New marketing approaches for dry cleaners
Like with any other type of business, dry cleaners must have a well-developed marketing strategy. Determining how you will bring customers into your establishment keep them coming back can impact your business’s success.
There are traditional methods of marketing, such as sending mail ads to neighboring residents or placing ads in local newspapers. However, there are also new, innovative ways to reach customers. By branching out and finding different methods to connect with people who may be interested in the business, you can differentiate your enterprise from its competition and grow to new heights.
Examine these marketing strategies and determine which would be best for your dry cleaning business:
Respond to bad reviews
Every company wants positive reviews on social media sites like Facebook, Twitter and Yelp, but that isn’t always a reality. Customers tend to give feedback only when they found their service unsatisfactory, and those negative reviews can have a major impact on business and customer traffic into a store. One poor review online can cost a business 30 customers, according to an infographic from Chatterbox. Readers trust other customers’ reviews, so with 24 percent of consumers stating they change their mind about a product or business after reading just two negative reviews on Yelp. A store cannot afford to lose a large amount of business just because two customers had a poor experience.
To combat the hit a poor review can have, take an active approach. Respond to complaints in private, offering apologies and explanations for why the service was not what people were hoping for. Customers appreciate this gesture and may return to the store if they believe you have the ability to fix the mistakes you made previously.
When people know a business hears complaints works to fix the issues at hand, they are likely to not only return to that store, but also recommend others to do the same. Negative reviews sprinkled in with mostly positive feedback can actually help a business market itself, Chatterbox explained. The criticism helps the strong reviews stand out more and makes your business’s Yelp page appear more trustworthy as a whole.
Take advantage of cross-promotion
If generating traffic is a primary issue, collaborating with another business is a smart marketing strategy, the Houston Chronicle suggested. This may be a simple sharing of wall space, letting a nearby clothing store place an ad of theirs in your dry cleaners as you do the same in its shop. Or it could be by offering a promotion of some sort, such as teaming with a local restaurant to give customers a discount for your cleaning services if they bring in a receipt from their meal.
Working with another company allows dry cleaners to expand their brands. Customers who frequent the other business will learn about your store. And if those shoppers are already regulars at the company you team with, you can gain instant credibility with those customers.
Focus on service
Sometimes, the best marketing comes from word of mouth, which means letting established customers encourage new people into the store. When your dry cleaner is the best there is, people will rave about it. Investing in quality instead of marketing can actually result in more customers.
By spending money on new machinery or increased staff, your enterprise can offer premier performance and quicker service than the competition. Encourage your customers to inform others about the business and even consider offering discounts in exchange for recommendations. People are willing to go out of their way to find a business they trust, and by offering the best service possible, your dry cleaning business can attract more customers.
