Tips on marketing a laundry service

I will soon expand on my laundromat to include pickup and delivery. The P&D
will be free and have same day service. A 20% discount as a "grabber" may be
also offered.

My plan:

1. Leave flyers with doormen and offer them 5% of every bag of laundry as an
incentive.
2. Get (pay for) access to apartment buildings to hand out flyers personally
to tenants.
3. Use register tape receipts.
4. Send postcards to a market I am trying to target using the Postal
Services. My list of potential customers is rudimentary but accurate.

Please comment on the following (and anything else):

a. Should I include a 20% discount as a grabber for first time callers or is
free P&D enough?
b. What can I tell doormen to motivate them (besides the $$)?
c. What do you think of advertising on supermarket register receipts?

Please dont hesitate to be as critical as possible. Thanks!

Andre

"Andre" <fito123@rcn.com (MONKEYSPAMMER)> wrote in message
news:c969lp020di@enews4.newsguy.com...
>
> I will soon expand on my laundromat to include pickup and delivery. The
P&D
> will be free and have same day service. A 20% discount as a "grabber" may
be
> also offered.
>
> My plan:
>
> 1. Leave flyers with doormen and offer them 5% of every bag of laundry as
an
> incentive.
> 2. Get (pay for) access to apartment buildings to hand out flyers
personally
> to tenants.

I don't know where you are, but I can't imagine any selling this as many
have a no soliciting policy and tenants live there understanding they're not
going to be solicited. If I lived in such a secure building, I would be
mighty upset being solicited there.

> a. Should I include a 20% discount as a grabber for first time callers or
is
> free P&D enough?

It partly depends on whether there is competition. If not, your unique
service should be incentive for someone to try it.


--
McWebber
No email replies read
If someone tells you to forward an email to all your friends
please forget that I'm your friend.

"McWebber" <mcwebber@my-deja.com> wrote in message
news:c97oc102st6@enews1.newsguy.com...
>

>
> I don't know where you are, but I can't imagine any selling this as many
> have a no soliciting policy and tenants live there understanding they're
not
> going to be solicited. If I lived in such a secure building, I would be
> mighty upset being solicited there.

Good point. Funny thing is that most supers I have talked to in mid to upper
income neighborhoods dont seem to mind at all. My actual plan is to set up
in a friendly setting - table, sign, flyers - and wait for people to come to
me after my "good morning".

>
> > a. Should I include a 20% discount as a grabber for first time callers
or
> is
> > free P&D enough?
>
> It partly depends on whether there is competition. If not, your unique
> service should be incentive for someone to try it.

Well, there is no lack of competition. What there is a lack of is the
awareness of the pickup and delivery. According to a tradebook, 73% of
people in a major metro area were not aware that they could recieve free
P&D. Thats where I come in I guess.

Andre

"Andre" <fito123@rcn.com (MONKEYSPAMMER)> wrote in message
news:c98fj30m1i@enews1.newsguy.com...
>
>
> "McWebber" <mcwebber@my-deja.com> wrote in message
> news:c97oc102st6@enews1.newsguy.com...
> >
>
> >
> > I don't know where you are, but I can't imagine any selling this as many
> > have a no soliciting policy and tenants live there understanding they're
> not
> > going to be solicited. If I lived in such a secure building, I would be
> > mighty upset being solicited there.
>
> Good point. Funny thing is that most supers I have talked to in mid to
upper
> income neighborhoods dont seem to mind at all. My actual plan is to set up
> in a friendly setting - table, sign, flyers - and wait for people to come
to
> me after my "good morning".

Some free coffee goes a long way.

> >
> > It partly depends on whether there is competition. If not, your unique
> > service should be incentive for someone to try it.
>
> Well, there is no lack of competition. What there is a lack of is the
> awareness of the pickup and delivery. According to a tradebook, 73% of
> people in a major metro area were not aware that they could recieve free
> P&D. Thats where I come in I guess.
>

You might contact the human resources dept. at some of the bigger companies.
Often they have lots of special offers/coupons there for employees to pick
up from companies that give their company employee discounts.

