Ideas, Ideas, Ideas....

**tpgsr** · 03-19-2004, 12:29 PM

So i am sitting around waiting for the snow to go away so i can get back to work, and i am thinkg about ways to bring in more customers in a centralized area. What i came up with was:

So I go to Joe Smiths home to detail his new Audi. He lives in a nice upscale area, where if people see one person has a service they want it too. Problem is, the times i am there most of his neighbors are at work, so they dont see anything but a shiney car. Sure one or two might ask, but thats about it. What if when i get done with Joes car, i take my before and after pictures, have them duplicated several times and paper clip them to one of my flyers (pics here) with a small note saying "joe had his vehicle done, what about yours... etc..." Is that a bad idea, a good idea, what needs to be changed, and what do i write on the note? Do i hand sign each note? there are alot of questions behind this idea that i would like some feedback for.

My second idea that i would like to share is:

www.diamonddetailing.biz/giveaway.html

That page is a contest entry form that is advertised on all of my flyers and a few websites. What I get out of offering a free detail is a list of people who chose wether or not they want to be contacted, and if so by e-mail or snail mail. So if one person wins, and 1,000 people entered, i can send a print ad to 500 of the 1000 that said it was ok to send Snail mail with a picture of the winners vehicle, and a small coupon for like 10% off as a "thanks for entering."

What do you think?? good ideas?

Anyone have any other ideas that they would like to share?

Thanks for the feedback

Michael Gleeson

**jasonatv22** · 03-19-2004, 01:18 PM

Realtors do things like your first idea all the time. I`m always getting mail from Joe Realtor saying "I just recently sold a home like yours in your neighborhood in less than three weeks." It does let me know who the go-getting realtors are out there.

But I`d mail it. Because when people leave stuff on my door or clipped to my mailbox, that really irks me.

You might want to check with the car owner to see if you can. I wouldn`t lay out the master plan to him, but ask if you can use his car in a flyer you`re making.

I don`t like the contest idea. Just me. Others may like it.

Postcards of the neighbor`s car, but not necessarily before and after (don`t want to shame him with the before pic), sounds really good.

Edited to add: Possible phrasing. "The car on the other side of this postcard isn`t a show car. It`s from your neighborhood. My name is Name Namely and I`m a professional detailer with a client in your area. I still have room for a few more clients. I can do a one time detailing or we can set up a schedule." Just talk to them like you were, well, talking to them. I`d also make sure to have enough of the house in the picture that they can guess who`s car it is.

**imported_ajbarnes** · 03-19-2004, 07:10 PM

Originally posted by Postwood

But I`d mail it. Because when people leave stuff on my door or clipped to my mailbox, that really irks me.

Postcards of the neighbor`s car, but not necessarily before and after (don`t want to shame him with the before pic), sounds really good.

Good points.:up

**imported_mirrorfinishman** · 03-20-2004, 07:28 AM

Originally posted by tpgsr

What if when i get done with Joes car, i take my before and after pictures,

How about taking pictures with a digital camera and then emailing them to your customer? That way you will give your customer an easy way to show off your good work by emailing the pictures to their friends and family.

If you do this always make sure you`ve got your contact info included in the email. That way when the customer forwards the pictures to their friends and family they will also get to see your name and be able to contact you directly.

I`ve been doing this for about a year and my customers think it`s the greatest thing. I also offer my customers a Twenty Dollars Off Certificate for every referral they make that becomes a new customer.

Just some additional thoughts...

**andriver** · 03-20-2004, 08:23 AM

I like your idea Frank.

**tpgsr** · 03-20-2004, 06:11 PM

Originally posted by Postwood Realtors do things like your first idea all the time. I`m always getting mail from Joe Realtor saying "I just recently sold a home like yours in your neighborhood in less than three weeks." It does let me know who the go-getting realtors are out there.

This is exactly what i was thinking. I might not necessarily want to look like a go getter so to speak, but if you get a post card one day, then another one 2 days later from a different neighbor, then maybe a third, you start thinking that there is something your neighbors are getting that you must be missing out on. Especially if several are doing it. And i have found, and confirmed by talking to several customers that generally people in real high end homes and neighborhoods don`t like it when their neighbor has something and they dont. It is like a high class competition.

But I`d mail it. Because when people leave stuff on my door or clipped to my mailbox, that really irks me.

True, very good point I will have to do that.

You might want to check with the car owner to see if you can. I wouldn`t lay out the master plan to him, but ask if you can use his car in a flyer you`re making.

I tell every owner that i am going to take some pictures, then i ask if i can use them for marketing purposes if i blank out the plates. They have always said yes thus far. They have this sense of pride in owning such a nice clean car when you are done, that I guess they feel obligated to let other people see it.

I don`t like the contest idea. Just me. Others may like it.

