Newb mobile detail

Thank You to everyone.. Yes I was running around like a chicken w/ his head cut off hehe. IMO I have slowed down. My business is fully legit now(I've stopped worryin).. But now getting customers is a problem for me I've only done 3 cars(friends) 1 truck(g/fs dad)
1 customer that I put a flyer on his door step he got a basic w/wax

If anyone could help w/ ideas on getting customers, things seem to be slower and slower on jobs.

Ryan aka Dickie
 
dickie said:
...If anyone could help w/ ideas on getting customers, things seem to be slower and slower on jobs.

Ryan aka Dickie
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Word of mouth. Trite but true. You might encourage your friends and family (those you have already satisfied w/your detail services) to help get the word out.

You could "sweeten the pot" by providing your references with discounted services for each job booked based on their referral.
 
I have a mobile detailing business as well, and I have to agree with word of mouth. Use your friends and family to promote your business at their places of work. Detail their cars free and give them business cards to hand out when someone comments on how good their car looks. Bring up what you do at any and all opportunities in a conversation. I have a tank in the back of my truck that has my business name and phone number and just simply driving that to work I have done 5 cars, which 4 of them were all referrals from the first employee's car I detailed. If I didn't already have a full-time job I would probably market a little heavier, but I figure word of mouth is like a pyramid scheme that will keep growing. In addition, although I am mobile if I can do the job at my own garage I prefer to do that as well. However, detailing at the owners location also has it's own marketing benefits especially in a nicer suburban neighborhood :)
 
you may want to have a 2" by 3" proffessional looking sign made up and place it right at the end of their driveway when you are detailing. With the clients permission of course. This has gotten me quite a few jobs this way.
 
tuscarora dave said:
you may want to have a 2" by 3" proffessional looking sign made up and place it right at the end of their driveway when you are detailing. With the clients permission of course. This has gotten me quite a few jobs this way.
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I will look into a sign for the future.

I was wondering if anyone has had any luck with just going to neighborhoods and pass out flyer's door to door. I had 200 tri fold 2sided brochures made, and planned on this.....
 
dickie said:
... I was wondering if anyone has had any luck with just going to neighborhoods and pass out flyer's door to door. I had 200 tri fold 2sided brochures made, and planned on this.....
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IMO a terrible attempt at marketing. Put a flyer on my door and the best scenario is it goes directly into the trash w/o notice. The worst is you get a call from me regarding my opinion of your placing of litter on my property.

Hand them to your clients and ask them to share.
 
Mr. Clean said:
IMO a terrible attempt at marketing. Put a fly er on my door and the best scenario is it goes directly into the trash w/o notice. The worst is you get a call from me regarding my opinion of your placing of litter on my property.

Hand them to your clients and ask them to share.
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Thanks, sounds right he he, I'm just so eager to get clients, I don't have a client base at all. I do 3 vehicle's for my friend, told him with every referral would work out something with him. Done g/F's dad vehicle but lives 200miles from us. I actually went door to door around my area(shouldn't of done) and left brochures, 1 guy called and wanted a basic w/wax charged him 120 w/first time discount of 15% 08 dodge durango picked it up at golf course and dropped it off and he looked inside and out and said nice job. wow sorry about so much explaining.. lol I'm having a hard time with doing details for people I know to get referals.
 
Dickie, flash and i were talking a few weeks back about putting cards at golf course and talking to the manager about doing cars for clients there while they play golf,offer to do managers car as a perk for him and they could play 12 holes and come back to a freshly washed and waxed car. Sounds like you got nothing to lose by trying. Good luck, customers will come, do good work and be honest the rest will work out.
 
my $0.02 based on experience...

Forget about becoming a towel pusher (one who pushes towels around cars - aka : a detailer) -- go to school and get an education, once you have one, if you still want to clean cars for a living, then do-it.

For me, I've come to the conclusion that I would've rather been the guy paying to have my car cleaned; then the guy cleaning the cars.
 
dr_detail said:
my $0.02 based on experience...

Forget about becoming a towel pusher (one who pushes towels around cars - aka : a detailer) -- go to school and get an education, once you have one, if you still want to clean cars for a living, then do-it.

