| You really should not waste too much time thinking about basing your prices solely on what the competition charges. Of course, it's okay to know what they charge, but don’t base your price on that fact alone.
In order to cover expenses and stay in business you should consider pricing your detailing services somewhere between what you want to make and what you actually need to make. In other words, you need to figure out how much you need to make per hour in order to make a good profit and stay in business.
It also sounds like you need to begin to understand more about marketing. Questions like; who is the customer and why does the customer need the service that you are offering go a long way in helping you to build your new business.
In order to understand the direction of your marketing plan, you must first identify the type of person who needs your detailing services. You will find that well educated men and women, such as; doctors, attorneys, and business owners fall into this category. Other professional people include dentists, financial advisors, and stock brokers. Make a list of the different groups of targeted professionals. These professionals will become the core of your customer base. This targeted market is equally divided among men and women.
It’s been my experience that most people who get their cars detailed, usually do so on a regular basis, similar to having scheduled oil changes. They realize that it’s just as important to take care of maintaining the appearance of their car, as it is to take care of the mechanical parts. You’ll want to focus on going after customers who will get their cars detailed on a regular basis. They will become the core of your business. The person who gets their car detailed regularly knows that if they maintain the appearance of their car now, it’ll be worth much more at trade-in time.
Something else to think about is understanding where your detailing business fits into the marketplace. Positioning refers to the way a consumer perceives your service or company. Are you going to focus only on high priced automobiles? Do wholesale work? Open a shop? Are you going to provide a service that’s unique and in some way different? These are all questions you must ask yourself in order to successfully position your business. You have to know where you want to go, before you can get there. |