Marketing 101 (real long but worth it)

NY detailer · 02-12-03, 12:40

Lots of post on here about marketing. Some i agree with, others i dont think will work very well.
The best thing i can tell you about marketing is you need to try different ideas until you find one that work's for you. You can not pick who you are going to target until you see what works for you.

Here are some ideas that i have for you.

Start off small & cost effective with the marketing.
Don't go out and spend $1,000 on fancy flyers, cards and brochures. Your taste will change as your establish yourself. Keep it simple & real. Don't lie, say what you can do and no more.

Cost effective does not mean to go cheap. There is a difference. know how to spend your money and when to spend your money. Think ahead, do you really need the color brochure right now?

example of cost effective: Don't go and buy color brochures, but do make them yourself and print them out on nice paper. It will have the same effect and 1/2 the price.

Keep the marketing in one area at a time. Know when to get them out to the public. Timing is everything. Plan ahead and your marketing will work like a dream.

example: heavy rain storm coming tomorrow and all this week. would you give out flyers.... NO. Why you ask? because people will through them out before they realize they need to have the car washed. People are lazy the cars are not going anywhere. Hand them out after the rain, you will remind the person that they need to have the car washed.

Some people will say they don't advertise, and that all the business comes from word of mouth. Well I have been detailing for a long time, and i can say that only about a 1/3 of the business come from word of mouth. You may get people calling you that have been recomended to you but they may never show up.

You need to stay fresh in peoples minds and they will remember you and call you.
When you are doing good marketing, people will say i remembered your flyer and called you. I have your business card you just mailed me. Etc....

NOW

NY detailer · 02-12-03, 12:48

now for some marketing ideas..........

funny marketing is the best. People love to laugh and will remember you longer then a plain old boring thing.
This are true marketing slogan i have mailed to customers, it works.
some will think i am crazy, but it is all about the customers

1. Sorry to hear that your car is dirty again. Give me a call so we can correct the problem. Have a clean day.

2. flyers in pizza shops that offer 1 free large pie with every detail.
(this works great) people love to get something for nothing.

3. split a flyer with a local body shop. You both offer a discount from each other. IE: have you car repaired by the body shop and get 10% your full detail. Have your car detailed and get 10% off your body work

4. Dr. Jim, It has been a while since you came for your detailing. I am sure the Mcdonalds bags are not up above the dash board so give me a call for a spring cleaning. (true email i sent to a customer)

5. Are your cheating on your spouse or other. Don't want to get caught. Come to us and we will remove all stains and scents from the vehicle. (true email to customer) as for stains lets not go there, but i did wear gloves.

6. Economy is so bad, why would you want to buy a new car when i can take your current car and make it look better then new.

7. Economy is so good, you deserve to take your car to the spa for the day. she deserves it. Give us a call.

It does not matter what you say to your customers as long as you target them the right way. know your customers and you will keep them around a very long time.

Andre' · 02-12-03, 04:43

Thanks for the tips NY, more pleas.

Intel486 · 02-12-03, 05:03

Quote:

Originally posted by NY detailer
but do make them yourself and print them out on nice paper. It will have the same effect and 1/2 the price.

When I printed a whole bunch myself I found that there was hardly any of a price difference between me printing them myself and going to a print shop. I think I saved like $10 and still had to take the time to have the printer run, have to make sure there is paper in it, etc.

Check out local print shop prices. 1000+ flyers might be cheaper to have printed than print yourself.

stanger99 · 02-12-03, 05:47

Quote:

Originally posted by NY detailer
5. Are your cheating on your spouse or other. Don't want to get caught. Come to us and we will remove all stains and scents from the vehicle.

I'd say some people would more than likely be offended by this...
You may lose a potential customer before they even consider the quality of work being offered.

Shiny Lil Detlr · 02-12-03, 06:03

I agree, the whole "Cheating on spouse" angle just is no good... wouldnt even want to come close to thinking about that one... plus I don't want to even get assoicated with that stuff on any level...

Auto Care USA · 02-12-03, 06:08

Hey New York I could not agree with you more. Marketing is everything in business, detailing or otherwise. I have done virtually everything in this bizz. I have mentioned many of them on this forum only to get alot of flack. I actually have won some major competitions within the detaing world for my uniqueness. I can only tell everybody here to use as much uniqueness as you can. Think of what your customers would want. What would make you go to that place? Shock advertising always has worked remarkably well for me. I constantly think of new ways to entice new customers to just try our services. Remember to many people think they can't afford to advertise until it's to late....then they advertise their business for sale..Think about it.

NY detailer · 02-13-03, 10:24

Quote:

Originally posted by stanger99
I'd say some people would more than likely be offended by this...
You may lose a potential customer before they even consider the quality of work being offered.

The customer was laughing his a$$ off when he got this. Remember what i said, you need to know how to market yourself. This was only sent to one customer not all of them. I would not send this out to everyone. you need to know when to send something and what to say.

You need to understand your customers.

sometimes you establish a friendly relationship with your customers and you know when to joke around and went it's business.
remember business is always business.