how did you get new business when starting

[kellyktel]

have been detailing part time out of my shop for a couple of months now. the few details i have done, the customers really liked. i get off at my regular job at 1:00 p.m. every day and would like to grow my part time gig. all of the jobs i gotten so far have come from flyers i am posting and handing out where i can.
i would like to know how you all got your business to grow. the different ways that were successful and also what was not.
thanks so much for the much needed help

 

[calhoun1]

For full disclosure I am just starting out and don't have a customer base yet, but my first few offers for work are coming from word of mouth.

The first from my wife driving her freshly detailed car to work and her co-workers being impressed and wanting their vehicles to look the same. And from that, I am sure to get others who are interested as well.

Of course this will only grow so far that way, but it is a start.

 

[Flip]

Got my first customers from my neighbors who watch me detail my car for 8 hours.

Some others off craigslist,
I have been reading Marketing for Dummies and I'm hoping that will help me start making the big bucks hahahaah.

 

[Rav777]

I got proffesional business cards and got about 500 of them made. I worked off a refferal process and gave people small discounts if they sent customers down my way. I tried not to get flyers made or advertising on my car as I didnt want to look like a the usuall detailers in town.

Word of mouth spreads like wildfire and I was giving my customers about 5 business cards each so they could pass them to their friends. If you do great work you will be in good shape and I have been booked pretty steady since I started. I try not to get too much business as it will interfere with college.

 

[SeaJay's]

As others have said word of mouth is a great way to spread your name.

I also would suggest getting a website. I think having a decent website now a days is crucial.

I also put an ad up on craigslist, use social media, leave business cards at sub shops, hair salons, or where ever you can. And make connections with people.

 

[C. Charles Hahn]

To be perfectly honest, it would probably be beneficial for you to take a basic marketing class/some business classes at your local community college.

 

[Flip]

I'm taking Small Business Management at my local college just for my detailing business.

It has really given me some great knowledge and I know it will help me run my business more successfully. I already have a few marketing tricks up my sleeve that will help me take things to the next level.

 

[shoeless89]

I got proffesional business cards and got about 500 of them made. I worked off a refferal process and gave people small discounts if they sent customers down my way. I tried not to get flyers made or advertising on my car as I didnt want to look like a the usuall detailers in town.

Word of mouth spreads like wildfire and I was giving my customers about 5 business cards each so they could pass them to their friends. If you do great work you will be in good shape and I have been booked pretty steady since I started. I try not to get too much business as it will interfere with college.

I have pretty much done the same thing. Aside from my business card's I haven't done any marketing. I'm also in college so time is at a premium. 90% of my business comes from referrals or word of mouth.

 

[TS656577]

I have pretty much done the same thing. Aside from my business card's I haven't done any marketing. I'm also in college so time is at a premium. 90% of my business comes from referrals or word of mouth.

This. I have gotten cards made and leave some in the car or hand them to the person when I return the car. Most of my customers have been from word of mouth after another person's car was done. And like they said, a website is crucial, even if you pay to have it done. A professional looking site can be difficult to make if you have no coding experience or havent used something like Dreamweaver.

 

[ScubaCougr]

This. I have gotten cards made and leave some in the car or hand them to the person when I return the car. ... And like they said, a website is crucial, even if you pay to have it done.

1. Back of my business cards (Vistaprint) offers 10% off first detail scheduled with a spot for the referring customer to jot their name. I make sure to point that out when I leave 3-4 cards.

2. If you know little or nothing about websites, most hosting companies have pre-packaged templates you can use. Look at "Websites tonight" at GoDaddy for one example.

3. If you don't like that, zip over to Serif.com and download the FREE WebPlus application. Check my website below for what a web novice can do with that.....

 

[southbeach]

I bought the word "car wash Houston" from google for $900 a month.....I had to hire more people because of that.

 

[Kristopher1129]

Get a website...that should be your number one. Go EVERYWHERE on the internet and make sure your business is listed with sites like yellowpages.com, merchantcircle, yahoo, google, etc, etc. All these sites will bring people searching to your site.

Do good work. If you do good work, have fair prices, word of mouth will get out. But, word of mouth is very overrated for beginners. Word of mouth isn't going to fill your schedule for the week until you've built a customer base with hundreds of people. In the beginning...word of mouth is not enough. You need to get out there, hand out business cards, flyers, make deals with businesses, dealerships, etc. Once you're doing well enough...you can deal with those accounts then.

BE AT THE SHOP! Do work! Even if it's your own work. Put up some signage, and just be open. Customers will stop in, ask questions, take cards, etc. Just the simple task of being open will help you. Doing work, brings more work. I can't count how many times people stop in while we are working and say "I didn't even know this place was here!" Then BOOM...instant customer.

It might sound stupid...but be professional! Not just professional...very professional. Listen to the customer, and suit their needs. I've gone out in my area personally and stopped in to shops just to see what it's like...I was disgusted, and immediately knew my business would take off just on customer service alone.

In the beginning, you have to fight. Go get some steady work lined up. While you are working on your steady work...things will start to fall in to place a bit for you. There's so much more...but I'm done typing for now, ha. Good luck!!