The self-service laundry industry has never been known for great marketing. If you fall into the category of "poor marketer, " or are just looking for some new ways to market your store, cheer up. American Coin-Op has put together a research paper featuring its best marketing tips — tips that you can implement at your store without delay. You can read about interesting ideas that won't be a burden on your wallet. You may even be surprised at how simple — and effective — some of these ideas can be.

Some of the topics include:

• Figuring out what the customer desires
• A host of marketing ideas
• Ways to get employees involved
• Maximizing word-of-mouth advertising

In these competitive times, it's crucial to differentiate your store from the competition. Marketing is one way to do this. If you have a good store, it’s time to let the public know about it!

There are many elements that contribute to the success of a self-service laundry, but it's hard to ignore the impact that equipment has on a business. Even if you're working with one of the industry's many capable distributors, it never hurts to accumulate some knowledge about equipment mix so that you can ask the right questions when it comes to filling up your laundry. American Coin-Op has gathered the views of a host of industry representatives in order to give you the most detailed information about determining the proper equipment mix.

Some of the topics include:

• Which equipment customers desire
• Current trends
• Efficiency concerns
• Pricing considerations
• What the future holds

While experts agree that there is no universal equipment mix "formula," one thing is certain: Putting together the ideal equipment mix — and maintaining it — will always be one of the major components of a first-rate self-service laundry.

To some customers, most self-service laundries look alike. Operators know better. While there aren’t many “radical” laundry layouts when it comes to washer-and-dryer placement, many stores have subtle design features. American Coin-Op has put together a more abstract approach to laundry design. This report, filled with input from industry representatives, examines the many factors that operators need to consider when designing a store.

Some of the topics include:

• Equipment placement
• Customer preferences
• Modern trends
• Maintenance concerns
• The green movement

There is no accepted “ideal” laundry design. With this in mind, you can weigh the various design factors, and arrive at or choose a design that best suits your needs, be it for a small store in a rural area or a large store in an urban environment.