Cannot understand why i havent got ANY BUSINESS

Nicholas@Autowerx said:
It takes time to build a business. I spent about 3 years detailing part time before I quit my day job. Those 3 years I basically spent learning to be a better detailer and I put all of my detailing profit into building my arsenal of tools, slowly starting to buy chemicals in bulk, and buying a van with all the equipment needed for mobile work. I made it a full time gig when I picked up my first dealer account. They called me out of the blue with a promise of 15-20 cars a month, even through the winter, all Audi/BMW/Benz. I made 100k my first year officially full-time in business. Sometimes I worked 7 days a week, 14 hour days but it didn't matter... it didn't even feel like work because I love it so much. If you have the passion, do quality work every time, and have systems in place to pull customers to you (website, google maps listing, FB page, etc.) eventually things will work out as planned.
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That seems like the sensible and lower risk of the suggestions. building clients and skills while still bringing home steady income will most likely keep you from throwing back boxes of KD and hot dogs every night (If it wasn't so unhealthy, I wouldn't mind that). I am looking at starting a business, but I also have a family to feed. I'm trying to do some freebies for friends and family to help bolster my skill set and if I make some extra money from them, I can use that to build my arsenal of tools and products to do the job right, which it seems like you have everything you need. As far as "market saturation" goes, IMO if you take the time to create a brand that is clever and will appeal to todays technology, coupled with some good ol' fashioned face to face networking, things should start snowballing from there. No one (especially me) wants some grease ball anywhere near my car throwing on flyers, leaning up against my freshly polished paint at Walmart and scratching the, you know what, out of it with the zipper of their hoodie. I'm not calling YOU a grease ball, but I'm trying to convey to you how someone might feel when they see that stuff pinned under their wiper. It screams Low quality and screams someone just trying to squeeze more of my hard earned money out of me. I admire your hard work and determination and I wish you the best of luck my friend! Keep it glossy buddy!
 
I didn't read through all the posts, so I apologize if I today anything already said. My buddy that I worked for in Hawaii did very well with his business, keeping over $10k in sales a month for well over a year, so I try to model off his approach. He did have a website, and paid some money for "search engine optimization", but a good portion of hood his business came from us going out when we didn't have something scheduled and talking to people. Mostly people with nice cars hehe. We would explain the difference between a wash and wax and what our full details entail. Another big seller that could help boost business initially is that he would offer 15% discounts for second vehicles and would give $20 for referrals, so you have customers advertising for you while spreading the good word about your work. Another good money maker was going into businesses and setting up detail days for the employees, where we would schedule a reoccurring day either every week or every other week for just wash, wax, wheels and tires for $40. He made a stipulation that they need at least 4 cars for him to come out. He would have one contact with the business and give them envelopes and anyone who wants a wash and wax would write their license plate number on the envelope with the payment inside, and we would go knock out all the details, usually taking only about 20-30 minutes per vehicle.
 
If you want to bring new customer and retain older customers, I suggest you offer a referal and a loyalty program.

First about the referral program: This allows your customers who love you, to receive an incentive for recruiting their friends. It's worked WONDERS for me in my mobile operation. "Hey Rick, tell your friends about me and I'll give you and them 10% off your next detail service." You can easily record this in a book or excel sheet to keep track or you can have Rick tell you and his friends a coupon code since you don't have a website that can track this stuff for you.

Second, the loyalty program: You need to reward your customers for using your service so they feel appreciated. A simple thank you can help some, but a simple punch card (made out of business cards) can really go a long way. How many people do you know that go to a hotdog stand 9 x's just to get the 10th hotdog free? A LOT. And you know what a loyalty program costs you? And you get your customers coming back and back again and again.

There also could be other reasons. Are you pricing too high or too low? What do your business cards say? How great is your service? How well do you show off your great service? How EASY is it to contact and schedule a service with you? All of these can be factors in why you're losing customers.

If you have anymore questions or want more info about this, feel free to ask or send me a PM.
 
Your potential customers need to see first-hand the results of your work. Detail a really high profile car and get it in a local car show with your business prominently displayed on it.

In the meantime, since you're starving to death, offer a your service to car dealerships or used car lots to keep some income flowing. Give them a discount if they let you display your business info on their cars.
 
Willy Wang said:
You're letting rejection get to your head, and because of it you have stopped the most effective way to get business, door to door, face to face. When someone tells you no, think of it as: I am 1 no closer to a yes. Starting a business you need to make contacts, warm ones. Social media and cards on windows is as cold as can be and is something for many business owners to pretend like they are marketing. You are lying to yourself if you think cards on windows will work. Get your face in front of another face and KEEP DOING IT! Work on being personable/likable. Your customer MUST like you, to buy from you. When I first started, it was 10 people a day minimum that I was talking to. Letting them know that my business exists. Working only weekdays, I made around 200 contacts my first month. Don't let the rejection get to you. Keep your head up and smile. Your customers can sense your energy. When I worked in sales, we would get in the lows sometime, the ability to reset yourself and pump yourself back up will make a huge difference. Tell yourself out loud to snap out of your funk. Tell yourself "Snap out of it. I am better than this. Every one wants their car detailed by me, because I am the best damn detailer in town! The next person I talk to, is going to get their car detailed by me." Then go out and talk to some people. Psych yourself out bro. Talk yourself into things rather than out of things. There are only 2 things you can control, 1) your activity and your 2) attitude. Get in front of people as much as possible. And keep a positive and right attitude. I love watching an inspirational video clip to get me pumped up. (Wolf of Wall Street inspirational speech/Boiler Room/Glengarry Glen Ross)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PQleT6BtCbE
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lofNPLZvTOs
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q4PE2hSqVnk

Hope this helps. Go gettem Tiger!
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Nice post above.

