how to get customers? already had one business failed

rightaway

rightaway

New member
since i cant find a job and have been out of work for awhile, i have started detailing cars again. I'm only getting one car maybe every 3 weeks. i got nice card to hand out, i go to car show and friends to hand out.i try to promote on local forums.



i had a small tire shop and lost all my money in there. i had radio, newpaper, flyers, cards, signs all around the building but couldnt get people through the door. so before i jump head first in, i want to make sure that I can get customers. what should i look into?



I’m going to try to answer all the questions, plus I have a few….



I never thought of Craigslist because I thought people on there just wanted the cheapest detailer out there. What are a few things that I could do to make my Craigslist ad stand out? I will also put myself on Google places. I always thought that I had to pay for that. And what “special” section of the paper did you put your ad in, the classifieds?



I would rate my detailing skills from 1-10, 10 is best, honestly 7/8. I don’t know how to wet sand; I don’t have a hot water carpet cleaning machine. But what I can do is take out most swirl marks, and make the car shine. First I wash, than clay bar, compound, polish and use wax or paint sealant. It takes me about 8-10 hours to do most detail jobs. I would take a detailing class to make my skills better but not too sure on what/whom I should go to for more training. I live about 1.5 north of Philly. I searched but didn’t find much out. Any recommendations? Are those schools worth the money?



I know that I need to market myself. Like I said before, I had bad luck with radio and paper ads. I was thinking of printing an ad out and placing them on every car at a nice mall or try USPS Every Door Direct Mail system. I have a few hundren dollars that I have to spend on marketing. What is the best bang for the buck?

Last question, how does everybody business going into the winter and winter months? Does it slow done?



here is my last detail. you can see the before and after. Details click on "details" to load up the pictures.
 
rightaway said:
I would take a detailing class to make my skills better but not too sure on what/whom I should go to for more training. I live about 1.5 north of Philly.
Click to expand...



You need to talk to Barry Theal.
 
Welcome to the business, rightaway.



To be completely candid with you, be prepared for an uphill battle. You are now in about the easiest industry to claim to be a "pro" in. Anyone can buy a bucket, some OTC products, a shammy, rotary w/ pads and a vac and claim to be a master detailer. The market is jam packed with hacks as well as some guys that actually know their stuff.



With that said, where do you plan on going with this? How will you market yourself? What level of quality will you offer? Who is your primary/target clientele? You need to know these before being able to move towards your goal.



Once you set your goal, you need to set a plan in action. If you are going for cheap and fast, quality will suffer. But the people looking to pay chump change for a "detail" don't tend to expect perfection. Those types of people can be had by just being the cheapest.



If you are going for quality that expects proper compensation for it, you will not be cheap and will need to build a client base built off of trust and a reputation....both which take time to build.



Long story short, no one can give you an absolute answer about how to build a client base. What worked for me though? I started doing this as a part time gig because I saw the terrible work people were willing to pay for and I knew that by offering real quality and charging for it I could build a solid foundation to support my family on. After about a year, I was doing it full-time. Since starting, every year is busier for me. I have done very little marketing and now don't have much time to post on autopia or other enthusiast forums like I used to. What works for me now is word of mouth referrals.



A few years ago I performed an experiment on craigslist. I made a proper ad that outright said I was not cheap but if someone was looking for quality, try me out. I got 2 clients from it. I would not suggest trying to make cl your primary source of new clients, but I do not think it hurts to try as you are starting from nothing(or very little).



Go bang on doors. There is no shame in making yourself known by introducing yourself to people at a place of business or in neighborhoods. You are trying to make a living and if you have a lot of time, fill it with inexpensive marketing. Do no bother folks that have "no soliciting" signs though.



Go to small dealerships and try to round up some business that way. Tell the owners that you are trying to drum up business and you would like to know what it would take to earn their business. Shut up and they will probably tell you. :D Then you have the knowledge to act on if you want that or not. I don't care for it personally.



My .02 is this. Do what you feel is right for your customers. I do not mean justify trying to sell them services. I mean, take good care of them and be honest. It is a primary goal of mine to educate my customers and then leave the choice completely up to them. I do not push any service on them. They ask me if they need something and I tell them it's a car, not food, you need nothing...on the other hand if you do not keep the paint sealed, it will show in how it looks and the level of ease in keeping it clean, ect. In short, do business the old fashion way. Not the modern, "get yours because no one will give it to you, take it"-mentality.
 
