CHICAGO — For today’s wash-dry-fold (WDF) operators, the challenge often isn’t convincing consumers that laundry service is useful. It’s convincing busy people that outsourcing laundry is worth prioritizing among the many other convenience services competing for their dollars.

That reality is reshaping how laundromat operators market WDF and pickup-and-delivery services. Increasingly, successful operators are focusing less on simply advertising that they offer WDF and more on selling what the service truly provides: time, convenience, trust, and less stress.

Operators who spoke to American Coin-Op say modern WDF marketing has evolved well beyond flyers, storefront signs and price promotions. Google search visibility, social media, automated customer communication and targeted digital messaging are now central parts of attracting and retaining customers.

At the same time, technology and operational consistency have become just as important as marketing itself.

Operators say convenience alone is not enough to convert customers into repeat users. Trust, they say, remains critical.

Charlie Whigham, owner of Clean Right Laundromat in Gainesville, Georgia, believes customers are not simply handing over laundry; they are handing over responsibility.

“Trust is the most important thing to people,” he says. “You’re taking their laundry and they want it handled quickly and professionally. They want clean clothes done right.”

Customers frequently ask detailed questions before trying Clean Right’s service: Are you going to wash my clothes with somebody else’s clothes? Are you going to separate whites from colors? Do you have hypoallergenic detergent? 

“That’s not a money question. That’s a trust question,” he says.

To reinforce professionalism, Whigham emphasizes branding, employee training and presentation.

“I think having uniforms for your employees with logos on your shirt so that you represent a brand is important,” he says. “Every single house you go to, people have video cameras. Employees need to walk up professionally and place things professionally.”

Emma Evans, owner of Top Coin Laundry in the Albany Park neighborhood of Chicago, says communication technology has dramatically improved customer confidence at her store.

“Now, our customers receive automated text messages updating them on their order status along with notices such as a change in hours due to a holiday, or recent promotions we are running,” she says. “This transparency has been an absolute game-changer.”

Top Coin Laundry also personalizes service for first-time users.

“Our manager always flags a new customer and personally takes care of their first order to ensure a good customer experience,” Evans says.

Sam Levari, owner of Erica’s Laundry in Tarzana, California, says technology modernization also helped improve customer communication at his laundry.

“The service itself didn’t change much (after I purchased the business in 2019),” he says. “I did put in the (point-of-sale) system. So everything is being computerized and people get text messages when the laundry is ready and all the good stuff that electronics gives.”

Levari says retaining customers requires immediate responsiveness whenever issues arise: “In business, the hardest thing to do is to get a new customer. The easiest thing to do is to lose a customer.”

At SuperSudz, which operates three stores on Long Island, New York, owner Steve Levine works aggressively to address problems quickly.

“We always try to address any issues as soon as possible,” Levine says. “We would rather lose money correcting a single order if we can figure out how to retain the customer.”

While operators use multiple marketing channels, all four interviewed pointed to Google as the single most effective driver of WDF customer acquisition.

Evans says SEO (search engine optimization) and Google Ads have been major growth drivers for Top Coin Laundry.

“We have found great success with Facebook and Google Ads,” she says. “Double-digit wash-and-fold growth is also attributable to establishing a presence on social media, something the previous owners did not have.”

Operators say visibility in search results is especially important because many WDF customers are searching during their moments of greatest need.

“Some of these people are ‘emergency’ laundry customers,” Whigham says. “All of a sudden, you woke up this morning and your washing machine doesn’t work.”

Strong search visibility and website optimization are essential, he adds. “You cannot do this without a website. You have to have these keywords embedded into your website.”

Levari says his social media efforts largely support broader Google visibility.

“Google likes to see you elsewhere as well,” he says. “So I’m keeping Facebook, Instagram, Yelp — I just keep them alive for the sake of Google to see that this guy has stuff in other channels.”

At SuperSudz, Levine relies on outside marketing assistance for Google advertising, social media and direct mail. “We send out occasional postcard mailings and always have an online presence,” he says.

But operators questioned the effectiveness of traditional in-store signage for driving WDF growth.

“In-store signage is not really effective, in my opinion,” Levari says. “Once you’re already in the store, I ‘got’ you.”

Instead, operators say digital outreach and consistent online visibility are more important.

Coming in Tuesday’s conclusion: Growth creates operational pressure, and capitalizing on a changing customer mindset toward laundry

Miss Part 1? You can read it HERE