These days most experts will advise you to create a business plan before you decide to take the risks that are associated with starting a business. A laundromat is typically a little more complicated than other small business models so the need for research, planning and a clear direction are even more essential for entrepreneurs entering the coin operated laundry industry.

A laundromat business plan will help you to prove to yourself that your ideas are viable. With a plan in place you will be able to set clear goals and map out a path towards achieving them in an organized manner. A sound business plan may become essential if you have to show it to financiers or investors prior to getting the startup funds that you need. Lastly it will help you to be more realistic and to ask yourself some tough questions about your ideas.

In this article we have set out a sample laundromat business plan layout. We have set out some examples of titles and content that you might consider using. Feel free to use it as a template as you proceed to put your own plan together.

Cover Letter

Your plan should be set out neatly in a folder with a cover that outlines what the report is about and who contributed to it. It is likely that many different parties will read your plan so you may consider attaching a cover letter to each one that addresses the reader specifically, highlighting the concerns that they will have.

Contents Page

If the plan is any longer than a couple of pages you should include a table of contents. This includes a list of all headings and sub-headings together with a page reference so that the information can be located quickly by the reader.

Executive Summary

An executive summary is a simple introduction to the report. Give the reader a brief introduction to your business plan and summarize each of the sections in the plan.

Mission Statement

While not essential, some businesses like to set out a mission statement which outlines their purpose or business philosophy. It usually covers non-financial motives. For a laundromat you might say that you strive to provide the best service to your customers or that you want to provide a clean, safe and efficient way for them to do their laundry. Your mission should be to do your best for the customer and to be better than your competitors.

Background

Provide readers with some background information on yourself and any other individuals who are involved with the proposed laundromat. Readers may want to know what your qualifications are and if you have had any experience in business or in the coin laundry industry.

Provide a background on the local coin laundry industry so that readers get a better understanding of the opportunities that are available.

If your planning has been in progress for a while then you might want to update the reader on what stage you are at. If you are considering purchasing an existing laundromat then you will want to outline the history of the business in this section too.

Business Description

Offer readers a basic description of the proposed coin laundry business. When will your new unit open for business? Where will it be located? Will you have an attendant on-site at the laundromat all day or only part-time?

Goals and Targets

Set out a list of realistic targets that you want to achieve with the business in the first year or two. Such targets could be financial and relate to gross or net profits on a monthly basis. They could also be related to other metrics such as membership numbers or customer satisfaction rates. Thinking longer term you may also set goals to expand into new locations.

Startup Requirements

Before you can launch your new laundromat business you must know exactly what you are going to need and how much it will cost. Costs will include everything from equipment purchases, renovations and marketing along with professional fees and compliance costs.

Once you have listed everything out you can then work out the total startup cost. From here you can mention some of the options that you have for funding the laundromat. Mention how much you will be able to contribute yourself and how much external funding you will require.

Products and Services

Go through the services that you plan on offering to customers. As well as a basic machine laundry service with washers and dryers you may also offer more upmarket services like ironing or dry cleaning. Make a note of the products that will be vended onsite. Obviously you will sell washing related products like soap powder and fabric softener but you may also offer non-related products like coffee and soda.

Market Analysis

As a prerequisite to writing a plan you should have done at least a little market research around the area where you propose to open your coin laundry. You can present your findings in this section of the plan.

In your research you should attempt to discover if there is sufficient demand for a laundromat in the area in question and if so, exactly what kind of services the people within this target market want.

You also need to consider the competition that you have in the local area. Produce a map that shows your customer catchment area bearing in mind that customers will usually go to the laundromat that is more convenient for them to get to. Look at the strengths and weaknesses of your competitors. Is it going to be possible to pull customers from the catchment area of competing laundromats? Can you make your service that much more attractive than theirs?

Marketing Plan

Set out a plan to bring new customers into your laundromat and to convert them into regulars. The marketing component of your plan should cover everything from the development of your brand, pricing, advertising, other marketing methods and customer service.

Remember that in the laundromat business you will be relying on building long term relationships with regular customers. You not only need to focus on bringing in new customers but you also have to focus on satisfying and ‘over delivering’ to your existing customer base. If you retain your customers and please them then you will also benefit by referrals and ‘word of mouth’.

Business Operations

Set out a plan for the daily operation of your laundromat. Make a note of the equipment that you will have in place and how the demands for water and energy will be met. Mention how you plan on maintaining the machines.

Discuss your daily staff requirements. What role will you, as the owner take in the daily running of the laundromat? How many employees will you need and what will their responsibilities be?

What other systems will you have in place to ensure that the laundromat runs smoothly on a daily basis and that you can control and manage the business efficiently. Will you have a computer system to keep track of stock and cash flows? What about a security system?

Financial Analysis

Lastly, but most importantly, a sound business plan will include detailed financial forecasts over a period of two to three years. This data is best displayed in spreadsheets so that you can set up a column for each month. Some businesses include more than one spreadsheet to allow for different situations. You may consider including one as a best case scenario and others that show revenue growing at a slower rate than is expected.

Try to identify a break even point where the business would basically be running without making a profit, but without losing money at the same time. Then you will have an idea of the customer volume that you will have to aim for. To calculate break even point you need to assume an average customer spend per visit and then calculate the number of customer visits needed on a monthly basis.

If you are borrowing money to start the business you should also include a repayment schedule to show how fast the loan will be paid back.

