Are you making efforts to start a profitable dry cleaning business in Nigeria? Well, look who we got here! – A lucky guy who’ll get the best guide to launch a dry cleaning business in Nigeria. You know what? You’re at the right blog to read the juiciest article on dry cleaning business in Nigeria.
Millions, if not majority of Nigerians are working class citizens. They often leave their homes on daily basis, sometimes as early as 6:00am and return during the eve. As you can see, ‘time’ for daily house chores at home and most importantly clothes washing and ironing is absent. And of course, none of these class of individuals would want to look tattered by day in any place.
Anyway, the idea of ‘dry cleaning’ or ‘laundry’ comes in here. It is an idea that will sort things out for a busy man and reward you as the laundryman/woman. The inspiring thing in this business is that the clients are ever willing to pay. All they’ll however, expect from you will be a clean wash. Ironing and packaging is of course one of the few requisite they’ll expect of you. Hey reader, tell yourself that you’re in to this already. There isn’t much time to waste, else, I’ll advise my next-door neighbour to cease the chance instead.
Is Dry Cleaning Lucrative in Nigeria?
It is very necessary to find an answer to this question. In fact, this is a question that everyone should answer before venturing into any business. To the question of whether dry cleaning business in Nigeria is a lucrative venture, ‘it is’. However, this answer could face limitations, if certain things are not set right.
In Nigeria, the working class citizens are the chief determinants of dry cleaning business. Their frequent hunger to look good before people is a contributing factor to this business. Apart from that, good hygiene also tops up. For example, not all homes love to wash their bed fabrics. They prefer to have a laundryman fix them. This is due to the ‘norm’ kind of belief that drycleaners in Nigeria always deliver.
You could also check or share other business ideas like Bedsheet business and Perfume business. The embedded businesses are one of the fast growing businesses that you should tap into in Nigeria. They’re equally very lucrative.
How well have you questioned yourself concerning this business? Have you checked out for the merits and demerits? Anyways, don’t bother much, we’ve made it a responsibility to drive you through that path.
MERITS
- It diminishes the rate of unemployment in Nigeria – a developing country.
- You’ll become a full-time entrepreneur.
- Bills will not stack up and stare at you.
- Nigerian men and women will appear so ‘take-away’ because of you.
- The neighbourhood will make your brand name, a household name.
- Startup capital requirement is low.
- The business wears little risk.
- Your 24/7 physical presence does not matter.
The Risk Level
To be frank, this business poses almost a zero demerit or risk.
Benefits of Starting a Dry Cleaning Business in Nigeria
- You can start it at home and later grow.
- Building an audience is easy. However, it is your delivery that determines it.
- Laundry and dry cleaning business is easy and comfortable to start.
- It is very lucrative in that majority of people have no time to wash their clothes.
- The presence of your business initiates competition within a business environment.
- Your personal hygiene will encounter a boost.
- Dry cleaning is a business of space. You can always find time to relax your bones.
The Problems of Starting a Laundry/Dry Cleaning Business in Nigeria
The main problem of the dry cleaning business in Nigeria is electricity. Light is a basic need in any business sphere. Moreover, Nigeria suffers a lag in stabilizing electricity. This issue thus, affects and stutters the functionality of dry cleaning business in Nigeria. Below are some other troubling issues that distort the dry cleaning business.
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Damaging clients’ clothes
A client’s satisfaction lies within your carefulness in the job. Most clients can be burdensome in the sense that they tend act as if perfection is a cup of water. This aside, damaging clients’ clothes might make you lose them instantly.
What to Do
For every clothe you damage by mistake or however, replace it. Once the customer arrives to pick, explain the incident and offer to replace the clothe for them. Trust me, this action ties them down to you permanently. Moreover, try never to damage anyone’s clothe.
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Stains
Just like Nigerian mosquitoes, some stains can be annoying. When customers give you clothes, one of the reasons behind it is that the stain on it is powerful. In this case however, removing them becomes very tricky. Sometimes, you could end up not removing them.
What to Do
Order for washing chemicals and apply them on such stains. These chemicals also save the stress of ‘handwashing’ and tearing a cloth.
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Equipment and their Headaches
In this business, be ready to make repairs from time to time. Dry cleaning business in Nigeria is cool – definitely. But, if you’re a stingy person, you’ll not like it. It is good to be frugal but you’d just have to let go in this business at times. When working tools go faulty, which will always happen, quickly replace them. Customers detest dry cleaners with flimsy excuses.
Steps to Start a Dry Cleaning Business in Nigeria
On the sections above, you’ve seen some necessary things about dry cleaning. On this section, the focus centres on the fundamentals in starting dry cleaning business in Nigeria. This is the section that will further broaden your knowledge and understanding of this business. Do you know what my advice is? Be attentive, lest you fall!
- Check and Ascertain Your Capital
You cannot go into any business without checking and ascertaining your capital. Your capital determines whether your business will start as small scale or large scale setup. At the moment in Nigeria, few things have their prices to be quite high. One might tell you that as low as between ₦20,000 and ₦30,000 can start you a laundry business. Well, this is not quite true due to the present cost of things. However, if you want to kick-start with just iron and a wooden table, it will suffice. But, if you put in place, plans to acquire bigger equipment, this amount won’t do.
The bigger equipment includes:
- Washing machine
- Powerful chemicals
- Dryer
- Bigger generator
- A high number of irons etc.
- Build a Proper Business Plan
As necessary as capital could be in starting a business, a business plan is seemingly necessary. Without a proper business plan, you may not be able to predict your business. This suggests that every business requires it to aid in checking whether the business is on course or not.
