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alistinker
Member
Joined: 16 Nov 2008
Posts: 6
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# Posted: 19 Nov 2008 11:52
Reply
Hi kelly
so glad you replied to this posting because i wanted to find someone in the US who has done this. I have been doing some research over the last week and I can't find any Ironing only services (apart from the local dry cleaning company) who work from home. So i think i might be in for a good thing. I am still in the planning stages, just got myself a website with Homestead and have also had some business cards made up with Vista. I have been doing some research into the best steam irons and the Rowenta Professional range seem to be the best and the one I am particularly interested in is $94....i think it maybe the one you mentioned in your post. It has a self cleaning plate, auto shut off, etc and is commercial approved. Also been looking into garment covers and have found a company who supply the disposable ones on a roll.
I am going to do this from home. I have a finished basement with a spare room which is just ready for me to get going. I am looking into an insurance to cover me from any damages and have had a car decal made up with my website and business details on which i got for $14 on ebay. Now i am still deciding on what to do about the charge per item or per hour. My problem with the hourly charge is that some people might think that I am deliberately going slowly just to make the money so i have come up with charging $30 for the first 20 items then an additional $0.75c for each additional adult garment and $0.50 for each child item. How does that sound?
So i am hoping this will work, I have to register my business and get a sales tax id before i start and will hope to start in the new year or even before. I am excited about this.
Also what advertising do you do...if any? I have the website, going to advertise on my truck and going to put some flyers out. Hopefully getting one or 2 regulars a week and then relying on word of mouth.
sharon
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alistinker
Member
Joined: 16 Nov 2008
Posts: 6
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# Posted: 7 Dec 2008 22:41
Reply
just to update that I have now launched my website, got listed in google and I come up in the first few listings which is great, i have been practising with my new rowenta professional pressurized steam ironing system it is an amazing thing. It cuts my ironing time in half. I love it!!! My business cards are here, i have my garment bags, clothing rails, baskets, hangers, starch, new ironing board and have registered my business. Now...all i need are customers....lol. I am so nervous though. I have my flyers ready and my email in draft to send out to everyone in my local area.
I will let you know when i get my first customers.
how is everyone else doing?
sharonx
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Vishal P. Rao
Joined: 23 Jun 2005
Posts: 957
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# Posted: 7 Dec 2008 23:16
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alistinker: just to update that I have now launched my website, got listed in google and I come up in the first few listings which is great,
Congratulations Sharon!
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Newbie Shield
Joined: 22 Sep 2007
Posts: 1539
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# Posted: 8 Dec 2008 07:26
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Hi Alistinker,
That's great news Sharon. I bought my wife a high end Rowenta a couple years ago and she loves it. I guess they're the best.
I wish you well in your venture and please let us know how it goes.
~Newbie Shield~
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alistinker
Member
Joined: 16 Nov 2008
Posts: 6
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# Posted: 8 Dec 2008 16:13
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anyone have any ideas on who i should send out flyers to in the mail? I don't want to walk the streets and put them in the doors (As putting them in the mailboxes here is illegal unless in has paid postage)! I have had some lovely glossy over-sized postcards made up with Vista and have the envelopes too. I was thinking about Daycares...busy parents might have a need for this service. Any other ideas greatly appreciated. Also want to hear from anyone who is doing really great at this business.
thanks in advance
sharon
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Newbie Shield
Joined: 22 Sep 2007
Posts: 1539
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# Posted: 8 Dec 2008 18:30
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Hi Sharon,
You need to define a target audience.
1. Who likes to have their clothes ironed (dry cleaned, patched, and what ever additional services you intend to provide)?
2. Who among your list would be willing to pay for this? Who has no time or desire to do these things themselves?
Then you need to figure out where and how to reach them. Finally, which mediums will they be most receptive to.
You already have a website and that's a good idea. Can you find and interact with your target audience on forums and blogs? You would need to find places that will allow a link leading back to your website.
I don't know if you've noticed, but most of our forum members have links to their sites in their signature file. You can add yours by going into your profile and following the link titled "How to make links clickable". It's right below the Signature box. Then just place the link in your signature box and add some text if you like. You can currently use up to 255 characters including the link coding.
How will you pick up and drop off the clothing? In person? Through the mail? In the future, through a pick up and delivery service? Is it local residents only?
Will you be offering anything in addition to ironing service? If so, what?
As you've suggested, daycare centers might be a potential target. You might determine some additional targets. Read some sites about dry cleaning services or seamstress sites and see if they don't outright who they think their target audience is. Same thing with forums and blogs. Look around to see what you can find. You might even look at iron ads.
I would think that executives would be short on time and many would rather let others take care of their clothing. You might figure out a way to target mothers with five or more children, single fathers, folks with disabilities, etc...
~Newbie Shield~
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alistinker
Member
Joined: 16 Nov 2008
Posts: 6
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# Posted: 8 Dec 2008 21:41
Reply
Thank you for all the great advice. This forum is so very helpful and I appreciate all the imput. I will be so excited when I get my first customers.....my family's ironing is looking pretty fantastic right now lol ..i need other peoples clothes to work on. 
sharon
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WARRANTIES4LESS
Member
Joined: 20 Feb 2008
Posts: 226
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# Posted: 18 Dec 2008 13:04
Reply
Congrats,
Nice to see someone take action on their dream and make it a reality. Marketing is required in all businesses, and getting on google is good first step with any business, especilly a home business.
One of the best means of advertising is lawn signs, I use them for several businesses I have and they are the most cost effective means of advertising I have used, and I have researched and tested every medium there is.
