‘Every Big Business Starts Small’
Congratulations! You have climbed up the first step of the Success ladder by deciding to start a business of your own. I understand that this might not have been easy for you. But in the end, it will be all worth it. A New Business requires good care and attention. It is not easy to handle the work pressure when you are just starting up. But don’t worry, we’re here to help you.
In Nigeria, there are many small businesses. But only a few of them make their mark in the industry. Especially when you are working in the laundry and cleaning industry, it becomes even more difficult to get noticed due to the nature of the business. Now the question is- How can you be among those few that get noticed? But before jumping to that, a question that needs to be answered by us is – Why should you consider opening a Laundry Business in Nigeria?
Why should you consider opening up a Laundry business in Nigeria?
1. Less Cost and Capital Requirements
Most of the expenditure in a Laundry business is only on purchasing the machines for Laundry and Dry Cleaning. If you are just starting the business, then there are very few operational expenses to almost no expenses on employee salaries, insurances and network and communications.
2. Feasibility of Starting Small
A Laundry Business offers you the scope of starting small. You can start it part-time or from within your home and grow at your pace as you start earning more revenue.
3. Number of Opportunities
Many Growth opportunities are present in a Laundry business in Nigeria. Besides serving the residential population, you can also take contracts of various hotels, hostels, gyms and places where laundry services are required daily.
4. Growing Demand among working professionals
A huge part of the Nigerian population comprises working professionals. Also, there are many nuclear families in Nigeria with busy lifestyles who do not have enough time for doing laundry. Due to these reasons, there is a very high demand for Laundry services in Nigeria.
5. Outsourcing in case of electricity unavailability
In many parts of Nigeria, there is a problem of shortage of electricity. The people living in these areas thus use washing machines very little and prefer to get their clothes laundered from outside only.
6. Technological Advancements
In recent times, the Laundry and dry cleaning industry has seen many technological advancements ranging from Machines, Chemicals to Software Solutions and Mobile Applications. This Modern era enables you to deliver awesome customer service and ensure high Customer Satisfaction. You definitely would not want to miss out on a business with these many growth opportunities! Want to know more about these advancements? Check out QDC here.
7. Entrepreneurial Opportunities
Most Important of all, a Laundry business gives you the sole ownership of your business. And you are free to manage your business as per your choices.
How to Start a Laundry Business in Nigeria?
Location
First, think about the location from where you want to operate your business. If you choose to start a business from home, then how will the setup be. And if you choose to start it from a new location, then how would you choose a new location. In our experience, Laundry entrepreneurs should consider all factors like Target Audience, Business Costs, Availability of equipment and electricity, Buying Patterns of customers, Customer Accessibility and Spending Capacity while starting the business. Chart out a laundry business plan considering all these factors and then decide a location that suits all the above needs. And also, don’t forget to get your business registered once you decide on the location.
Capital
The next step involves procuring the equipment used for Dry Cleaning and Laundry i.e., the capital of your business. Buy products that will suit your needs and are affordable enough for you. You don’t need to buy top-notch machinery when you are starting up. Any equipment which does the work that you are required to do will suffice.
Prices
Then comes the next step of finalizing the prices you want to charge to your customers. These prices should be set keeping in mind the prices charged by your competitors, the services given by you, your target audience and their spending ability. For example- A Laundry business operating from home might charge a lower price than the one which is operating from a big shop. You can charge higher prices than others if the type of customers you get are different from others. You can decide on the prices by reading about the 5 customer types of a dry cleaning business here.
Promotion
After setting up the basics required for a laundry business in Nigeria, it is time to market your business. Marketing and Promotion is one of the most important steps of starting a Laundry business in Nigeria. Without this, no one will know about your business. So while starting the business, decide on the marketing strategies you want to follow for increasing your business reach. Read more about the Marketing Strategies followed by Launderers around the world here.
Once you have taken all the above-mentioned steps, you are ready to start a Laundry business.
But starting a laundry business in 2021 is not that easy. Customers expect you to provide amazing services at affordable prices. So How can you ensure that you are working as per their expectations? The Answer is Simple. Employ a Laundry Management System at your business to do this work for you. A Laundry Management System not only enables you to give the best services to your customers but also makes business management easy for you. Such systems come with mechanized ways of handling daily orders and provide timely reports on your business health.
Check out other features of a Laundry Business Management System like QDC here.
Reach out to us if you need any help in setting up your business at [email protected] or get on a call with us here.
