OSHKOSH, Wis. — Marketing means money out of pocket, but it’s essential to the revenue growth of your business.
So, when making a marketing investment, be sure you get your greatest possible marketing exposure and return on investment.
Check out the following tips to make the most bang.
PARTNER WITH A COMMERCIAL LAUNDRY MARKETING FIRM
If you elicit the help of an agency, be sure they know the commercial laundry industry. At the end of the day, your marketing dollars will be effectively utilized with an agency that understands the industry and your market. You’ll save time and money not having to educate them on the industry and tap into a more effective use of your money.
Marketing agencies that specialize in the laundry industry can more efficiently provide market-specific equipment photos, graphics, images, artwork and content. They have on-staff creative directors, developers, writers and designers who truly understand your business, and as a result, provide marketing options that get results.
CROSS MARKET ON MULTIPLE PLATFORMS
If you create a marketing piece, use it everywhere possible. If you distribute a press release to the media, be sure it’s also posted to your website’s news page and shared on social media. If you have a photo shoot, use the photos on your website, ads, direct mail and brochures.
Repurpose website content. Perhaps you can use a portion of content detailing your energy-efficient equipment for a mailer or social media blurb. Always consider how any bit of marketing can be repurposed. If you do, you’ll get more bang for your marketing buck.
ONE VIDEO, PHOTO SHOOT FOR ALL YOUR MARKETING NEEDS
Set up a day-long or half-day shoot with a professional videographer and/or photographer. Be prepared to capture any images and videos needed for use on all marketing platforms, including your website, direct mail, advertisements, social media, public relations, etc.
By capturing these in one sitting, you’ll save considerably in terms of time and money down the road. Here’s a list of shots to consider:
- Owner/management/employee head shots.
- Exterior plant images and video.
- Interior plant images and video.
- Customers interacting with staff.
- Staff using equipment.
- Closeups of high-tech equipment.
- End result images of neatly ironed and folded sheets, garments, towels, etc.
- Signage and delivery vehicles.
DIGITAL MARKETING
Create a database of customers from which you execute frequent digital marketing. Hubspot, for example, is an online software application that allows licensees to develop databases, send e-mails, build and edit websites, manage social media, drive traffic to key website landing pages, and more.
There are varying monthly licensing fees, depending on the user level selected, but even the most inexpensive offering provides valuable capabilities. It makes it easy to track the effectiveness of your digital marketing campaigns thanks to provided analytics and reporting.
SOCIAL MEDIA
It’s free and effective. Whether you utilize Instagram, Facebook, YouTube or Twitter—or all of them—social media is a great way to connect with your customers. Post messages, photos, videos, news and specials on a daily basis for best results.
PROFESSIONAL CONTENT WRITING
Once you invest in any professional content writing, reuse that content on other marketing platforms. For instance, if you hire a professional writer to put together the content for your website, you likely will be able to reuse portions of that content in social media, direct mail, brochures, etc.
By hiring a professional, you will save time and feel good knowing that your messages are grammatically correct, speak directly to your target market, and in the case of website content, are written to maximize search engine optimization (SEO).
PUBLIC RELATIONS
Any time you’ve got real news to share, produce a press release and distribute it to media outlets within your geographic area. It might cost between $100 and $300 per release for writing fees, but local newspapers and trade journals publish releases at no charge.
Published press releases bring credibility and virtually free advertising to your commercial laundry. Consider a press release to announce:
- Laundry grand opening.
- New hires (but only for higher-level staff, like laundry managers).
- Significant philanthropic donations and activities.
- Major renovations and equipment upgrades.
- New service offerings.
DELIVERY VAN WRAPS
Use your pickup and delivery vehicles as moving advertisements. Invest in professionally designed wraps to envelop them. As delivery vehicles move along their routes, they’ll market your laundry’s services to other businesses and passersby.
A vehicle wrap allows you to spread your laundry’s message well beyond home base, and into areas thick with the customers to which you cater.