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View Full Version : My 5th month in full detail as business, few words....



CosminTX
08-05-2010, 11:53 PM
Well , lucky i got around 3k$ in products and equipment last year so wasn`t a start from zero.

But new city and new business is not always a great choice, why? i have to do an aggressive marketing , and give extra and extra and extra to clients , so in one word i plan give extra and keep the price for now.



Why me and why this thread ... having a business plan and look at detail as a business not as a job i rich few of my dreams , to be my own boss and work on high end cars.

In 4 months since i start i work on 20 ferraris (california , f430, modena 360, testarossa, 355maranello) , 2 lotus , 4 porsche , few bmw (m3, x5 ,Z8) audi (a6 , s5,tt) , benz (gl550 , cls55 , e55amg), 1 bentley, even close to get enzo detailed (it will, i know it will sooner or later). i service from wash and wax up to correction , interior work too inclusive leather treatment.



Things that are essential if you plan run a business: register your company , get insurance , have a website with details include pictures of your work, keep marketing, work on schedule. along with this "some" skills when comes to details, listed to your client what they want from you, offer what u think will be best for their car and explain why an upsell will have a better results.



Marketing... is the most important ,u can be supermen if no one knows u are nothing!

so... get professional business cards , try don`t copy , be original!

use postcards campaign in your area , let people know what u do , and what you offer.

web-marketing adwords on google is pretty good , yahoo same and few more , also use all kind of network websites, it will help when u have special , just post them there and the world is spread.



Back to detailing , all this 4 mo i been working 10-15 days a month with an average of 2k + a month and i still plan to rise my package prices.

The best thing is i already have 1 weekly regular maintenance and 2 monthly regular maintenance.

Detail cars takes a lot of energy , sometimes u just have to hang in there and get the job done but the results are great! i wish i know so many things about detailing and business 10 years ago.

Anyway.... just wanna share this with you... it may help others



What`s my plan for future.... in 4-6 mo get a helper and train him , first with interior and wheels after that da use. once he can handle a car himself as light maintenance he will take care of regulars while i bring new clients in.

I plan for 2 teams and each with 2 people , one team will serve regulars and office/corporate jobs , one team for new clients and regulars.

if u don`t have a business plan is time to sit down and think where you wanna be in 5 years from now and move in that direction with full force.

night , i have some action going on tomorrow, any comments/ideas welcome!

Cosmin

JohnKleven
08-05-2010, 11:57 PM
Wow 20 Ferraris in 4 months, that`s incredible.

CosminTX
08-06-2010, 12:05 AM
when comes to high end cars is all about TRUST!

about Ferraris just few are correction , still a claybar , a wash wax , some interior work. are few models that i have routine now, first took me 4 hours and a half what i do now in 2 hours.

WAS
08-06-2010, 01:10 PM
Some very good info there. I did have some serious problems reading it though (punctuation and missing words).

a_guerrajr
08-06-2010, 02:47 PM
2K a month, that`s not bad for detailing cars. but i can`t survive on that. that`s another reason why i haven`t looked into it as full time.

CosminTX
08-06-2010, 06:40 PM
2K a month, that`s not bad for detailing cars. but i can`t survive on that. that`s another reason why i haven`t looked into it as full time.



looks like u miss something there , are done in 10-15 days , and some of the days are not full , finish around 12-2pm. so i know is place for more.

my goal so far is steady 1k a week but i know 1500 can be done in 5 days too , i am not that busy yet

WAS
08-06-2010, 07:30 PM
2K a month, that`s not bad for detailing cars. but i can`t survive on that. that`s another reason why i haven`t looked into it as full time.




looks like u miss something there , are done in 10-15 days , and some of the days are not full , finish around 12-2pm. so i know is place for more.

my goal so far is steady 1k a week but i know 1500 can be done in 5 days too , i am not that busy yet



So say 6 hour days (8am to 2pm), for 15 days. At $2000 total, that makes about $22 an hour, which you can`t really complain about. A lot better than working at Wal-Mart for $10 an hour.

David Fermani
08-06-2010, 08:02 PM
In 4 months since i start i work on 20 ferraris (california , f430, modena 360, testarossa, 355maranello) , 2 lotus , 4 porsche , few bmw (m3, x5 ,Z8) audi (a6 , s5,tt) , benz (gl550 , cls55 , e55amg), 1 bentley, even close to get enzo detailed (it will, i know it will sooner or later). i service from wash and wax up to correction , interior work too inclusive leather treatment.



Back to detailing , all this 4 mo i been working 10-15 days a month with an average of 2k + a month and i still plan to rise my package prices.





It doesn`t take a genuis to do some fast math and realize that you`re giving your services away! If you`re doing that many high-end cars and only averaging $2000/month you`re not only cheating yourself, but the entire luxury-exotic detailing community. I see what effort you put into these cars you do Click N Brags on and to me it seems completely rediculous to not be charging top dollar for your work. There`s no reason why you can`t be producing that much income in 3-4 details. Invest in some selling courses. If you want to be considered an expert detailer of exotics, charge in accordance to it. There`s no reason why the dealer can charge $150/hr and you charge a fraction.

CosminTX
08-06-2010, 08:56 PM
It doesn`t take a genuis to do some fast math and realize that you`re giving your services away! If you`re doing that many high-end cars and only averaging $2000/month you`re not only cheating yourself, but the entire luxury-exotic detailing community. I see what effort you put into these cars you do Click N Brags on and to me it seems completely rediculous to not be charging top dollar for your work. There`s no reason why you can`t be producing that much income in 3-4 details. Invest in some selling courses. If you want to be considered an expert detailer of exotics, charge in accordance to it. There`s no reason why the dealer can charge $150/hr and you charge a fraction.



agree , prices are one thing i plan to adjust soon. thank`s

MirrorDetailing
08-06-2010, 09:15 PM
Wow this makes me feel like my business is not doing **** after a year and a half in comparison to yours. If you have only been doing this 3-4 months and already have that much high end work... wow. Maybe its just the difference in area`s we live, but still....

Barry Theal
08-06-2010, 09:55 PM
How can a business survie with 2 grand a month.

WAS
08-06-2010, 11:48 PM
How can a business survie with 2 grand a month.

Well, if the business is just him, then sure, why not. I could live in $2K a month if I had to. Living within your means isn`t always easy, but those that can do it can get away without making a lot of cash.

CosminTX
08-07-2010, 09:13 PM
How can a business survie with 2 grand a month.



u miss details there too , 2k a month with 10-15 days work and in some of the days is still time to do another car.

this week i got 1k and i was busy all week , so what it looks to me is space for more ,like 4k a month by myself if busy 5 days a week.

but i prefer to do 2k and get a helper.

Donavin629
08-08-2010, 09:45 AM
thats where i am at right now..im barely paying my personal bills like car payments.. trying to get 2 details in one day but its rough.. the other day me and my girlfriend worked on 2 pretty beat up cars.. worked from 8am till 9pm.. made 400 bucks.. but im kinda supporting her so if i was to pay her i would not be making much for that day at all.. trying to figure it out.. customers love that my price is reasonable.. times are hard.. i have not hit the high end market yet.. most my customers been middle class and soccer moms.. the jobs are hard but they sure do appreciate all the hard work and spread the word for me.