--
McWebber
No email replies read
If someone tells you to forward an email to all your friends
please forget that I'm your friend.

On Fri, 28 May 2004 02:54:49 +0000, Andre wrote:

>
> I will soon expand on my laundromat to include pickup and delivery. The P&D
> will be free and have same day service. A 20% discount as a "grabber" may be
> also offered.
>

How about forming partnerships with other businesses. For example, health
clubs... advertise that while the people are busy working out, you can
pick-up their laundry, and have it done ready for when they finish their
workout.
This is a win/win for both you and the health club, since they expand
their services to the customer without spending a dime.

"Eric Handbury" <ehandbury@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:c9e5j602dsb@enews2.newsguy.com...

>
> How about forming partnerships with other businesses. For example, health
> clubs... advertise that while the people are busy working out, you can
> pick-up their laundry, and have it done ready for when they finish their
> workout.
> This is a win/win for both you and the health club, since they expand
> their services to the customer without spending a dime.

Very interesting. I doubt I could have laundry done that fast but could do
something along the lines of a later delivery to their homes. Thanks for the
idea!

AMonde

I'd suggest reading the recent thread titled: "New ironing service: Need
ideas for getting new clients." You're pretty much in the same boat.

Additionally, read the following which is the standard advice I give all
wannabe entrepreneurs.

"What I recommend you do is determine what your sales territory is. What's
its radius? Double that and add a healthy 10% more distance then go and
talk to people out that distance that are in the same business you want to
start up. Literally drive there. Do not do the following over the phone or
email or through snail mail. Show up on their doorstep during the slow time
of their business day. Tell them that you want to start up a similar
business at such-and-such location and if they would consider you
competition. If they say you would be, drive further away from your
proposed business location until you find a business that says you won't be.
If you have to go to a different country, do so.

Once you find a business that says your two territories won't overlap, ask
if they wouldn't mind answering some questions about how to start and run a
business like theirs. Play to their egos and they'll love to talk to you.
Everyone likes to feel important and worth listening to ... especially
business owners when it comes to their businesses. Have a list of questions
written out on a notepad, but do NOT write down their answers. Instead,
bring a tape recorder (yes, put it right out in the open ... no need for
spyware ... and besides it plays to their egos as their words are being
treated as worthy of being recorded) and concentrate on getting as much
information out of them as possible ... as well as picking up the other half
of the answers they give in body language. If they say something you don't
understand, speak up and ask for clarification. Let them wander off your
list of questions since where they wander to might be a place you never
thought of asking questions about and should have been. However, keep an
eye on the questions you've written down and try to ask them all before the
interview concludes. Of course, always yield to customers that come in.

After you've interviewed one owner, don't interview another but go home and
digest what was said. Listen to the tape on your way home. Think it over.
Adjust your business plan accordingly. Adjust the questions on that notepad
and then on your next free day (or the following day if you've got both
off), head off in another direction and do the same thing. Try to interview
at least twenty businesses. A hundred businesses would be ideal. Interview
the good, the bad, and the ugly. If you're lucky, you'll interview one that
is going out of business or has just went out of business so you can hear
about the dark side ... as well as possibly pick up good equipment for a
song. Likewise, interview those businesses you think are bad. Keep in mind
that since they're still in business, they are probably doing something
right ... if just being the only game in town for your products/services.

Share as you give. Let them know what you think is a good idea and they may
tell you their own gems. Don't get paranoid that they'll steal your good
idea. They will! Or rather, you should HOPE they will as that means your
ideas are actually good ones. These are the individuals that are the best
judges of your business ideas. However, you'll never know if your business
ideas are good unless you tell these business owners them ... or blow a ton
of money actually doing the idea and thus finding out the hard way. Also,
if you're not willing to share, don't expect them to as well. In fact, it
will likely take you telling them your best idea for them to tell you
theirs. Also, ask them to read over your business plan right there before
you. Naturally, don't leave a copy of it behind. What one of these
business owners is going to tell you will be better than ALL the advice from
ALL the business professors on the face of the Earth. Even from the ones
that are going out of business! These business owners are DOING IT RIGHT
NOW ... whereas business professors live in the fairyland of academia. Oh,
and that smack-down goes the same for SBA's Small Business Development
Centers (which are manned by business professors) and SCORE (which is an
abbreviation of the Latin phrase: "Grumpy Old Men Waiting To Die").

