Is this an untapped market for you?

**Scottwax** · 01-08-2005, 11:54 PM

If you have customers with out of state college aged students, you have a built in market for twice a year details. Summer and winter break. I now have 3-4 customers who have me come out in the summer and over the Christmas holidays to detail their kids vehicles while they are in town. Usually Dads are pretty good about having their kid`s cars serviced while they are here, you can plant the seed about maintaining the finish as well. One less thing for their kid to worry about (cleaning and waxing their car) when they should be studying.

The first two weeks after Christmas used to be kind of blah, just my regular wash customers but for the last 2-3 years, I have had several details during that time because of my customer`s kids. In addition, this is an opportunity to build a customer for life with this college age kids.

**White95Max** · 01-09-2005, 12:07 AM

I`m transferring colleges for next fall, and I`m moving to a town where 25% of the town`s population (22,000 total) is comprised of college students!

**ncal** · 01-09-2005, 12:13 AM

That sounds like a good idea and I agree, parents want to make sure their kids are good to go for the next semester by taking care of things like this. However, in a college town I wouldn`t see college students as a market, atleast where I live. The money to spend on a detail isn`t really there, not to mention the concern. It probably varies with your area, but as a youngin I can attest that an overwhelming majority of my peers abuse their vehicles on a daily basis. (Even the ones with expensive cars that their parents bought of course)

**Scottwax** · 01-09-2005, 12:34 AM

I agree, I don`t think actual college students as paying customers will bring you much, but if you focus on Mommy and Daddy who are footing the bill...

**White95Max** · 01-09-2005, 03:52 AM

Yeah I`ve noticed that most of the other students abuse their cars. Many of them take off as fast as they can on a cold engine after class.

Very few of them clean their cars during winter, but there are a few other cars that are almost always clean in the warmer months, and usually parked in the back row.

I`ve had a few other students bring their cars to me. I did one of their cars, and then their friends saw it and brought their cars to me.

**salty** · 01-09-2005, 08:04 PM

Very good idea, as students "really like to talk and brag", if one has it, the others must to.

**Anthony O.** · 01-09-2005, 10:52 PM

Great idea!

Sad thing to not ehereis that as I get older my clients are getting younger..........what`s up with that?:nixweiss

Pretty soon my doctor clients will be like 25 yrs old!

Anthony

**Scottwax** · 01-10-2005, 01:03 AM

I`ve noticed the same thing, Anthony. All my customers used to be older than me, now they aren`t. On the plus side, I have been in business long enough I am detailing some of my customer`s kids cars that they themselves are paying for!