As year 2012 approaches many Nigerians will definitely review their business activities for 2011. For those who are not satisfied with the return on investment of their current business they will want to veer off into more lucrative businesses.

One of the rules to starting a successful business is identifying challenges and everyday problems encountered by the people, or communities around you.

Recommended: A Complete Guide to Setting a Profitable Dry Cleaning and Laundry Business

If you need to start a business that you can grow to become successful and profitable the Laundry and Dry Cleaning business can be a good option. However before you consider starting a dry cleaning business you have to put into serious considerations the following factors;

a) Location: Your area of coverage matters a lot. If you start a dry cleaning business in a poor neighbourhood where 90% of the population prefer to do their laundry themselves due to lack of funds you may be climbing a steep hill and success will be far tougher to achieve. You will have a better chance at success if you identify an area, neighbourhood or even a residential estate where the standard of living is average and above average. You can then be sure that if you do the right things you will achieve relative success.

b) Level of Competition: Dry cleaning and Laundry services may be lucrative but not when you are entering into a ground already occupied by several laundry services. You will have to do extra creative and ingenious work to turn your business into a success. So before you launch into any town or area do your business diligence and find out the level of competition if any.

c) Finance: The amount of capital at your disposal will determine things like if you start with two staff or only yourself, if you introduce mechanised laundry or make do with the manual process of laundry. Depending on the area you are and the level of competition available these things may matter.

These are some of the factors to consider. Now how exactly do you go about ensuring that you start and run a successful laundry business.

In writing thsi article we assume you have either registered your company/business or you should know the Steps involved in incorporating or registering your business. So we go straight into the framework of what you need to do to start a succesful laundry and dry cleaning business.

1. Define Your Scope: The laundry and dry cleaning business covers many aspects. There are cloth washing, rug and carpet cleaning, industrial cleaning and fumigation, office and home cleaning etc. You will have to determine what you start on and what your scope should cover. Later when you grow more successful you can always add extra services. What you decide to start with will be determined by the capital at your disposal and the ease of implementation. of course you know that starting an industrial cleaning service will involve more costs as equipment and chemicals will be needed.

2. Analyse Your Target Market: Determine the level of target audience you will be reaching out to. What can they afford. Will they have the time to bring clothes to you or will you have to implement a pick and delivery system? Get your priorities right so you know how to start.

3. Start Small and Grow Quick: One of the many mistakes made by intending business owners is that they wait to get all things in place before starting. After analysing your target
market start. Your aim should be to start and learn the lessons quickly and improve forward. If the area you cover is big hire a couple of sales guys to go round, inform potential customers of your service, pick up laundry items etc.

4. How To Get Enough Clients/Customers: Getting customers and then satisfying and surpassing their expectations is key to succeeding in this business. There is one sure way to get a handful of first time customers if you are starting out new. Get as many people as possible to send in a specific number of laundry each (maybe maximum of five per person) FREE. Work as hard as you can and deliver to them. You will have automically made them customers.

5. Retain Your Customers: In the 21st century business has gone more proactive. Get a computer if you have none and use any simple data managment program such as Microsoft Access to build and maintain contact list of your customers. Include each customers’ birthday if possible (You can get this by using a customer form to politely get useful data from every new customer such as Name, address, age, phone and email etc). Make the form simple and explain that you need the information to serve them better and inform
them of new offers or special promos.

6. Take Care of Bits and Ends: In addition to all we have stated there are always hundreds of other tiny bits of things you need to be care of. Some may come up when you begin to grow while some are challenges that may occur on daily basis.

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If you aren’t going to use mechanised laundry you will need space for drying laundry. That is an example of other challenges you will face.

When you grow a bit you may need to have a fool proof way of labelling customer laundry so there will be no mixups.

If you start home pick up and delivery You will need to come up with a stress free and as well risk free payment system. Do your agents or delivery guys collect the payments on your behalf? How do you deal with difficult customers?

