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What do you guys think?
Been running with the same business name for the past 10 years now, Stumpy`s Mobile Detailing, and I think I`ve grown out of the "Stumpy`s" nickname... I think I`d rather be talked about like "Hey take your car over to Exotic, he does great work" instead of "Stumpy does great work!"
www.exoticdetail.ca would be a nice URL for my new webpage
exoticdetail@shaw.ca for an e-mail address
And decals...oh the decals...
I`m getting excited, whaddya think?????
i just registered that domain name, sorry.
just kidding. thats a good name though. how are you going to design your site? are you going to do it yourself? thats how i did mine
Quote:
Originally Posted by StumpyDetailing
Personally, I don`t know how you ever grew *into* the "Stumpy`s" nickname, :p . New one sounds good!
I hear ya on that one. I was always known as "The cow" in internet land due to an old avatar I had. Used it for years and yea... It was way past time to go.. I say the name is good if you actually do exotics (or are marketing to try and break into it) but if not then maybe something else would work better.
I actually like Stumpy better. It reminds me of the old mechanic in the run down shop that was the best in town. Also the name Stumpy will stick in peoples heads better then Exotic. Stumpy will make them laugh so they will remember the name.
To me Stumpy sounds like the guy in the mom and pop hardware store that if you came in and asked for a starter bolt to a 1973 pinto he could reach into a bucket of random bolts and pick out the perfect bolt with out anything to compare it to.
I vote stumpy
think about what you want your image to be. could you imagine miracle detail being called Stumpy`s Detail, with his mercedes van and the same website, just a different business name. It doesnt fit.
Vice Versa could you see yourself called exotic detail and then be doing grocery getters and daily drivers. You might be looked at as pricey just by the name.
Whats your martket? What business name fits it?
:-)
I was hoping to get some responses! Thats why I didn`t include all my information in the first post.
I have been doing mid-to-upper class cars as Stumpy`s Detailing, 05+ Magnum, Porsche or 2, Corvette or 2, big black lifted trucks, red trucks, new trucks, new looking trucks, some classic cars, some muscle cars...
And I think if I can slowly morph my image into an "exotic" detailer it will help me get MORE Porsches, Ferrarris, Aston Martins, Vipers, Corvettes, Big Black Trucks, and the like.... Where I live there is TONS of money coming from the oil-fields of Alberta, retiring or summer-living in Kelowna, BC.
I see Lamborghinis, Aston martins, Maseratis, on almost a daily basis... Make me want to detail them because I don`t know of a SINGLE shop in Kelowna that is not a "wash `n squirt" type of "detail" shop. They`re just volume minivan detailers. Not high-class detailers.
So, I think my market is almost unlimited if I approach it correctly.
I also have a line on an AutoGlass shop that will let me use their facility after-hours and weekends, for vehicle drop-off and pick-up as well. That should serve me well! I`m getting tired of being 100% mobile! I at least need a shop to direct a customer to.
Do yourself a favor and don`t use a bunch of generic ferrari and lamborghini stock photos all over your marketing. So tacky, yet so many people do it..
I don`t think changing the name of your business is going to change your clientelle. I work on exotic cars every week, but I don`t get people calling to get their Lamborghini detailed because of my name. These customers strictly work on a referral basis.
I agree...just your cars that you detail!
Yeah, don`t know that I 100% agree. I do agree that the higher end cars come by referral. All of my exotics are by referral - either dealer or client. But, I also believe name and image play a large role in how the community at large perceive you and your business. I am moving from the trailer to the Sprinter for a couple of reasons - one being image. No billboard on the side of the sprinter. All the bling goes inside on this one.
Just my two cents.
AndyQuote:
Originally Posted by JohnKleven
I don`t advertise, and I don`t have bling except my machinery. I`m not a blingy guy.
But I am presentable, friendly, and not easily intimidated :) That really helps approaching any type of person, young, old, male, female, rich, poor, and others.
I advertise SOLELY with my business card. Any more advertising is made for a dedicated location. I do not plan to work out of my dedicated location all the time, but I do want a place I *can* refer my customers.
I have been a mobile detailer since 2003, but all in a different city than I am in now.
I am having a harder time getting to know people merely becasue I did not grow up here like I did back there, people all knew me on the Coast, but here I need to make friends first... you know that takes a little bit :)
I didn`t need a nice looking business card back there, it was plain white with black lettering, no picture, no design, just name on card. Very classy at the time!
Now I`m going to at least have a 1/4 of the card a pic of a Porsche front-end coming onto the card, but the rest will be just my name/number.
When approaching someone for the first time, either out of the blue or by a referral, I would PREFER to be introducing myself as "Tyler from Exotic Detail" not "Tyler from Stumpy`s Detail", even though it eventually turns into just "Stumpy"...
Made this thread for a general opinion on the operating name of "Exotic Detail" since I legally have to register my business as *something* and I picked Exotic Detail. That is the first step, afterall, to become legal :)
Quote:
Originally Posted by JohnKleven
Yes, I agree.
And by your logic, you need ONE to crack into that market. You need someone to refer someone else.
I definitely have no problems *getting* customers, because I know from experience that with referral advertising, when it rains it pours. you can have no customers one week, and 3 weeks down the road be booking 2 weeks out! Been there, done that.
Thats why I am not in a rush to get my name out. I am waiting patiently for the right name, the right time, and the right vehicle to detail out of.
I currently have NO details in my local area yet. Partly due to my 9-5 job taking up all my time, partly due to my not having a vehicle registered in my name that can carry my detailing equipment (not going to use my company vehicle for personal business use).
But I am getting an Astro-Van today *hopefully* that will serve as that truck!
I started a blog recently, it`s a good idea to showcase your work, even if it`s not an exotic car detail. This will help show customers the kind of work that you do. Here is my blog. Metropolitan Detail Maybe this will give you some ideas.
John
Very good idea! Thanks for the tip!
I always did a showcase of my work, kind of a "Photo Gallery" of past clients... But there was no timeline, rhyme or reason for an order, or things like that...
A blog, on the other hand, contains information, pictures, dates, times, locations, everything...
I like it!