National Clothesline

n business: giants are not born, they’re created. Since its inception in 1980, the Golomb Group has focused on the most effective ways to market the many services offered by drycleaners. These include demographic analysis, new customer prospecting and customer retention programs.

While no one can deny the value of using sound tactical methods to obtain specific marketing objectives, at some point every business must re-access its market position and determine whether the tactics used in the past are the same ones that should be used in the future.

Why is this necessary? Markets change. Demographics change. Customers’ preferences change. And their perception of your business in relation to their needs changes.

These are often due to many outside influences over which you have little control. You cannot control the fact that people age and, as they age, their drycleaning needs and preferences change.

You know from your own observations, and from statistical surveys, that people between the ages of 35 and 55 years have the greatest need for drycleaning. As they grow older and retire, their drycleaning needs diminish. They may or may not move out of your service area.

Similarly, homes age and as they become older, they often become less desirable to the white-collar workers that are most likely to use your services.

Changing styles

Customer preferences also change. Hopefully, we are coming out of the era when a large segment of the population prefers to dress casually and their employers permit it.

The casual look has gone from “No coat and tie” to “I don’t care how I’m dressed.” The idea of being a survivor became so popular that people actually began dressing like refugees.

Stores like Banana Republic have made millions selling the “I just crawled out of the jungle” look.

Spending habits are influenced by television, newspapers, world events, government policies, business practices, the economy and many other events, which are beyond our control.

While all of these changes are taking place, the customer’s perception of your business, has and is still, changing. As the people living around your stores change, their perception of your business and how it can or cannot serve their needs also changes. This is the one aspect of change over which you have control.

You can control how customers perceive you. Tactical methods alone will not give you that control.

Unfortunately, many cleaners believe that a single newspaper ad, flyer distribution or direct mailer is all they need to bring a flood of customers into their stores. “After all, if I offer 50 percent off or $10 free drycleaning, won’t people consider that an irresistible offer?”

The obvious answer is, No!

If customers have never heard of you, if they have no perception of the kind of work you represent, they’re not going to come rushing into your store.

These tactics can only be effective when used as part of a long-term strategy, which begins with brand identification. Building a brand takes time, money and a commitment.

Branding

Consider the brands you like to buy: Coke, General Motors, Kleenex, Hart, Schaffner & Marx, etc. These are the giants in their respective industries. Business giants are not born. They’re created.

You’re likely to buy these brands because you perceive their products to be of high quality. And where does that perception come from? Was it because they offered you “50 percent off” or “$10 free?”

These may have been the triggers that got you to make your initial purchase or even buy a larger quantity, if you were already a regular purchaser. But those kinds of marketing tactics are not why you want these specific products.

You want them because:

• They offer a consistent quality that you can depend on.

• They constantly remind you to buy their products through a strategic marketing program.

The Golomb Group + Direct Hit Marketing. The Golomb Group has merged with Direct Hit Marketing, a Chicago ad agency with extensive experience in helping businesses build and implement their branding strategies. Never before have we been able to offer our members such a comprehensive program for focusing in on, and conveying, their unique identities.

No other company shares the qualifications the Golomb Group has to help you become the industry giant in your area. Our in-depth knowledge and understanding of the drycleaning service industry, combined with our increased marketing abilities can guide you through the process of becoming the top-of-mind brand name in the markets you serve.

For large operators, we will come to your location and work with you to determine the best strategy to accomplish your goals.

For members with sales of less than one million, we will stay in constant contact by e-mail, fax and phone, to walk you through a joint process, where you do some of the work and we fulfill the rest.

The call is yours to make. If you feel your business is capable of capturing a significantly greater share of the market, and would like experienced professionals to help you get there, call me to discuss how to get started.