pricing

**tooklean** · 01-12-2006, 03:02 PM

I Think that my marketing in a big part of the problem. I think that I have tried just about everything Flyers, letters, post cards etc... and I have been able to get a few jobs from these various approaches but nothing consistant I`m still trying to hit a home run in other words I would love to have 5-10 calls a day from prospects some degree of walkup customers etc.. but I have to remember I do this only part time wishing I could do it full time because I enjoy working for myself. Its just not fast enough for me. My problem is that I want everything now and I know that small business takes time to gain a following but when will they come ?

**PhaRO** · 01-12-2006, 05:44 PM

Since I`m mobile I don`t have experience in a fixed location. Waiting out your competition is fine is you can afford to wait. He or she may be trying to force you out of business. Once your gone they can raise the prices back up. I believe in first being busy then being selective. I`d want to cut prices in such a way that it`s not a perceived as a permanent price in customers mind or a predictable thing. Maybe a special for certain vehicle color or make. Maybe just during a 1 or 2 hour period that changes from day to day. Other day a lube shop did something that I thought was brillant. I`m sure it done often but it`s first time I`ve ever seen it around here. An employee stood outside by the road with a sign. Something like Oil Change Right Now No Waiting. I was driving by so only seen him for a second but I bet someone pulled in pretty quickly. Maybe do a $X off sign no waiting. If I know I can get something done and am sure not to have to wait I will often bite. Maybe no waiting next car done in so many minutes or it`s free. Just some ideas, good luck.

**glen22** · 01-12-2006, 06:00 PM

Originally Posted by tooklean

I live in the east Pittsburgh PA SW pennsylvania It is very much a working class area.

Question is can he continue giving car washes for $5.00 and stay in bus? You are in a tough area MOST people only care that there car is clean at the end they do not care if the same water cleaned 25 cars until maybe spring. How long have you been in bus. and do you have any regulars? You need to maybe give your cards out to them offering them a couple bucks off for any new customers .

**maximv1** · 01-12-2006, 09:02 PM

one thing i can suggest is to have a friend or family member take their car to them. offer to pay for it and look it over when they come back. see how it compares to your work. if it is not as good than leave your prices the way they are. people will soon find out that you offer better work. i believe most people will pay more for better service. stick it out. do better work and the rest will fall into place.

**scrub** · 01-12-2006, 09:45 PM

I think you`re fighting for the wrong clients. Let him have the $5-10 deals and you go after the higher end clients. Besides the $5-10 clients won`t be that loyal. You`ll steal them until someone beats your prices. That`s not the best type of clients to shoot for.

I know its tough to see him washing cars and your not. Been there. Think about how hard they`ll be working in the summer heat for 5 bucks. Not worth it to me. Heck if you`re looking for extra work and have some spare time, call a few regulars and offer a free wash as a customer appreciation day.

The best advertising I had was with a brag book of my work. I would show that off to potential ups (clients). They would see the before and after pics and schedule a service. You have to talk to people. Make them interested/excited about taking care of their vehicle. More often then not, when I tell someone I detail cars, they ask about how to fix a specific problem on their car or say "yeah I`ve been meaning to get my car detailed". There`s an up right there. Find their hot button.

If the joker across the street offers a wash for 5 bucks, offer a wash and vac for 7 bucks. Don`t just match his services and prices. Add more value and service to a higher priced package. People will pay more if they`re getting more. I`m not saying to set sky high prices. Not yet at least. You have to grow a business. My first summer I was giving details and time away. That winter my prices went up. I had made more in sales by the end of the next spring, than the entire previous year in sales. I had a growing network and word of mouth advertising. I hooked up with a few local business and worked out deals with them too. All that`s over now since I moved to NC. Although I`ve already generated interest locally by planting seeds.

Good luck. Drop me an email sometime, I`d like to find out more info about your business plan and model. For example... Are you a car wash or detail shop? Do you offer any other add on services (PDR, leather repair...)? Who is your target market? What kind of time can you give to a detail shop now (in school full time or full time job)? Stuff like that. My apologies for the filibuster.

**C. Charles Hahn** · 01-12-2006, 10:17 PM

Originally Posted by Beemerboy

Sell by price and die by price. This guy is pulling a cheap shot on your pricing. Let him go he will get to the end of his chain soon. Its the old you get what you pay for. If 10 & 15 are fair prices for your area then stay the course, and try to do a better job than the guy around the corner.

I concurr.

**tooklean** · 01-13-2006, 05:26 AM

I have decided to offer a saturday special from 8-12 it will be for a quick wash.
cars 10.00 trucks/vans 15.00 and as people roll through I plan on giving each customer a few business cards and a service menue heck i may even offer each customer a complimentary cup of coffee while they wait. I will simply explain that this is a saturday special that I started running through the winter months Dec- feb Because during this time of year at least im my area most people aren`t thinking about full service details with the holidays ending cash is tight for people. I can also use this as a format to promote a spring cleaning package you know book your full service spring detail now and receive 10% off and hopefully be able to educate people about proper car care etc..

**NEW AGAIN** · 01-13-2006, 06:16 AM

Scrub

Very well said also check out Martins down there in Southport your town is about to BOOM great area tobe in

**BLACKWRX** · 03-18-2007, 05:48 PM

just remember are you in the business of quick washes or complete details, do you think by offering specials for 5 and 10 dollars your going to attract quality customers that will come back and spend 100 to 200 dollars for a full detail ? can you afford to washes cars for 5 and 10 dollars ( i cant), the quick wash thing would be good if you had a drive through car wash (and you can knock out cars every 5 minutes), a car wash and detailing are really two different services/businesses......i personally will only wash cars for my very LOYAL customers, its not worth my time to do it but i know that customer will have me detail their car ever two or three months....
i only give deals and discounts to repeat customers that are loyal, if your looking to gain and grow business i always give customers a discount with two cars, you just have to ask yourself will 5 and 10 buck wash jobs give me quality long term money spending customers.......good luck

**BLACKWRX** · 03-18-2007, 06:01 PM

if business is tight and you need money, offer a better deal than the guy down the street, i would do a wash and wax for 30 bucks (wash the car do a quick spray wax as you dry the car, tire shine and your done) you spend a few more minutes double your price, and make more money.... just get creative with advertising ...... even if you just wash cars from 8 to 12 on saturday your only doing 80 maybe 100 bucks, if you did just ONE full detail between 8 and 12
thats at least 150 bucks, maybe more

**jnyost** · 03-21-2007, 09:25 PM

There was a car wash similar to that in my area that charged $5 per car. They had a drive through bay with 2 guys washing your car and they had a couple other bays for detailing. They would start at the front or rear of your vehicle and move to the other end while each would do half the car. They did a pretty good job and they were almost always busy but they didn`t last. I was not as educated about swirl marks and such so I never really critiqued their work. I do kinda wish they were still around but now that I know better I would pay more for a swirl free scratch.

Good luck!!
Jared

**GothamAuto** · 04-21-2007, 07:47 AM

I think everyone who is talking about what kind of customers you are looking for has the right idea in this area. If you are looking into the quick wash market, then you have to compete in price. If you are looking into doing full details, then you really shouldn`t even worry about what he is charging for a quick wash since you are focusing on two completely different markets.
Personally, if someone was going to give me $10 to do something to their car, it had better be at some kind of fund raising car wash I am doing. Even for a wash, I don`t charge belows $50.