I'll share something with all of you that my 92 year old grandpa used to tell me before he passed...

"Don't let someone else's attitude spoil your own." ---R.H.P.

In other words, I can't help how someone else acts, or what their attitude is, but I can help how I act and what my attitude is.
 
I started with a couple of friends' cars. Once I had some photos I wound up networking into a local small business group. Referrals are all I do now and I do not advertise. It's all word of mouth and I pick and choose what jobs I want to do. Granted I have a 9 to 5 job, but I could easily fill my vacations with work if I wanted to. The group was a constant source of referrals and some were even open to bartering for their services.
 
Anyone know why the OP was banned? Didn't see anything negative that was posted, unless it was from another thread.
 
I think it was Mike Phillips who stated that AG doesn't ban people, they ban themselves.
 
garyg7133 said:
I started with a couple of friends' cars. Once I had some photos I wound up networking into a local small business group. Referrals are all I do now and I do not advertise. It's all word of mouth and I pick and choose what jobs I want to do. Granted I have a 9 to 5 job, but I could easily fill my vacations with work if I wanted to. The group was a constant source of referrals and some were even open to bartering for their services.
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This is where I'm currently at. I was just offered a fleet by a used car company, but I declined
 
It takes time.

I'm only a weekend detailer as side work and I been working really cheap or Free for exchange or detailing materials.

Now words got spread out, especially in local motorcycle clubs and I have few Ducatis lined up.

People want to see your work before bring their car in so build strong portfolio, use your own car or friends, take quality picture and show people what you can do.
 
Dylan@RUPES said:
I'll lend a few suggestions here as someone who has started, operated, and sold detail businesses (with some success) twice before entering into the manufacturer/supplier side of the business.

First things to think about is your approach to the market - certainly FB ads, listing on CL, flyers, business cards - thats all fine and dandy, but how about reaching out to local car clubs, offering to do an education day for their members on the importance of detailing, what processes you offer, etc? Approach local businesses and offer your services on a recurring basis - "I'll be in your lot the first Tuesday every month and offering express details for $xx.xx with advanced booking". Visit used car lots and offer up services. Network as much as you can. Think outside of cars - with a pressure washer and a mobile service you can do things like power washing windows on homes/businesses, cleaning decks, etc. FIND ADDITIONAL MARKETS YOU CAN SERVICE.

Another consideration, and something you didnt' specifically call out, is what kind of services are you offering. I personally hate the term "detailing" its become too broad and unregulated of a term. Are you trying to do full correction only jobs for $700 a whack? If so you're not going to get far. That market is small. If you're looking to be busy think about volume. Offer everything from a basic express wash and hand dry up to 1 step corrections. 99.9% of the world doesn't care about a perfect swirl free finish. Clean is good enough, so cater to the masses. Offer them what they want, not what you want to sell. In my first detailing business, fully mobile, I would make a killing on days where I lined up express washes... offering high quality, thorough cleanings. I could easily do 15-20 of those in one day. Get these people comfortable with the idea of regular appointments, once a month, or 2x a month. Create a steady stream of repeat business - if you're not getting repeat business from the customers you handled 5 months ago when you started then you either didn't provide the service they expected or you failed to follow up with them about maintenance.

One last thought - you started a business 5 months ago. I've been in this industry for 17-18 years now and I'm a young pup by most standards. Don't expect overnight success and don't expect detailing to make you wealthy. Its rare to make a full time living off of detailing, especially in a short period of time. If you're doing the job right, making customers happy, then over time your customer base will grow and (they should) become repeat customers. If you added 2 new customers a week, and didn't loose any... at the end of 5 months you'd have 40 customers. If you can get half of those to subscribe to a regular maintenance program you've got 20 cars to detail a month and growing by 1 or 2 clients a week. Success is not found in the 'one and done' customer - its found in the lifetime customer.
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This here is GOLD. Very strong and clear advice. I do this as a side gig and every pro and veteran I have spoken to have, in one way or another, reiterated very similar advice. Thank you.
 
Dylan@RUPES said:
I'll lend a few suggestions here as someone who has started, operated, and sold detail businesses (with some success) twice before entering into the manufacturer/supplier side of the business.

First things to think about is your approach to the market - certainly FB ads, listing on CL, flyers, business cards - thats all fine and dandy, but how about reaching out to local car clubs, offering to do an education day for their members on the importance of detailing, what processes you offer, etc? Approach local businesses and offer your services on a recurring basis - "I'll be in your lot the first Tuesday every month and offering express details for $xx.xx with advanced booking". Visit used car lots and offer up services. Network as much as you can. Think outside of cars - with a pressure washer and a mobile service you can do things like power washing windows on homes/businesses, cleaning decks, etc. FIND ADDITIONAL MARKETS YOU CAN SERVICE.

