1. Offer Free Suit Cleaning for Job Seekers

Free suit cleaning for unemployed people who are actively job hunting is one of the most powerful win win programs you can run from your laundromat.

With one simple offer, you:

• Provide a real boost to people who are under financial pressure,
• Create a local story that news outlets actually want to cover,
• Introduce new customers to the quality of your cleaning and pressing services.

Keep the structure simple:

• Limit the offer to one outfit per person within a set time frame.
• Partner with workforce centers, job training programs, or local nonprofits to spread the word.
• Set clear guidelines for what is included, such as one suit, blazer and pants, or a professional outfit.

A program like this costs you a little in the short term, but the goodwill, referrals, and long term customers it creates are worth far more than the initial investment.

2. Partner With Local Schools for “Laundry Night” Fundraisers

Schools are always fundraising. Parents are always doing laundry. Combining those two realities can turn an ordinary weeknight into a high revenue event that supports education.

How a “Laundry Night” Fundraiser Works

1. Choose a night of the week, such as Tuesday or Thursday.
2. Offer to donate 25 percent of all sales from that night to the school.
3. Provide a ready to print flyer or card the school can send home in students’ Thursday folders.

On the flyer, be specific about what parents can wash that night. For example:

• Comforters and blankets,
• Area rugs and bathmats,
• Pet beds and kennel pads,
• Sports uniforms and practice gear,
• Heavy loads they have been putting off.

This clarity helps parents connect the dots and think, “We should take our big stuff up there on Thursday.” That is exactly what you want.

The school gets a check. You get a packed store. Many of those families will come back again even without the fundraiser because they got comfortable with your location and your staff.

Inside your wider marketing plan, you can even create a dedicated page on your website for fundraisers and link to it from other blogs or emails to show that your laundromat is committed to local schools.

3. Give Gift Cards to Local Homeless Shelters and Nonprofits

Clean clothes can completely change how someone feels about themselves, especially when they are trying to get back on their feet. Partnering with homeless shelters and nonprofits through laundry gift cards is a practical way to serve with dignity.

You can:

• Provide a set number of gift cards each month,
• Let shelters use them for their linens, bedding, and towels,
• Offer cards for individual clients who are job searching or moving into stable housing.

Shelter directors talk to other leaders, pastors, and city officials. When your laundromat reliably shows up for them, your business becomes the default recommendation whenever laundry needs come up in conversation.

4. Host a Church Partnered “Free Laundry Day”

Many churches already have outreach budgets set aside for community projects. A free laundry day is a natural, high impact use of those funds.

Free Laundry Day Structure

• You provide the store, machines, and normal operations.
• The church provides volunteers to greet guests, load machines, and serve snacks.
• You agree on a budget and split the cost of the laundry used during the event.

A single free laundry day can bring in dozens or even hundreds of new people who have never been to your laundromat. Once they see how clean, safe, and efficient your store is, many will return as paying customers.

These events also create great content for social media. Encourage the church to share pictures and tag your business. Capture your own photos and short videos and turn them into posts and reels highlighting your commitment to serving the community.

5. Let Local Teams Host “Free Car Washes” in Your Parking Lot

Youth baseball, softball, and football teams are always raising money. You can support them by allowing free car wash fundraisers in your parking lot.

You provide:

• Space in the parking lot,
• Access to water,
• Permission to set up signs and tents.

They bring:

• Families, supporters, and cars lined up around the block,
• Social media posts and pictures that feature your sign and location,
• Fresh traffic walking into your store out of curiosity while they wait.

A packed parking lot sends a strong message to anyone driving by: this place is active, trusted, and worth checking out.

6. Create a “Laundry Angel” Gift Card Program

Generosity grows your business when you give customers an easy way to join in. A “Laundry Angel” program lets regular customers help families in need while also driving pre paid revenue.

The setup is simple:

• Create $10 or $20 Laundry Angel gift cards.
• Display a small sign at checkout explaining that these cards go directly to local families who need help with laundry.
• Partner with school counselors, women’s shelters, senior centers, and foster care agencies to distribute the cards.

Customers feel good about doing something tangible. Your team gets to see your business used as a tool for real impact. And your laundromat becomes the center of a good story every time one of those cards is used.

7. Run “First Responders Clean Free” Appreciation Days

Firefighters, EMTs, law enforcement, nurses, and hospital staff all have uniforms and gear that need regular cleaning. Hosting a free or heavily discounted laundry day for first responders is a powerful way to say “thank you” while also making your store known across an entire city.

Ideas to structure the event:

• Offer free washing and drying for uniforms on a specific day each quarter.
• Provide a discount on any additional personal laundry they bring in that day.
• Invite local media to cover the event and highlight stories of service.

When first responders feel appreciated, they talk. Your laundromat becomes the recommended spot for coworkers, family, and friends whenever laundry comes up.

8. Build a Community Board Inside Your Laundromat

A simple bulletin board in your lobby can quietly create a sense of community that keeps people coming back.

Allow people to post:

• Babysitting or yard work services,
• Local events and school activities,
• Small business cards and flyers,
• Volunteer opportunities and community needs.

Customers stay a little longer, talk a little more, and feel a deeper connection to your store. A connected customer tends to be a loyal customer.

9. Host Simple Workshops and Turn Them Into Content

Your staff knows more about laundry than most people ever will. Use that expertise to host small, practical workshops such as:

• Laundry 101 for teens heading to college,
• How to remove tough stains at home,
• How to wash comforters, pet beds, and bulky items correctly,
• How to sanitize laundry during flu season.

Record these sessions on your phone, then cut them into short vertical videos. Post them on TikTok, Instagram Reels, Facebook, and YouTube Shorts.

Online, these clips position you as the laundry expert in your town. Offline, they show customers that your team cares about helping them, not just taking their quarters.

10. Turn Store Milestones Into Community Celebrations

When you hit a big milestone, do not keep it quiet. Use it as a reason to invite the community in and make some noise.

Ideas include:

• A store anniversary party with giveaways and raffles,
• A celebration when you add new high capacity machines,
• A grand reopening after a remodel or upgrade.

Add simple, family friendly touches:

• Snack table or food truck partnership,
• Prize wheel for free washes or gift cards,
• Kids coloring table with your mascot or logo.

A full parking lot and a lively event create natural content for local media and social channels. Every person who stops by becomes a potential loyal customer.

Bringing It All Together: Revenue, Reputation, and Real Impact

The strongest laundromats do not grow by accident. They grow because owners intentionally combine smart marketing, real community impact, and consistent operations.

When you:

• Offer free suit cleaning to job seekers,
• Run school fundraiser laundry nights,
• Support shelters, churches, and sports teams,
• Create ongoing programs like Laundry Angel gift cards,
• Honor first responders and host community events,

You are not just “getting press.” You are building a reputation as a trusted, community rooted business. That reputation translates into:

• Higher revenue and more repeat customers,
• Better word of mouth and more referrals,
• Local media coverage that feels natural and earned.

If you are ready to turn ideas like these into a clear, month by month growth plan for your store, you do not have to figure it out alone. Inside the Laundry Advisors community, we go deeper on campaigns, scripts, and step by step systems that help owners turn their laundromats into true community anchors and serious profit centers.

Pick one idea from this article, set a date, and launch it. Then track the impact. Your future customers are already in your community. These strategies help them find you.