Detailing in a small town

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DriveByAutoCare

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Hey everyone. My name is David. I just joined the forum and have a few questions. I just started a new detailing company in a small town. Around here everyone seems to think "detailing" means "car wash" and when I try to explain the difference they are already saying no just because of the prices. I am an eco friendly detailer with I feel a lot to offer but can't seem to get clients except here and there. Could anyone give me some advice on how to handle my startup?


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When I moved to Florida had the same problem.40.00 they thought was a detail.The easiest way to fix this problem is to get menu cards that explain different packages and services.
 
I like the menu idea. Don't get too wordy/technical. Most people don't know the difference between polishing and waxing:)

Problem with a small town is most people don't want a polished car. The market for correction work will more than likely be small. Unless you have lots of high end cars in your small town. I get excited when I see Mustangs and Corvettes in my rural small town. A Porsche 911 is an exotic around here. Most people just want a clean interior and exterior.

On newer cars in decent condition, more than likely the only customers who would care enough for a AIO or multi step correction. Bring out a powerful flashlight and show them the scratches/swirls in their car's paint. Then show them your car that is scratch/swirl free.

Educate the customers on what it is you can do. Chances are most people will just want a wash, wax, and quick interior cleaning. Price those quick jobs at a rate that is profitable for you and gives the customer what they want.

Over deliver on a few things and point it out to the customer. "Hey I removed that small scratch in your bumper"
 
This is an issue of service to target market fit. You need to find wealthier clients or lower your service level. There's very little explaining to do. If a person who has never heard of detailing of $150+ prices to get their car cleaned, you are wasting your time educating them. I would not waste time educating customers but instead find the right customers who are already educated. BMW, Audi, MB, Porsche owners would welcome your service. If you talk to to Honda owners who pay $30 for an oil change, you cannot educate them to believe that a BMW $245 oil change is worth it.

95% of customers we get have never asked us what we do. We charge $150-$200 USD a car. Those who ask a lot of questions don't buy.

Detailing is a simple business, great opportunity to learn about how to do business (sales, customer service, operations, accounting, marketing, strategy, etc.). People who focus on detailing will never pay off their own equipment. Of course quality has to be maintained but customers don't care about "detailing" or ecofriendly, they want their car cleaned. 95% of our customers never use the the word "detailing". They call and ask to get their car cleaned.
 
15 $50 car washes a week is nothing to sneeze at. Do what the market wants and continue to educate and build. No empires were built in a day, or even 1 year.
 
mikehookipa said:
This is an issue of service to target market fit. You need to find wealthier clients or lower your service level. There's very little explaining to do. If a person who has never heard of detailing of $150+ prices to get their car cleaned, you are wasting your time educating them. I would not waste time educating customers but instead find the right customers who are already educated. BMW, Audi, MB, Porsche owners would welcome your service. If you talk to to Honda owners who pay $30 for an oil change, you cannot educate them to believe that a BMW $245 oil change is worth it.

95% of customers we get have never asked us what we do. We charge $150-$200 USD a car. Those who ask a lot of questions don't buy.

Detailing is a simple business, great opportunity to learn about how to do business (sales, customer service, operations, accounting, marketing, strategy, etc.). People who focus on detailing will never pay off their own equipment. Of course quality has to be maintained but customers don't care about "detailing" or ecofriendly, they want their car cleaned. 95% of our customers never use the the word "detailing". They call and ask to get their car cleaned.
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And that is the problem with a small market. There are probably less high end luxury/sports cars in all of our adjacent counties combined, then in one wealthy gated community.
 
LEDetailing said:
And that is the problem with a small market. There are probably less high end luxury/sports cars in all of our adjacent counties combined, then in one wealthy gated community.
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Yea for sure. Detailing in general is a luxury service. You can try offering detailing, add head light restoration, tinting, oil changes, tire swaps, etc. to try to increase the average client value but your customers wont react the same. They are less likely to repeat and they are more likely to have cars that are very trashed. The very-trashed cars present an opportunity but definitely price accordingly, you may be scrapping year old stains for half a day.

I agree with DCJredline, do what the market wants. If there isn't a market, then you can't force it.