Appendix

Many assumptions are made in business plans so it is important to be able to give reasons as to why you made such assumptions. Rather than guessing you should try to include data that backs up your theories. Include an appendix at the end of your plan that includes all supporting materials that don’t fit conveniently into the pages of the report. These could include maps, pictures, spreadsheets, tables and lists of references and sources to name just a few examples.

Here is a simple overview of a planning hierarchy: The business plan is the master document that directs all aspects of an enterprise. Yet, many executives fail to fully understand its importance for achieving goals. Too often, the plan is written then filed away and never used as a key tool in managing a business. A good plan is not necessarily about how well it is written – more important is how well it is implemented. Someone once said, “A partial plan implemented well is better than a well written plan never placed into action”. It is very important to use the plan as your guide, but it must also be dynamic under constant revision because the marketplace is not static. Without a plan, how do you know where you are going and how you will reach your destination?

A business plan addresses functions related to product, marketing, operations, administration, finance, legal, and budgeting. Yes, you can argue that more goes into the plan – remember this is just a simple summary. Planning is like preparing for a road trip. You know where you are and know where you want to go, but how do you get there?

Let’s say your trip is several hundred miles long. Studying your map, you ask yourself questions about time and resources needed before you start the journey. You want to get to your destination as quickly and efficiently as possible, but at the lowest cost without sacrificing essentials or your comfort.

Factors to consider for your trip include mode of transportation, cost, length of trip, and best route in a realistic amount of time. What happens during the trip, if you encounter road construction, traffic jams, or even detours? What if your car breaks down along the way? You tried to plan properly in advance, but now you’re faced with unexpected choices. What resources do have at your disposal? How do you tap resources you don’t have now? What are the opportunity-cost to consider? Which options make most sense to keep you moving on?

Planning your road trip, you consider all the route options. Route A is the shortest, but research shows the route is full of road construction. Taking this route will make your journey longer because of delays and it may cost more in gas money because poor mileage efficiency caused by many stop and go driving. Route B is significantly longer meaning it takes more time to reach your destination. However, there are no detours or construction to deal with. You can zip all the way with minimal stops and find the improved mileage efficiency means less gas station stops resulting in cost savings.

These are the kind of factors requiring consideration when starting a plan. After you decide on the route to take, you must now consider your available resources and their capacity to fulfill your goal. In our road trip example, your next considerations will be influenced by a systems check of your automobile – is it road worthy for a long trip? Must you invest in new tires? Is your battery reliable? You get the idea. How much money do you have allocated for gas, food, and the unexpected? Are you doing all the driving and navigation yourself? When do you start your trip after considering your options?

Being realistic with your goals and anticipating roadblocks will assist you in starting your plan. Don’t waste time constantly refining your plan at the start or you will never reach your destination. Just start with the basic elements using research and a little common sense. Risk is part of the game, but you can significantly reduce future risk if you plan, learn, evaluate, and adjust. Adjustments are always necessary because the market is dynamic – so should be the application of your plan. You cannot anticipate every obstacle, but you will be better prepared to resolve issues if you have a plan and evaluate it on a regular basis.

Creating a professional business plan for your service business is just as important as the business itself. It is a sales tool as well as a possible means for getting financing. If you are a novice, there are many free templates on the internet. Search for “free business plan service business. Microsoft also has free templates on their website.

When you finish writing, carefully read and spell check your plan, look for and add keywords to make your plan easy to read and remember. Include all of the sections below then add some of your own.

Get help from Better Business Bureau
Get to know your local Better Business Bureau. Apply for Accreditation. Being accredited with the BBB shows you meet specific standards of truth and honesty, and automatically instills a trust for your customers. Be sure to include the BBB logo in all of your advertisements.

Small Business Association
The Small Business Administration has many free resources including “Free Online Courses”.

Mission Statement
The mission statement should be a very specific description of the reason you are doing this business. The mission statement should be a very specific description of the reason you are doing this business. For example:

“Our services are designed to help the elderly, disabled or anyone who needs a little assistance to stay in their home, be more independent of family and friends.”

Services Offered
List and describe the types of services and the cost of services you will provide. Include current and new services that will be offered in the future and the projected dates. This section should start with a summary of services followed by a very detailed list including: description, your cost to perform service, fees, and profit.

The People
This is a list and a short description of the each person who will be part of the business. Include a list of accomplishments if any of each person. Also include an organizational chart and detailed job descriptions.

Competition
Know who your competition is! Detail the advantages your business will have over theirs. What services do they offer? How much do they charge? This should be a detailed list of all the competition.

Market Research & Plan
Is there a market for your service? What will your costs be to get started? How has the industry changed in the last ten years? What are the new ideas and trends? What type of marketing will you do now, in one year?

Goals & Objectives
List short term and longer term goals. Where should the service business be in one year, in five years? Make a list of objectives and how they will be measured. These should include: finances, customer base, equipment and so on.

Financial Plan
Estimate the cost of doing business and how much income will be needed for the first, second and third years. This should be a detailed estimate that includes all income and expenses. You should have at least one year’s worth of cash in the bank before you get started if you plan to hire several employees. They expect to be paid no matter how much money the business makes or does not make.

Resource
List the required equipment both computerized and other equipment needed to provide the services. Include any equipment that you may need to rent or purchase. Also include personnel and financial needs.

Risks
Be sure to check into business insurance for you and any employees. Property, liability, workers compensation, and auto insurance are good places to start. Do a Google search on “Business Insurance” or check with the company who insures your home or car to get some referrals.

Key Issues
Are there any short or long term problems that will need to be resolved? Issues may be funding, business location, marketing or changes in the industry.