Internet For Marketing

[dbrown2508]

I'm curious as to how much business you believe you generate from internet based advertising, such as:

1) Your Own Web Site
2) Google Places
3) Google Adwords, directed to your web site
4) Facebook Ads
5) Ads somewhere else

I do have a web site, which frankly, was something I hadn't thought much about (I bought the mat just over a year ago, and really didn't pay much attention to the site other than renewing the web address). On the recommendation of others on the site, I claimed my Google Places site, and made sure it was up to date.

Over the Xmas break, I started to dabble with Google Adwords - using their $100 coupon to try it out. I think I've spent less than $10 of it so far. Today, my full time attendant said we have got 2 self serve and one potentially large wash and fold customers off the internet. Not sure if this is a fluke.

What is your opinion of this type of advertising?

Doug

[Super Clean]

Doug,

My Top 5 for advertising are:

1. Yellow Pages, Print and Web. My package includes a sponsored link when laundromats are searched.
2.Canpages, Small Print and online listing. It generally is number 2 in google searches so I pay for my add to ensure I get the most info.
3.Google Places
4.Yelp
5. Hot Frog
6.Weblocal.ca
7. Cylex
8.Facebook

I know these are more then 5 but I take advantage of every online listing I can. The majority of new customers find us via google searches. Most people no longer pick up a phone book to find anything. I think ppl 45 and over still pick up a book so I still continue with print ads in Yellowpages.

[CanCanCase]

A lot of it depends on individual market and demographics. We get a lot of tourist traffic in the summers, and they're all carrying smart phones, laptops and/or GPS navigators.

Besides letting new customers find you, I use my website as a dynamic place to promote. Instead of running a coupon in the paper or printing flyers, I run an ad that says "free soap coupon this month at www..."

Not that anyone asked, but the live laundry cams are spreading out the peak demand over more of the day and week. Turns aren't down, but we're not getting as busy during peak, and zero hours are way down. I've spoken to dozens of folks who said they watched the laundry cams and waited until things weren't quite so busy before they came around.

- Case

Doug,

My Top 5 for advertising are:

1. Yellow Pages, Print and Web. My package includes a sponsored link when laundromats are searched.
2.Canpages, Small Print and online listing. It generally is number 2 in google searches so I pay for my add to ensure I get the most info.
3.Google Places
4.Yelp
5. Hot Frog
6.Weblocal.ca
7. Cylex
8.Facebook

I know these are more then 5 but I take advantage of every online listing I can. The majority of new customers find us via google searches. Most people no longer pick up a phone book to find anything. I think ppl 45 and over still pick up a book so I still continue with print ads in Yellowpages.

[dbrown2508]

Jeff:

I hear you on the free ones. I've done most of them. Are you paying on Facebook, or only doing what you can for free?

Case:

I have web cams on my site accessible to the public too. I know some of my customers lok at them. I wonder if I end up losing some business - Doug's mat is busy, so I'll go somewhere else. I don't ever hear that I am, but I'll never know.

Doug

[Super Clean]

Take advantage of Facebook for free.

Now here is an interesting marketing note. I was recently watching a commerical for "Shout Colour Grab" and it said go to shoutoffers.com or something like that for a sample. I typed in the URL and it ported me to their Facebook page.

Now here is how this is good marketing. It is nice to have a website and keep it updated. It is however very static regardless of the updates you make. When a customer logs on to get the free offer they fill out their info an you send them a coupon or sample. Now...do the same thing but using your Facebook page - first they make you "like" the page before you can browse their page, this now opens up their page, product and awareness to 400 of your other friends vs 0 on their company site. Of your 400 friends, 2 or 3 more decide to check out the Shout Page that you like and you now have it expanded to 1200 more ppl. On the company site you are still sitting at that one person who watched the commercial and was aware of the product.

So yes it is very important to have a website, keep it up to date and relevant but better utilizing a social app such as Facebook reaches a broader audience. Even with out laundromats on a regional or city by city audience, we can still see greater traffic to our Store, Brand and in the end website.

This is one of my plans for 2011 is to better utilize social networking sites such as Facebook to promote the business.

[dbrown2508]

Very interesting thought. I'll have to try it.

I have resolved to do a more efficient job of marketing this year - last year was good but expensive (Actionpak direct mail). I've got the opportunity of advertising on a bench outside of a zellers (for those in the US - Zellers tries to copy Target in Canada, but is a poor copy). Think I will try that too. But no direct mail.

[MrMachine]

Jeff:

I hear you on the free ones. I've done most of them. Are you paying on Facebook, or only doing what you can for free?

Case:

I have web cams on my site accessible to the public too. I know some of my customers lok at them. I wonder if I end up losing some business - Doug's mat is busy, so I'll go somewhere else. I don't ever hear that I am, but I'll never know.

Doug


Guys,

Are you sure it's a good idea to have the public view your web cams?
That sort of creeps me out. The public consists of ALL kinds of people, both good and bad.

