Cold Carding Parking Lots

**Irkie500** · 10-21-2009, 11:02 AM

Does anyone here leave business cards on the drivers door when your in a parking lot for advertising? I would assume its similar to flyers but I could see it being a bit more effective. Just wondering what kind of results people have gotten from this.

**Dan** · 10-21-2009, 11:13 AM

Just one man`s point of view, but you are going to piss those people off that care enough about their car to use your services, and the ones that don`t care will be sad you didn`t leave a coupon for the swirl-n-shine.

**Irkie500** · 10-21-2009, 11:22 AM

Why would it make people mad if I left a contact card? wedge it between the window and door, I dont see where they would get mad.

**Envious Eric** · 10-21-2009, 11:25 AM

i dont think they get mad if they see they are the only one! if the parking lot gets cluttered with a lot of your cards on the ground, you can get fined for littering. I throw them in on sporadic nice cars (75K^). Sometimes I just walk by and throw out a feeler comment to the owner. "I can fix that scratch/your paint for you" sometimes it engages conversation, sometimes I get the "oh its just a car" response...never had anyone get pissed though.

**Irkie500** · 10-21-2009, 11:30 AM

Never thought about the downsides of covering the whole lot.

**Dan** · 10-21-2009, 11:58 AM

Originally Posted by Irkie500

Why would it make people mad if I left a contact card? wedge it between the window and door, I dont see where they would get mad.

Because many people, myself included, don`t want you touching their car. They will pull the card out, throw it on the ground, and this will happen frequently, then depending on how up tight or tight for money your town is, they will come looking for you.

I don`t touch your car, please don`t touch mine.

**Irkie500** · 10-21-2009, 12:22 PM

Im having a hard time getting that solid building block of customers before the refferal work starts, I dont have the money to do google adwords or newspaper ads so business cards and flyers are my only main options, if anyone has successfull ideas please share. Ive got one business that said I could leave flyers at the main desk but im not sure how many people will really grab them but ill find out when I put them up there.

**Dan** · 10-21-2009, 01:03 PM

Go to an upscale neighberhood and put flyers on mailboxes. Advertise a good wash and wax rate and hope you can upsell corrections. Develop some relationships with people in office buildings, a lot of the time if someone sees you washing a co-workers car, they will inquire about your services.

**Irkie500** · 10-21-2009, 02:05 PM

Im a pretty good salesman getting on average 40 upgrades a week at work in our "detail" shop. An upgrade consists of upgrading from a basic interior to a vinyl, carpet, leather ect.

**slp123** · 10-21-2009, 02:14 PM

talk to some local dealerships and/or body shops. Explain to them what you can do for them as far as increasing the resale value of the cars they take in on trade.

Negotiate a standard rate with them and this will help to get you some repeat business that will help to keep you going when the other details slow down

After doing a detail for a customer, try to set them up on maintenance plan whether it is just reminding them to come in for their annual or semiannual detail all the way to regular wash and waxes. Develop a spreadsheet or other system that works for you to help you keep track of your customers and when they will be due for your services and remind them in advance. Alot mmore people than you think will be willing to pay so that someone else can take care of their car and all of the aesthetic worries so they dont have to.

**Irkie500** · 10-21-2009, 02:37 PM

Yea from reading around the site the maintenance plans are key, something I am going to push heavily, because when new customers slow down at least you have a couple cars you know will get you at least some money while things are slow.

**David Fermani** · 10-21-2009, 03:49 PM

In my area I think a nice business card placed on a high-end car would speak volumes. I`d stick a yellow sticky note with a professional hand written message on it and I`d bet you`d have a decent success rate.

**Vanilla** · 10-21-2009, 06:55 PM

Originally Posted by yakky

Go to an upscale neighberhood and put flyers on mailboxes.

I`m not 100% sure, but I believe this is illegal. I`d suggest avoiding mailboxes.

**HiMyNameIsSean** · 10-21-2009, 07:24 PM

^ I know for fact it`s illegal. I would look into door hangers, or if you have a nicely printed price list, I`ve seen clear plastic bags with a hole in the top to slip around a door knob. That`s not illegal, but I find it to be annoying when it happens to me.

**Xtreme-Klean** · 10-21-2009, 07:54 PM

Normally I toss these ads on the ground. If I want a quality detailer or service of any sort I will ask for referral. Word of mouth is always better and cost nothing.