How to whoo Potential Customers (businesses)

[snosh]

So I work at detail Shop here in indiana and we are trying to expand into doing retail car cleaning for business and other dealerships. My boss is having me come up with a presentation to show the owner of our shop currently I have 6 pages and counting but I feel that I could really improve on the section about whooing potential businesses and other car dealers. I have 2 pages on this right now but I am not feeling solid about it. I was wandering if you guys had any tips or any interesting experiences in doing this for yourself.

Thank you for your help its much appreciated.

[mrclean81]

Landing dealer work is not only tricky, its cut throat. Its money driven and the lowest bidder will most likely get the work. This is why so many dealership detailers and production shops get the bad reputation that they get. Walking into a dealership and claiming to be the best around gets you nowhere because they most likely wont care. Its all about money and time. There is very good money in doing wholesale (dealership) work, but you cant approach it the same way you would retail. Its all about speed and efficiancy while still doing the best job you can in the time your allowed. You cant spend 6 or 8 hours on a vehicle thats paying $100 and expect to make anything. You have to really get a system down for knocking out several in a day. I hope this helps.

[snosh]

Thanks man I really appreciate it it did help out a lot. would you say that it would be wise to offer like a trial type deal saying give us 4 cars and we will detail them to your liking and go from there?

[mrclean81]

Thats not a bad idea. Ive approached dealers and offered to do one for free just to get my foot in the door. Ive been turned away several times anyway, but also landed a few good clients from it as well. Luckily for me, the ones who gave me a chance were more interested in higher end details that their in house detailer couldnt perform. I would say offering a trial deal or something along those lines is a great way to show them what you can do.

[paintjobpro22]

Yea i try to stay away from the dealerships because they want the most work for the lowest $$. Alot of them do their own cleaning anyways... However, I do have a couple of smaller car lots that I sometimes do small bumper/body repairs--when work is needed. But I only answer their calls when times are slow...
I`ve had a lot of success mobile detailing for banks, real estate offices, etc.. These people have the money to spend and realtors work out of their cars, so keeping them lookin fresh is necessary. An easy way to possibly win their business is to fax them flyers. When i show up, if more than three people get washed, then I raffle off a free exterior to one of them. Little things to keep them "hooked" and calling me back.

[snosh]

great thanks guy definitely appreciated I am learning a lot, Would you say that most of the money and work come in real estate, banking etc in those types of settings? or is it somewhere else?

[paintjobpro22]

great thanks guy definitely appreciated I am learning a lot, Would you say that most of the money and work come in real estate, banking etc in those types of settings? or is it somewhere else?

I wouldn`t say that...But i will say that if they liked the work you did, then they`ll tell their spouses/friends about you and before you know it you`ll be at their offices too.. For me, i`ve stayed busy and made good money at these types of environments. Every once in a while i`ll catch a 2-300 job from one of them. Usually though, these clients do the 49-99 dollar wash/wax jobs and im in and out of there in no time.

When i was a freshman in college i detailed for a "higher-end" dealership. They paid me $100 a car,truck, or suv, and each one would take about an entire day. It was good money for me at the time..But now looking back, I can usually make twice the amount of money working less-- because at the dealership we were taking seats out, painting undercarriages, etc..

[paintjobpro22]

dont forget about golf tournaments too! Get up w/ your local golf courses and see about getting set up there. I did one a couple weeks ago and things went well. I`m paying to advertise on the next one, to make sure people know i`ll be there again..

[snosh]

Great thanks man you got some good tips and advice thanks for the help.

[mrclean81]

I know a guy who used to do a ton of work at retirement communities. He would talk to whoever was in charge, work out a deal to rent a space to work and run an ad in their weekly circular, and get a week or 2 worth of work from it. Most of it was high end luxury cars or Miatas..tons of Miatas lmao

[snosh]

lol Thanks for tip really appreciate it. Have you ever worked out a deal with a oil change place like jiffy lube?

[350z00m]

i get ALOT of my business from performace shops.... i d alot of trackin and dragin.. so i meet alot of car enthuseists.. from mports to exotics... if u have a performance shop around u.. try to aproch them... many of the performace guy also like to go to car shows.... and alot want show quality work.... i only do this weekend but in one end i make more mone detailing cars then working a week at my full-time job.... hmmmm. wth am i still doin at my ft job!!...oh... yea retirement! lol

[snosh]

thanks mann I will definently do that..there a few speed shops around my area..thanks for the advice