I had several conversations with laundromat owners at the Laundry CEO Forum who were looking to offer commercial services.
That’s a step I took years ago, so I want to share one of my top tips for finding clients:
Send personalized letters
That’s right, even in 2024, personalized letters are still an effective way to reach potential clients.
Here’s how to do it:
1 - Identify the business you want to target
Look for businesses that are under-served and spend a good amount of time doing laundry. For us, businesses in our neighborhood fit that criteria and only required a short trip for our driver.
2 - Identify the contact person
This will typically be the owner or manager for small, local businesses. For larger businesses, check their websites for the person who handles day-to-day operations. Tip: The About section of some websites will point you in the right direction.
3 - Add info to a database
Compile the business names, websites, contact information (full names!), and addresses. Add the info to a spreadsheet, CRM, Word doc, etc., for easy reference. Tip: document all your interactions with each business and the people there.
4 - Prepare and print your letters
Introduce yourself and your business. You can increase the response rates by up to 135% by personalizing it with the target person’s name. These are the letters we use. All you have to do is edit them to fit your business.
Fact that their names are printed on mail increases response rates by 135%
5 - Hand-sign your letter
This makes the letter feel more personal by letting the potential client know it isn’t a mass-printed letter that everyone receives. I know this can be time-consuming, but adds a nice touch. Also, if done in small batches, it doesn’t take that long.
6 - Address the envelope
We noticed that hand-written envelopes have a better response rate than printed ones. Handwriting each address is more realistic if you’re mailing small batches. If you don’t have time to do it by hand, try these alternatives:
7 - Use a stamp, not a postage printing machine!
Remember, this process is about building a personal connection with the potential client.
Stamps = personal touch
Printed postage = mass junk mail
8 - Send the letters
Drop the letters off at your local post office. Keep track of when and what you mailed to each business so you don’t send the same mailer twice. Tip: add this info to your database for tracking leads, point #3
That’s it!
Use the template and start sending letters. It takes time upfront, but you’ll be glad you did it.
That's all I got for today.
Waleed
🏴☠️ ✌️
P.S. For more thoughts on the laundry business, follow along on Linkedin.
Thinking about, the thinking of laundry
From the words of global speaker and author, Aaron Ross
Outbound prospecting is all about quality, not quantity.
