CosminTX
ProReflection
This post should help others that might be on the fence with detailing as a profession or more involved hobby.
i am not guru in detailing or had "years" experience in the field , but i do have a story to share with you. English is my second language so... don`t be mean.
in 08 i got my first european car an 7 years old vehicle. in09 it start bugging me few paint issues on the roof and i start read how to fix it on car forums and detailing forums. is how i end up from 24$ autostore orbital buffer to a collection of rotary , flex da and meg g110 da plus i test so many products and spend hours every weekend to learn what they do to the car. by now i cut my time 2 or 3 times than what i use to spend on one car back than.
for your curiosity... i couldn`t fix the paint issues i have on my roof... but all this got me into detailing as hobby.
the next step was to shine few friends cars. a lot of days with long hours.i had a steady job by than , i was just post on few forums , but nothing like everyday detailing or company.
the twist came in feb 2010 when i moved to Austin tx, was right after recession and i couldn`t find a job , i look for 2 months and i was down, and disapointed special with a solid resume . i was living from savings and was time to do something.
in april 2010 i decide ... i will detail luxury cars and i will be the best.
i meet a good houston detailer back in late 09 and i told him i have a big plan ... was a good chat
, i also have chance to meet few other detailers that inspired me.
so.. here is a tip.. if you plan do a business , than plan the business , think it as a business not as a job! is a must of survival, if not ... you have no goals , and as any goals are few variables and you have to "update" your goals as you go or on season/year , you have to... market may change , your productivity or finish product may rich other market so you have to adapt all this to you business plan.
i operate as DBA , i design all my marketing products , my website , my b-cards. i am a visual person so i assume that visualizing before/after results it helps get an idea of my work, is what i try to show on my website. i build it simple and took me around 2 weeks to have it together. i update it every 6 mo with new projects.
in april 2010 i had the prices with 30-50% off for few months to get things moving. i usually don`t give discounts , if i broke/mess anything on the car ... do I get discounts? the answer is NO ,i have to pay it like new in full. i do carry insurance.
do 1thing, offer a big discount to someone let`s say $X detail , guess how you will be known as ....X$ detail guy, even if that is 20-50% off. you don`t want that. people will expect same X$ detail that is way less than your value and they will demand same detail package you did to Y with X$ detail. good luck get that client and charge him the real value of your work.
from forums ,was no luck at that time. i try magazine ad , i left bcards in car windows, i give bcards everywhere,Nothing , no luck from there either. i did hit few dealership doors and they kind of laugh at me but i told them straight: "u will hear about me sooner or later!" some things works for others some not. but i did try it.
i start reading about marketing and got adwords google for my website, and few more others web marketing stuff. another boom was p-cards , is a big investment but it pays in a long run. if you get 1% return you must have a strong campaign... still to start it worked.
After 8 months of detailing as a business i rich and beat my goal every time , i got from jobless to $5200 a month. and i know i can pull 6-7 by myself and have sunday and maybe some saturdays off. after 14 months in business i pass 6k a month and have days with 800 a day or week with 2k , 150$ tip and i think is pretty impressive for new business with 1 person.
in 14 months of business i have around 100 accounts , an average of 500$ per account , that`s included correction and regular wash all mix up in the total, but this number don`t say anything.... think about like this 100 accounts as 100 days worked ... in 365 days i can work with easy 240 days in a busy year ,so as future projection are 6 digits income, for a business with 1 person.
BUT as any business you have up and downs special when you start from scratch, so let`s say you have a record month and you start plan to grow and think to hire a helper, and the next month all your hope and dreams are wash by a lowest month income and you face a cold reality that only a solid business plan will get you in the right direction.
market and network are essential in this business and of course a good finish product. focus on those , not on you income or other things. rich the peopel you wanna work for , yes is that simple, it takes time but ... you build a solid business don`t look for a quick profit.
i work on dream cars: 62 ferrari ( Formula F1 , Enzo , 458 ,california , 599, f430 , 360 , 612 scaglietti, testarossa , maranello, 355) , 26 porsche , 2 bentley , 1 aston martin , 2 rolls royce , 1 maserati , sls amg , viper , ford GT , 1956 cadillac , 1964 cadillac and a lot more bmw, mercedes etc. wasn`t all of them corrections or polish involved , but not everyone want the full deal.
u have to adapt your service to get the most out of it. wash and wax on long run as regular client may keep your books busy.
