In the dry cleaning business, your marketing dollars need to work as hard as you do. You want your investment in marketing to pay off – and then some. The good news? You’ve got a pool of current customers who already trust you and are ready to spend more with your business. But how can you reach them and what’s the best way to see ROI?
Email has been the go-to for years, and there’s still a benefit to using it, but if we are being honest, inbox clutter is a real issue. All of us get hundreds of email updates and promotions daily. When you’re busy, your time to go through them all shrinks by the day.
It’s no surprise that the younger and busier your customers are, the less valuable email is to them. More and more, older customers are feeling email fatigue too. Important emails get attention, but for all of the others there’s a fight to get eyeballs.
So what’s a dry cleaner to do? Research shows that SMS marketing is leading the way in both attention and action. The bottom line is that SMS marketing is where you’ll see the highest return for time-based promotions.
Read on to learn some truths about marketing across email and SMS.
SMS Marketing: Fast, direct, and high ROI
For a dry cleaner, this isn’t just Customer engagement with SMS messaging is at an all-time high according to statistics released earlier this year.
- Open rates: Nearly 98% of SMS messages get opened, usually within 3 minutes*
- Response rates: Around 45%, compared to around 6% for email: much as $71 for every $1
- Click-through rates (CRT): Around 19–36%, crushing emails at 2-3%
- ROI: As much as $71 for every $1 spent* categorization
For a dry cleaner, this isn’t just data–it’s an opportunity. Your marketing strategy should include SMS so ensure you’re benefitting from the immediacy and impact of texting.
*See source links at the end of the article
Email Marketing: Useful, but slower—and harder to get noticed
Email is still valuable. It’s a solid channel for monthly newsletters, seasonal updates, upselling services, and longer service announcements. You get to include beautiful photos and clickable promotion buttons. And with an ROI of $37 per $1 spent*, it’s still profitable.
But here’s the reality:
- Inbox filtering: Gmail, Outlook, and other providers automatically sort messages into Primary, Promotions, Social, and Updates tabs. Your promo email? Almost guaranteed to land in Promotions, where it competes with everyone else who’s selling something.
- AI-powered categorization: Email platforms now use AI to guess what’s “important.” Many emails never get invited to the Primary inbox.
- Open rates: 22–42%, about half of SMS*
- Click-through rate (CTR): 2.6% average*
- Conversions: Roughly 1.3% per email sent*
Email is best for depth and detail, but when you need quick action—like getting a customer to create their next order or take advantage of a special deal—SMS is the channel that cuts through the noise.
*See source links at the end of the article
Why SMS Works So Well for Dry Cleaners
Dry cleaners thrive on repeat visits. Your existing customers are 60–70% more likely to return than new ones. Even a 5% increase in retention can boost profits by 25–85%.
This means there’s a lot to be earned from .
Examples of short but sweet messages:
- Retain first-time customers: “We hope you loved your first experience with [your company]! We’re gifting you 15% off your second order as a thank you for choosing us! Your coupon is good for 15 days.”
- Promote seasonal services: “Time to switch out your summer wardrobe—get 20% off dry cleaning winter coats this week!”
- Highlight new services: “Have you tried our wash & fold/alterations/rug cleaning free delivery? We’re the best in town – try us and you’ll see!”
SMRT Marketing: SMS + POS = Results
Here’s where SMRT shines. SMRT’s Automated Business Messaging combined with texting from SMRT Marketing will take your business to the next level. Our SMS-enabled campaigns, promos, and reminders let you reach your customers instantly and easily, with click-to-apply coupons and plenty of ways to personalize messages, which tops the list of ways to impress your customers.
Imagine this flow:
- A customer drops off their first order.
- They pick it up and get a personalized thank-you SMS.
- That message includes an offer: “10% off your next order if you return this week.”
- They come back sooner, spend more, and your ROI climbs.
That’s not theory—that’s what our clients are seeing with SMRT.
Final Takeaway
- SMS beats email when it comes to speed, engagement, and ROI.
- Email still has a role, but inbox filters and AI make it harder to rely on for quick wins.
- Together, they form a complete marketing strategy—and with SMRT Marketing, you get both. Our platform allows you to choose your sending method and monitor engagement.
Dry cleaners who lean into SMS aren’t just sending texts—they’re driving repeat visits, bigger tickets, and stronger loyalty. High engagement rates are the reason so many businesses are using SMS more every day (and why marketing is always a good investment).
If you haven’t seen what SMRT Marketing can do, get in touch today.
References:
Designmodo. “Email Marketing ROI Statistics: 2024.” Designmodo, 2024, https://designmodo.com/email-marketing-roi-statistics.
Falkon SMS. “SMS Marketing Statistics: The Ultimate Guide 2024.” Falkon SMS, 2024, https://www.falkonsms.com/post/sms-marketing-statistics.
Growth-onomics. “Email Marketing Benchmarks 2025: Open Rates, CTRs, and More.” Growth-onomics, 2025, https://growth-onomics.com/email-marketing-benchmarks-2025-open-rates-ctrs.
Infobip. “SMS Marketing Statistics: 2024 Data Report.” Infobip, 2024, https://www.infobip.com/blog/sms-marketing-statistics.
OptiMonk. “SMS Marketing Statistics to Know in 2024.” OptiMonk, 2024, https://www.optimonk.com/sms-marketing-statistics.
YourNotify. “SMS Marketing Statistics and Data Report.” YourNotify, 2024, https://yournotify.com/blog/sms-marketing-statistics-and-data-report.
