I was invited to go to a car show (as a detailer) and need some opinions and your suggestions!

Dr_Pain

Dr_Pain

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The president of a large local car club invited me to set up a booth at their big event, FREE OF CHARGE! He's always had Product Vendor booths, but never had a Detailer booth. He gave me no real guidelines, and has no real idea of what would appeal to his members or the crowd that will be visiting. Since it is new to him and has no real idea how this can be a win/win for both of us he waved the fees and wants me to participate as a "service" to contrast the product booths.

A little background on me: I detail part time and "by appointment only". I am normally booked 4 weeks ahead solid (with 3 workers). I don't really do marketing, and never attend car shows to recruit business, although I do drool over cars, shake hands and inspect the cars with the owners, and invariably my business card does migrate to "potential customers". I would rather this type of interaction over "being on display"

For those of you that do participate in car shows what do you suggest my booth should look like? What should be my angle/ my spiel?

I do have a business banner and have professional looking polos embroided with the business name. I will have a 10x10 tent and I am planning on bringing my tools for detail, but don't really want to do "onsite demonstrations" (which would require a generator, lights etc...). I do have business cards and some brochures, and do have an online presence and portfolio on my FB (which I can direct them to).

In order to show my skills I did get a old "junker" hood and used my "magic", and I am planning on bringing a couple of before and after objects to present (ie. couple of 1928 brass headlight buckets, rims etc..). Is that enough? Should I bring other things?

Your opinions and comments are crucial to make sure that I create the best first impression.

Here is the hood I am bringing with me:







Let me know! Thanks!
 
even better than just having a panel laying there, perhaps you could do a full 50/50 car. Find one with lots of swirls and do half of it and have that parked at your spot. That is more likely to catch peoples eyes than a hood laying on a table.
 
KMG said:
even better than just having a panel laying there, perhaps you could do a full 50/50 car. Find one with lots of swirls and do half of it and have that parked at your spot. That is more likely to catch peoples eyes than a hood laying on a table.
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:iagree:
Get a black car that is a swirled out mess and do half the car. Then during the show actually work on the other half. The noise of the polisher running will bring people to you wondering what you are doing. Then having people around the setup will bring in more people.

I would do a baggie test with people, show the decontamination, and then polish the area. Work in small sections so you can do that numerous times.
 
KMG said:
even better than just having a panel laying there, perhaps you could do a full 50/50 car. Find one with lots of swirls and do half of it and have that parked at your spot. That is more likely to catch peoples eyes than a hood laying on a table.
Click to expand...

I was also going to suggest this... I'm sure you have plenty of potential customers that would be willing to loan out a vehicle for marketing in exchange for a discount on services or something to that effect.

You may also reach out to previous customers that you would consider to be some "highlight" vehicles you have worked on to see if they would be willing to allow you to park their vehicle at your booth as a vouch for your credibility and work.

Once people see what a swirl free, protected finish should look like they will definitely start to notice the defects on most of the other vehicles at the show and then they will start to see the value in your services.


EDIT: another idea!! Take your test hood... do a "full detail" to one side, so decon, correction, and coat it. Then simply apply a wax to the other side. Then you can bring some water & APC with you to demonstrate the durability of the coating (spray both sides with APC and remove the wax, but not the coating), and you can also show off the awesome hydrophobic properties of the coatings. Just an idea to help spread the word about paint coatings :)
 
I may have to consider this for a different show (if I choose to do it again) as it is coming up fast (May 17th), and don't really have a car lined up to polish onsite, and don't have a generator or big enough booth

Zach, your idea is very interesting. To polish the hood would be a great undertaking. This hood is JUNK!, but was the best I could find. It sat in the elements for the best part of 10 years. The window in the middle is the "best spot" on the hood (without early signs of failure, bad rockchip, descent orange peel (which I wet sanded), and not too much pinholes)
 
Dr_Pain said:
I may have to consider this for a different show (if I choose to do it again) as it is coming up fast (May 17th), and don't really have a car lined up to polish onsite, and don't have a generator or big enough booth
Click to expand...

Yeah I wouldn't personally worry about an onsite demo at an outdoor event... too much work.

I would just try to show off your paint correction abilities and also highlight premium paint coatings as much of the market is still very unaware of these products.
 
At the very least I would suggest doing a larger section of the hood. I also like the suggestion of bringing water to show the effectiveness of coatings and how they bead the water and make it easier to clean the next time. If you use waterless washes you could demonstrate those products as well on the cleaned side of the hood.
 
A car in a 10x10 booth would be cramped.

I like zmc's suggestion.
 
Dr_Pain said:
Zach, your idea is very interesting. To polish the hood would be a great undertaking. This hood is JUNK!, but was the best I could find. It sat in the elements for the best part of 10 years. The window in the middle is the "best spot" on the hood (without early signs of failure, bad rockchip, descent orange peel (which I wet sanded), and not too much pinholes)
Click to expand...

You could simply apply the coating to that area then.
 
I would bring Sham-Wows and some pocket hoses to sling....

I would do like Mike has shown himself doing at shows. Take some sand paper, work it on the test panel and correct it. If needed rent a small generator.
 
KMG said:
even better than just having a panel laying there, perhaps you could do a full 50/50 car. Find one with lots of swirls and do half of it and have that parked at your spot. That is more likely to catch peoples eyes than a hood laying on a table.
Click to expand...

I am with you that the noise would attract attention, however don't really want to do onsite demo's (unless I was just working on my truck). I have 3 cars that have been customers and they will park closeby to "promote". I just want to have a descent presence and "informational booth"

zmcgovern45 said:
Yeah I wouldn't personally worry about an onsite demo at an outdoor event... too much work.