My plans is get a helper soon and push to 10k a month. i know is possible, if he can get correction done at least half way from what i do it will be even better.
when i have a new client i go to see the car first ,i inspected it, i talk with the owner and after that i send him an email with few quotes based of what needs to be done and what i think will help to get a better condition of the paint /interior. from there is up to him what he wants to choose from.
my quotes has 30 days expiration and i give available days to be choose.
if the client is serious about getting the car detailed is all set , the day time , and the process. i focus on 1 -2 cars a day , but if light maintenance as wash wax , i can do few cars a day.
About dealer work , is good to have an account if they can afford your service. they just have them done in low pay and high quality possible and in no time....
as soon as i start as a business i realize that getting regular clients is a big step. monthly or weekly is just great, so.. focus on that.
About competition.... my words are:"i don`t care". are a lot of cars in this town and is up to each one to get the best out of it. so i see my things and they see theirs. i don`t see competition as competition. i know they are there ,they do good /great jobs but i have other things to focus on than waste my time what A or B does. i have my own plans and rules and i follow them.
Marketing is expensive so find what works for you and get the word out, yes you have to try what works for your. my best line here is if u are superman and no one knows , u are nothing!
i see few post here and there of "how" a detail should be... well when u detail for living things change, u don`t have time for 200 pictures from 20 angles each wheel. if 50 working hours for 1 car pays your bills good for you , and if you find this clients good for you ! in my case i have to adapt my service and prices to be in business.
Time is Money!
Think first , Money after!... and have patience , is the only way to build a solid business.
Cosmin
i am not guru in detailing or had "years" experience in the field , but i do have a story to share with you. English is my second language so... don`t be mean.
in 08 i got my first european car an 7 years old vehicle. in09 it start bugging me few paint issues on the roof and i start read how to fix it on car forums and detailing forums. is how i end up from 24$ autostore orbital buffer to a collection of rotary , flex da and meg g110 da plus i test so many products and spend hours every weekend to learn what they do to the car. by now i cut my time 2 or 3 times than what i use to spend on one car back than.
for your curiosity... i couldn`t fix the paint issues i have on my roof... but all this got me into detailing as hobby.
the next step was to shine few friends cars. a lot of days with long hours.i had a steady job by than , i was just post on few forums , but nothing like everyday detailing or company.
the twist came in feb 2010 when i moved to Austin tx, was right after recession and i couldn`t find a job , i look for 2 months and i was down, and disapointed special with a solid resume . i was living from savings and was time to do something.
in april 2010 i decide ... i will detail luxury cars and i will be the best.
i meet a good houston detailer back in late 09 and i told him i have a big plan ... was a good chat
, i also have chance to meet few other detailers that inspired me.so.. here is a tip.. if you plan do a business , than plan the business , think it as a business not as a job! is a must of survival, if not ... you have no goals , and as any goals are few variables and you have to "update" your goals as you go or on season/year , you have to... market may change , your productivity or finish product may rich other market so you have to adapt all this to you business plan.
i operate as DBA , i design all my marketing products , my website , my b-cards. i am a visual person so i assume that visualizing before/after results it helps get an idea of my work, is what i try to show on my website. i build it simple and took me around 2 weeks to have it together. i update it every 6 mo with new projects.
in april 2010 i had the prices with 30-50% off for few months to get things moving. i usually don`t give discounts , if i broke/mess anything on the car ... do I get discounts? the answer is NO ,i have to pay it like new in full. i do carry insurance.
