Start an ironing service... official MoneySavingExpert.com discussion

sunnyred

hello people I'm looking to start up a new ironing business in the West Midlands in the next few months. I'll be leaflet dropping by the thousand and putting ads in local shops, businesses, yell.com, yellow pages, thomsons, local mags. I've just seen missspeedy23 saying she's added herself to Google places...what exactly is that?

I checked the cost of advertising in the local paper, I was shocked to see it was around £20 a week! Does anyone know any other ways I can advertise??

Thanks in advance

missspeedy23

sunnyred wrote: »

hello people I'm looking to start up a new ironing business in the West Midlands in the next few months. I'll be leaflet dropping by the thousand and putting ads in local shops, businesses, yell.com, yellow pages, thomsons, local mags. I've just seen missspeedy23 saying she's added herself to Google places...what exactly is that?

I checked the cost of advertising in the local paper, I was shocked to see it was around £20 a week! Does anyone know any other ways I can advertise??

Thanks in advance

Hi

It's basically when someone puts in "ironing near x town or postcode" it brings things up on a map that are close by. If you go to www.google.co.uk/places you can sign up and register your business details, including any website/email address etc. I've had a few customers ring me from that so quite impressed.

Think it's around £8 a week to advertise in our paper, just a small text block so it's not cheap. We have a little guide that comes round us that covered 11,000 addresses in our postcode area and I got quite a lot of calls from that. If there's anything similar by you, give that a try. I had an OK response from a leaflet drop but I mainly targeted the new housing estates.

Hope it all goes OK!

Jo

sunnyred

Thanks a lot for that, it's encouraging to hear someone getting calls off their advertising Just had a look at Google places, looks good.

Thanks once again, I'm sure I'll be back with more questions lol.

denwazza1981

Hi,

I just want to say what a wonderful help you all have been. I discovered this forum about a week ago and today i have set up my website i have a friend designing some leaflets and a lot of hope this will work.

All the information over the last few pages have been invaluable!

So i just want to say hello and thank you

I do have one question tho. Although i have set up a website i as yet have no pictures. How do i go about finding some without breaking copyright laws?

Thanks again peeps x

mrsspoon_2

Hi Everyone,

Hi to all the new people on this thread and good luck with your new ventures! Unfortunately I work for someone as opposed to it being my own business so am no good with business q's!

After nearly a year I've finally succumbed to back pain (. I know its bad as its aching most of the time now - it started off just when i was standing for too long. Work has been stupidly busy these last couple of weeks, have been ironing most days for 9-10 hours.

I got myself a stool to sit on but it's slowing me down too much. Do any of you iron sitting down? Wondered if it was a matter of just getting used to it? (the stool, not the back pain!).

On a separate note, it wouldn't be a proper post from me without an ironing technique q! Do you always spray shirts? Was watching some YouTube vids and they all sprayed the shirts to start with. I do if they're v creased, but not every single time. Should I be?

tarond

These things looked pretty good, and some that I can learn, and I hope to learn more on it!

missspeedy23

mrsspoon wrote: »

Hi Everyone,

Hi to all the new people on this thread and good luck with your new ventures! Unfortunately I work for someone as opposed to it being my own business so am no good with business q's!

After nearly a year I've finally succumbed to back pain (. I know its bad as its aching most of the time now - it started off just when i was standing for too long. Work has been stupidly busy these last couple of weeks, have been ironing most days for 9-10 hours.

I got myself a stool to sit on but it's slowing me down too much. Do any of you iron sitting down? Wondered if it was a matter of just getting used to it? (the stool, not the back pain!).

On a separate note, it wouldn't be a proper post from me without an ironing technique q! Do you always spray shirts? Was watching some YouTube vids and they all sprayed the shirts to start with. I do if they're v creased, but not every single time. Should I be?

Hi

I suffer with my shoulders more than my back but I've got one of those shiatsu massager chairs which helps. I don't iron sitting down, sorry - not sure if I'd be able to do it sitting down!

I only spray shirts (water with a drop of fabric softener) if they're like cardboard - i.e. they've been in the tumble drier for a week, or if they're really creased pure cotton. Some shirts can be really creased and iron fine so if I don't need to I don't bother as it adds to the time.

Jo

Stephb1986_2

Hi!

We don't sit down ironing it makes you too slow. After a while you get use to the backache unless your not standing properly? Do you do it barefoot or with slippers on?

We don't spray the shirts either unless we really have to. Like Jo said we only use some fabric softener with a bit of water.

HTH

Steph x

mrsspoon_2

Thanks for the advice as always. You're right, some of the shirts do come out fine even with no spray, and equally some are rubbish even after being sprayed!

I usually iron with slippers but have just started wearing comfy granny shoes (flyflots!) to see if it helps. It's just weird all this time I've been fine but it started around a month ago and has got worse on a daily basis.

Maybe it's age :os. But I'm only 32!!

clairibel

mrsspoon wrote: »

Thanks for the advice as always. You're right, some of the shirts do come out fine even with no spray, and equally some are rubbish even after being sprayed!

I usually iron with slippers but have just started wearing comfy granny shoes (flyflots!) to see if it helps. It's just weird all this time I've been fine but it started around a month ago and has got worse on a daily basis.

Maybe it's age :os. But I'm only 32!!

Have you tried doing some stretches maybe yoga to stretch it all out as thats a lot of ironing your doing.

I do about 4 ish a day and i find my legs are the bits that hurt the most.