It is just good market research, people are entering demographic data, and it is really not costing me too much. If anything, i may be able to turn someone who wouldn`t have paid for this service in the first place into a regular customer. I have had a very overwhelming response already, and i haven`t even started advertising that it is there. I guess just people clicking in through forums, or from google search, or from other things i sponser that are local and have my web address on them.

Postcards of the neighbor`s car, but not necessarily before and after (don`t want to shame him with the before pic), sounds really good.

Edited to add: Possible phrasing. "The car on the other side of this postcard isn`t a show car. It`s from your neighborhood. My name is Name Namely and I`m a professional detailer with a client in your area. I still have room for a few more clients. I can do a one time detailing or we can set up a schedule." Just talk to them like you were, well, talking to them. I`d also make sure to have enough of the house in the picture that they can guess who`s car it is.

Anyone else have feedback on this, i would almost like people to see the drastic results that are sometimes achieved. I am not sure, it would definatly be easier on me printing wise if i only had one vehicle. I could just print it through shutterfly as a postcard, and have them directly mailed. quick and easy.

Originally posted by mirrorfinishman

How about taking pictures with a digital camera and then emailing them to your customer? That way you will give your customer an easy way to show off your good work by emailing the pictures to their friends and family.

Also a great Idea, Thanks Frank. I ahve most of their e-mails, but i never really use them for anything. :xyzthumbs

If you do this always make sure you`ve got your contact info included in the email. That way when the customer forwards the pictures to their friends and family they will also get to see your name and be able to contact you directly.

I have never e-mailed you, but i have a nice digital signature, and all of my info included under it. Looks real nice and very professional.

I also offer my customers a Twenty Dollars Off Certificate for every referral they make that becomes a new customer.

I do this too, but i offer $15. Should i include this in the e-mail, or just let them know verbally like i do now, or both. The only reason i wouldn`t add it to the e-mail is because if they forward it, their friend or family member might think that they were just trying to get a free $15. What do you think?

Thanks alot for the feedback that you have already given me. All of you folks are an invaluable resource.

to autopians

Michael Gleeson

**imported_mirrorfinishman** · 03-20-2004, 07:34 PM

Originally posted by tpgsr

I do this too, but i offer $15. Should i include this in the e-mail, or just let them know verbally like i do now, or both. The only reason i wouldn`t add it to the e-mail is because if they forward it, their friend or family member might think that they were just trying to get a free $15. What do you think?

Michael,

You`re right. It`s not a good idea to include the $15 referral offer in the email. After all, you don`t want it to get forwarded. Just let your customers know verbally like you do now.

Also, thanks for sharing your good ideas!

**Scottwax** · 03-21-2004, 12:37 AM

E-mailing pics to customers is a good idea, especially when it is close to time for another wax job. BTW, I have actually had customers ask me when their car will be up on my website!

If you want to do a freebie to attract business, offer a coupon for a detail or wash/wax job as a door prize at your local school when they have PTA meetings. That will give you good exposure when they announce the prize and you are also supporting your local school which people will appreciate.

**tpgsr** · 03-21-2004, 01:36 AM

Originally posted by Scottwax

If you want to do a freebie to attract business, offer a coupon for a detail or wash/wax job as a door prize at your local school when they have PTA meetings. That will give you good exposure when they announce the prize and you are also supporting your local school which people will appreciate.

That is a good idea, but i dont have any children yet, and i am not sure about how i would be recieved at the PTA seeing that fact. One thing i am sponsoring is a Charity Car Cruise for Roswell Cancer Institute. It is one of the top Cancer research hospitals in the united states, I also may be sponsoring a golf hole for the local Gollisano Childrens Hospital golf tournament. It is held at Oak Hill (where the masters was this last summer), and there are a couple hundred really prominent citizens invited to participate in hopes of generating donations. I will have donated a large sum of money, but it is for a good cause so i dont really mind doing it.

The post cards i have already figured out. I am having them printed 3 to a page at 6x4" full color front, black back, on 10pt Glossy coated front paper. Real high quality paper, medium high quality printing, for only $15 for 20 pages or 60 postcards. If i were to go higher in number it would be less cost per piece, but i really dont think i will need more than 60 of each different postcard. It is going to always be on contract with rush ordering and shipping. The order will be printed within 5 hours of my files arriving, and will be overnighted to me so that i can have them in the mail, and delivered to the prospects within 2-3 days of finishing the initial detail. I think this is a pretty good deal. aroud $30 total for very targeted, and hopefully more effective marketing than just blindly throwing flyers at people. These will also make great reminders as i can have 3 different cars per page, and can print as many different variations as i want. no two pages need be the same (digital printing is great).

