New mat marketing

[rjwarner]

Will be in the process of building a new mat in about 1 month. I have been thinking about the marketing aspect of this new mat and would like your input. One of my concerns / challenges is that I would like to address is to get the word out before someone else has the same idea and beat me to the punch. Some ideas include a billboard announcing a new laundry coming soon. Or a contest to name the new laundry. Another idea is to develop a web site that is advertised - and tells about the laundry. My other concern is that if I do this will competitors use it as an excuse to upgrade - and eventually make it harder once I am opened. Any suggestions are appreciated.

[Adamski]

rj,

You should expect the owners of the existing laundromats to react to your project. A new laundromat is almost always accompanied by reactions from the existing laundromats in the market. Don't expect everybody to just sit by and let you take their customers. What would YOU do if your new laundromat was now 4 years old and some guy started construction on a new laundromat down the road? If you can do it to others then someone can do it to you.

Larry /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/cool.gif

[Run262]

RJ,

I have to say, the "name the laundry" idea is awesome! Not only is this something that could be advertised, but you should be in a position to get great media play from local newspapers and possibly TV. That gives you the opportunity to also tout what your business is going to offer to the neighborhood etc. Just a super idea that could net HUGE free PR. Best of luck.

RFR

[rjwarner]

Larry, I fully expect the competition to do everything possible to retain their business. What I was getting at is I would prefer that they "learn" of the new mat in town at the latest possible time so as to give me a chance to get my new equipment out there before they do something similar.

[Bizman]

Where in the midwest are you planning this laundromat?

[epic02]

Rj, A new 5000 square foot mat by me is being built. I know everything about that mat Exactly how many washers and dryers and LB capacity. To the size between the bulkheads and behind the dryers and the exact layout of the store. Im sure your competitors know your coming. Im going to wait to see what he does for a promotion or how he prices his machines before I react. If he does something drastic I'll do something more drastically. His rent is going to be about $15,000, I own. Im not going to let him steal my customers with out a fight. I let another mat get away with it and there still getting away with it by having charity prices. If I was to beat there prices I would probably really hurt them or put them out of business.

Kenny

[Adamski]

rj,

I'm curious - how many turns per day did your distributor estimate for the equipment that will go into your new laundromat?

Larry /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/cool.gif

[rjwarner]

based upon the business of my operational mat I am conservatively figuring 2 1/2 turns. this new mat will be 3000 sq ft. with 1000lb capacity.

[bo]

Be ready to rig that "name the laundry" contest. I had a friend do that and he still hates the name and is to cheap to buy a new sign to rename the store.

[rjwarner]

I have thought of that too - might have to have my brother in law submit the winning name.

[BigBizThinking]

Name the Mat, but worried about the entries solution:

a. Push that you're doing this in local press
b. Have the names submitted at your store or online at your site
c. Announce that the winner will not be just the chosen name, but also that there will be a lottery for five (whatever) winners of ALL submissions (one submission per person). Give away a few bikes/TVs/local event tickets, etc. Card stores can add free wash as a prize. Everyone wins, and you get to control the name of the store even if you don't get a good entry. Want to make it more interesting, donate $5 per entry to a local family-based charity as well. Good luck.

[rjwarner]

Thanks for the ideas Big Biz, I am going forward with this idea. I will let you all know how it goes. Thanks again.

[chubbie1995]

Congratulation on the new store /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif

[Sudds]

Yeah, what chubbie said. Congratulations on the new store and good luck.

[petefritz]

It will take a long time to build a mat, maybe over a year from planning to permitting to final inspections. If you have your permits in hand then it can take 3-6 months. If your location is good that is all the marketing you need, just hang a sign in the window " New mat opening summer 09 "or something like that. The local customers will be watching and popping in to see when the real open date is. If you feel your competitors will hurt you and upgrade quickly then maybe buy them out.

[BigBizThinking]

I saw this news snippet today and it made me think of this post. How did the contest go?

From nyt.com: "NASA’s online contest to name a new room at the International Space Station went awry. The comedian Stephen Colbert won. The name Colbert beat out NASA’s four suggested options in the space agency’s effort to have the public help name the addition. NASA’s mistake was allowing write-ins. Mr. Colbert urged viewers of his Comedy Central show, “The Colbert Report,” to write in his name. And they complied, with 230,539 votes. That beat Serenity, one of the NASA choices, by more than 40,000 votes. Nearly 1.2 million votes were cast by the time the contest ended Friday. NASA reserves the right to choose an appropriate name, and an agency spokesman said NASA would decide in April."

[rjwarner]

Guys, thanks for all of your help on this one. I am proceeding with the construction and will have the plans done in about 1 week. I hope to be open for business in August. As we discussed herre, and with your guidance and suggestions, I have put up a sign announcing the new laundry and have also put together a web site to help with the marketing and create some interest. The web site is basic, but accomplishes the task. It went "live" yesterday. Check it out and let me know your thoughts....www.namethislaundry.com - I have received 12 responses in the 1st day! Thanks to BigBiz for the donation idea as the Food Pantry is extremely excited about the idea and has already put a link from their web site to mine!