Some good questions here nickgodfrey.
I'm about to go down this path also.
My only difference is i have done this professionally before and i am adding my detailing services to an already established business (i also do house keeping and gardening so this will round off my business ready for franchising)
In any business whether it be hobby, part time, full time ... (if you didn't know it already) you are in the business of buying customers. Profit is about how much you spend to get that customer in the door & the cheaper you do that the better.
For my mind there is only 1 way to build a business, and that is to
build it on its own merit.
By that i mean - don't borrow money to create something that you could create yourself with a bit of hard work and enthusiasm.
Make do with what tools you have and grow the business as you grow.
This means you wont be stuck with large overheads for yellow pages, vehicle leases, mobile phones, chemical & hardware supplies.
When you place an order, pay the rent, wages etc ... pay with cashflow not borrowed money. It will force you to create a smarter business.
Your saving grace is you will know where every cent has come and gone & that is very powerful.
I've done this for many different businesses including Detailing, Cafes, Beach Hire & Kiosks - its never let me down.
It sounds like you already have some clients already?
In this case its a great idea (if they don't already know) to let them know of your new venture.
Sometimes a great way to get new business is to simply 'ASK'
Explain what it is you are wanting to achieve ... the results may surprise you.
Which brings me to referrals!
I have never advertised (by this i mean in the conventional sense of paid advertising). Not 1 cent, not ever.
To date my current business has been going for just over 4 years and has a turn over in the low to mid 6 figures.
I have created an entire business from referrals. IMO they are the most powerful tool for a couple of reasons.
1. Referrals tend to come from like minded people
i.e - people generally travel in familiar circles. A good client is likely to refer another good client.
2. Referrals are FREE. Its the highest compliment you can obtain when someone is so impressed with your services that they are willing to put their name on the line to recommend you to their extended social circles.
So why not tell your existing clientele about your referral program?
What do you do with these new clients?
Lets get this straight. Don't think of this as a 1 time referral. You must think of each person in terms of their potential 'lifetime value'.
Hold on to them like they are made from solid gold, because if you do your job right you will never have to advertise to this client again. They are a recurring guaranteed income.
When a new client comes for the first time you want to find out a little bit about them. Give them a 'client sheet' to fill out for when they come back to retrieve the car or whilst they are waiting. Perhaps a coffee too.
This sheet will include their vehicle type, D.O.B, name, email address, mobile numbers, place of work.
Walk them around the vehicle AND don't be afraid to make the next appointment before they leave. (My hairdresser is great at this)
So what do you do with this information?
Get in the habit of sending SMS & email reminders 'the night before' a service. I leave this as the last thing i do before i go home. People get busy and sometimes forget. It happens! Believe me people don't always wake up in the morning thinking about 'you'.
Many times people will appreciate the reminder or at worst call to re-schedule.
What else? ... you have a work address. Market to their work colleagues.
I love this one especially ....
In my line of work i split between residential & commercial/business clients.
On the commercial side, we service 3 real estate firms. From time to time someone will put in their 2 weeks notice & move to a new place of business.
The opportunist in me makes sure to ask where they are moving to ... because i get a whole other business in which to market in. Its easier to grow your work load when you have a pre-qualified customer to spread the word.
I can't wait til the detailing gets under way because i have about 30 real estate agents & property managers who are going to love having their cars detailed.
Best of all .... these firms are part of a larger group / franchise.
Its not going to be difficult to get an in house referral to take on a whole new office.
Think big when your putting yourself out there.
Maybe you could offer a pick up and drop off service for larger office groups?
Reward the people who recommend you!
Now that were thinking in terms of life time value ... lets 'value add', or in other words give something away the customer wouldn't already have experienced.
They already think you are awesome enough to refer to their friends, imagine how much they are going to love you for making their vehicle look better?
For every referral i receive i am only too happy to share something for free ... BUT ... lets not give away a service they have had before, that in my mind would be stupid ... we want to expand their horizons of what it is we do.
Here's an example:
When they arrive for the next appointment let them pay for the a basic package (lets say wash, dry, tyres & interior for arguments sake)
A great 'Value Add' would be to:
clay and seal the paint OR
steam clean the carpets OR
steam clean / leather clean the seats.
The client is happy, and the hard dollar cost to you is minimal (only some materials and a small amount of time)
You have now raised the bar as far as how good their vehicle can look.
They are now qualified to make more referrals on a greater range of services and receive more free stuff OR they may just pay to keep their car to the higher standard?
Online presence:
I say keep it simple.
Facebook & Web Page.
Facebook provides a social presence where people can see if you have integrity in what you do.
It should create enough curiosity to the point that if the potential client wants to know more they can either call, email or visit your website for a more detailed explanation of your services.
Be active. Create regular content once or twice a week.
Show off some pictures or better still videos of your work.
If you get a nice car come in .. chuck it on facebook!
Show some before & afters.
Base your content around the
What, Why & How
What is it that sets you apart? (In other words
what is your USP - Unique Selling Proposition)
What is it that your current and potential customers need to know about their vehicle maintenance.
Why is it important to do certain things such as claying and multi step detailing?
How can they benefit?
This content is all about EDUCATING.
As you learn ... so does your customer.
When your customer becomes more educated ... you can justify your higher end services and charge more for them.
(omg this has taken forever)
2 quick things ...
Never HARD SELL. If your product is good enough it will sell itself. Be productive in trying to solve peoples problems rather than sell them a product or service.
Create a strong Brand that people can relate to and want to associate with.
Forgive the rant
I feel i could write a novel on this stuff.
Best of luck .... i think i've earned a coffee
Alright, so this will be my first full year in detailing, first year with an actual shop, and first year attempting to turn this into a full time gig and a career. From some of you guys with busy, successful businesses; what did you do during that first year to build your clientele, get your name out around town, and did you start your rates low for that first year to get people in the door? Any other advice anyone can throw out there about making it stick is more than appreciated!
Feed back please
