Car Show Booth

**SeaJays** · 01-21-2012, 11:53 AM

Well, I finally stepped up this year and got myself a booth at some of the local car shows and a few bigger ones.

The biggest one right now is World of Wheels. Which I`m just waiting on my package to show up. I talked to the guy in charge of vendors yesterday.

I`m also part of another big one in July, which is the Summer Nationals which is over 3 days.

I`m starting to design my banner, new business cards, and brochures to all match. Currently they don`t.

I was curious as to what you would put on your banner? Obviously it`s going to be my logo (see aviator), website, phone number. Should I put anything else? Maybe like paint correction, headlight restoration, etc?

I have a sample hood that I will have on display, sample headlight with 50/50. Planning on putting together a video loop to play through a 24" LCD TV I have hooked up to a laptop.

Still trying to figure out what type of hand outs if any I`m going to do. I was thinking maybe small spray bottles with quick detailer with my logo on them? Or maybe just a key chain bottle opener or something.

Any ideas will be greatly appreciated!

**JohnKleven** · 01-21-2012, 12:06 PM

Have a bowl full of candy, this lures a lot of people in, and they start chatting with you. Sometimes it lures in the kids, but parents follow, and they see what you have to offer.

**justin30513** · 01-21-2012, 03:20 PM

I`ve tried the car show approach. Most the one`s that visited my booth tried to tell me how to detail and tell me what products that I should use.

LOL!

**tssdetailing** · 01-21-2012, 07:17 PM

Originally Posted by Justin Murphy

I`ve tried the car show approach. Most the one`s that visited my booth tried to tell me how to detail and tell me what products that I should use.

LOL!

No doubt!

Honestly, SeaJay, you should really think about what you`re getting into. Car show guys are the least likely to let ANYONE touch their pride and joy, regardless of how oxidized the metal is or swirled the paint might be. This is one VERY hard-sell audience. Have you ever been to a show? I used to show my T/A some time ago-don`t get me wrong, i loved it. But show car guys arrive @ the break of dawn, and for 4 hours they spray and wipe the car with QD. Then they set up a lawn chair and stare at it until the judging commences. It`s going to be very low foot traffic. The world of wheels show will atleast get you a lot more exposure as that will have families, and guys who didn`t make it into the show walking through.

**SeaJays** · 01-21-2012, 08:05 PM

Originally Posted by tssdetailing

No doubt!

Honestly, SeaJay, you should really think about what you`re getting into. Car show guys are the least likely to let ANYONE touch their pride and joy, regardless of how oxidized the metal is or swirled the paint might be. This is one VERY hard-sell audience. Have you ever been to a show? I used to show my T/A some time ago-don`t get me wrong, i loved it. But show car guys arrive @ the break of dawn, and for 4 hours they spray and wipe the car with QD. Then they set up a lawn chair and stare at it until the judging commences. It`s going to be very low foot traffic. The world of wheels show will atleast get you a lot more exposure as that will have families, and guys who didn`t make it into the show walking through.

Yeah I took this into account.

I`m banking more on the spectators that are walking around looking at the exhibits, cars, vendors, etc. I realize that car guys are typically not the type of people who will allow a detailer to touch their cars. I`m obviously going to give it a shot anyway with the car guys since I`m there. It`s not going to hurt anything. But I wasn`t banking on them.

World of Wheels is a huge show here and you get all kinds of people there. I`ve been to the show 4 or 5 times now as a spectator.

Even the smaller shows there are always a ton of spectators coming out to look at the cars. If I get a few of the car guys great. If not, no big deal. And if this whole thing blows up in my face then I will have learned my lesson and won`t be doing it again.

**Nth Degree** · 01-22-2012, 12:11 AM

Don`t just give out your info. Have some forms and offer to contact people individually at a later time when you can perhaps inspect their vehicles. People are always interested at the time but quickly forget.

**C. Charles Hahn** · 01-22-2012, 02:01 AM

Originally Posted by Nth Degree

Don`t just give out your info. Have some forms and offer to contact people individually at a later time when you can perhaps inspect their vehicles. People are always interested at the time but quickly forget.

:werd: I`ve gone to a few home improvement shows over the last few years, and most of the contractors do the same thing -- collect information from potential sales leads, then call back a few days later to schedule a free quote/estimate/consultation at the client`s home.

Not only does that give you a better chance to make a sale, it also gives you a chance to better gauge how much traffic is coming through your booth and determine a success rate of turning those leads into customers. That way you can determine if it`s worth it to do shows again, decide which shows or type of shows to focus on, etc.

**justin30513** · 01-22-2012, 10:06 AM

Another thing is, show car guys, if they use you, will tell NO ONE about you. They don`t want anyone else have a nicer looking car than their own. Just my experience.

**MichaelM** · 01-22-2012, 07:50 PM

My car show experience is similar to the rest here in that they generally do not let others touch their pride and Joy. That being said they generally have at least a couple other vehicles in the family that they would rather not spend the time on. I have a handful of customers that show cars in nearly every car show in the area. I`ve never touched any of their showcars. I have, however, taken care of their daily, the wifes and childrens car twice a year for as long as i`ve known them.

**tssdetailing** · 01-22-2012, 08:18 PM

Originally Posted by MichaelM

My car show experience is similar to the rest here in that they generally do not let others touch their pride and Joy. That being said they generally have at least a couple other vehicles in the family that they would rather not spend the time on. I have a handful of customers that show cars in nearly every car show in the area. I`ve never touched any of their showcars. I have, however, taken care of their daily, the wifes and childrens car twice a year for as long as i`ve known them.

ain`t that a b!tch?

**gmc05** · 01-22-2012, 09:34 PM

Jason as others have said trade shows are tough. I did world or wheels in 2010 pushing our accessories business ( took outstanding in our class ) aside from getting in the local paper for the award it never really paid off. The candy bowl idea does work great it get`s people to stop for a second.

Jason we should get together soon to talk

Clip from setup at world of wheelsape1.MOV - YouTube

**MichaelM** · 01-22-2012, 09:52 PM

Originally Posted by tssdetailing

ain`t that a b!tch?

It`s a matter of perspective I suppose. I don`t mind the steady business at all, even if they are "boring" cars. I`ve also gotten quite a few referral customers from them.