They can customize the ad to fit your message.

[/ QUOTE ]
It sounds cheap but my experience with Valpak, Supercoups, etc has been that the returns are pitiful. Figure a return less than 1/2%. If you want to get involved in direct mail, do it yourself?

It is more expensive, but it is much more effective.

[brite]

I will start with flyers the cheapest way to advertise but not sure what type of promotions I should run any suggestions, ideas, samples to share. You can send me PM if you do not want to disclose

[Laundry_Mike]

Promotions and most advertising do not work very effectivly for a coin laundry business. A yellow pages ad is probably your most effective form of advertisement. Other than that, your best efforts would be some type of creative advertisement, patron or sponsorship, or something that will gain you some type of goodwill in your community.

[teancum]

A large share of my customers are students and I find flyers are very effective - both door hangers and just passing them out on campus. I see a nice bump every time I distribute another couple thousand.

Also, don't underestimate the importance of your street signage.

[fishmanz]

I looked into Val Pak. I would have to buy into 4 or 5 zones to hit my area as I am at the cusp of 4 different towns. They wouldn't cut me a break so I passed. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/cool.gif

[supersuds]

FISHMAN, was your $5 off coupon for WDF only or credit towards machines also? What if it was only an 11 pound order? Just wondering - sounds like you got good response though. I've done smaller $2 off coupons with minimal response but I'm not sure if it's the Paper that is the problem or if it's not enough of a discount to wet their appetitie???

[fishmanz]

[ QUOTE ]
FISHMAN, was your $5 off coupon for WDF only or credit towards machines also? What if it was only an 11 pound order? Just wondering - sounds like you got good response though. I've done smaller $2 off coupons with minimal response but I'm not sure if it's the Paper that is the problem or if it's not enough of a discount to wet their appetitie???

[/ QUOTE ]



The coupon was for $5 that we loaded on a laundry card. It could be used for self or full service.

If the order was 11 lbs., it would normally cost them $9.90 @ .90 per pound. I would be doing that 1st order for them for $4.90 but I get them in the door and they try our service . I think it is worth it. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/cool.gif