These are all tidbits of challenges you may face but the good thing is that they can all be solved with a bit of creativity.

Download our Complete Guide to Setting a Profitable Dry Cleaning and Laundry Business

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50 Comments

  1. Nice piece. I love this piece @writer. But how much monthly can this yield you?

    • NairaBrains Reply

      Thanks for the compliment. The revenue potential is not fixed and can vary depending on the area or location of your dry cleaning business

    • Wow…this write up really motivated me into action. Thanks for this huge help.

  2. This is a well articulated piece of work. You are so magnanimous to publish it free of charge. Unlike numerous posters who have nothing to offer, yet they post their phone numbers, e-mail addresses, Account numbers and so on, for personal contacts and payments to their account numbers. May God uplift you the more. …..Peter.

  3. Joseph Amadasun Reply

    Nice article and very educating. Am actually thinking of starting my own laundry/drycleaning business this year and am putting things in place for the start up.

  4. This is a lovely write-up, which i need to add some of ur idea to my existing business. i pray that God will continue in His mercy to bless you the more. i dont mind to know u if u’re in lagos here is my number 08094659120, 08022991234. Thanks.

  5. Fehintola Abisola Reply

    I am so impressed with ds articl cos it’s gone a long way 2 answa a whole lot f questns.i just startd my drycleanin n laundry servcs. Cud i add u on facebuk?

  6. thank God for you, you’v just given me all i need to expand my business. i’v been into house cleaning and i want to expand to lundry but don’t kowh how. thanks for your write up it has given me what i need. its grate. keep up the good work

  7. Hi thanks a lot for the information. Presently, am about to open a drycleaning business n I intend investing a lot on it but the area am about to use has one major competitor. The competitor charges very low price and those prices is almost pushing them out of the bussiness but they are still hanging in there. My question is how do I get customers to come to me if my prices aren’t the same or lower than theirs.

    • Halima, you should take time to check out this competitor and find out what they are not getting right, think of something you can add to your service to make it attractive. Does the competitor do home delivery/collection? Is there something you can offer, and extra incentive?

  8. this is the best article i have ever read on this business and not to talk of you giving it out free! May god reward you. Pls i need the names of gud laundry chemicals i need to start both powder and liqiud and where i can get them in nigeria. Thanks

  9. Thanks alot for this inside, i’m at the concluding stage of starting my own laundary outfit, i thought of pick & deleivery in my service bouquet and seeing it here, echoes it’s a superp idea.
    Pls can you help me with names of good laundary chemicals?

  10. Nice tips. Am About setting up a laundry business with unique and effective services…. in

  11. Nice tips for intending beginners like myself.pls can u send the neccessary info I need to start to my mil?thanks a lot

  12. BEWAJI P.S.B. Reply

    Hmm..u ar d sample of men we need for d transformation of Africa.
    i pray God multiply u grately for dis generation & d 1s to com.
    i actualy startd drycleanin in Jan dis year wit zero naira &only 1client bt 2day(july)..stil nid urhelp pls08056422040

  13. This writeup has really enlightened me so much and i must confess u are doing a great job.i pray that God will countinue to enrich u with wisdom. Pls i some questions i would like to ask u and i will appreciate if i can get ur mail adds. Thanks

  14. i like dis tip,bu how much can be used to start a small scale laundry of about 6 machines and 10 ironing stands…just a small scale indoor.

  15. emmanuel femi Reply

    thank soo much for dis aticle. God bless u richly. pls can i add u on facebook. pls send ur username to dis number 08035781730.plssss. i av soo many other guestion to ask u. thanks

    • Let’s connect on Twitter instead. My twitter handle is @paulemekaeze. Regards

  16. Hello sir, this is wonderful writeup,it is eye opener. I must confess u are doing a great job. May God pay u in million fold and enrich u with wisdom and bless ur business. Pls i will like to ask u some questions. 1. Must i gain experience befor starting dry cleaning and laundry business . If so how do go about it. 2. How much does it cost to start small .3. What are the things it required to get started and how do i get good equipment and chemical,detergent powder and toxic. 4. Can it be possible for some one do pick up and deliver without have a car. If it is possible then how ? My numbers are 08037826121 .thanks for ur kindness.hoping to hear form u.

