Back                     

The Mobile Dry Cleaner Quarterly Newsletter
December 2009

           In This Issue: 

Consider This
Comments from MDCSP members

Is This The Time To Start Your Own Business?

Believe it or not, now is a very good time to start your own business.  Starting a business in good economic times is trying enough but when you throw in a rising jobless rate, sagging consumer confidence, bankruptcies and a tight credit market; the odds seem insurmountable. Yet there are advantages to starting a small business during recessionary times.

Consider:

• The competition is weakening.  Sales have declined yet expenses have gone up.  Many of your competitors are likely facing tough times, being forced to reduce services, or even closing their businesses through retirement or bankruptcy. A new business on the other hand, can budget its expenses to meet current sales and maintain profitable ratios.

• Customers are more open to other possibilities. When times are good, customers are likely to stick with the suppliers they're used to — even if they're a more expensive alternative. Now, however, customers are looking around for cheaper alternatives to get the products and services they need.

• Services are cut. As competitors reduce services to customers, and as customers look around for cheaper alternatives, it means they're less likely to be loyal even to longtime suppliers.

• You can offer more services at lesser expense.  Established businesses contracted for services and leases in a sellers market.  Today the tide has turned.  We are now in a buyers market. Real Estate purchase prices and leases have dropped considerably, inventory and supplier costs are negotiable and many good deals can be had. As a single, beginning entrepreneur with few to no employees you are not faced with high unemployment taxes, payroll taxes, medical insurance, workers compensation and other personnel expenses. Many new businesses can be operated from home and avoid commercial housing costs. Older established businesses find it difficult to compete with these conditions.

• Closed businesses leave a void that can be filled by a smaller business. When a business closes it leaves behind customers who have to find a new source for the services they seek.  Most established businesses will leave behind enough customers to easily support your new business.

Here's what happens in bad times — disruption. Disruption means things change. And things often change quickly and dramatically. When things change, there are opportunities. In a world of good times, customers are happy, with the attitude that "if it ain't broke, why fix it?" But suddenly, things are broke — and they need fixing. You can be the fixer.

How do these trying times effect you

You may still be employed but are in need of additional income or even worse, you may have lost your job and are in dire need of money

It takes some creativity to build any successful business, and creativity is entirely free. Talk to friends and people in the business community that you trust to get some ideas for getting your product in the marketplace.

Success Comments

MDCSP membership has grown to over 350 members worldwide. Through the use of the Cleaning Room, The MDCSP discussion forum, we have received many favorable comments form our members.  The following comments are unedited except for personal information and demonstrate what can be accomplished with a Mobile Dry Cleaning Business.

• My route is growing and it looks as if I need another driver within the next 3 to 6 months. How should I compensate a driver?

 

• If anyone is interested, I am putting my route and van up for sale. I am in .... I built it up well and I am doing well, but I have developed arthritis in my fingers and it is really getting hard to continue.

 

• I started my business 2 months ago. The only things I have printed up are my price list and coupons - both of which I did on my computer. I use the coupons as flyers to put on mailboxes. Not sure what you mean by a registration form. What I do for each of my customers is fill out an index card with all of their information on it: name, address, phone number, preferences for their cleaning - ie, starch or no starch that way I can keep the card with me in my van so I have all of their information with me. Then I have all of my customers in my Quickbooks program. I also joined a local business networking group - which has chapters all over the country - and have gotten a lot of business from this as well. Hope this helps! Good Luck!

 

• My wife and I started about 5 weeks ago and are growing very nice. The start up costs are small and I have been putting home made flyers on mailbox flags. We joined the chamber of Commerece in our area and another networking group. All have worked and we are getting about 5-8 people a week.

 

• thanks for your help gary I also joined the bni it is working very wellI start putting the flyer and it is working good also I did not join the chamber yet , I want to the networking event , but the people were not very responsive. have you got any business from the chamber ? I want to do the newspaper also , how it is doing for you?

 

• I have been going for about 7 months. Doing about $6600 per month with 5000 coming from homes and 1600 from officesJust purchased a new van to replace a minivan I was using

 

• I started in mid- february.around four months agao. I have 55 customers. some a regular some are not .I am doing a $6000 volume , so $3000 benefit. what about the other,. let motivate each others

 

• the mobile dry cleaning book is really good to start up and even to find your cleaner.there are cleaners everywhere. you have to find your nitch of customers who will find a benefit in your service. usually , there are two income households , business men and women.

  good luck

Our goal is to help you gain success, your goal has to be to want to achieve success