Hi guys, I'm trying to create and send out a proposal of services letter to local businesses and dealerships that may need some detailing services. Any idea how I should get started or has anyone else done this and have a sample letter I could read? Thanks in advance!
Proposal of services letter to dealerships and businesses
- Thread starter Zee19
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thebamboo23
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- Dec 19, 2012
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Find the decision maker for what you're offering on Twitter and follow him.
Engage in friendly conversation throughout a week or so.
When something related to automotive comes up, ask a question that can lead into your services
Then go from there
or you can go straight to the dealership and give that a try.
Engage in friendly conversation throughout a week or so.
When something related to automotive comes up, ask a question that can lead into your services
Then go from there
or you can go straight to the dealership and give that a try.
TundraPower
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- May 18, 2011
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Unless you are willing to be worked to death for next to nothing stay away from dealerships!
SYMAWD
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- Feb 10, 2013
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Not necessarily. For example, where I work, we have our detail team for normal deliveries and then an additional detailer for Ceramic Pro installations. The Ceramic Pro installer gives us a price and then we can sell his service for the price we choose. That way he sets what he makes and not the dealer.
thebamboo23
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- Dec 19, 2012
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Depends on the business model:
If you have 2-3 workers that like to hustle, it's good and easy money.
If you have 1 person that wants to take every scratch out... you're dead Im the MAN
VP Mark
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- Jul 12, 2012
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I lean towards this 90% of the time. Unless you are geared for production work or starting out and desperately need any business you can get, stay away from dealerships.
SYMAWD
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- Feb 10, 2013
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Don't offer production detailing. Offer paint correction with a coating only as an up sell for the dealer. You set a price for the dealer and then the dealer sets a price for the customer with however much profit they want.
VP Mark
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- Jul 12, 2012
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I get what you are saying, but most dealerships would much rather install a crap product like Xzilon themselves for $40 a bottle and pocket the profits. Very few dealerships are interested in paint correction or professional coatings.
I do agree though, if you are going to pitch to dealerships this should be what you have in mind.
SYMAWD
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- Feb 10, 2013
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It likely works better with higher end dealers too.
For example (using unrealistic numbers) you can charge $300 for your services and the dealer can then sell your service for $800. Dealer makes a huge profit and does none of the work. Obviously the numbers would be much higher, but I just used that as an example.
Pureshine
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- Dec 30, 2012
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Why would you ever let the dealer make $500 off of you ever it should be 50/50 at the least.
SYMAWD
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- Feb 10, 2013
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You can't control what the dealer will charge for your services. You can only control what you'll charge the dealer.
Velocitybts
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- Apr 11, 2013
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I have some experience dealing with dealers. Any dealer less than a privately owned very high end likely doesn't even know what a paint correction is. Or they do, but think what their old school detailer does is great. LOL
I have talked with GM's of Ferrari, Maserati, Lamborghini, Aston Martin, Rolls Royce, Porsche, Mercedes, and Jaguar. I maintain a "they know who I am" type of relationship with them and they will refer me a PC every now and then. I find most extremely high end owners like to tinker with their cars and they are proud of them. Even though there are swirls and they dry them with terry cloths.http://www.autogeekonline.net/forum/images/smilies/dunno.gif When approached about getting their cars corrected, almost always they are defensive.
Dealers do not care if the car has light to moderate swirls, as long as it shines. They do not care if there are holograms all over it, as long as it shines. What they do care about is the cost to re-condition the vehicles after they are purchased at a auction or traded in.
1. You could package up a deal for a smaller mainstream dealer to do just the paint on their used cars. Do a AIO on them and call it a day. I have a friend who does this, but also fills in the paint chips when he is done with the AIO. He gets $150 per car to do this.
2. That dealer's employees who detail, take too long when doing paintwork, and then have messed a few cars up also. Cheaper and easier to outsource the Paint part and just let the employees take care of the washing and general cleaning.
3. I have a friend who owns 4 dealerships (Subaru, Volvo, Mitsubishi) and he outsources the whole deal. He keeps just car wash and vacuum guys on hand for when a car sells. He pays $200 per car to have it reconditioned the first time.
I hope this helps, unfortunately its all about the money. A dealer and for the most part most people care only if it shines a lot and looks clean and smells nice. I know personally every car I have purchased in my life has been swirled to death, but looked nice at first. Until a few years ago I didn't or wasn't aware that they could be perfect if the time was spent. We all love a Paint Correction and I am pretty sure most of us on here would love to do that work only and all the time on nice cars. Unfortunately most people do not want or need that type of work. They will go to the nearest gas station car wash as soon as it rains and ruin all that work. The guys working in large multi-million people cities is where that type of work can be done regularly. For the rest of us, its a PC every now and then sprinkled with normal full details in-between.
I have talked with GM's of Ferrari, Maserati, Lamborghini, Aston Martin, Rolls Royce, Porsche, Mercedes, and Jaguar. I maintain a "they know who I am" type of relationship with them and they will refer me a PC every now and then. I find most extremely high end owners like to tinker with their cars and they are proud of them. Even though there are swirls and they dry them with terry cloths.http://www.autogeekonline.net/forum/images/smilies/dunno.gif When approached about getting their cars corrected, almost always they are defensive.
Dealers do not care if the car has light to moderate swirls, as long as it shines. They do not care if there are holograms all over it, as long as it shines. What they do care about is the cost to re-condition the vehicles after they are purchased at a auction or traded in.
1. You could package up a deal for a smaller mainstream dealer to do just the paint on their used cars. Do a AIO on them and call it a day. I have a friend who does this, but also fills in the paint chips when he is done with the AIO. He gets $150 per car to do this.
2. That dealer's employees who detail, take too long when doing paintwork, and then have messed a few cars up also. Cheaper and easier to outsource the Paint part and just let the employees take care of the washing and general cleaning.
3. I have a friend who owns 4 dealerships (Subaru, Volvo, Mitsubishi) and he outsources the whole deal. He keeps just car wash and vacuum guys on hand for when a car sells. He pays $200 per car to have it reconditioned the first time.
I hope this helps, unfortunately its all about the money. A dealer and for the most part most people care only if it shines a lot and looks clean and smells nice. I know personally every car I have purchased in my life has been swirled to death, but looked nice at first. Until a few years ago I didn't or wasn't aware that they could be perfect if the time was spent. We all love a Paint Correction and I am pretty sure most of us on here would love to do that work only and all the time on nice cars. Unfortunately most people do not want or need that type of work. They will go to the nearest gas station car wash as soon as it rains and ruin all that work. The guys working in large multi-million people cities is where that type of work can be done regularly. For the rest of us, its a PC every now and then sprinkled with normal full details in-between.