Boat Detailing. How to get new customers

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jdemoss

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Anyone have any advice on gaining new customers and clients in the boat industry. Marinas seem hard to get into because they all have in house guys. Any info or suggestions would be great.
 
Seems like everyone here in my area owns a boat. I had a decent response with EDDM in waterfront neighborhood's. I also picked up a decent account by stopping by several boat consignment shops.Also we have some high end storage yards that I've detailed a couple boats out of. Im not sure how close to the coast you are but location really helps. Maybe pin up some cards at your local bait shop, west marine. I have a few local neighborhood beach papers I advertise in . I'm sure others will chime in
 
Keep pounding the streets! Eventually a marina will need help so visit often. Also weekly ads in free local papers work well. People get hammered by marinas and are always looking for a better deal and that's where you come in. Do a few good jobs and word spreads fast in boating community's. We do over a 100 boats per season across lake Winnipesaukee in NH. We started by walking into marinas. Good luck!
 
A website and Google AdWords. I also get lots of boat business from craigslist. Odds are there are few people in your area that do good boat detailing.

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Don't rule out the marinas with detailers. For example, I worked for a particular detailer that owned a lift and slip in a marina, but other detail companies were welcome to compete for customers.
 
Thx for all the great replies and encouragement. I was curious on a few things. What percent were you getting on the eddm? I know they say usually to expect 1%. What is a good company for eddm?Yes_No? Anybody had luck through the chamber of commerce signing up and networking? Im gonna try to stay consistent with the marinas this year. Thx again
 
Hey Mark what kind of free local papers do you mean?
 
If you go through post office site it has a nice route breakdown.I would have 5000 printed up and saturate your targets.To keep cost down you have to have a good print guy. My guy gets my business cards, rack cards, door hangers, wraps, signs etc..Once they have your artwork layout it's alot easier to import these designs to other projects.I wanna say it cost between 22/26 each delivered. I had more like 10 per thousand. Doesn't sound good but once the neighbors start talking the phone will ring a little more. Rougly $25 to book a 3/400 job seems good to me. I would only do a few routes at a time. The chamber of Commerce is ok but didn't pan out for me. I would also recommend non ethanol gas stations. They usually have a billboard they'll let you tack up some cards.Also most upscale neighborhoods have their own llttle neighborhood paper that are cheap to advertise in. I would also focus on small boat repair shops too.
 
Free newspapers for us around lake Winnipesaukee. Usually a weekly paper and people pick them up in diners, coffee shops, stores, even their marinas. The cost is low (like $20 a week) there are lots of people still reading the paper. We have 5 or 6 free papers around the lake. "Weirs times" "laconia sun" etc etc. find those and remember consistency counts so if you don't get a call in the first few weeks stay at it and it will pay off. I will start in march. Good luck!
 
Go on cl in your area go to boats for sale.Then look for high end boats for sale that look bad.Call the owner and tell them you can get them 2 to 3,000 more for there boat if they let you detail it.When I get slow I do this and in 2 or 3 hrs I have boats to work on.ps dont be the cheapest out there .Down here in se fl cheap guys dont get much work they all have tryed the cheap guys and didnt like there work.Boats are hard work always give it your all.
 
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