Marketing needs to be simple though. Is your car trashed? Price wise, there can be a play here too. If population isn't as affluent, that also means cost of living is lower. In big cities, you can't get by without couple hundred dollars a day in your pocket.
 
In my town the only people that will want a full detail is the doctors and lawyers and honestly I bet most of them don't even want that because they are getting a new car when the lease is up


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People that have asked for a full detail even asked for extracting the carpets look at me crazy when I tell them 150


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This right here is an issue for alot of people near me. My town is very wealthy but people would rather pay for a 40 or even 20 dollar car wash and try to expect results of a 300 dollar detail. I think first come up with what you need to make per hour factoring in supplies, labor, utilities,etc. Then see what the rate of your services are from there and charge them. People also need to start learning that it takes time to do things like this.

I was thinking that you could say something in a menu but go in order of detailing steps. like wax: one step product that protects the paints finish, most often made out of natural chemicals and done after every other step .....40 dollars or what you deem appropriate (you being the business owner)

Polish:lighter abrasive that corrects defects in paints to increase shine and gloss. hopefully you are getting what im saying at this point. Basically a small description and price a bit like a food menu.
 
DriveByAutoCare said:
In my town the only people that will want a full detail is the doctors and lawyers and honestly I bet most of them don't even want that because they are getting a new car when the lease is up


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Same here. I'm not thinking about detailing for a living, but when people see my truck, they say "Why not make $$ on the side doing this??"

Well, I'd never have the time, but the big factor is exactly what you stated. Zero market for the kind of results I'd provide.
 
DriveByAutoCare said:
In my town the only people that will want a full detail is the doctors and lawyers and honestly I bet most of them don't even want that because they are getting a new car when the lease is up


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You will be surprised how much business you can get from going to the hospitals or doctor offices. I work in the medical field and constantly getting asked to have their cars washed, but I am not fully mobile yet. If you are fully mobile, hospitals and doctor offices are great places to get business.

You can also market to lease owners to prep their cars before they turn them in. Ive gotten a couple of customers this way. Some people just trash their cars and dont want to pay any additional " car abuse" fees.

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DETAILROOKIE said:
You will be surprised how much business you can get from going to the hospitals or doctor offices. I work in the medical field and constantly getting asked to have their cars washed, but I am not fully mobile yet. If you are fully mobile, hospitals and doctor offices are great places to get business.

You can also market to lease owners to prep their cars before they turn them in. Ive gotten a couple of customers this way. Some people just trash their cars and dont want to pay any additional " car abuse" fees.

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And then there is this. A man that knows how to go grab a market.

Great post.
 
DriveByAutoCare said:
In my town the only people that will want a full detail is the doctors and lawyers and honestly I bet most of them don't even want that because they are getting a new car when the lease is up


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They want it because they keep their stuff clean. They go to dry cleaning, have a housekeeper, get their car cleaned. Their wife goes to the spa, they eat at nice restaurants. Try it!
 
I don't know if there is a market or not for this but just to share my one experience that really changed my life and mind on detailing. I came from a very small town, my first car was a black car, used and older but in good shape, I bought it with my own money carrying out groceries and had a lot of pride in it. I always washed it maintained it and so on but never looked just really awesome, I changed my own oil and maintained it and was always working on it. My mother bought me a full detail on my car inside and out for my birthday when I was 17. You should have seen my face when I picket it up. I never knew it could look so good.

Maybe offer birthday specials or graduation specials? Just throwing that out there.
 
JeffsRealm said:
I don't know if there is a market or not for this but just to share my one experience that really changed my life and mind on detailing. I came from a very small town, my first car was a black car, used and older but in good shape, I bought it with my own money carrying out groceries and had a lot of pride in it. I always washed it maintained it and so on but never looked just really awesome, I changed my own oil and maintained it and was always working on it. My mother bought me a full detail on my car inside and out for my birthday when I was 17. You should have seen my face when I picket it up. I never knew it could look so good.

Maybe offer birthday specials or graduation specials? Just throwing that out there.
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Great idea I am currently doing a back to school special right now


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