Share your experiences with door to door marketing please!

[Broceratops]

Anyone have experience promoting their detailing business by going door to door?

I am curious about feedback, impressions, lessons learned, effectiveness (ROI), tips/tricks, to do and not to do!

Thank you!

Jake

[Setec Astronomy]

Are you a mobile detailer? If you are at the door are you expecting to do the work then, or book for later?

[House of Wax]

Just my personal opinion, so take it worth a grain of salt....if someone is ringing my doorbell trying to sell me on something, 99 times out of 100 I`m thinkin they`re a scab trying to scam me on something (in no way am I saying you are btw)

[ShawnF350]

How many cars are you looking to do?
Will this be full-time or a part time business?
I do it in my spare time but business grows every time a shining masterpiece leaves.

[Ccrew]

This time of year everyone`s selling door to door from driveway coatings to lawn services to christian bookstores just in the last week here. I don`t buy from anyone. If you annoy me I`ll introduce you to my two German Shepherds.. You won`t know that they`re the biggest babies on earth tho :)

[ShaneB]

I wouldn`t even bother with door to door. Do some research and look into social media. Much easier to reach a ton of people.

Like others, I do not like people coming to my door to sell something. Especially when they ignore the no soliciting sign

[LeadingEdgeDetail]

I did door to door with 500 flyers over the winter this year. Didn`t ring the bell, just put the flyer somewhere interesting, or under the mat, etc.

Had a few calls so far, hoping to get more throughout the year. Definitely not paying off as much as I had hoped, but the investment was very small, and just time when slow after that.

[John U]

You need to go where the nice cars are. Any Cars & Coffee events in your area were you could park a "detailed" car and promote yourself? I see retailers on Craigslist.

[LeadingEdgeDetail]

I definitely stuck to the higher end neighbourhoods, people with 2 cars, busy lifestyle, etc... they are the target audience for me, even though I`m currently busier than heck with car lot details.. lol.

This summer I plan to detail up our work vehicle (or whatever vehicle you use for detailing) to perfection, and enter it in a car show either as an entrant or as a vendor... then have a hood from the junkyard 50/50`d (or 25/25/25/25 showing different levels of polishing) on display... bring lots of cards.

[Cameronswmp9]

You need to go where the nice cars are. Any Cars & Coffee events in your area were you could park a "detailed" car and promote yourself? I see retailers on Craigslist.
I like this idea, maybe not exactly the super high end but away from the 25 year old Toyota expecting a $250 service for $25. Look for the Lexus and Mercedes in the nicer houses.

When I was younger and cutting grass, I went out in the neighborhood and looked for people outside, so I wasn`t ringing bells. People checking their mail or washing their cars (not what you want here, but for example) and just asked if they had a minute and was interested. And I could look at their yard. Same can be used here to look at the car and paint and really talk to them, feeling them out as far as what they want and may pay, even see if y`all can come close to the same. I cut grass forma few dollars less than I probably would have but the next guy may have said more, more than enough to make up for it.