I would just try to show off your paint correction abilities and also highlight premium paint coatings as much of the market is still very unaware of these products.
Click to expand...

I think I failed to mention it but the center section was coated with CQuartz Finest, and I will have brochures and a small Finest banner with me (along with my Autogeek one)

Wed Turner said:
At the very least I would suggest doing a larger section of the hood. I also like the suggestion of bringing water to show the effectiveness of coatings and how they bead the water and make it easier to clean the next time. If you use waterless washes you could demonstrate those products as well on the cleaned side of the hood.
Click to expand...

A larger section is almost out of the question for the reasons I mentioned before. It is a junkyard find, so I am capitalizing that they will see the skills required to bring this "junk" back to life. I will be demonstrating the coating with APC, water etc... (thank you guys for the suggestion). I will have a sampling of wax as "eye candy" which I could use to demonstrate that they do not offer chemical resistance (compared to coatings).

Evan.J said:
:iagree:
Get a black car that is a swirled out mess and do half the car. Then during the show actually work on the other half. The noise of the polisher running will bring people to you wondering what you are doing. Then having people around the setup will bring in more people.

I would do a baggie test with people, show the decontamination, and then polish the area. Work in small sections so you can do that numerous times.
Click to expand...

A 50/50 on a swirled black car would be KILLER, but I don't have one lined up and would not dare have a customer's car onsite with no real offered protection, no extension of my shop based insurance (I am not mobile), and I am too neurotic when I start working on a customer car, so would not really be available to chat, answer questions etc.. It is different if it was my truck, but my truck does not need to be polished or coated (already done).

The baggy test.... GREAT Idea!
 
parttimer said:
I would bring Sham-Wows and some pocket hoses to sling....

I would do like Mike has shown himself doing at shows. Take some sand paper, work it on the test panel and correct it. If needed rent a small generator.
Click to expand...

I would do that if it was a good hood. I litterally know nothing of this hood, except the extrapolation that it was repainted having thickness of 170-190+ throughout. I also know that it was BADLY painted with pinholes and ripples and orange peel which would make an orange throw up.

I am not sure that I want to have a demo booth. I guess I will be a better judge of what a detailer can/should do once I actually am at the show.

If I was invited to be a "product booth" then I will FOR SURE bring a box of ShamWow and pocket hose!! :xyxthumbs:
 
I'm thinking of the many times I go to fairs, festivals, and whatnot. JMHO, you need to demonstrate something to draw interest to your booth. Otherwise you will just have a lifeless display that people will glance at and walk on by. I know that's what I do when I see most booths that are just displays.

The other thing you might do would be some kind of game or hands-on detailing thing people can do at your booth.
 
Some photos of some of the nicer highend cars you have done would be nice. That prooves you have the experience. Its hard to have a show car owner hand over their baby.

Sent from a pay phone..
 
trekkeruss said:
I'm thinking of the many times I go to fairs, festivals, and whatnot. JMHO, you need to demonstrate something to draw interest to your booth. Otherwise you will just have a lifeless display that people will glance at and walk on by. I know that's what I do when I see most booths that are just displays.

The other thing you might do would be some kind of game or hands-on detailing thing people can do at your booth.
Click to expand...

Great point and my thoughts as well. That was one of a few concerns I brought up to the president of the car club. If I were a product booth, it would be a little easier to do "things" since I would get the passer-by interested in trying the products I am selling. As a detailing service booth there is not much to interact with since I am selling my skills over products. I mentioned that I was going to be more "informational", but how can I attract people??.

I will have 3 cars on hand and 3 willing owners to direct questions and such to me, other than that, the only way I see a detailer making it is to cross market with "product pushing" OR to work which will attract the onlooking eyes of the curious. Mike P's demonstrations not only cover the steps involved by the products and his attempts are not to sell himself but to educate us on how to do it, while promoting the PBMG products/tools which we will need to get the work done.
 
jms493 said:
Some photos of some of the nicer highend cars you have done would be nice. That prooves you have the experience. Its hard to have a show car owner hand over their baby.

Sent from a pay phone..
Click to expand...

A flat screen with a computer set up scrolling through my FB portfolio albums would be awesome, but another thing I am not willing to throw money at. Remember that I am busy enough as is and I am essentially doing this to help the car club president (and yes help my name recognition). I will have a presence at the car show doing what I do best, which is to inspect and chat cars all the while shaking hands and leaving my card, so don't really see the value of a booth. I am just trying to get the best out of this opportunity.
 
Put a free estimates sign, everybody loves the word free - which is used more just to get them to look at your services.

Raffle ticket giveaway for a basic service or coupon % off of higher level correction.

Get an old piece of trim or headlights to show those types of corrections as well.

For the computer setup - a tablet would work just as well..

Some kind of small memorabilia like a key chain/magnet/bracelet/tshirt/bandana/lanyard.

Thats just off the top of my head - probably a few other ideas that could work
 
sn0w said:
Put a free estimates sign, everybody loves the word free - which is used more just to get them to look at your services.

Raffle ticket giveaway for a basic service or coupon % off of higher level correction.

Get an old piece of trim or headlights to show those types of corrections as well.

For the computer setup - a tablet would work just as well..

Some kind of small memorabilia like a key chain/magnet/bracelet/tshirt/bandana/lanyard.

Thats just off the top of my head - probably a few other ideas that could work
Click to expand...

Great comment! I like the way you think. I am searching for a headlight for 50/50 restoration (in addition with the other stuff I am working on) but your FREE ESTIMATE is a golden idea. Thanks!
 
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