CHICAGO — There is no set of rules when it comes to marketing for a drycleaning business. Word of mouth is often a driver of new and existing customers. Emerging technologies continue to innovate business across every industry, and the drycleaning realm is no different.
These days, business owners must focus and market to their existing customers. Brands are reconsolidating after the pandemic. However, the ones that connect with their existing customers will find the most success. You likely have already done the work of gaining their business, but they’ve also stuck around because they enjoy particular aspects of your company. It’s time to reward that loyalty by focusing your marketing on their needs.
Here is the first of two basic strategies to ensure your drycleaning business has the greatest impact on your existing customers.
Research and Focus on Your Current Customers
It can cost up to five times more to get a new customer than to keep an existing one. Your existing customers, though, are the business’ built-in marketers. Organic marketing can be a powerful tool for a small business, and this is especially true for drycleaning businesses, which often rely on positive word of mouth to bring in new customers. Thus, focusing on your existing customers is all but necessary for continued growth.
First, ensure you are connecting with your customers. Track all their relevant data. This can include their usual orders and when they were last in the store. Use this information to offer products and services they might need. For example, if it has been a month since their usual order, send them a friendly and personalized reminder text. Customers appreciate personalized outreach, particularly from a specialized store that they chose to patronize.
No matter the industry, any business in 2022 must be engaged on social media. They’re missing out on sales if they aren’t connecting with customers via social media channels.
A strong social media presence allows you to see what your customers are talking about. Additionally, it creates unique marketing avenues through direct communication. Therefore, make a point to interact with individual customers. By doing so, businesses can hone and enhance their target customer base. For instance, if you see the majority of your customers sharing a link for rug cleaning, it might be time to start offering rug cleanings.
Don’t forget to use different social media channels simultaneously. For example:
- Facebook is excellent for an across-the-board audience, with great advertisement potential.
- Instagram is a perfect place to display impressive pictures of quality work.
- YouTube is awesome for behind-the-scenes and informative videos about your company.
Social media allows a business to connect to customers on a personal level. Creating this relationship fosters loyalty and brand excitement. From this, a business owner can dive deeper into the specifics of the customers’ needs. Often, the customers will reach out directly with questions, comments, or even suggestions. Take their words to heart, and you’ll be able to fine-tailor your company to your customers.
For example, if your drycleaning business offers to ship items, you’ll need to research the carriers. Focus your shipping on your customers and their needs. Look into which carrier delivers the fastest results. Did you know that FedEx has many rush shipping options? Plus, they can even deliver on Saturdays.
Enacting changes based on customers’ wishes will strengthen the relationships — and that will generate continuous business.
Come back Tuesday for the conclusion of this feature, where we’ll examine the second strategy of marketing to existing customers: keeping up with changes.
Have a question or comment? E-mail our editor Dave Davis at [email protected].