How effective is a grand opening event?

C

CleanCar.Rick

New member
Hey everyone - I'm a complete noob here. I've been reading and searching through the forums for a while now and first want to say thank you for the wealth of information!



I am not a detailer myself. I partnered with a guy who has about 30 years of detailing experience and we opened a shop about a month ago. I am running the business side of it and he is running the daily operations. We have a fixed location on Main street about a half mile from a major highway. I have a marketing company working on branding for us and this week we will have a logo, business cards, a front sign for the shop, shirts and a newly designed price sheet. Now that we have all of this, I'm working on how we can best leverage the material. I was thinking of having a grand opening event with an extremely cheap car wash. I could hire a crew for the weekend and draw in as many cars as possible to allow us to hand out brochures and increase our visibility. The issue I'm struggling with is what the car wash might do to our image. The last thing we want to be seen as is another car wash. There are plenty of those in the area and I'm not looking to compete with them. We are a professional detailing company and that's how we want to be known.



So - if we eliminate the car wash, there's not much left to draw in a large number of people for the grand opening. Here's my dilemma: We have about $2000 budgeted for a grand opening bash. Do we still do the grand opening or is there another marketing method that we should put our $2000 into (like mailers)?



Sorry for the long post and thanks in advance to any and all opinions!
 
i don't own a shop personally but hope to have one in the future. My thoughts on the matter are a Grand Opening is basically like a Hi we are here kind of thing. I feel that it is very important because if you think about most people like to eat and hang around and talk story. Have some light food burgers and hot dogs have some really good specials, practice professionalism and once people show up for the grand opening that is your opportunity to not only let them know what you do but to show them as well.



David Fermani will hopefully chime in here but bulk work is where it is at especially on slow days when you don't have huge jobs to do. If you hire a few guys make sure you train them prior to the opening so they look professional and aren't just slapping a bristle brush or sponge around everyone's cars.



You have a very good opportunity to build a outstanding relationship on that day and it could be your one chance to shine.
 
This is the way to kinda get friends with your future customers, in a lot of years later i want to open a shop am going to defiantly do it. It will separate you from your competition and talking to your customers is the best way to do any business.
 
Do the grand opening, yes. You need it advertised on the radio, you need flyers sent to homes and mailboxes, maybe even in the newspaper. Signs and balloons on the sidewalk in front of your shop. If you're going to do a grand opening, go all out, or don't even bother. That's been my experience with them.



That said, you can offer a "grand opening special", where you can discount one of your packages or prices by a certain percentage, if they book their appointment in person at the grand opening event. You can also offer prizes, say a random draw every hour. Anything from a free wash & wax to a free bottle of "x" product. What the freebie is isn't really important, it's more the marketing behind it, people hear "free prize" and they will come, regardless of what the prize is.



Have a BBQ, offer free hot dogs, burgers and drinks. Partner up with a charity and have the BBQ donation-based, with all proceeds going to that charity. Approach Coca-Cola or Pepsi and see if they'd be willing to help out with free soft drinks in exchange for putting some of their banners up during the grand opening. Paired with a decent charity, it won't be very hard to find some corporate sponsorship for your event.



These types of events can be tons of fun, and if done correctly, they really get your brand out there, and also help with your image.
 
Here's a greart example of a grand opening:



Lavaggio: The Art of Auto Detailing™



Depending on the size of your facilty, I'd invite all the local car clubs and dealerships and do a press release informing all the radio & TV stations your open. The idea is to put your name out to as many prospects as possible. Give away free details and use your $2000 to make you money.
 
I believe they are more towards the maintenance washes, but also offer detailing. I could be wrong, but that's what I got out of it.

As far as the grand opening goes. I think it would be a great idea! Offer 10% off certain detail packages only scheduled the day of grand opening. Sell some detailing packages at discounted prices (like wash buckets w/ grit guard, wash mitt, soap, and drying towel). Invite car clubs to your facility. I don't think you should perform any work on this day, rather than working you should be mingling with your potential clients. Have them "enter a raffle" by putting their email address phone number and name and possibly vehicle and have the raffle be $50 off top of the line detail. And call the people that entered and say they won the raffle. (This is an example from another thread about car shows) I feel a grand opening is more of a get to know people and let people roam around your shop. Some other good things would be (like said above) have a bbq with hot dogs and burgers and water, first one free, any after that is $1 or something...
 
I don't own a detailing company, but a thought for something that would really show off your services -



Give a friend a free detail in return for using the car for the day. Preferably a friend with some nasty swirls and messy/dirty interior but no major damage :)



Split the car down the middle with painters tape. Do a "before - after" on the entire car - interior and exterior. Drivers side swirled and nasty, passenger side spotless and shining!



Having nice, shiny cars is one thing - having something for people to see just how big of a difference you can make on THEIR car is another!



Having a bunch of nice fully detailed cars there is always good too! I'd see if some local premium dealerships will loan you cars for the day in return for a free FULL detail on any cars they loan you, and free advertising via license plates/banners/etc. Make sure they're not all new cars though (maybe ask for CPO stuff?) - some older stuff that looks new is much more convincing.
 
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