how to estimate your total market for your services (others offer detail in here) ?

[thecarguy]

When you are building a business plan, how do you estimate the total number of washes (or full details or interior detail) you will end up providing?

For example:

I estimate there are 375,000 people in the area. From that, I estimate 95,000 cars. Perhaps, 25,000 car enough to have their car washed by someone else. Of those, 15000 might take their car to a detailer or mobile operation. Of those, 1500 might buy a full detail.

There are 20 other detailers in the yello pages. There are probably another 15 without a yellow page ad, totaling 35.

If each of the 15000 paid to wash their car, that would average to 428 per detailer (15000/35). Of those, 6000 might want full details twice per year giving 343 full details to each detailer per years, or 6.5 per week.

Where do you research to replace the example above with realistic numbers?

Do you find out how many BMW's are in the area and multiply that by 6 and go from there?

How do you know the market for your services is there before starting?

Many thanks in asvance!

[jsatek]

You should buy the demographics for your area on that. The demographic company can get the real data from DMV and compile it for you. If it cost $5,000 to compile, its worth it, what if you find out that the probability of doing 6.5 cars a week is really 4.5 per week?

[doged]

Originally Posted by thecarguy

When you are building a business plan, how do you estimate the total number of washes (or full details or interior detail) you will end up providing?

For example:

I estimate there are 375,000 people in the area. From that, I estimate 95,000 cars. Perhaps, 25,000 car enough to have their car washed by someone else. Of those, 15000 might take their car to a detailer or mobile operation. Of those, 1500 might buy a full detail.

There are 20 other detailers in the yello pages. There are probably another 15 without a yellow page ad, totaling 35.

If each of the 15000 paid to wash their car, that would average to 428 per detailer (15000/35). Of those, 6000 might want full details twice per year giving 343 full details to each detailer per years, or 6.5 per week.

Where do you research to replace the example above with realistic numbers?

Do you find out how many BMW's are in the area and multiply that by 6 and go from there?

How do you know the market for your services is there before starting?

Many thanks in asvance!

I would start with contacting "Professional Car Care online". Not a plug but they have a lot of information.

[doged]

Originally Posted by mirrorfinishman

Here is a good starting point for plenty of free information about people and business.

http://quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/

Maybe that will work if you’re a food or a retail chain???

This is just "SOME" of the demographics I market to. I have much more information, where they eat, shop, etc. Do you see what make of cars I put in my ad.

Female 78%
Male 22%
AGE
25 to 34 10%
35 to 44 22%
45 to 54 22%
55 to 64 24%
65+22%
Average Age 53 years
HOUSEHOLD
Married 69%
Single 31%
Own Home 89%
Rent 11%
EDUCATION
College Degree 59%
Postgraduate Degree 25%
Master’s Degree 17%
INCOME/INVESTMENTS
Household income (mean)$153,000
Have a net worth over $1,000,000 39%
Average net worth (mean)$856,000

AUTOMOTIVE

Households owning an imported vehicle 84%
Households owning a domestic vehicle 53%
Households owning 3 or more vehicles 39%
Households owning an imported and domestic vehicle 36%
Makes currently owned:
Toyota 26%
Ford 24%
Honda 16%
BMW 15%
Mercedes Benz 10%
Jeep 9%
Lexus 8%
Acura 8%Volvo 8%
Chrysler 5%
Infiniti 5%
Volkswagen 5%
Cadillac 4%
GMC 4%
Jaguar 3%
Porsche 3%
Subaru 3%
Audi 2%
Saab 1%

[thecarguy]

Thanks and keep the ideas coming!

doged - that's terrific data for your client - you collect it for each customer or is that the data for your area of coverage?

[doged]

Originally Posted by thecarguy

Thanks and keep the ideas coming!

doged - that's terrific data for your client - you collect it for each customer or is that the data for your area of coverage?

Thanks,
I acquired this information before my marketing campaign. This information was part of my business plan. I acquired 95% of my detailing customer base from this.

Edit; As you can see I want women as clients. I get along with them and they smell better!!!.

[thecarguy]

Originally Posted by doged

I acquired 95% of my detailing customer base from this.

Edit; As you can see I want women as clients. I get along with them and they smell better!!!.

What does the mean - from where did you get the data? ( )

I like the edit about smelling better - made me laugh

[doged]

Originally Posted by thecarguy

What does the mean - from where did you get the data? ( )

I like the edit about smelling better - made me laugh

Sure, you have a PM.

[BigChevMan]

Originally Posted by doged

Maybe that will work if you’re a food or a retail chain???

This is just "SOME" of the demographics I market to. I have much more information, where they eat, shop, etc. Do you see what make of cars I put in my ad.

Female 78%
Male 22%
AGE
25 to 34 10%
35 to 44 22%
45 to 54 22%
55 to 64 24%
65+22%
Average Age 53 years
HOUSEHOLD
Married 69%
Single 31%
Own Home 89%
Rent 11%
EDUCATION
College Degree 59%
Postgraduate Degree 25%
Master’s Degree 17%
INCOME/INVESTMENTS
Household income (mean)$153,000
Have a net worth over $1,000,000 39%
Average net worth (mean)$856,000

AUTOMOTIVE

Households owning an imported vehicle 84%
Households owning a domestic vehicle 53%
Households owning 3 or more vehicles 39%
Households owning an imported and domestic vehicle 36%
Makes currently owned:
Toyota 26%
Ford 24%
Honda 16%
BMW 15%
Mercedes Benz 10%
Jeep 9%
Lexus 8%
Acura 8%Volvo 8%
Chrysler 5%
Infiniti 5%
Volkswagen 5%
Cadillac 4%
GMC 4%
Jaguar 3%
Porsche 3%
Subaru 3%
Audi 2%
Saab 1%

Someone sold you bunk data because your percentages don't add up. You have 159% for your manufacturer breakdown.

[brwill2005]

Not if a household owns more than one make.

[Jimmy Buffit]

There is a great new book, Blue Ocean Strategy

http://www.valuebasedmanagement.net/..._strategy.html

A very different method of seeing YOUR place in your market.

Purely by coincidence, the overall concept has worked quite well for me.

Good Luck.

Jim

[doged]

Originally Posted by Jimmy Buffit

There is a great new book, Blue Ocean Strategy

http://www.valuebasedmanagement.net/..._strategy.html

A very different method of seeing YOUR place in your market.

Purely by coincidence, the overall concept has worked quite well for me.

Good Luck.

Jim

My Blue Ocean is full with women who have expensive cars. What better place to swim?