National Clothesline

Nearly 20 years ago, two young men entered their family drycleaning and laundry businesses. They didn’t know each other at the time, but they had similar backgrounds.

They had each “grown up” in the cleaning business. That is, their parents were owner-operators for as long as they could remember. They were also similar in that each had decided early on that they were not going to be slaves to their businesses, as they felt their parents were.

That’s where their similarities ended.

Over the years Bill had concentrated on producing a high quality product: the best stain removal, the most modern machines, and the finest finishing. It seemed he had done everything right, but his business had barely grown from the time he took over the reins from his father. In fact, it was often a struggle to maintain the same volume, considering an increasing number of low-priced competitors and the public’s growing preference towards casual wear.

The quality of work that Tom’s cleaners produced was also high quality, but growing his business hadn’t been such a problem. Tom had expanded, from the one location his parents built, to seven stores and 13 routes. His sales were now more than 10x what they were when he took over twenty years ago.

What made the difference?

Have you ever wondered, what makes this kind of difference in people’s lives? It wasn’t that Tom had more intelligence or talent or dedication. It wasn’t that Tom wanted success and Bill did not. The difference was in what Tom knew and how he made use of that knowledge.

You see, Tom had a friend, in a different line of work, who had suggested that he look into the idea of branding his business.

And, indeed, it was through the use of branding that Tom was able to build an ever-growing army of customers.

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: a) because they offer a consistent quality that you can depend on, and b) because they constantly remind you to buy their products through a strategic marketing program.

You can control how customers perceive your services.

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. Tactical methods alone will not give you that control. “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!

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

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.

The above tactics can only be effective when used as part of a long-term strategy, which begins with brand identification. Building a brand takes time and a commitment to make it work.

The Golomb Group has organized a conference to teach drycleaners the true meaning of branding. It’s not about fancy logos and catchy ads. It’s about branding your business through personalized customer service. The kind that’s rarely seen, but widely sought.

We have been fortunate to contract with three American Marketing Association instructors: Ron Strauss, Eric Hutchinson, and Dana Vanden Heuvel. These experts normally teach marketers about branding and how to do branding for business. But they have agreed to work with the Golomb Group for the entire weekend, letting participants ask questions and pick their brains to the fullest advantage. They will teach anything you ever wanted to know about branding and what it can do for your business — without having to spend big money.

Dan Martino, chairman of the IFI board, will reveal the secrets that he and his wife, Phyllis, used to build their brand and dominate their market for over 30 years.

Jason Loeb has been in the drycleaning business for less than 10 years, yet he has established his business, Sudsies.com, as the largest pick-up and delivery service in the Miami area.

George Vaselakos, a former nuclear physicist, brings an entirely different perspective to customer service and what it means to brand your business from within.

Tiffanie Williams will give you the low-down on public relations and how to keep your company in the spotlight. Trudy Adams of Cleaner’s Supply will show how to increase the value of your product by as much as 400 percent.

If you’ve ever attended one of our conferences, you know that you will receive first-class accommodations at the Hilton Suites and that our meeting facilities are second to none. Additionally, all meals are included in the cost of registration: dinner on Friday night, breakfast, lunch and dinner on Saturday, and breakfast on Sunday.

Don’t miss this opportunity to learn from some of the foremost marketing experts.

The full cost to attend this conference is only $695. Call (800) 679-5856 to register.