Cable TV can be effective as well, and reasonable with the right knowlege. Since you are local oriented, you have to focus in your own town, so try some signs to start, or a magnetic sign on your vehicle is an old main stay for home businesses. Personally, if I was you, I would put out a few ironing boards, one in yard with sign, or put your car in driveway with ironing board on roof. lol I am sure you could catch some free press if you take picture and send it to all newspapers. In your face advertising is always more effective and powerful than an ad in a newspaper.
Another idea is to get door hangers shaped like ironing board or iron, again, let the picture do the talking, as curiosity is a great way to get attention. Same can be put in grocery stores, and get bumper sticker shaped the same or door stickers which you can ask you local businesses if you can put one on their door.
Good luck, Mike
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molyda
Member
Joined: 5 Oct 2008
Posts: 39
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# Posted: 7 Jan 2009 13:00
Reply
My parents used to work from home as sub-contractants in clothing. We would have a bunch of people working in the basement sewing pieces together to make a skirt, shirt, pants, then there's a team working in the garage ironing those.
We did not have a small iron bought at $10-$15 at Zellers. It was an industrial equipment. The guys (yes that's a guys job in the industry! lol) could iron thousands of clothes weekly. At least a few hundreds a day, per person.
So are you considering ironing a small amount of clothes? If not, I suppose you would consider acquiring an industrial iron.
Then also consider the electricity bill.
There are different types and models. I wish I could help more, but I can only share my experience. I was only a kid when my parents had this business. And they no longer have it due to political and economical situations in 1995 affecting the industry drastically (in Quebec, Canada).
Hope all work out for any of you going for this venture!
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alistinker
Member
Joined: 16 Nov 2008
Posts: 6
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# Posted: 10 Jan 2009 19:43
Reply
Do you think with the recession that there is still a demand for this kind of service? I have my flyers and door hangers ready to market but i am holding back because I am not sure if it will be worth my while? Is anyone actually doing this business and still doing well? Would love to hear from you if you are. I just need some encouragement and confidence. Surely there are still people out there looking for domestic help. Could you email me at
[email protected]
thanks
sharon
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WARRANTIES4LESS
Member
Joined: 20 Feb 2008
Posts: 226
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# Posted: 10 Jan 2009 21:03
Reply
alistinker: Do you think with the recession that there is still a demand for this kind of service? I have my flyers and door hangers ready to market but i am holding back because I am not sure if it will be worth my while? Is anyone actually doing this business and still doing well? Would love to hear from you if you are. I just need some encouragement and confidence. Surely there are still people out there looking for domestic help. Could you email me at [email protected]thanks sharon
Hi Sharon,
The biggest mistake you can make is not to test your market with your flyers and door hangers. Don't let others make your decision, you had the dream, now go for it, there is no shame in failing, but their is shame in not trying.
Markets are fickle, you never know from area to area, so unitil you test market your concept in your own area, you can't know for sure one way or another. We know the recession is altering peoples buying patterns, but with more dual income families, this may indeed increase the demand for your services.
Go for it, Mike
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daveshouse
Member
Joined: 13 Jan 2009
Posts: 13
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# Posted: 19 Jan 2009 16:54
Reply
Hi Louise,
I think you would do well with this, especially if you live in a major city.
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AsaDG
Member
Joined: 26 Jan 2009
Posts: 7
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# Posted: 27 Jan 2009 13:02
Reply
This is a great idea!
I would charge by piece simply because I would rather buy that service... Maybe that's just me, but I wouldn't trust that people didn't charge me a bit extra if it was by the hour!
Good luck!
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Phil Stones
Member
Joined: 1 Oct 2008
Posts: 121
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# Posted: 29 Jan 2009 09:23
Reply
hypercybertyper: Please do my ironing for me! I would send it to Australia if I had to. I think a simple advert in your local newspaper's classified section would be all you would require... or maybe a few business cards and flyers. I HATE IRONING... if your business does not take off... come and live at my house and I will find you some more customers from my local area.
Ha Ha - I know what you mean - a friend of mine does this - again like has been said - mostly word of mouth - but why not think of some other angles you could offer - mum to mum - babysitting - cleaning - errands - typing etc - don't just restrict yourself to ironing ! Good Luck let us know how you get on!
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Julie E
Member
Joined: 20 May 2008
Posts: 7
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# Posted: 13 Feb 2009 15:04
Reply
alistinker: Also what advertising do you do...if any? I have the website, going to advertise on my truck and going to put some flyers out.
I would go to your local park and ride lots, or other carpool meeting places and put flyers/postcards on the cars that are parked there. It seems that many "executives" would carpool into a big city and would not have time to iron.
You may also try a train or bus stop if you have one that execs take to the city.
You may ask to distribute flyers to law offices, courtrooms etc. Think of places where people are "dressed up" on a regular basis.
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harleyzmom
Member
Joined: 25 Feb 2009
Posts: 1
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# Posted: 25 Feb 2009 14:48
Reply
I have been ironing from home for about 2 years now and enjoy the flexibility. I do not get rich, but I am able to make some extra money. I went to local cleaners and got their prices and then charged a little less. I have some very good constant customers. I do pick up and deliver, but I do it when I have errands to run or are in their area and I call them. People are very flexible and willing to accomodate your schedule to get their clothes delivered. I charge extra for spray starch depending on the size of load and I do not iron a piece of clothing for less than $1.00.I had a sign made and put it out in my front yard and have gotten several customers this way. Most has been by word of mouth. People hate to iron and I love to iron. It works for me. Good luck.
Pam
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