And don't stop doing this after you open your business. At least once a
month (if not once a week), visit still more businesses. And for one
afternoon, make this part of any vacation or business trip you take
anywhere. In fact, you'll very likely get more out of these interviews
AFTER you open your business than before you did. After you open your
business, you can really start to talk shop since you're now currently
running a shop. This worked great for a little-known starting-out
pizza-parlor owner by the name of Tom Monaghan ... the founder of Domino's
Pizza.

Don't forget these individuals after you interview them. Once you get home
from interviewing them, send them a nice thank-you snail mail letter for
taking the time to answer your questions. When your business opens, send
them an invitation to come and see it. Ideally, hold a special Grand
Opening dinner and invite all the good business owners you interviewed to
it. Give them a group tour of your business (no matter how small the shop
is ... even if it is a desk and a computer in a corner) and then treat them
to a nice meal. I'd recommend a barbeque at your house/apartment so it is
informal and relaxed. Do NOT drink alcohol or do drugs at this dinner.
Listen, listen, and listen some more. You've got the most valuable think
tank right there eating your hamburgers. They'll just naturally talk shop
and focus most of that talk on YOUR shop. The only downer of all this is
that it would be bad form for you to tape record it ... thus why you need to
remain sober so you can remember it all. Then after they leave but before
you do clean-up, write down all the important things they said.

Now if you want to really succeed, see if the good ones are also willing to
sit on your Board of Directors (or Board of Advisors, if you don't want to
give them any control power). The rest of your Board of Directors should be
made up of marketers (at least have one) and one accountant. I'd recommend
the board number nine. Your Board of Directors will help you keep the big
picture in mind and an eye on the future.

Lastly, if you're not willing to do the above, you don't have what it takes
to start and succeed at your own business. Period."

Additionally...

"Work on a business plan. Regardless if you're going to get a business loan
or not. A business plan forces you to think of all aspects of your
business. Question every aspect of it. Think how you can do it better,
cheaper, and faster. Always remember to K.I.S.S. it. Keep It Simple,
Smartass. [Yes, I know it is usually said as "Keep It Simple, Stupid", but
it is the smartasses that make things more complex and difficult than they
need to be. Stupid people keep it simple (usually too simple) because
they're stupid.] And forever keep in mind that this is a business you're
starting and a business is to turn a profit. It doesn't turn a profit and
it's just an expensive hobby of yours. Your goal should be for the business
to work for you and not you work for it. Your end goal should be that you
don't have to even show up at the business for it to turn a profit. Golf,
anyone? If you need to always be at the business for it to turn a profit,
the only thing you've made is a job for yourself. If that's all you want,
don't start a business (and all the headaches it entails) and just go work
for someone else.

As for how much time to invest into your business plan, studies have shown
that those that work less than six months on their business plan have a 90%
failure rate. Those that work six months or more on their business plan
have a 90% success rate. And to start off, get a copy of Michael Gerber's
"The E-Myth". It's real value is helping you determine if you're a
Technician, Manager, or Entrepreneur. Be honest with yourself and you'll
save yourself a lot of grief."

Also...

"The lifeblood of capitalism is communication between businesses and their
customers/clients. Yes, this means advertising, but that's just one aspect
of the communication I'm talking about. There's also public relations (such
as appearing on local radio talk shows), business image (everything your
customers see), and, most important of all, word-of-mouth. Approach all
expenditures on such communications as simply an investment. Track how much
you spend and what profits it generates for you. Be always willing to
experiment with new approaches but discontinue unprofitable ones once
they've shown themselves to be this. If you employ a marketing firm, hold
them accountable. Ditch them if they don't produce profits for you after
six months. Don't let emotion decide their fate. Let's the cold hard facts
of accounting be the heavy. And nothing gets a marketing firm to work hard
for you more than them knowing you expect results and will ditch them if
they don't produce.

