Marketing mobile detailing to country clubs, anyone done it?

[Richard Grasa]

Has anyone approached country clubs to let them know you can come and detail their member`s vehicles while they play a round? I would like to get in with a couple clubs in my area where they will let their members know about me. Any ideas? I want to work on getting my name in with these places over the winter so when spring time comes, the members will know about me. I`m wondering if there`s a certain way I should go about approaching these places.

[IHA Mark]

I would be interested in this as well. It seems like the hard part would be just getting your foot in the door.

[imported_Quenga]

I actually talked to a golf instructor and golf course manager about this. They didnt like the ideas. They believed their customers would think they are just hiring some kid off the street to wash the car so they could nickel and dime them. They are kind of stuck up, but that was just my experience. Not neccessarily a country club, but same clientele.



Also, they would want a big cut.



I used to live next to a golf course and shooting range and thought about marketing to them as they walked in and doing it on the side street, that way the golf course wouldnt have a say in it. You could try that...

[MichaelM]

I actually talked to a golf instructor and golf course manager about this. They didnt like the ideas. They believed their customers would think they are just hiring some kid off the street to wash the car so they could nickel and dime them.



If you present yourself and your business in a professional manner then this shouldn`t be a problem. Have a solid presentation, professional looking marketing materials and professional look when you make contact. You need to show them how you`ll add value to the experience of their members and add convenience in their lives while representing the club in the proper way.

[Richard Grasa]

If you present yourself and your business in a professional manner then this shouldn`t be a problem. Have a solid presentation, professional looking marketing materials and professional look when you make contact. You need to show them how you`ll add value to the experience of their members and add convenience in their lives while representing the club in the proper way.



Very well put. You need to be very well dressed and act very professional to get respect from these high end places. I`m sure you did, but this helps a ton when dealing with these types.



Just need to figure out the best approach, stop in unannounced, send them some literature first, etc. I think you would get one shot with these places and you need to make it count.

[imported_Quenga]

Oh, I forgot to mention they were actually fellow business students. I wasn`t presenting them ideas, just asking their input. This is when I still worked in the corporate world and went to school right after work in my business professional clothing. Heck, they thought I was in higher management, lol. They both said they had been approached by detailers before, but felt it wasn`t the right fit.



Again, only two guys. That`s not enough to make a research paper. If you want the business, most likely you`ll get the business. I wasn`t pushing the idea, just doing some "market research" as I thought about it, too.



If anything, get to know an insider. Both of them now refer customers to me as I apparently impressed them enough with my "professional" skills (business students, research papers, presentations...). I don`t like sales/marketing to people, so I get others to do it for me :).

[psnt1ol]

I know I am new to this forum but I may be able to add some values to this conversation based on my years of experience in outside sales. My area of expertise is not in automotive but the same principles apply never-the-less.



My advice would be this.... You need to find out who the decision makers are in the organization. You generally would need to network through all the organizational layers to get to them. Try not to sell your idea to everyone during the networking process. It is a waste of time. You just need to sell it to a few that counts.



When selling your idea, always approach it from their perspectives (what in it for them). You should sell your service as a commodity and as such it could be traded. Give your service as a comp (limited amount) in exchange for the exclusive rights. These comps could be in the forms of Gift Certificates, free wash, etc. They could then use them as a promotional tool for their members. Once you are in the door, you should try to do as many as these comps "On-Site" as you could to advertise your brand.



I landed a few large accounts by doing something similar to this. This does takes time and planning. Your main goal is to reach the club`s membership and this is only one way of doing it. I am sure there are others.



Good Luck.

[Richard Grasa]

I know I am new to this forum but I may be able to add some values to this conversation based on my years of experience in outside sales. My area of expertise is not in automotive but the same principles apply never-the-less.



My advice would be this.... You need to find out who the decision makers are in the organization. You generally would need to network through all the organizational layers to get to them. Try not to sell your idea to everyone during the networking process. It is a waste of time. You just need to sell it to a few that counts.



When selling your idea, always approach it from their perspectives (what in it for them). You should sell your service as a commodity and as such it could be traded. Give your service as a comp (limited amount) in exchange for the exclusive rights. These comps could be in the forms of Gift Certificates, free wash, etc. They could then use them as a promotional tool for their members. Once you are in the door, you should try to do as many as these comps "On-Site" as you could to advertise your brand.



I landed a few large accounts by doing something similar to this. This does takes time and planning. Your main goal is to reach the club`s membership and this is only one way of doing it. I am sure there are others.



Good Luck.



Thanks for the advice! No problem that you`re new, your input is very appreciated. Always good to hear different people`s point of view and experience.

[Jean-Claude]

Something that is sort of on-topic:



If you`re contacted by someone that works for a company that claims to find detailers, ect. strictly for golf courses, run. I have received many calls from these people and after the first call I checked them out online and it appears they are a complete sham.



As an avid golfer, you should consider a few things if you plan to work at a golf course washing cars.

Noise. If you are running a generator, vacuum or a pressure washer, be mindful that many golfers(aka a course`s income) hate noise with a passion.



Run off water. Some of the grasses around golf courses are sensitive and having brake pad dust mixed in with water and non-pH cleaners can kill very expensive grass.

[Concours.John]

Here is my experience with this exact offer. I approached the membership manager with flyers and cards. He was very interested in this but first wanted his car done to "represent" my work at a steep discount. Fair I thought. For what he paid most would not do a wash wax and clay. A mild correction and sealer plus full interior was done. Any who know my checklists know how specific I am. A follow up concluded he did not feel this was up to what he had seen on the forums or Facebook of me. So he did not pass on the word. $150.00(all he was willing to pay and I threw in the extras) full interior clean including seat removal. 1 step polish and a little more (finish looked like it had been washed with a rake). It was topped with Rejex, full front to back wheels and wheel wells plus engine bay. His concern was that this did not look like a show car (only because of very deep RIDS all over, bugs had litterally been scrubbed with scotch-brite to his own admission(fixed)) . After 15hrs I had to pick my battles. Not to mention it looked like monkeys had been living in the car and mounds of buggers wiped on the bottom sides of the back seats. I t may not always be this way but look out for your main contact and what they want to get you in. I know all this to be true because a client is also a member there.

