If you’re planning to enter the dry cleaning market and are trying to decide if you will go the franchise route or open an independent business, we’d like to touch on some of the significant advantages that come with a franchise. Of course, you could have success either way, but there is a lot to like about what the franchise model has to offer.
Line Up the Legal Side
There is some legal red tape to deal with when starting a business in this industry. You’ll need to ensure that you have all the necessary licenses and certifications to operate as a dry cleaner in your area. Working with a franchise may make it easier to figure out those regulations. You want to get everything right from the start, so you don’t run into unexpected trouble later.
Sourcing Your Equipment
Another matter is determining how to acquire all the equipment needed to run a dry cleaning business properly on day one. You’ll have to provide the funds to purchase that equipment, of course, whether you work with a franchise or not. However, having the power of the franchise model at your back, you may get better pricing or access to better equipment that would be hard to source otherwise.
The Right Marketing Angle
Knowing where to promote your dry cleaning business can be tricky, especially when you are just getting started and you don’t yet know your local market intimately. The franchise may provide you with some marketing materials and concepts that you can use to get the ball rolling. Then, as time passes and you gain knowledge and experience, you can begin to fine-tune that marketing message to better target your best customers.