I'm thinking from a security point of view. You make it FAR too easy for bad guys to case your joints from the comfort and convenience of their homes. They can see YOU the "rich" laundromat owner come and go. They will eventually pick up your visiting habits and nail you on the way out of your own store.

Not only that, but this may be a privacy issue. You may be risking your CUSTOMER'S privacy as well, opening yourself up to lawsuits.

[STOUT]

IF; I were to let the public view my web cams I would only let them view only a select one or two. Certainly not everyone of my cameras. I have some hidden cameras that I do not want anyone to know about. That way no one knows all my strengths or weaknesses.

[dbrown2508]

They don't see all the cameras in my place, but I do hear what you are saying Paul. Valid point.

I'm really not sure if it is something I should continue.

[mjwalsh]

IF; I were to let the public view my web cams I would only let them view only a select one or two. Certainly not everyone of my cameras. I have some hidden cameras that I do not want anyone to know about. That way no one knows all my strengths or weaknesses.

I agree with Stout & do think that the select few with the proper viewing areas could be helpful. I know if I am debating on when to go to certain stores & I want avoid waiting in checkouts --- I would definitely appreciate seeing if the traffic is heavy enough to prevent me from getting done quicker. It seems like the big cities more & more have a video service that allows commuters to see from their smart phones which routes are the most intense traffic wise.

We have to be careful that we don't fuel angles of liability towards each other. It seems like what tips the scale most often in a courtroom is an expert witness. If one of us was a proven operator who chose not to use his cameras to show heavy traffic times --- we sure as heck would not want to testify on the side of some potential weasel arguing that the cameras were the specific cause of ---- whatever bad that might happened.

From experience, it is more likely that the public cameras would act as a greater detriment to crime knowing that many eyes might see an incident in real time. I know some of my customers are so loyal that they would actually call the police for us if they happened to be glancing at the real time internet pictures & some incident was occurring.

When I first put in my cameras in 1982 there were plenty of speculators trying to create doubt to their use & said plenty about their privacy being invaded --- it was very good that we did not pay too much attention. Now the consensus is that the cameras if used appropriately are helpful. Evil eyes know that good eyes will have the same opportunity.

MJ

[MrMachine]

MJ,

Good point about the deterrent effect of having the good eyes keeping the evil ones in check, as far as safety IN the store.
However, the evil ones can and will watch you the owner, or perhaps a pretty young woman customer of yours, and pounce in the parking lot.

A smart guy will not nail you in the store...they'll get you as you are entering your car, or better still, follow you home.

[Super Clean]

...and we've digressed.

[dbrown2508]

True Jeff - let me get this back.

Google Adwords - I'm in the midst of a trial of Google Adwords - using their $100. It tells me that I've spent $12.28, got 3,700 impressions and 17 clicks (yes - cost is quite high per click).

If I've truly got 2 or 3 customers for this, it is the best money I could have spent. Not sure if the customers came from there. Anyone successful with this (paid) service? When I see $0.60 and $0.70 per click, I cringe, however if there is a relatively high ratio between a click to a visit, I'd continue.

Doug

[mjwalsh]

dbrown,

I don't know if this helps but we have a local online classified ad company that we have been using to promote the business. The impressions are showing to average over 4,000 per day for over 2 months of advertising. The total views of the ad itself shows over 1,000. Just to ball park ---- we are paying about $60 per month --- $120 for 2 months ---- $120/1000 = .12 cents per view.

I like it because it gives potential customers a way to click to our website www.kingkoin.com rather than typing it in.

MJ

[Super Clean]

Doug, Google Ad Words is something I'm going to start taking advantage of shortly as well. I know in the Toronto area you are competing with Royal Forest Laundry that does a lot of Google Ad Words. I've been by their store however and it's a dive.

[dbrown2508]

Jeff:

I know Royal Forest well. All of their business is in pickup and delivery - both commercial and residential. They have something like a $69 minimum charge. They were just recently up for sale - for a premium price. I think its been sold too.

They did a great job with Google adwords and a web site. Not sure how they do the logistics for the pickup and delivery business, though. When I go by their place, there is no one there - which makes me wonder how they do this substantial delivery business. They appear to have very little walkup business - they aren't even the best mat in their area.

Guess that proves what a good tool the internet can be.

Doug

[Super Clean]

Jeff:

I know Royal Forest well. All of their business is in pickup and delivery - both commercial and residential. They have something like a $69 minimum charge. They were just recently up for sale - for a premium price. I think its been sold too.

They did a great job with Google adwords and a web site. Not sure how they do the logistics for the pickup and delivery business, though. When I go by their place, there is no one there - which makes me wonder how they do this substantial delivery business. They appear to have very little walkup business - they aren't even the best mat in their area.

Guess that proves what a good tool the internet can be.

Doug

I walked in there late at night one time when I was coming back out of the downtown core. There was one couple in doing laundry. I walked around and surveyed the place when the guy asked if I was looking for some dryer space. I said no, I found the place online and I was just checking it out. He told me it was there first time there and they found them online as well. So it does work.