[psnt1ol]

Here is my experience with this exact offer. I approached the membership manager with flyers and cards. He was very interested in this but first wanted his car done to "represent" my work at a steep discount. Fair I thought. For what he paid most would not do a wash wax and clay. A mild correction and sealer plus full interior was done. Any who know my checklists know how specific I am. A follow up concluded he did not feel this was up to what he had seen on the forums or Facebook of me. So he did not pass on the word. $150.00(all he was willing to pay and I threw in the extras) full interior clean including seat removal. 1 step polish and a little more (finish looked like it had been washed with a rake). It was topped with Rejex, full front to back wheels and wheel wells plus engine bay. His concern was that this did not look like a show car (only because of very deep RIDS all over, bugs had litterally been scrubbed with scotch-brite to his own admission(fixed)) . After 15hrs I had to pick my battles. Not to mention it looked like monkeys had been living in the car and mounds of buggers wiped on the bottom sides of the back seats. I t may not always be this way but look out for your main contact and what they want to get you in. I know all this to be true because a client is also a member there.



I feel for you. In my years of sales, I also had my shares of people such as the one you described. I had companies that would use me as a leverage to negotiate a better deal with their existing vendors. I also had mid-level executives that would jerk me around for weeks looking for freebies from me. It sucks but it is typical. This is what I used to tell my sales staff. It is very realistic that you would get 10 "No" in a row before you get a "Yes" but sometimes that one "Yes" will make up for all the wrongs that you endured.



You did touch on an important aspect..... you have to know who you are dealing with.

[Richard Grasa]

Here is my experience with this exact offer. I approached the membership manager with flyers and cards. He was very interested in this but first wanted his car done to "represent" my work at a steep discount. Fair I thought. For what he paid most would not do a wash wax and clay. A mild correction and sealer plus full interior was done. Any who know my checklists know how specific I am. A follow up concluded he did not feel this was up to what he had seen on the forums or Facebook of me. So he did not pass on the word. $150.00(all he was willing to pay and I threw in the extras) full interior clean including seat removal. 1 step polish and a little more (finish looked like it had been washed with a rake). It was topped with Rejex, full front to back wheels and wheel wells plus engine bay. His concern was that this did not look like a show car (only because of very deep RIDS all over, bugs had litterally been scrubbed with scotch-brite to his own admission(fixed)) . After 15hrs I had to pick my battles. Not to mention it looked like monkeys had been living in the car and mounds of buggers wiped on the bottom sides of the back seats. I t may not always be this way but look out for your main contact and what they want to get you in. I know all this to be true because a client is also a member there.



I had a somewhat similar but different experience with a country club member who told me he was on the board of directors. Not sure if he is or not at this point. I didn`t do anywhere near the level of work you did and I wasn`t trying to get into detailing at the club at that time. He also told me he would put me in the newsletter at the club and pass on my info to all his wealthy friends. So I hooked him up with a really good price, twice. I saw one referral from it, that`s it. He recently called me out to his house to detail his wife`s car, which was completely trashed, again I gave him a good price. Then he asked me to commit fraud. He wanted me to write up a bill showing that I repaired some section of his wife`s car that had gotten scraped up in a parking lot and mark that he paid the bill. There was no damage on the car at all. He wanted me to do this so he could give the bill to the lady who hit the car and collect the money from her, or so he said, so he could fund a detail on his SUV. If I didn`t do this, he supposedly wouldn`t have the money to get the SUV detailed. Yeah right! I refused and I haven`t heard from him since. Nice, huh?

[imported_Quenga]

I bet we could start a thread on shady deals gone south.



ONR washes and a quiet vacuum/generator. You could always put the vac in the trunk of the car and feed the hose through the back seat...lol kidding.



Well if you do it, make sure you let us know how it goes!

[Richard Grasa]

I bet we could start a thread on shady deals gone south.



ONR washes and a quiet vacuum/generator. You could always put the vac in the trunk of the car and feed the hose through the back seat...lol kidding.



Well if you do it, make sure you let us know how it goes!



That would make the epic threads forum for sure.



I`m gonna keep looking into this and try to find some people to network with. I may be leaning more towards offering free pickup/delivery while the customer plays a round. There`s nice club pretty close to my house that it wouldn`t take long at all to go pick up and drop a car off.



For those who play golf, about how long does an average round take?

[tssdetailing]

Sell it to them as a value-added service. I have had tremendous success with a local country club. They love me and treat me like a celebrity there. One member took me out to lunch and has been a monthly maintenance client for quite some time. When we are @ the club, many people stop and say thank you for such dedication to service (we`ve been there for three years) My pitch to them was we would work there every tournament and that they would receive a cut of the income. They said `don`t give us anything, just fair pricing.` So I came up with an ala carte list of express service options to offer on site and created a `member`s only` page for them on my website which gave the club a 10% discount on all services. The club`s directors always ask if we`re staying busy when we`re there and WE DO! Anywhere from 5-8 cars per visit. One director commented that we are the longest running affiliate they`ve ever had. You don`t need luck, you need a good approach-PM me with your email and I`ll send you what I used to pitch them.



WIW mentioned sound. We have to run an electric generator while there and we service cars right near hole 9, one day a director and I took a walk from where we work to hole 9...half way there the sound of the generator was hardly noticeabl (about 20 yards away).