How do you get business?

HotRod

HotRod

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I was just wondering, for the guys that detail full time, how do you get the word out about your business? I have opened my own business this year in march, and sometimes struggle to get work. Advertising is too expensive for me at this time, so what would anyone suggest to get the word out?

Word of mouth seems to work really well for me, but travels very slow. I knew from the beginning that it would take a while to make a business work. I just would like to hear what others have tried, to get new clients.

Also, most of my work is from auto dealerships, how do you get into the retail market? I put out good high quality work, but I think some people dont know what goes into detailing. They seem to prefer a $25 detail job.
Any Suggestions?
 
I live right next to a country club. I paid that town a $250 deposit, refundable, to be allowed to go house to house to leave fliers at their front doors. Do NOT place any fliers in anyones mail box. Against the law. I continue to get clients from there PLUS, they will do word of mouth for you. Also, you could mail out fliers as well.

My $.02

Stephen
 
Well I am in the same boat as you...I started mine full time in April this year. Some of the people I knew who made a good living doing it for awhile, said it took them roughly 15 months before there business was really moving. For me, I am luckly and have tons of car connections. I contract for a Lexus/Toyota/Subaru/Mitzu. Performance Shop and get a good bit of work through them, then also sponsor my car club and get alot of work through there. Everything else is word of mouth, and like you said it travels slow. So best thing I do is offer almost free certain lvl details to people if I know of a big car show in my area, have them go and stick business cards in the windows.
 
Oh. Forgot to methion this. I'm working with this cities President for the Chamber of Commerce. Of course, she, and many many other people here in the Rio Grande Valley know my family very well.

Also, do you have a DBA (Doing Business As) for your work? At the present time, I don't since I'm trying to get disability. If I had a DBA, I would have many companies using my service.
 
I just sent a bunch of business letters to funeral homes, and got a call the very next day, about detailing their hearse. But, they were busy and wont have free time until next week. I was told the funeral business is an untapped market for detailing. Does anyone market their detail business to Limo services or even used camper/RV dealerships?
Keep the ideas coming guys, I think this topic is much needed. We need a section in this forum just to discuss business related topics.
 
I have different options for customers..

$20 just a two bucket wash

$40 wash vacuum dash wipe etc.

$80 Everything that you would get with a full detail except for paint correction

Someday I will do paint correction on customer cars, and plan on giving a per customer rating instead of just one flat rate but don't have the confidence level quite yet..through this forum and practice I'm getting some good results tho :)

When a customer says I can get my car washed at "insert car wash name" for $30 I try to explain what they are really paying for and then usually feel out the customer. If they are reluctant I will cut them a deal and then when the pick up the car I point out the differences between what I do and what some of the "professional" places aroudn town do and most customers are pleased and happy to pay full price the next time.

I also send out a flyer with customers and some of them have hung them up on the bulletin board at there palce of business.

I did a wash/clay/wax on a truck for a gentlemen that owns a local fencing company and now I've started cleaning his 3 company trucks once a month for him. Perhaps you could confront some local business owners to see if their work vehicles need some up-keep from time to time.
 
Actually funny the market in my area I have found untapped for detailing is Harleys and Bikes...
 
Also you have to remember, you picked a very difficult time to start building a detailing business, because people just aren't spending the money they used too. The best way to get word out for you is word of mouth. Also you can get a stack of 500 business cards. ALWAYS carry business cards with you! A trick I used would be to find the person getting into/out of their dirty car and do a quick fly-by with my business card, this worked pretty well.
 
I have a website, business cards, brochures, business letters, and I have a lettered up van. I also have advertised on a local free classified website, with minimal results. Maybe its just the area I live in.
I recently lost a good client(used car dealership). I barely get work from them, since they hired a high school kid. He does not do professional work, so he does not get paid much, plus to my understanding, he gets paid under the table, no taxes and I doubt he has business insurance. This dealer still calls me, but very rarely, and I know they have work, and they have been selling alot of vehicles too.
Does anybody do radio advertising? I know its expensive, but is it worth it? I found out that I can get $500 of radio advertising if I donate $500 worth of detail services for their radio auction next month.
 
go to car shows, events, track days, random parking lots, and give people or place the brochures/business cards on the car. people who put their cars in car shows take care of their car, so their willing to pay money for it to look good.
 
Well, here is another way of thoughts. When you speak to people, advise them that you can make their vehicle look strong AND it they plan to trade them in, or sell them, they will get a better value so the car care people at dealerships do not have to do anything to the vehicles since THEY will not be able to come close to your work. The people will also be able to sell their vehicles quicker for their look.

Prime example. I took a used '08 Chev. Cobalt to a car show for publicity on my work. I taped off half the vehicle and it was a red Cobalt where one can see everything. That Cobalt sat on the dealerships used car side for about two months. After the show was over, I corrected the other side. Two days later, the dealership sold the vehicle without a problem. I did that car at no charge for the dealership so they could see my work. They refer people to me every once in a while.

I hope that made sense.

Stephen
 
r0ckstrWS6 said:
go to car shows, events, track days, random parking lots, and give people or place the brochures/business cards on the car. people who put their cars in car shows take care of their car, so their willing to pay money for it to look good.
Click to expand...


Have to be careful with the random parking lots, where I live its against
the city rules to solicit w/o a license ( $ 500 ) and also most of the
stores get annoyed at the flyers and cards on their pavement......just
a thought.
 
HotRod said:
I was just wondering, for the guys that detail full time, how do you get the word out about your business? I have opened my own business this year in march, and sometimes struggle to get work. Advertising is too expensive for me at this time, so what would anyone suggest to get the word out?

Word of mouth seems to work really well for me, but travels very slow. I knew from the beginning that it would take a while to make a business work. I just would like to hear what others have tried, to get new clients.

Also, most of my work is from auto dealerships, how do you get into the retail market? I put out good high quality work, but I think some people dont know what goes into detailing. They seem to prefer a $25 detail job.
Any Suggestions?
Click to expand...

HotRod,

I have yet to launch my business 100% due to extending medical issues and agree
the economy right now for disposable income is the pits ! Have a friend who lives
in South Florida and Auto Detail biz down there is happening in just about any
parking lot you can find since there year round can be done and income there
even with recession hasnt been affected as much.

New ideas for retail : I have used the following as a test and do some work part-time :

Real Estate Offices....Dr. Offices.....Insurance Offices....Restaurants ( the mgmt
and employees )

Usually I contact person who sold me my home and get their friends
I see my Dr and they refer there Dr friends
My Insurance Agent and their friends

I dont plan on hiring employees at all, One man show...so I have to limit
my advertising...but have also considered a military base ( helps to know
someone and they can get you the paperwork to get an ON BASE permit )
But wife took job transfer before I could get on the base to see how biz would be.

Hope this helps, feel free to contact me for anything else.

:props:
 
I advertise online and alot of my work comes from word of mouth and i like to place my cards/flyers on cars in parking lots and pass flyers out in nice communitys.
 
My brother in law advertises his car audio and tinting on Facebook to all his family and friends. He told me that just doing that has given him a ton of business. His customers, friends, and family pass the word around to their friends and family, and so on and so forth. He also calls the local radio station when they have their wheel and deal program on and puts the word out. One other thing he has done was place a classified add in the local paper. It cost him about $30, but didn't draw much business.
 
r0ckstrWS6 said:
go to car shows, events, track days, random parking lots, and give people or place the brochures/business cards on the car. people who put their cars in car shows take care of their car, so their willing to pay money for it to look good.
Click to expand...
word of mouth and car shows is how I get my business.
If people like you work they will tell other people, that is how i got a lot of business.:dblthumb2:
 
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