Hello from Texas

**CelebrityMobile** · 12-01-2010, 09:41 AM

Just started a mobile detail service in the Dallas area, however we have a full service wash and lube center that has been very profitable. We are new to the mobile side of things and we are excited to get it rolling!

**JaredPointer** · 12-01-2010, 10:09 AM

Welcome to the site. Good luck with the mobile gig.

**CelebrityMobile** · 12-01-2010, 10:10 AM

Thank you sir.

**JaredPointer** · 12-01-2010, 10:12 AM

BTW, there`s lots of good Texas folk here on the forum to talk with.

**Mr. Clean** · 12-01-2010, 12:00 PM

Welcome to the not so little town known as Detail City. We have installations all over the US of A including a fair number in Texas. But always glad to see a new Texan, it looked like those folks from PA were trying to make a move on taking control around here.

Like JP mentioned above, there are some good fellow Texans to visit with, but then sometimes you get stuck with me.

**GearHead_1** · 12-01-2010, 12:08 PM

Originally Posted by Mr. Clean

Welcome to the not so little town known as Detail City. We have installations all over the US of A including a fair number in Texas. But always glad to see a new Texan, it looked like those folks from PA were trying to make a move on taking control around here.

Like JP mentioned above, there are some good fellow Texans to visit with, but then sometimes you get stuck with me.

Oh man, another one of you guys. Celebrity, that was for MC`s sake. Welcome to "The City!"

**Mr. Clean** · 12-01-2010, 12:15 PM

GH, good to see you were able to dig yourself out to join us today. It was a frigid 32 degrees this a.m., but should be able to make it back up to the mid 60s this afternoon.

Celebrity, as you might be able to discern, we have a good little bit o` fun around here.

**GearHead_1** · 12-01-2010, 01:44 PM

Originally Posted by Mr. Clean

GH, good to see you were able to dig yourself out to join us today...

Are you insinuating that I`ve been derelict in my duties?

I did have to blow about 6 inches of snow off of the concrete this morning. When I built the home, cement seemed like a great idea. I now know that I have way too much. Takes me about 3 hours to blow it all off and takes about the same amount of time to blow it off as it does to plow it off using a 4 wheeler with a blade.

By the time I`m done clearing the snow my metal parts have cooled down in my joints and back and become painful (this ties in with my other post on dreams). Seriously, those parts of my body are much colder to the touch. I`m then shot for the day. If anybody would have told me that I would have been this old at my age I never would have believed them.

Oh yeah, once again welcome to Detail City, where the lights are bright and the finish gleams.

**Tex Star Detail** · 12-01-2010, 08:11 PM

Hmmmmmmmmmmmm

Van truck or trailer setup? Have a picture of it?

**Mr. Clean** · 12-01-2010, 08:31 PM

Originally Posted by GearHead_1

Are you insinuating that I`ve been derelict in my duties?

...
Absolutely NOT! Greatfully, you are one of the constants herein

...
By the time I`m done clearing the snow my metal parts have cooled down in my joints and back and become painful (this ties in with my other post on dreams). Seriously, those parts of my body are much colder to the touch. I`m then shot for the day. If anybody would have told me that I would have been this old at my age I never would have believed them.
...

I think the great Mickey Mantle has been assigned as the origin of the quote "If I knew I was going to live this long, I`d have taken better care of myself." There are days (and nights) that I can definitely relate.

**Concours.John** · 12-02-2010, 08:06 AM

From Fort Worth now in Ohio so welcome to "The City"!

**CelebrityMobile** · 12-02-2010, 08:54 AM

Thanks for the warm welcome guys. The weather has been great IMO but i havent been able to drum up much business at all. I have been going business to business try to sell my services but not too many hits. Does anyone have any tips?

I will post some more pics later today. You can check out the truck at

Celebrity Mobile Detail

**JohnHenry** · 12-02-2010, 09:10 AM

Wow! That is a first class setup!

I`d recommend a full blown marketing campaign considering your initial investment. I`m not a creative type by any stretch of the imagination; however, I`ve had some success with carefully directed post cards.

I`ve taken the liberty of copying an old post of mine on the subject. If you decide to try this, I`d love to hear about your results. Best of luck man!

I like well designed postcards. I`ve used them with good results in two previous businesses... home improvement, somewhat similar to detailing as far as the target market goes.

Several companies on the web, e.g. InfoUSA and PostcardMania that Troy mentioned, can do searches on various criteria to allow you to sharpen your focus.

For example, I have searched two affluent zip codes within ten miles of my home. As I recall the criteria were: home value >$600K, owner`s age >40, minimum of two cars registered, income >$200K. I ran a free test query and found about 1,000 addresses. I got a price for mailing labels, then decided to eliminate the income data, which reduced the cost considerably.

I ended up with ~ 1,250 addresses. And we have more bass boats than Bimmers in these here parts!

Now don`t get too excited. Even a well-targetted direct mail campaign will generate only a 2-3% return, if you`re lucky. But think about getting 25 good prospects, with two high end cars in the garage, and lots of wealthy neighbors and friends. How many could you convert to monthly regulars? Eight? Twelve? How much word-of-mouth business would they generate?

A smart direct-mail campaign might be worth the $1,000 to $1,200 investment. Couple lessons I learned... you have to stay with it. I would budget three or four repeat mailings to your very best prospects throughout the year, rather than to blow the whole wad on one mass mailing to more addresses. Oh, and start small.