do 1thing, offer a big discount to someone let`s say $X detail , guess how you will be known as ....X$ detail guy, even if that is 20-50% off. you don`t want that. people will expect same X$ detail that is way less than your value and they will demand same detail package you did to Y with X$ detail. good luck get that client and charge him the real value of your work.
from forums ,was no luck at that time. i try magazine ad , i left bcards in car windows, i give bcards everywhere,Nothing , no luck from there either. i did hit few dealership doors and they kind of laugh at me but i told them straight: "u will hear about me sooner or later!" some things works for others some not. but i did try it.
i start reading about marketing and got adwords google for my website, and few more others web marketing stuff. another boom was p-cards , is a big investment but it pays in a long run. if you get 1% return you must have a strong campaign... still to start it worked.
After 8 months of detailing as a business i rich and beat my goal every time , i got from jobless to $5200 a month. and i know i can pull 6-7 by myself and have sunday and maybe some saturdays off. after 14 months in business i pass 6k a month and have days with 800 a day or week with 2k , 150$ tip and i think is pretty impressive for new business with 1 person.
in 14 months of business i have around 100 accounts , an average of 500$ per account , that`s included correction and regular wash all mix up in the total, but this number don`t say anything.... think about like this 100 accounts as 100 days worked ... in 365 days i can work with easy 240 days in a busy year ,so as future projection are 6 digits income, for a business with 1 person.
BUT as any business you have up and downs special when you start from scratch, so let`s say you have a record month and you start plan to grow and think to hire a helper, and the next month all your hope and dreams are wash by a lowest month income and you face a cold reality that only a solid business plan will get you in the right direction.
market and network are essential in this business and of course a good finish product. focus on those , not on you income or other things. rich the peopel you wanna work for , yes is that simple, it takes time but ... you build a solid business don`t look for a quick profit.
i work on dream cars: 62 ferrari ( Formula F1 , Enzo , 458 ,california , 599, f430 , 360 , 612 scaglietti, testarossa , maranello, 355) , 26 porsche , 2 bentley , 1 aston martin , 2 rolls royce , 1 maserati , sls amg , viper , ford GT , 1956 cadillac , 1964 cadillac and a lot more bmw, mercedes etc. wasn`t all of them corrections or polish involved , but not everyone want the full deal.
u have to adapt your service to get the most out of it. wash and wax on long run as regular client may keep your books busy.
My plans is get a helper soon and push to 10k a month. i know is possible, if he can get correction done at least half way from what i do it will be even better.
when i have a new client i go to see the car first ,i inspected it, i talk with the owner and after that i send him an email with few quotes based of what needs to be done and what i think will help to get a better condition of the paint /interior. from there is up to him what he wants to choose from.
my quotes has 30 days expiration and i give available days to be choose.
if the client is serious about getting the car detailed is all set , the day time , and the process. i focus on 1 -2 cars a day , but if light maintenance as wash wax , i can do few cars a day.
About dealer work , is good to have an account if they can afford your service. they just have them done in low pay and high quality possible and in no time....
as soon as i start as a business i realize that getting regular clients is a big step. monthly or weekly is just great, so.. focus on that.
About competition.... my words are:"i don`t care". are a lot of cars in this town and is up to each one to get the best out of it. so i see my things and they see theirs. i don`t see competition as competition. i know they are there ,they do good /great jobs but i have other things to focus on than waste my time what A or B does. i have my own plans and rules and i follow them.
Marketing is expensive so find what works for you and get the word out, yes you have to try what works for your. my best line here is if u are superman and no one knows , u are nothing!
i see few post here and there of "how" a detail should be... well when u detail for living things change, u don`t have time for 200 pictures from 20 angles each wheel. if 50 working hours for 1 car pays your bills good for you , and if you find this clients good for you ! in my case i have to adapt my service and prices to be in business.
Time is Money!
Think first , Money after!... and have patience , is the only way to build a solid business.
Cosmin
