Need opinions

[Don]

***Sorry, I posted this in another sub-forum, but the internet is not being nice and I`m locked out of it and can`t see the post***

I don`t know if this is the right place to put this, but I wanted opinions. I posted this on a Camaro Enthusiasts forum and so far (3 days) I have only gotten 28 views and no replies. I was wondering if there was/is something else I could do to drum up a little bit of business?



Since it`s almost that time of year, I figured I put it out there that I do automotive detailing during the summer. I have 25 years experience with a random orbital buffer (Porter Cable) and I used to do this as a full time job.

My services include an in-depth, two bucket wash of the car, followed by compounding using Meguiar`s Ultimate Compound. I follow this with a polishing using Meguiar`s Ultimate Polish until the paint is a perfect as it`s going to safely get (I won`t `chase` deep swirls and scratches and risk taking too much clear off the paint). Finally I use Collinite 845 Insulator Wax (or 476s Super Double coat IF I can get it to play nice, 476s can be a difficult wax to apply).

**If you have any products you prefer to have used on your car, let me know and I will use them instead**

• Also included is cleaning/dressing the tires and cleaning/waxing the rims.
• A full vacuum and wipe down of the interior is also included, but I no longer steam or shampoo interiors (I`m too old & too fat to wiggle around inside a car to scrub and shampoo the seats & carpets ) Plus a full exterior detail on a car the size of a Camaro takes a full day by itself.
• Windows are cleaned inside & out then treated with RainX
• I come to you, the detail is done at your own home, you don`t have to go anywhere.

All I ask for is that you be within an hour`s drive of Akron or Cleveland, an electrical outlet to plug in my extension cord and a water source (garden hose) for proper washing and rinsing of the car.

**I leave my house at sun up and expect to be at yours by no later than 9:30am/10:00 am. I plan on the detail taking until 6:00-7:00pm or later: I stop at dark unless you have lights.


So what the bottom line?

For an average car, I make $150. If the car is black, I add $25 since black shows EVERYTHING and is a bit harder to work on. If for some reason, the compounding/polishing/waxing cannot be completed in one day (this has never happened to me yet), then I charge $50 ($75 if over 4 hours on the 2nd day) to finish the job.


**Tipping is always welcome**

[Ronkh]

IMHO
Way too wordy, and you are (again in my opinion) you are giving reasons as to why it may be an inferior job. Instead of down playing yourself, you need to sell yourself and show why they want to.

Also remember it`s a forum, not local, so it has a large out of area viewership. So it takes time.

Go to car shows, talk to people, hand out cards.....

[House of Wax]

Agree with Ron. I`d also leave out the part about tipping.

Keep in mind if you`re not a regular contributor on that forum you may not get much attention with a thread trying to sell your services

[ShaneB]

If you really want to start a business out of it you NEED to setup a website and do the work to make sure you show up in Google. I`m finding most of my customers find me on google and at least half of them didn`t even look at my website before calling

[512detail]

If you really want to start a business out of it you NEED to setup a website and do the work to make sure you show up in Google. I`m finding most of my customers find me on google and at least half of them didn`t even look at my website before calling

i agree.. i am found more on google and bing and angies list etc - I don`t have a website right now but even when I did people would call before going online.

agree with ron too-- too wordy.. you should see my gargantuan thread on my local club vendor page--its far too long but at the end it has a summary and that`s all people ever reference..is the service package and the price

I could do without the rest of the process as I`m learning for me at least most people just want to know how much do I charge and what kind of work do I turn out. After doing a few cars through my thread vendor post- I am getting calls like crazy and members are recommending me for friends and family members as well.

Also keep in mind the area of viewership as also mentioned...I also strongly suggest attending car shows and finding local car meets and just stopping by and chatting. I just show up to meets and talk to people and when someone asks me how I keep my car so clean or how this or that on the car looks so good THAT is when I drop a line about my business. I find this non-direct method works very well for me personally.

[512detail]

also....compound and polish and wax for $150? that`s pretty cheap IMO

[The Guz]

Agree with everyone else.

also....compound and polish and wax for $150? that`s pretty cheap IMO

I was thinking the same thing. Don don`t under sell yourself. $150 for a full correction is way to low in my opinion.

[Accumulator]

Don- I don`t care for the "extra charge for Black" since IMO clearcoat is clearcoat and I`d want every-color of car done to the same level. I know that I have to take the same pains with silver (which is in some ways *harder* for me since the inspection is such a PIA) that I do with black/etc.

[JBM]

If you goto Text broker for example and stay above the bottom feeders you can get great sales copy written.