Diaper Business?

[charles20212]

How are you guys doing today, My name is Charles and im 18 years old an bank teller at TCF Bank with little start up money I stay in the state of Michigan and i was thinking of starting my own business. I was thinking of buying cloth diapers in bulk and offering them as service in my community i will also provide shipping and clean them for my customers. I was wonder if you guys could get me in the right direction in making it an reality such as prices,marketing my services, and whom to service.

[huggytree]

i would start by working for a diaper service...learn the business....no way you can just start up something you know nothing about(i assume you dont)

its a complex business you want to start....you need a building,washing machines, employees, materials..........you also need a LARGE advertising budget...i dont see this as an easy/cheap startup....i see it as expensive.......its not like you can wash diapers in your basement and run it out of your house...its a major undertaking

ill bet there's alot of health dept stuff too because of all the excessive amounts of nuclear poop

get a job in the business and see what they do...when you think you can do it better than them then go on your own.....

[KristineS]

I would have to agree with huggytree on this. This sort of business has to be regulated and I'm sure there are rules about how diapers are cleaned and what sort of detergents can be used and all the rest. I'm not saying it can't be done, but you might be better off starting with an existing service and learning about what needs to be done before trying to start your own.

[DeniseTaylor]

Good suggestions!

As far as promo, once you decide and get started, I would sign up with Google places to ensure you are locatable online for your local market.

I would also suggest offering coupons and perhaps some door-to-door promo using fliers or door hanger brochures. If there's a way to get involved with moms and dads and get a business card out, that would be great. Also, make sure your vehicle has your logo/slogan and phone number painted on it.

Once you get some customers, you could ask for referrals or just hit the neighboring houses and let them know when you'll be around. If your prices and service are good, you'll probably pick up customers that way as people tend to follow their friends.

Good luck!