  17. Thanks for this writ-ups, as many have rightly said, i concur it’s a good one and may God bless u for it. I would really appreciate having your personal contact; email, phone number, bb pin etc as i’m at the verge of quiting my job for this laundry business which i got inspiration of during my nysc days. I will appreciate having your contanct. Thanks

  18. Gr8 write up! Many thanks. Yet many unanswered questions. Kindly give us more info to get us started. I really need to know how much it cost to start small. Thank

  19. Bravo dis is gud and i must say dat dis are the materials we need in dis country my brother continue on dis same velocity and God will reward.i will also us dis medium to urge other who are praising u nw 2come up wit their own ideas and 2geda we will hv a beta Naigeria God bless u all.

  20. I love this, its wonderful.But i don’t have twiter account. How do get u?Hope 2 here from u, my contact is 08165692124.

  21. Awotunde Bolatito (Mrs) Reply

    I really appreciate dis $ I must say dat u’ve done wongerfully well. Kudos. I will start small by God’s grace $ continue to move on big. Thanks

  22. your article are great and well appreciated, but few things yet to know in running of laundry and dry cleaning service. (1) what strategies should one adopt to increase its market share to at least 25%? (2) How would one tackle the issue of customer viewing the means of canvassing activities as begging? (3) what promotional strategies would one take to excel in its competitive environment?

    • Thanks for dropping by.
      One.
      a) Branding (ie.The name of your laundry on a polytene which you used for delivery).
      b) If you have trusted workers they could use you car to deliver to some clients not living very close.
      c) Quality service is very important.

      Two. (No idea)

      Three.
      a) A customised T. shirts, may be as give away to regular customers should count.
      b) Just like in the number 1(b) above, you should be able deliver these cloths to the owners if you have any means.
      c) You may decide to go with promos which could be easily seen in the flyers.

  23. May God bless u pls kindly tell which is better to use the automatic washing machine or manual washing machine a d pls what are the chemicals needed a d where can i get them pls
    Also can u give your office address so i can come for tranning

  24. Every business is a little tricky and hard at its beginning but when you learn everyday everything become easier and easier. Thanks a lot for the inspiring article! Beckenham Carpet Cleaners Ltd.

  25. EHIBE FRANCIS Reply

    THANKS SO MUCH AM VERY HAPPY I SAW THIS BEFORE THE STARTING OF MY OWN DRY CLEANING SERVICES

  26. You are a wise masters’ builder. A man made to man men. Good job! My knowledge +1 when I went through your write up. In fact, I am now a successful drycleaner even when the business plan is still on by His grace through you. How do I wash and iron a suit professionally.Which chemicals do I need to remove staying? Is the local starch the best? Do need to spray pefume on the cloths to attract more clients? Pls speak to these.. Kindly call me : 07038897947. I shall bear the call charges.

    • We are glad we could be of help. We have an excellent upcoming book to teach you more about successful drycleaning business.

  27. Thanks for this information. Please I need more knowledge on how to start a laundry business & house cleaning. What detergents or chemicals do I use for different fabrics?

    • Watch this space! In less than 1 week from now we will launch a very extensive report on starting and setting up a laundry and cleaning business.

  28. Uziblessed Reply

    Thanks a million for this article. May God bless you real good. Am about starting my dry cleaning outfit and info I ve gotten from you is a booster. Kudos!

  29. onwumere chigozie samuel Reply

    Please I need a detailed coachin on how to start up my laundry business,please email me @onwumeresamuel690.yahoo.com my contact 08160843136 wil appreciate your quick response! Thanks

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