As for what gets you the best bang for your advertising buck, that would be
postcard advertising ... as long as you have a message that can be
relatively short and concise. The key to postcard advertising is the
mailing list. The fresher the list, the better. You want to target those
who will most likely become your customers/clients. Spend a lot of time
thinking over who this might be. Once you're in business, find out the
demographics and psychographics of your customers and market to those. As
for the postcard itself, EVERY single word on it should be carefully chosen.
The goal of the postcard is to get its recipient to take some form of
action. That action could be calling and/or visiting your business or
visiting your business' website. The best way to get them to visit your
physical location is to make the postcard a meaningful coupon they can use.
Use color, bold, and all caps in the text of the postcard sparingly and to
just give impact to key words. ALWAYS send out two differently designed
postcards. One to one half of the mailing list and the other to the other
half. Design them so you can track results, such as giving different
telephone numbers to call. If one pulls in more than the other, try to
figure out why that happened and test that theory in your next dual mailing.
Advertising should always be considered to be fluid and not etched in stone.
Adjust with the times, be topical, and always be willing to experiment."

And finally...

"Barter, barter, barter! Almost all businesses can barter with other
businesses. This is a great cheap way for you to get something (product or
service) you need for your business for a fraction of its cost ... if not
essentially free. Think what other businesses have that your business
needs. Not wants, but NEEDS. Don't overdo barter or you'll be strapped for
cash. Now think what they (or their family members) might need or want from
you. Note I also said "want" this time. If they foolishly use barter for
their desires, that's up to them. Don't you make that judgment call for
them. One person's desires can be another person's needs. Now go and talk
to them about a trade.

Lastly, ONLY buy used. Never buy new anything that doesn't ABSOLUTELY have
to be new. All it has to look like is being in good condition ... and not
even that if it's in the backroom and your customers will never see it. Go
to sheriff auctions, business liquidation sales, and garage sales; scan the
classified ads in newspapers; browse the online auction sites (like eBay);
and hunt for bargains. Find a place to store these bargains during this
collection phase. This collection phase usually takes about six months ...
which is just fine since that's the minimum amount of time you should be
working on your business plan anyway. The key to being a business success
is keeping your start-up expenses as low as possible and buying used is one
of the best ways to do this. [The other way is barter.] If you do buy
something new, it should be with a great deal of thought on why it has to be
new and not used. Again, if the customers see it, it only needs to LOOK
like it is in good condition and that's it."

Good luck!

Scott Jensen
--
Peer-to-peer networking (a.k.a. file-sharing) is entertainment's future.
If you'd like to know why, read the white paper at the link below.
http://www.scottjensenshow.com/P2PRevolution.pdf

"Scott T. Jensen" <stj@charter.net> wrote in message
news:c9qbas0bo0@enews3.newsguy.com...
>
> I'd suggest reading the recent thread titled: "New ironing service: Need
> ideas for getting new clients." You're pretty much in the same boat.
>
> Additionally, read the following which is the standard advice I give all
> wannabe entrepreneurs.

Thanks Scott! It makes me feel good that I have already done most of what
you suggested. Visiting laundromats was quite intimidating at the start.
Once I realized that people like to talk about themselves and their
accomplishments, it became easier and easier. The wealth of knowledge
obtained from people already in the biz saved me a lot of time and money.
And you are right about sharing: I was hesitant at first to share my better
ideas. Once I started, the feedback I got was phenomenal! The positive
feedback reassured me that I was thinking on the right track. The negative
feedback was equally as valuable. I am going to record my next "interview"!

As for marketing, I am targeting groups that I've been told have a need for
my services. Postcards will be the method but I am still unsure of the
design. I bet they wont expect a postcard from a laundromat! Either way,
thank God the USPS makes it easy to mail electronically.

A business plan, huh? I am on it. Better late than never. Anyone have a link
on how to make a simple business plan?

Can anyone help design my postcard? I am trying to stick to benefits of my
service, tell them to call and keep it simple (This is laundry for God's
sake - how difficult can it be?)

SIDE ONE

GOT LAUNDRY? (Obvious problem right?)