For me, I've come to the conclusion that I would've rather been the guy paying to have my car cleaned; then the guy cleaning the cars.
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WEll dr. detail I have try going to college, 2 times it's something that I dont find any passion, or want to. I want to do my own thing.

I soo tired of people trying to discourage me against detailing, I cant help that I get a natural high, and saisfaction for this. Its hard work, and for some odd reason it makes me happy.

I know all your trying to do is tell me to go educate my self, better myself, try other option's, I'm 25 not 18 been through alot, seen alot, I've always been told follow your dreams, well this is it....

Thanks

Ryan
 
dr_detail said:
my $0.02 based on experience...

Forget about becoming a towel pusher (one who pushes towels around cars - aka : a detailer) -- go to school and get an education, once you have one, if you still want to clean cars for a living, then do-it.

For me, I've come to the conclusion that I would've rather been the guy paying to have my car cleaned; then the guy cleaning the cars.
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*** Dons flame suit, hands over a helmet, and takes to the soapbox. *** I reckon I've got a pretty fair amount of so called life experience and I pull out the BS card. I'll never be against education for learning's sake, learning is/can be/should be fun and fullfilling. But I'll tell you flatly, education for the sake of the almighty dollar is pretty hollow. I've seen my fair share of college graduates who can't put together a comprehensive sentence on paper or verbally. They haven't got the good sense of a turkey. They have no passion except to stick their little hands out for a paycheck w/o a single iota of an idea how and if their daily contribution contributes to the bottom line of their organization. No, "educated" citizenry without direction is not what this country needs.

As for characterizing a detailer as a "towel pusher", perhaps you need to find a better class of forumites to consort with than thoses found on a detailing forum. :huh:

dickie said:
WEll dr. detail I have try going to college, 2 times it's something that I dont find any passion, or want to. I want to do my own thing.

I soo tired of people trying to discourage me against detailing, I cant help that I get a natural high, and saisfaction for this. Its hard work, and for some odd reason it makes me happy.

I know all your trying to do is tell me to go educate my self, better myself, try other option's, I'm 25 not 18 been through alot, seen alot, I've always been told follow your dreams, well this is it....

Thanks

Ryan
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Found your passion, good. :bigups

Find a job you love and you'll never work a day in your life.

Don't be discouraged. Where would the country be without tradesmen? What we need are more MBA educated plumbers, mechanics, welders....

There is not written rule that says that you have to do this (detailing) forever or that you can't do it for as long as you are physically able.
 
After pushing towels for over half my life, I fully understand that passion for what you do comes first. Detailing's been my passion for just about 23 years -- it's what I do, and I do it well. I have awards and alkaloids to prove it. It's the gift that G~d gave me. Maybe you have it too, who knows.

So if your willing to work hard, day in and day out, sun-up to sundown, sometimes for little pay, and ready to throw every cent you make back into the business so it will grow, and most importantly you are ready and willing to deal with the newbies who come in for the quick buck - get rich quick scheme, I got me a towel, and a bucket, some waxes and polishes, no overhead, lowballing prices to the point where you have to sacrifice something (quality, products, labor, insurance, etc) or see them giving a bad wrap to the industry as a whole by calling themselves detailers when in all actuality they are glorified car washers -- then yeah stick with it. I'm sure in a small town you'll do well. Think it through though, have a plan, stick to it, make sure it includes what are you going to do in the winter months, what happens when or if you get hurt or injured, and what happens if you or an employee messes up an interior or a paint job, or what you will do if detailing in a small town doesn't pan out.

I too was 25 once and I knew it all back then, today though I have the wisdom to admit that when it comes to life on lifes terms, I don't...


(when it comes to vehicle beautification, however, that's another story)


once again this is only my opinion -- take what you like and leave the rest

P.S. Keep coming back and sharing how things are working out for you, and what you are learning.
 
Yes your right. I cant argue with what you have said. I don't want people to think of me like that, I've planned on getting some back up plan, if this fails. I really have a good feeling about this hopefully everything works out.

You have opened my eyes thanks

Ryan
 
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