Save The Date

[Kitty]

I received this months copy of the Journal and have just finished reading the associations review written by BRIAN WALLACE and it was excellent and very interesting!!!. The article was a discussion and review about the CLA funding the new professional public relations 12-month campaign aimed at the following:

1. Increasing the percentage of renter households that bypass laundries


2. Improve public awareness


3. Enhance the image and perception of the industry


4. Promote WDF and the convince of the self serve time saving services of the industry.

Brian discussed the fact there is still a lot of business out there begging to be had ~ yet to be captured, and he discusses a few numbers. He discusses possibly convincing just 5% of homeowners would put an additional 4K into each store owners pocket per year.? Who knows? The market potential is definitely out there, between home owners, renters, what could be captured?

COINWASH members have discussed marketing concepts here on the board many times before, we have all discussed many different strategies for different owners, but of course, not on this scale for which the association has come up with. Will the marketing program of this magnitude and cost bring benefits to the association and its members? Will consumers find the benefits in industry as projected? Save the date... lets see what happens a year from now, what is the projected goal? Guys, will you project any increase in your business?

I wonder, is the PR campaign going to be full scaled all over the US or is it going to be geared to one or two metro city areas? We'll need to know this.

What I liked best about this article is that Brian and I seem to have more in common than I think he may care to ever admit... I was just discussing marketing issues and these simple concepts just last week with a poster. Very similar with the statement Brian made in the article, "Meeting this demand requires two main components: improving our facilities and promoting our services. " I hope store owners read and re-read this simple statement over and over and act on the advice. It is so very important yet so many owners do not understand or heed the advice?

I like the next statement as well, "Through the public relations program, we are telling the public that they should expect more when visiting today's self service laundries" And why shouldn't they? Exceed the customers expectations! Strive every day to do so!!!! Don't you expect so much?

Marketing is an important part of your business. Coinwash and our members are VERY interested in hearing the rest of this public relations campaign.

I understand this is a 12 month venture so everyone needs to save the date and start to track sales and see what happens!!!

Is this is a national marketing campaign or a regional advertising campaign?

Kudos' to Brian Wallace and the CLA for an excellent article and start to the campaign, I know you and the staff are EXCITED! I'd like to invite Brian, personally for any type of comment or response he'd like to give the members of COINWASH.com. ;)

Kitty

[Anonymous]

OK Kitty......I'll bite.

I think this is a good idea.....and one worth trialing. We're killing each other with our "in-store" promotions, like price discounting, free dry, giveaways, etc. All decrease the margins we get from the captive market, the ones that have to use us because they don't have the washer/dryer at home. We push the fixed-size pie around with our promotions (I get some of your customers when I run a promotion, you get some of mine when you run a promotion), but the pie never gets bigger, while at the same time our costs keep increasing.

This is a big idea, because if it works (and the jury is out), it will make the pie bigger. And I like to think that the $4k per store increase that Brian predicts will fall disproportianately to me, because of my focus on facility cleanliness, machine repair, etc. And just think, these new users that come to us for convenience (instead of necessity) will be far less price sensitive, giving a little more flexibility in our overall pricing.

PR is the only viable, cost-effective approach. If done correctly, our industry may get alot of positive exposure, at little (I say this as a CLA member) or no (for you non-members) cost. It would be great to see "us" featured in the many women's magazines as time-saving heroes.

In terms of what I'm doing to prepare, the answer is nothing more than what I do now.

I'm just hoping that now, more than ever, the CLA is wildly successful.

Well, actually, maybe I'll widen my entrance doors........

[Kitty]

Jim,

I can't agree with you more. I believe in marketing to widen the size of the market share pie. Many think the pie is what it is and the laundromat customer that comes in each week is all you are going to get.

Although many owners believe only consumers that need a laundromat utilize its services however, I disagree with that idea and agree that this concept of broadening the size of the pie is quite feasible. Changing the perceptions of consumers has been the practice of many manufacturers for decades while many manufacturers have successfully been doing this many have failed or have not gotten the return......or even failed grossly.....ie, the "new coke"

I hope Brian takes me up on my invitation and comes here to the site and takes advantage of the Coinwash.com opportunities for advertising and hopefully he personally discusses this program. The pages here would be an excellent first step advertisement in bringing the association and the PR campaign to the forefront. As a part of the industry place some advertising dollars here with us.

As CCI has found our pages to be extremely instrumental in their research. In less than a week he has compiled a tremendous amount of research with more than 60 replies from members in regards to his system this thread will continue to educate other business people interested in card systems systems as it ages through the the pages of the archives. Anyone who searches for a card system question will again bring back this thread. What a win win situation for his company and us. Not only this, he has his logo tied to his sign on name and the CCI logo is repeated time and time again with each and every post he makes. Can't be that recognition for his company. He was his own PR campaign for the week and he did an excellent job, saved his company a bunch of money too. I'd like to see the association take advantage of this website and our advertising pages in the same fashion as Steve. This is where the value lies. (Any Sponser that advertises with us is given a FREE icon with their logo and this entitles anyone within the company the chose to post and be recognized with their company header. Another added value for your advertising and promotional dollars!)

As I said, I think the associations program has potential. I'd say, the current association members will have paid the up front costs of the PR campaign and as Jim said, the jury is still out on whether it will pay off or not. I suspect there is no way to keep non members from benefiting from this but I'd bet it will be important for the association to increase the membership to really make the campaign bucks work the strongest? This may be a challenge to the association? Advertising here may help?

I would hope if the goal is to seek public awareness of the industry the association will want to get as much information and advertise right here on Coinwash.com.

I know Brian has been out of town as I received an out response from my email to him. I'd think he'd want to tell us about all of this and advertise with us as well wouldn't you?

Kitty:)

[Kitty]

I hope Brian takes me up on my invitation and comes here to the site and takes advantage of the Coinwash.com opportunities for advertising and hopefully he personally discusses this program. The pages here would be an excellent first step advertisement in bringing the association and the PR campaign to the forefront. As a part of the industry place some advertising dollars here with us.

As CCI has found our pages to be extremely instrumental in their research. In less than a week he has compiled a tremendous amount of research with more than 60 replies from members in regards to his system this thread will continue to educate other business people interested in card systems systems as it ages through the the pages of the archives. Anyone who searches for a card system question will again bring back this thread. What a win win situation for his company and us. Not only this, he has his logo tied to his sign on name and the CCI logo is repeated time and time again with each and every post he makes. Can't be that recognition for his company. He was his own PR campaign for the week and he did an excellent job, saved his company a bunch of money too. I'd like to see the association take advantage of this website and our advertising pages in the same fashion as Steve. This is where the value lies. (Any Sponser that advertises with us is given a FREE icon with their logo and this entitles anyone within the company the chose to post and be recognized with their company header. Another added value for your advertising and promotional dollars!)


Kitty:)


Well, It's been a week since I sent my personal invitation to the association inviting Brian Wallace or a member of his staff to disccuss the PR campaign with the members of Coinwash. It has also been a few days since I sent the follow up email to my first invitation.

I'm sorry guys, but I have not gotten any reply, It's unfortunate we will not have their input on the board. I hate we did not get a reply.

Kitty