CALL 1-800-ALL-WASH
(1800-555-1212)
FOR FREE PICK UP AND DELIVERY


SIDE TWO
BLAH BLAH BLAH LAUNDRY SERVICE

WASH, DRY & FOLD SAME DAY SERVICE
QUALITY DRY CLEANING AT LOW RATES
WE USE BRAND NAME DETERGENTS, SOFTENERS, AND BLEACH
WE ONLY WASH IN 140 DEGREE WATER AND NEVER MIX CUSTOMER'S CLOTHES
ALL SERVICES ARE OFFERED AT A LOW RATE OF 75 CENTS A POUND (20OUND MINIMUM)
ASK ABOUT OUR 25% OFF SPRING COMFORTER SALE

ALSO ON SIDE TWO: THE ADDRESSES

Many thanks for all the great advice and help!
Andre

"Andre" wrote:
> "Scott T. Jensen" wrote:
> > I'd suggest reading the recent thread titled: "New
> > ironing service: Need ideas for getting new clients."
> > You're pretty much in the same boat.
> >
> > Additionally, read the following which is the
> > standard advice I give all wannabe entrepreneurs.
>
> Thanks Scott!

You're welcome.

> It makes me feel good that I have already done most
> of what you suggested.

That's great to hear. Remember, try to interview at least 20, if not
ideally 100.

> Visiting laundromats was quite intimidating at the start.
> Once I realized that people like to talk about themselves
> and their accomplishments, it became easier and easier.

I just wished introverted wannabe entrepreneurs knew this. The introverts
say my suggestion scares them ... yet once they start their businesses they
will be dealing with the public even more so. So I just tell the
introverts, "Only do this if you don't want to fail. If you don't care
about failing, you don't need to do this." That usually wakes them up.
*laugh*

> The wealth of knowledge obtained from people already
> in the biz saved me a lot of time and money.

Most definitely.

> And you are right about sharing: I was hesitant at first to
> share my better ideas. Once I started, the feedback I got
> was phenomenal!

The saddest things about wannabe entrepreneurs are their egotism and
paranoia. They think for egotistical reasons that no one has ever thought
of their business idea and that people are just anxiously waiting to steal
their idea. We get this problem in these business newsgroups a lot. The
truth is that no one really cares. Everyone has their own "brilliant"
business ideas (I myself have tons!) and/or are so busy working on their own
business ideas that it is amazing they take the time to participate in these
newsgroups. And the more posters tell of their business ideas and plans,
the better the advice they will receive from the professionals that frequent
these business newsgroups. That's been proven time and time again.

Now a word of caution. Be careful who you listen to in these business
newsgroups. Not everyone knows what they're talking about and some of the
advice given by the "less"-than-knowledgeable posters is absolutely
horrible. Read not only what they post elsewhere but how other posters
respond to their advice and who those responders are. An idiot endorsed by
another idiot is still a idiot. And since we're talking about business
decisions here in these business newsgroups and not some meaningless
theoretical debate in some Star Trek fanboy newsgroup, it is very important
you know who you're receiving advice from. In other words, buyer beware.

> The positive feedback reassured me that I was thinking
> on the right track. The negative feedback was equally as
> valuable.

The negative feedback is usually more important. These business owners are
letting you know NOT to go down a path you were thinking of going. They
will have then just SAVED you a TON of money. Possibly even your entire
business! If the wannabe entrepreneurs truly understood how much of a big
favor these nay-saying business owners just did them, they wouldn't be
getting depress that their pet idea was torpedoed but would be naming their
next child after that helpful business owner.

On the other hand, only listen to the negative feedback IF they can back it
up with facts and/or experience and NOT just opinion. I'm not saying their
opinions don't matter. They almost always do, but am merely pointing out
that change is commonly resisted for sometimes only being change. Do take
their opinion into consideration but use your own judgment on how much to
weigh that opinion against your brilliant new idea/innovation. Never give
up on an idea simply because one person ... no matter who that person is ...
has an unsubstantiated opinion that it isn't a good one.

> I am going to record my next "interview"!

Remember always ask permission if you can. They never say "no" ... or that
has been my experience and the experiences of everyone that has taken my
advice ... but it is polite and respectful to do so.