Another consideration, and something you didnt' specifically call out, is what kind of services are you offering. I personally hate the term "detailing" its become too broad and unregulated of a term. Are you trying to do full correction only jobs for $700 a whack? If so you're not going to get far. That market is small. If you're looking to be busy think about volume. Offer everything from a basic express wash and hand dry up to 1 step corrections. 99.9% of the world doesn't care about a perfect swirl free finish. Clean is good enough, so cater to the masses. Offer them what they want, not what you want to sell. In my first detailing business, fully mobile, I would make a killing on days where I lined up express washes... offering high quality, thorough cleanings. I could easily do 15-20 of those in one day. Get these people comfortable with the idea of regular appointments, once a month, or 2x a month. Create a steady stream of repeat business - if you're not getting repeat business from the customers you handled 5 months ago when you started then you either didn't provide the service they expected or you failed to follow up with them about maintenance.

One last thought - you started a business 5 months ago. I've been in this industry for 17-18 years now and I'm a young pup by most standards. Don't expect overnight success and don't expect detailing to make you wealthy. Its rare to make a full time living off of detailing, especially in a short period of time. If you're doing the job right, making customers happy, then over time your customer base will grow and (they should) become repeat customers. If you added 2 new customers a week, and didn't loose any... at the end of 5 months you'd have 40 customers. If you can get half of those to subscribe to a regular maintenance program you've got 20 cars to detail a month and growing by 1 or 2 clients a week. Success is not found in the 'one and done' customer - its found in the lifetime customer.
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Great insight and advice. Needs to be quoted again and again. I think the third paragraph is key. I have a full time day job and the "detail service" that comes to our office building does so monthly but also offers individual appointments. The services they offer on-site for teh 1-2 days they may be at our location range from a wash to a 1 step correction. They cater to the masses and know that what people want is the 3-5ft spotless car. Not the ones like me who would look for every mark or swirl to be removed. Two guys work all day and knock out a row of cars in that time. They don't get into details about brands or product, etc. as the masses don't care. Seems crazy to talk about such things with the sales guy on the 4th floor or the secretary on the 2nd. Keep it simple.
 
pdqgp said:
Great insight and advice. Needs to be quoted again and again. I think the third paragraph is key. I have a full time day job and the "detail service" that comes to our office building does so monthly but also offers individual appointments. The services they offer on-site for teh 1-2 days they may be at our location range from a wash to a 1 step correction. They cater to the masses and know that what people want is the 3-5ft spotless car. Not the ones like me who would look for every mark or swirl to be removed. Two guys work all day and knock out a row of cars in that time. They don't get into details about brands or product, etc. as the masses don't care. Seems crazy to talk about such things with the sales guy on the 4th floor or the secretary on the 2nd. Keep it simple.
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I can understand your frustration but your missing one important thing. When work comes your way you should take it. Do not be choosey and also take the intuitive to do something like take on a used car dealer. Yes it might not be what you wanted but it is work and that means cash and you never know what it could lead into as it did for me . . . . . I have been detailing automobiles for over 40 years and have seen a lot but it was my father whom told me when I got out of high school to take work and work as you never know what might come out of it and mine lead to something very great in my career which I am happy with but also want to help you in your start as in the beginning it can be discouraging and hard and lonely at times. . . . . Good Luck . .
 
Nicholas@Autowerx said:
It takes time to build a business. I spent about 3 years detailing part time before I quit my day job. Those 3 years I basically spent learning to be a better detailer and I put all of my detailing profit into building my arsenal of tools, slowly starting to buy chemicals in bulk, and buying a van with all the equipment needed for mobile work. I made it a full time gig when I picked up my first dealer account. They called me out of the blue with a promise of 15-20 cars a month, even through the winter, all Audi/BMW/Benz. I made 100k my first year officially full-time in business. Sometimes I worked 7 days a week, 14 hour days but it didn't matter... it didn't even feel like work because I love it so much. If you have the passion, do quality work every time, and have systems in place to pull customers to you (website, google maps listing, FB page, etc.) eventually things will work out as planned.
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That is exactly how I started. Kept my job and started detailing on the side. In the detailing season (May to Nov around here) I cut my regular job to 3 days a week. And I book customers on the day I am not working at my job. This is my 4th season starting. So far since the weather have been decent enough to detail, I have had 2 to 3 clients per week. On average I work 6-12 hours for each client since I don't do basic details. In the previous years it was not as good. I remember the first year I had sometimes 2 to 3 weeks between clients.

So here is the thing, in order to get clients, they need to know about you. And in this day and age, that means a decent website and good SEO so they can see you when they search Google for detailing services. Until you start ranking organically on the first page of Google, you will probably have to either pay for Adword or Facebook publicity or find some other way to have you Facebook page show up on people's walls. This is why it is so hard to start but once the ball gets rolling you will get more and more calls.
 
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