Thats all on this for now

mike

**nudave** · 03-21-2004, 09:23 AM

Regarding Oak Hill....the people there are interested in keeping their cars clean. However, the way you will advertise will be an important part in getting clients from there. Do some local research (it was the PGA Championship held there) and be knowledgable about the course. I can help you out if you need it, just let me know. I can stop by sometime if you`re interested. I worked there for 3 years and know pretty much everything about the championship course (east course) and the west course. Just passing out flyers probably won`t work and many will be turned off, a demonstration however may be a good thing. If you can get in contact with the person you contacted for sponsor, I would suggest to see if you can get a demonstration done. All the events that I have seen there have very little advertising (only time I saw some sort of advertising was during the summer for a few days, where a local Jaguar dealer brought 10 cars out and let the members test drive them).

One word of advice, don`t go in there thinking of advertising, think what you are there for, THE CHARITY! If you`re sponsoring a golf hole...if its a par 3, closest to the pin wins a few free details. Hole-in-one, free details for life (because they usually give away cars for hole-in-ones). Par 5 - longest drive for both mens and womens.

Anyhow, enough rambling. If you would like to know more about the course, contact me.

Dave

email: dave@starshadow.com

**tpgsr** · 03-21-2004, 04:35 PM

Originally posted by daveb

Regarding Oak Hill....the people there are interested in keeping their cars clean. However, the way you will advertise will be an important part in getting clients from there. Do some local research (it was the PGA Championship held there) and be knowledgable about the course. I can help you out if you need it, just let me know. I can stop by sometime if you`re interested. I worked there for 3 years and know pretty much everything about the championship course (east course) and the west course. Just passing out flyers probably won`t work and many will be turned off, a demonstration however may be a good thing. If you can get in contact with the person you contacted for sponsor, I would suggest to see if you can get a demonstration done. All the events that I have seen there have very little advertising (only time I saw some sort of advertising was during the summer for a few days, where a local Jaguar dealer brought 10 cars out and let the members test drive them).

One word of advice, don`t go in there thinking of advertising, think what you are there for, THE CHARITY! If you`re sponsoring a golf hole...if its a par 3, closest to the pin wins a few free details. Hole-in-one, free details for life (because they usually give away cars for hole-in-ones). Par 5 - longest drive for both mens and womens.

Anyhow, enough rambling. If you would like to know more about the course, contact me.

Dave

email: dave@starshadow.com

Hi Dave,

Actually i am a chef at Oak Hill right now, and i really knew it was the championship, but i was being stupid (oh well). Needless to say, I know alot about the course, and alot about the members and many of them on a personal level. I acutally will be doing some work for some of the more "prominent" members, the ones that are going to spread my name if they like the outcome. Actually Oak Hill advertises all of their events to death. They send out a monthly event list, the placemats in the grill room are calendars of dates, there is a sign at the front door of daily events, a list of events in each locker room, and even at the front of the buffet. They also mail out flyers for anything special that they do. I have quite the knowledge of the place, and i will hopefully be sitting down with the GM Eric (who has personal ties to the family), and discussing this furteher. He was interested at our first communication, but with the PGA coming for the summer last year, he was afraid of taking up to much valuable parking space. Oh, and one of the people that i will already be working for sits on the board (or used to) so that will help too.

The Jaguar delear was actually Mr. Piehler, he is a member and asked eric if he could bring out some new NON-Released jaguars to get an opinion and some feedback from the members. Sure he was probably hopeing to seel one, but Jaguar the corporation wanted feeback from dealers and that was the easiest way for him to do it.

The Gollisano Childrens Hospital Charity is definatly all about the charity. Of course i have to think about the advertising aspect of all of it, no business would overlook it, but yes you are right, you do need to think about the charity. The only reason that i selected the Childrens hospital, and Roswell is because they are both something personal in my history that i feel deserve my support. Hell, my parents names are on the wall at Roswell, someday hopefully i will be able to donate enough and make enough of a difference that they will offer the same honor to me.

I would never be able to sponsor a par 3. I would be afraid of the hole in one. I would go for a par 5 longest drive or a par 4 water table or something.

Thanks for the offer of help though, although not needed, it was very generous of you.

If you dont mind me asking, what did you do in your time there?? I am on my last week, and i will finally be done and detailing full time

Mike

**nudave** · 03-21-2004, 06:58 PM

Mike -- I worked in the GSC. I probably seen you a few times during the past 3 summers.

I`m fairly new to this detailing stuff, I`ve been reading this board for about a year now. I just got around to buying a PC. I was closer with the golf side of OH, and didn`t know very many people in the kitchen/grill room. I know some valet people though.

Do you own a detail shop or are you mobile? May stop in sometime.

And is just me or is buying/finding detailing products in Rochester really difficult.

PS - I didn`t want want to give out members names on the board, thats why I didn`t mention him.

Dave

**Corey Bit Spank** · 04-01-2004, 09:43 PM

I can vouch for Roswell. I am definitely going to sign up with my friend for this may. Her mom had cancer from very young up until a few years ago and now she`s fine. I`ve known quite a bit of people that have had cancer and have gotten good treatment there. I also know one of the doctors there. Really nice people.

Ok end rant. I like the ideas Mike. Very creative.

You need to branch out to Buffalo more.