> As for marketing, I am targeting groups that I've been
> told have a need for my services. Postcards will be the
> method but I am still unsure of the design.

If one word can define postcard advertising, it is "concise". Concise and
to the point. Let that be your guiding principle.

> I bet they wont expect a postcard from a laundromat!

And that novelty will help get your postcard read.

> A business plan, huh? I am on it. Better late than never.
> Anyone have a link on how to make a simple business
> plan?

First, NEVER use a business plan software program.

Second, NEVER hire someone to write a business plan for you.

The reason for the above two NEVERs is simply that they deprive you of the
true value of the business plan. The business plan's value isn't what money
it can get from the bank. That's secondary. The PRIME value of a business
plan is that it forces you to think through all of the aspects of your
business and HOPEFULLY question each one of them. The following (taken from
"Business Plans That Win $$$" [p. 32-33] by Stanley Rich and David Gumpert
..... and then modified by me) is pretty much all you need to know before
writing up your business plan:

BASIC BUSINESS PLAN OUTLINE
Cover page
Executive Summary

The Company
Current Status
Objectives, Near-Term
Objectives, Long-Term
The Management Team
Management Objectives

Markets & Competition
The Present Market
User Benefit
Other Customer Benefits
Market, Near-Term
Market, Long-Term
Summary of the Projected Market
Competition
Projected Sales and Market Share
Specific Target Markets
Sales Strategy to Reach Objectives

The Products (or you can call this "The Services" if you're a service
business)
Theory of Operation
Applications
Product Performance Data
Product Economics & Advantages
Present Product Status
Scale-Up Requirements (if any)
Patents & Proprietary Know-How

Selling
Current Selling Method(s)
Selling Method(s), Near-Term
Selling Method(s), Long-Term
In-House Sales Support
Pre-Contract Sales Costs (if any)
Custom Engineering Sales Requirements (if any)
Product Pricing & Warranties

Manufacturing (or you can call this "Servicing Nuts & Bolts")
Facilities Needed
Make/Buy Considerations
Major Purchasing Issues (if any)
Second, Third Sourcing Needs
Manufacturing Engineering Support
Quality Control Plans
Staffing Requirements

Financial Data
Financial History
Expansion Requirements, Budgets
Financial Projections
Summary of Operations Prior to Financing
Current Stockholders, Number of Shares

Investment
Use of Proceeds
Description of the Offering

Appendices
Management Team Biographies
Transcripts of Business Owner Interviews
Bibliography
Other Important Data

Now for a few points on doing the above.

1) Your "Executive Summary" should be written LAST after you've completed
the first rough draft. The ES sums up the entire business plan and pitches
the business in only one to two pages. I always try to keep it to just one
page. The goal of the ES is to inform and excite the reader enough to want
to read the rest of the business plan. Here you lay out the key gem of your
business concept.

2) "Management Team" section is about coverage. Businesses involve a lot of
things being done correctly. Who is going to do all those things for your
business and what qualifications do they have in doing those things. Even
if the "team" is just you, you need to address how you're going to cover all
the tasks, what qualifications you possess to do so, and where you'll be
bringing in outside help (i.e., a CPA) to assist where you're weak.

3) "Market & Competition" section should ALWAYS be longer than "The
Products" section. What you sell isn't as important as how you're going to
sell it. If "The Products" is longer than "Market & Competition" that reeks
of an inventor that is too in love with her/his invention or unique spin on
a service. Bad. Very bad. Avoid at all costs. As a rule of thumb, try to
insure "Market & Competition" is at least twice as long as "The Products".
If you just "must" include a lot of information on your product(s) and/or
service(s), throw all anal details into the Appendix under the title of
"Additional Product Information".

4) The most important sub-section of "Market & Competition" is
"Competition". List all your competition. ALL! Not just ones that you'll
go head-to-head with but ones that might compete with you on only one sector
or are just outside your sales territory. Be BRUTALLY honest about how your
business will stack up against them. Do NOT lie to your reader OR yourself.
Give your competition's strengths and weaknesses and tell how your business
will do up against each. What is the likelihood they'll expand into your
territory? How have they responded to new competition in the past? How
will you respond to their responce? All this information is out there. Go
find it.