Your business plan should contain how you want to run the business and most especially the pieces of equipment you would be able to afford to start the business. A business without a good or no business plan is due to fail with time. To avoid failure along your success story, having a guide in a business plan will suffice. Do not in any way try to tempt this concept by avoiding it. This may have been a null idea in the past, but is presently necessary to survive in this modern sphere.
- Find a Suitable Business Environment
The chief reason behind the failure of millions of businesses in Nigeria is this concept – business environment. Entrepreneurs tend to try and dodge this idea, but it often returns to haunt them. In your case, I wouldn’t want you to fall into this ugly pit. This is because it is often tough to regain balance in a fallen business.
The best way to locate and situate your dry cleaning business in Nigeria is to study the geography. In fact, while studying the geography, try also, to build your audience.
If you intend to invest big in dry cleaning, find a wealthy location. If it is otherwise, do not bother establishing yourself in wealthy areas, because they’ll refuse to patronize you. The insinuation is that you should try to gather more capital and establish a ‘not too rich’ but decent business.
- Getting the Needed Laundry and Dry Cleaning Equipment
You need the necessary equipment in place to signify your arrival. We do not recommend borrowing equipment from other businesses. Endeavour to have in place, the most vital working stuffs like electric iron, pressing board and generator.
The section that precedes this section bears a detailed list of dry cleaning items you’ll need.
- Build Your Customer Base
When you situate dry cleaning business in Nigeria, look towards customer base creation. Your customer base could always begin with your friends and family. Please, do not neglect this move, if you’re in for success in this business. Imagine building up to 100 number of persons, this means money.
- Advertising Your Business
It is, however, important to market your business to prospective customers who would patronize you. But, note that before you advertise your dry cleaning business, the business must have already commenced operation. You can advertise your business through:
- Getting a big banner and placing it outside your shop
- Giving out flyers and handbills
- Radio/TV stations
- Newspapers
- House to house information
- Social media advertisements using platforms like Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, etc.
With at least a form of these advertisements mode put in place, your business will experience a boost.
A List of Dry Cleaning Equipment
- Washing machine(s)
- Varieties of washing basins. (You need at least 3 basins in order not to wash multiple clothes together)
- Dependable generator set
- Hangers of different kinds – suits and for trousers
- Decent-sized water tank(s)
- Washing Buckets
- Powerful washing chemicals
- Varieties of laundry detergents to be used on separate clothes
- Industrial size pressing board (You can improvise this with a table – wooden or iron)
- Cloth starch in bulk quantity
- A garment conveyor to hang washed clothes
- Wooden shelves
- Strong transparent nylons for wrapping the clothes
- Cloth drying machine(s)
- Delivery van (Optional)
- Musical sets
Titbit
The dry cleaning business in Nigeria is a business you can do alone. However, it’s is recommendable to have at least 1 (one) employee. This will help you a lot. You can pay the employee daily, weekly or monthly.
LAUNDRY PRICE LIST IN NIGERIA
Below contains the current price list in Nigeria today as it concerns dry cleaning.
Fabrics/Wears and Prices (₦)
Tie – ₦50
Shirt – ₦150
Shirt with Anger – ₦200
Trouser – ₦200
A Complete Suit – ₦600
Safari Suit – ₦400
Native Wear(Buba and Agbada) – ₦850
Jeans – ₦200
Women’s Native – ₦350
Men’s Native – ₦300
Shirt and Blouse – ₦300
Small Bed Sheet – ₦300
Large Bed Sheet – ₦600
Blanket Duvet – ₦550
Small Towel – ₦100
Medium Towel – ₦250
Large Towel – ₦300
Wedding Gown – ₦2500
Full Aso-oke Wear – ₦500
Little Bride Gown – ₦300
Pyjamas – ₦150
Native Cap – ₦150
Socks – ₦50 (Per pair)
Singlet – ₦100
Sweater – ₦300
How to Market your Dry Cleaning Business in Nigeria
The aim of every dry cleaning business owner is to make more profit. This can be done with the aid of proper marketing. Once you are able to market your laundry and dry cleaning business, it will become an ideal profitable venture. I know you’re interested in knowing how to go on with this. So, why not continue riding with me.
Certain defecting factors could affect your dry cleaning business marketing. These factors often cause the standard of businesses to diminish in no time. Here is a list of these burdening factors.
- Location
- Competition
- Weak Capital
- Staff Strength
- Pricing
- Serviceability
The good news however, is that the above could always be put off in your dry cleaning business. You want to know how to do that. Read down.
- Constantly strategize your business
- Be innovative
- Offer home deliveries
- Obtain a loan if your capital is weak
- Franchise and perform a merger with other dry cleaners near you
- Let your price attune with those of others around you
- Employ more hands and deliver services on or even before time.
Consider integrating the above list or risk being a forever-minor in the field. The giants or tycoons are always looking to kill your business, be smart or become a victim.
Also, be conscious of your pricing. As is above, let your price synch with those of others around you.
More ways to bolster your stance in this business.
Advertise your dry cleaning business online
· Provide quality service.
· Improve your marketing standard and renew your strategies.
· Take advantage of the online platforms.
· Synch your price with others and be watchful. Avoid hiking your service price.
· Run promotions: E.g. Wash 5 and get 1 free.
· Network with rich people.
In conclusion, the dry cleaning business in Nigeria is very profitable. It is advisable to start small, acquire customers, and then burst out bigger. Understand that this business, on like other businesses, requires customer base-building. As you build your base, bring in newer machines to aid in the perfecting the job.
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