CAVE CREEK, Ariz. — Dry cleaners have more tools available to them than ever to connect with clients, but that can present its own problems. With so many options, many cleaners are hesitant when it comes to making selections to create their digital marketing campaigns. With a little research, however, the right options for a cleaner’s individual case will appear.
This was the message of digital marketing expert Ron Cates in a recent webinar, “Digital Marketing Strategies to Boost Your Business Growth,” hosted by the Service Corps of Retired Executives (SCORE). Cates is the president of the SCORE Foundation and the former director of digital marketing education at the email marketing service Constant Contact.
In Part 1 of this series, we explored some fundamentals of email marketing, and in Part 2, we focused on building an email list, creating compelling content and integrating email with social media.
Let’s conclude by exploring specific social-media platforms, effective posting practices and practical tips for drycleaning businesses looking to integrate these tools into their marketing approach.
Engagement vs. Time
Coming up with content for digital marketing is a friction point for many cleaners. For business owners concerned about time constraints, Cates suggests incorporating social media naturally throughout the day.
“I got a new product in. I'm super excited about it. I take a picture of it. I talk about it,” he says. “Or, our customer had something delightful to say. I record that and I post it.”
Time-saving tools like Hootsuite and Buffer allow users to schedule social media posts in advance.
“If you only have an hour a week to do social media and it's on Saturday morning,” he says, “you could take an hour and schedule these posts to go out later in the week.”
Even simple, quick posts can generate significant engagement. Cates shared an example from a fruit stand that posted, “It’s 3 a.m. Do you know where your fruit is?” which garnered 48 likes and 121 comments within days. For dry cleaners, similarly lighthearted content might feature seasonal garments or before-and-after cleaning comparisons.
The value of social media extends beyond mere engagement. By reviewing comments, businesses can gain valuable customer insights without expensive surveys.
“The real magic is not just in the engagement, but in reviewing the comments and getting advice from your customers,” Cates says.
Pick Your Platform
When selecting social platforms, Cates offers practical guidance tailored to different business types. For dry cleaners, Facebook remains essential due to its vast reach and ability to post text, links, photos and videos, as well as its ability to target specific audiences.
“Facebook is the biggest (social media platform) on Earth,” he says. “So, you have to be there, just like you have to have a website. Facebook probably has the biggest database of humans in human history. So, if I want to target people in this income level in my ZIP code who’ve shown an interest in what I do, I can do that. I can send it just to them.”
Cates recommends posting once or twice daily (around 10 times weekly) to maximize engagement without overwhelming followers.
X, the platform formerly known as Twitter, offers opportunities for quick, real-time updates and conversations.
Cates believes that X’s optimal posting frequency is five times daily. For dry cleaners, topics might include service reminders, weather-related cleaning tips or quick promotions.
“You have to be cautious about being overly promotional,” he says, “because people aren’t going to follow you if it’s all about my stuff.”
Instagram’s photo- and video-sharing capabilities make it ideal for showcasing dramatic cleaning results, behind-the-scenes glimpses or customer testimonials, Cates says. He suggests posting once daily to maintain engagement.
LinkedIn, he advises, merits consideration for dry cleaners serving professional clients or pursuing commercial accounts. Its targeting capabilities make it particularly valuable for B2B marketing efforts.
Be Authentic
When creating content, authenticity matters more than flawlessness.
“Social media and perfectionism do not go together,” Cates says. “It's about being real, authentic and transparent.”
For dry cleaners, this might mean explaining specialty cleaning processes, sharing fabric care knowledge, or demonstrating stain-removal techniques.
“I find a lot of businesses are very timid sharing what they consider to be intellectual property,” Cates says. “They say, ‘I don’t want anybody else to know all these steps I go through.’”
He encourages owners to be transparent. Rather than viewing this as giving away trade secrets, consider it demonstrating expertise that builds customer confidence.
“I will tell them everything,” he says. “I believe in being transparent and real, even when it comes to personal stuff. I want them to know I’m a human.”
Be Yourself
As digital marketing continues to evolve, the fundamental principles remain: build relationships, provide value, engage authentically, and make it easy for satisfied customers to spread the word.
“People want to connect with a real living, breathing person, but now we do it on social media,” Cates says. “We do it through email. So, it’s important that your social posts and your emails are in your voice, and you need to decide what that voice is.”
For Part 1 of this series, click HERE. For Part 2, click HERE.
Have a question or comment? E-mail our editor Dave Davis at [email protected].