5) The second most important sub-section of "Market & Competition" is "User
Benefit". In other words, why will the customer pick your service/product
over the competition. Note that the section title isn't plural. It's
singular. What is the ONE key benefit that makes you better than the
competition? Location? Price? Quality? Variety? What? This is your key
selling point. Think about this a great deal and then think about it still
more. And after you thought about it that much, square that time and think
about it that much more. Toss all other user benefits into "Other Customer
Benefits" and present them in their ranked importance ... stating where they
ranked in importance and explaining why you rank them that way.

6) "Manufacturing" section's "Facilities Needed", "Make/Buy Considerations",
"Major Purchasing Issues", and "Second, Third Sourcing Needs" is where you
shine (or fail) as a bottomline businessperson. Here you lay out what you
physically need for your business and how you're going to get it for as
little money as possible. If you're carefree and flippant here, you'll be
at a business liquidation sale soon ... as the person being liquidated.
Here is where you show how crafty you are. Here is where you bring up
barter deals you've already lined up or will be pursuing. Here is where you
talk about what absolutely needs to be purchased new and what can be
purchased used ... then how you're going to get either (new or used) for as
little as possible.

7) Note in the "Appendices" that there's "Transcripts of Business Owner
Interviews". This is where you went in and talked to business owners that
are DOING what you want to do but do not consider you a competitor. Get the
tape recordings of these interviews transcribed by someone (preferably a
seasoned secretary) and put the transcripts into your business plan.
Abridge them to just the business discussion and don't include social
pleasantries and other meaningless (as far as your business plan is
concerned) discussions. These have always blown away business loan officers
and business consultants. More than ANYTHING else you will do for your
business, these transcripts PROVE you've done the ultimate research before
opening up shop. The business loan officers and business consultants will
thoroughly read each transcript since they'll be looking to see what those
current business owners think of your business, its chances, and your
business ideas/innovations. These transcripts are addictive reads. They
will make you shine like nothing else. Period.

8) Note in "Appendices" there's "Bibliography". This simply lists in
reference fashion all the business books you've read that pertain to the
business you're wanting to start. And there are a lot of business books out
there. Go and read them. Invest the time. Especially read business
biographies ... either written about a corporation or the founder and/or CEO
of a corporation. These are gold mines of information. Learn from history.
Don't repeat its mistakes. And when you read these books, have a notepad
nearby to write down the great ideas the book presents that you feel should
be included in your business and/or a business idea that the book inspires
you with. [Now a word of caution. It is important that you find out who
wrote the business book. If it is a business professor, it will almost
always be garbage. Business professors live in the fairyland of academia.
To business professors, "capitalism" is a concept instead of a way of life.
And business reporters are just as bad as business professors. Reporters
look from the outside in and thus are pretty much worthless. Ideally, you
want to read books written by successful business owners or seasoned
business consultants. However, some business professors and business
reporters have lately gotten a bit crafty and are now trying to present
themselves as business consultants. So when you read that the author is a
business consultant, don't take them at face value. Research and find out
if they really are a full-time business consultant. If they say they "also"
teach at a business college or work as a business reporter, they've revealed
their true nature and avoid them like the plague. Do a Google search on
their name on the net to catch the more crafty deceivers. Same goes for
anyone associated with the Small Business Administration (government
employees are beyond worthless), their Small Business Development Centers
(manned by business professors or burnt-out businesspersons), and SCORE
(which is an abbreviation for the Latin phrase: "grumpy old men waiting to
die").]

