Do you want to start a laundry business in Nigeria? Then this post is for you!
In this post, I am going to give you a walkthrough on everything you need to know about starting a dry cleaning business.
In Nigeria a lot of people are working class and are too busy to get their laundry done others don’t have access to equipments like washing machine and good pressing irons hence they have to hire a dry cleaner to help them get their clothes cleaned.
Is Laundry Business Profitable
Laundry business is a profitable business because their are a very few people doing this business but the demand for the service is high.
And also, most people who work in cooperate organization like banks and insurance companies need to look really neat, this jobs need a very need clothes but most of the workers don’t get time to do laundry hence they have to run to a drycleaner.
How Much Do Dry Cleaners Make Per Month
The truth is there isn’t a specific answer to this question because it depends on many things like the location of the shop, the people who live in the environment the shop is situated in, it also depends on how big and popular the shop is.
However, an average dry cleaning service could fetch you ₦3,000 to ₦5,000 daily which could amount to ₦100,000 per month.
As you can see the dry cleaning business is lucrative.
My calculations above is for a new dry cleaning business as the price can go up with time when people get to know you more.
How To Start A Dry Cleaning Business
Below are detailed steps on how to start a profitable dry cleaning business in Nigeria
Have Your Capital
To start any business, you need a capital to start. A capital is the money needed to setup a business.
One thing about a dry cleaning business is that you don’t need huge capital to start as you can start small and then expand it later.
You can start a dry cleaning business with an average capital of ₦100,000. This covers the money of a washing machine and other minor equipments.
Develop A Business Plan
For every business to flourish, you need a business plan.
A business without a solid plan may not go far or may run at loss.
The business plan you are going to draft would be the steering to how you operate your business, the plan should include how you want to run the business.
To write an effective business plan, go out to other dry cleaning shop owners and make enquires to how they carryout their business, also make sure to check what is lacking in their business that you think will boost your business.
Choose A Good Environment For Your Business
Like I said above, your location plays a vital role in the profitability of your business.
For example, situating your shop in a place where you know the residents there are too busy to get laundry done would do you good than setting up your shop in an environment where the residents get their laundry done by themselves.
Another thing to also put in place is the competition in the environment, that means if there are a lot of existing shops in the environment then starting the business there isn’t advisable because the competition would be too high and you will have to be sharing customers with them.
Another thing you shouldn’t do is to open the shop in an enclosed area, make sure to open the shop in a place where your business can be easily accessible.
It is not advisable to open a dry cleaning shop inside a market because people who come there only come to buy or sell something, you should make sure to situate your shop in a residential area.
Register Your Dry Cleaning Business
If you plan on extending your business later or you plan on doing the business for a long time then registering the business with the Corporate Affairs Commission would really be of help to you.
Registering your business means that your business is recognized by the government and you are eligible to apply for any grant or loan offered to small businesses by the government.
Buy Laundry Equipments
What is a laundry shop without washing equipments.
The equipments you need for your dry cleaning shop is very important because you can’t run a dry cleaning shop without equipments like washing machine, pressing irons, tables, buckets, shelves, hangers, power generator, water source, nylons and other essentials.
Build Your Customer Base
Having a solid customer base means that you stand a chance of getting reoccurring customers because they will make you their official dry cleaner.
To build a solid customer base, make sure to deliver in time and also add bonuses to first timers in your business.
You can also have a Facebook, Instagram or Twitter page dedicated to showcase your laundry business, you can’t overemphasize the importance of social media in your businesses especially now that millions of people own a social media account.
Advertise Your Business
A business should have a strategic advertisement plan to aid them in reaching a wide range of audience.
Advertisement doesn’t cost too much as you can do it with less than ₦5,000.
You can advertise by running Facebook or Instagram ads and you can also advertise offline by printing banners and placing them close to your shop, you can have business cards to give to people you meet or to new customers.
Challenges Of Starting A Laundry Business
Every business have its challenges, I am list out some challenges you may face in starting a laundry business and what to do to avoid them.
The first challenge is burning of clothes, their are some pressing irons that have a high chance of damaging clothes. To avoid this, purchase pressing irons that you can regulate the heat based on the texture of the clothe you are ironing.
The second challenge is stains in clothes, a lot of people make the mistake of mixing colored clothes with white clothes, this can make the colored clothes stain the white clothe. You should be careful about this to avoid ruining your clients clothes.
You should also be conscious of the detergents you use in washing the clothes because there are some detergents that could damage clothes on the long run if you consistently wash clothes with them.
Lastly, you can also face problems with the equipments you are using. Make sure to service your equipments frequently.
Conclusion
This is all I have to dish out concerning starting a dry cleaning business in Nigeria.
You can make more enquires by dropping your questions in the comment box below.
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