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View Full Version : The Cruel Test Spot - This or that? - Reverse Bait & Switch



Mike Phillips
12-11-2009, 10:49 AM
The Cruel Test Spot - This or that? - Reverse Bait & Switch (http://www.autopiaforums.com/forums/marketing-strategies/28037-cruel-test-spot-reverse-bait-switch.html)


The Cruel Test Spot
One thing I`ve done a lot of in my detailing career that`s a little cruel, a little risky but sometimes very effective and that`s to do a little test spot on the hood of a potential customer`s car to show them what you can do and what can be done for their car`s paint.

This can be very effective if the paint is horribly swirled-out or oxidized and of course if they`re not ready to hire you after the test spot, then let them get back to you.

Cruel
This is kind of cruel because since most people don`t know how to create a totally clear, swirl free finish on their car`s paint, by you doing this you`ll have created a single spot that will stand out like a Sore Thumb in which their eyes, and all their friends eyes, will be attracted to each time they walk by and look at the car. It can even get you future clients you`ve never met before.

Risky
It`s also kind of risky because it`s possible that the person could become annoyed by your artistic work if they decide they don`t care if their car`s paint looks good or not and want you to "even" out the finish which is another way of saying, "Free Detail". Now that`s never happened to me personally but I can see where it`s a potential risk. This is why it`s very important to Evaluate the Customer before you Evaluate the Car.


Effective



Assuming you make that one little spot look awesome they can either

Hire you to finish the car
Try to duplicate what you did on their own
Try to hire someone that can do what you did

Be sure to point out using the sun or a Brinkman Swirl Finder Light that the results you created are clear, shiny AND swirl-free because any hack detailer can make paint shiny but they can`t always make it clear and swirl-free. Using the "Cruel Test Spot Technique" is most effective if you can do on the hood of a car, usually towards the front driver`s side, so every time the owner goes to their car they`ll see a glimpse or teaser of how the entire car could look.

Important Note: Always have the owner`s permission to touch their car before touching their car.




This or that? Your choice!
My friend Joe Fernandez aka Superior Shine has a twist on this that`s a better marketing approach, what he`ll do is two test spots, he`ll show a prospective customer what a simple cleaner/wax will do and then he`ll do a multiple-step process to a nearby section and then share a little about the difference in complexity, time, labor and materials and let the customer decide which option.

This is a surefire way to get the job because if they don`t want the more expensive multi-step show car finish they`ll usually want the high quality one-step approach as Joe is very good with any approach and a job is a job. Actually, in some ways, just doing a GREAT one-step is faster and you`ve already established and grounded their expectations so they`re not out of this world.

Genius.




Reverse Bait & Switch
I have yet another well-known detailer buddy that asked to remain anonymous, that has a twist on Joe`s approach and that is to offer a very high dollar detail to a prospective customer with a high-end car but then also offer them their very good simple 2-step package that won`t remove each and every scratch but will make the car absolutely glow and most of the time the prospective customer will go for the simple 2-step approach which is still in the $400.00 to $600.00 dollar range.

Genius.


Think about it...
Maybe this will spark your imagination to modify one of these techniques or simply incorporate it into your marketing practices.


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doctordon
12-11-2009, 12:06 PM
Mike - Thanks for sharing that. I really like the "This or That" concept. Great thinking.

Mike Phillips
12-11-2009, 12:22 PM
Mike - Thanks for sharing that. I really like the "This or That" concept. Great thinking.

I like it too...

Just to note, that`s Joe Fernandez`s thinking, (Superior Shine).

I just shared it and want to make sure he gets proper credit. I don`t steal other people`s ideas or writing and then try to claim it or position it as my own.

"An honest man`s pillow is his peace of mind - John Cougar Melloncamp"


:)

Pockets
12-11-2009, 01:11 PM
Very cool Mike we like to do this at shows sometimes too and they usually end up buying our products, same concept different application :bigups:bigups

Bullitt
01-04-2010, 11:11 AM
I`ve always done the One Step test spot and then the 2 or 3 step spot and it works wonders and let`s the client know what their getting, but I`ve never tried the $1300+ approach that the annonymous donor contributed. I think that is genius. I`ll let you know how it go`s. Thanks for the info.

Mr. Clean
01-04-2010, 11:38 AM
Evaluate the customer before you evaluate the car.
...
Copyright ©PBMA - Autogeekonline.net® All Rights Reserved.

I`m sure I have a different perspective on this, but IMO this just might be the most important tip out of the entire post from the business side. A good salesman knows this. Sometimes as detailers we forget that we sometimes must put on our salesman hat to secure the job initially. Then we can use our techniques to improve the chances of repeat business.

Troy@Protekt
01-04-2010, 07:53 PM
I`m sure I have a different perspective on this, but IMO this just might be the most important tip out of the entire post from the business side. A good salesman knows this. Sometimes as detailers we forget that we sometimes must put on our salesman hat to secure the job initially. Then we can use our techniques to improve the chances of repeat business.

I have always been pretty weak in the sales and promotion side of my detailing business. I`m getting better though. :redface:

Threads like this are gold to detailers that aren`t naturally good at getting business. :bigups

Mr. Clean
01-04-2010, 09:00 PM
I have always been pretty weak in the sales and promotion side of my detailing business. I`m getting better though. :redface:

Threads like this are gold to detailers that aren`t naturally good at getting business. :bigups

First off, let me welcome our newest member. Do you know Troy@DetailCity? :D

Troy, my guess is you are probably a better salesman than you`re letting on. JMO, but sales and selling is basically talking with (not to) people. That is listening to your customers and potential customers.

If you actively listen to your customer, with perhaps just a little guidance they are going to tell you what they want/need in the way of your services. Then you are going to be able to describe how you are going to meet those needs/wants. You may want to upsell a service or two, or maybe this would sour the customer and you might lose the sale altogether (this is where evaluating the customer comes in). IMO our job isn`t necessarily to try to squeeze the most money we can on our first job for the customer but rather to meet (or even better exceed) the customer`s expectations within the agreed upon budget. We, like other businesses, make our money with return business. Keeping your customers happy and returning usually takes less time than scouting for new. Someone somewhere has the quote that a satisfied customer may tell someone else, but an unhappy customer tells everybody else.

I get the impression that some detailers think that bragging to a customer about their knowledge and expertise or their use of this or that product is the key to selling their services. I`m sure that some do, but IMO those detailers get their business in spite of not because of this approach.