9) Do NOT write the business plan starting at the Page One and then
proceeding in orderly fashion to the appendix. Simply fire up a word
document and put the above outline on it. Then start tossing in your
business ideas into the different sections. The order of how you toss them
in is completely meaningless. Your business plan should consolidate all
your written business notes. It should also receive all the ideas that
you've never written down about your business. Put it ALL into the business
plan. Initially don't worry about grammar or flow of thought. It will be
choppy and erratic ... and that's perfect. Get EVERYTHING into the business
plan FIRST. Once it is all in, then still ignore how awful it is written.
Focus instead on what areas you have nothing in. Flesh those areas out.
Also, if an area is weak and/or spotty, flesh it out as well. After all the
areas are fully fleshed out and your mind is drained of all ideas, you can
then start working it into a readable document. Once you're happy with it,
have a friend that is a good proofreader look it over and clean up your
grammar and spelling. Now it is ready to show to other business owners and
then later to business loan officers and business consultants.

10) Last but not least, a business plan is a living document. It is never
done. Never. You should always read it from cover to cover at least once
each quarter. When you hire a manager, you should congratulate them, shake
their hand, and, with your other hand, hand them your business plan for them
to read as the first thing they do on the job. When you hire a business
consultant, do the same with them. Perfectly done, that's all you will need
to do and can then take off for the golf course. Needless to say, nothing
is perfect but the intent is to make your business plan a solid relevant
document as long as your business is alive. At least once a year, have all
your key employees read the latest version and have a meeting to discuss it.
Don't hold it as some sacred document taken verbatim from the sweet lips of
the Big Toaster in the Sky. Listen to suggestions and criticisms. Aim to
always make it better. If you can make it better, you can make your
business better thus more profitable and stable.

> Can anyone help design my postcard?

Sure. However, do realize the following is off-the-cuff advice. If you
want better advice, hire a professional marketer. ;-)

> I am trying to stick to benefits of my service, tell
> them to call and keep it simple (This is laundry for
> God's sake - how difficult can it be?)

Old joke...

Computer repairman comes in to fix a ungodly-expensive massive Cray
supercomputer. The repairman checks all read-outs and inspects the machine.
After only five minutes, he smiles. He walks over to his toolbox, takes out
a copper hammer, and carefully and lightly hits the computer on a specific
spot. The computer jumps to life and the old problem never happens again.
Everyone in the control room is amazed and ecstatic.

A week later, the company gets a bill for $10,000 from the computer
repairman. The CEO, who was there when the repairman did his work, is
flabbergasted that so much was charged for so little effort. The CEO
demands the repairman itemize his bill.

The following is the itemized bill sent back by the repairman.

Cost of hammer usage: $1
Cost of transportation (gas): $10
Knowing where and how to strike with hammer: $9,989

Morale of the story is that never assume something that looks easy and
simple is easy and simple. This is why you should only hire seasoned
marketing consultants. We've already climbed the steep learning curve and
know what we're doing.

> SIDE ONE
>
> GOT LAUNDRY? (Obvious problem right?)
[snip rest of proposed postcard]

First, let's get our terminology right. A postcard has a face side and an
address side.

On the face side is your pitch. It should be customized to who that mailing
list is targeting. It is should start off with an eye-catcher. A bold
headline and/or visual. The text underneath that delivers the concise
pitch. This can also double as the coupon if you want the target to
physically visit your business location.

On the address side in the open space to the left of the target's mailing
address, you simply have all the contact and location information for your
business done in an easy-to-read fashion. Underneath that you use a single
sentence that gets them to take the desired action.

Now knowing where and how to expertly and successfully hit with the above
"hammer" (a.k.a. postcard) is a whole order of difficulty above and beyond
the confines and presentation abilities of this newsgroup. ;-)

> Many thanks for all the great advice and help!

Again, you're welcome. Good luck with your business.

Scott Jensen
--
Got a business question, problem, or dream?
Discuss it with the professionals that hang out at...
misc.business.consulting, misc.business.marketing.moderated
misc.business.moderated, and misc.entrepreneurs.moderated

Hi,

>I will soon expand on my laundromat to include pickup and delivery. The P&D
>will be free and have same day service. A 20% discount as a "grabber" may be
>also offered.

Something that works amazingly well is a pickup/drop service that is located at
public transportation parking areas. In other words those getting on a
bus/train/boat to go into the city park and at the same time drop off or pick up
their laundry. Its very convenient.

A resource that you might find helpful that has a lot of marketing articles,
forums, ideas and other things geared toward growing small businesses -
http://www.small-business-software.net

JT