I'm not a pro neither do have a base of clients, but I've came across some topics where people were raving about google adwords advertising....

I guess theres no other way better than internet to reach a bigger audience, anywhere and of all type of people....
 
Jean-Claude said:
Welcome to the business, rightaway.



To be completely candid with you, be prepared for an uphill battle. You are now in about the easiest industry to claim to be a "pro" in. Anyone can buy a bucket, some OTC products, a shammy, rotary w/ pads and a vac and claim to be a master detailer. The market is jam packed with hacks as well as some guys that actually know their stuff.



With that said, where do you plan on going with this? How will you market yourself? What level of quality will you offer? Who is your primary/target clientele? You need to know these before being able to move towards your goal.



Once you set your goal, you need to set a plan in action. If you are going for cheap and fast, quality will suffer. But the people looking to pay chump change for a "detail" don't tend to expect perfection. Those types of people can be had by just being the cheapest.



If you are going for quality that expects proper compensation for it, you will not be cheap and will need to build a client base built off of trust and a reputation....both which take time to build.



Long story short, no one can give you an absolute answer about how to build a client base. What worked for me though? I started doing this as a part time gig because I saw the terrible work people were willing to pay for and I knew that by offering real quality and charging for it I could build a solid foundation to support my family on. After about a year, I was doing it full-time. Since starting, every year is busier for me. I have done very little marketing and now don't have much time to post on autopia or other enthusiast forums like I used to. What works for me now is word of mouth referrals.



A few years ago I performed an experiment on craigslist. I made a proper ad that outright said I was not cheap but if someone was looking for quality, try me out. I got 2 clients from it. I would not suggest trying to make cl your primary source of new clients, but I do not think it hurts to try as you are starting from nothing(or very little).



Go bang on doors. There is no shame in making yourself known by introducing yourself to people at a place of business or in neighborhoods. You are trying to make a living and if you have a lot of time, fill it with inexpensive marketing. Do no bother folks that have "no soliciting" signs though.



Go to small dealerships and try to round up some business that way. Tell the owners that you are trying to drum up business and you would like to know what it would take to earn their business. Shut up and they will probably tell you. :D Then you have the knowledge to act on if you want that or not. I don't care for it personally.



My .02 is this. Do what you feel is right for your customers. I do not mean justify trying to sell them services. I mean, take good care of them and be honest. It is a primary goal of mine to educate my customers and then leave the choice completely up to them. I do not push any service on them. They ask me if they need something and I tell them it's a car, not food, you need nothing...on the other hand if you do not keep the paint sealed, it will show in how it looks and the level of ease in keeping it clean, ect. In short, do business the old fashion way. Not the modern, "get yours because no one will give it to you, take it"-mentality.
Click to expand...



I agree with everything that you say. I was looking on CL and everybody was offering a full detail for $60. I dont know how they do it. I agree that I should go door to door but what should I bring or say, "hi, I'm new to the area and just opened a detail shop and would like your business?"

I'm going to start out part time and try to build from there. I'm doing all the details in my garage. I'm not sure how that looks to people when I tell them if I go door to door.
 
dacavalcante said:
I'm not a pro neither do have a base of clients, but I've came across some topics where people were raving about google adwords advertising....

I guess theres no other way better than internet to reach a bigger audience, anywhere and of all type of people....
Click to expand...





I never heard of google adword advestising. I'm going to look into that. thanks
 
rightaway said:
Who is he?Does he have a web site that I can check out?
Click to expand...



http://www.autopia.org/forum/members/barry-theal.html





And based on your comments, I'm going to make the perennial suggestion that you might want to consider taking an intro to marketing and intro to business class at the local community college. Going about starting/marketing a business if you have no idea how to put a successful plan together is like throwing money down the drain.
 
How do they do it? They rush through and use the harshest products known to mankind that "work" fast. I have no idea how someone can make money at $60 full details(if done well/right). No kidding, there have been carpets that required 30+ minutes of vacuuming to get it truly clean. Some wheels take me 50 minutes or more if they are bad. Those same $60 "full" detail guys will not take the time that is really needed to get those surfaces prepped/cleaned and it will show.



You need to show someone how you are different from that and build your reputation off of it. To begin, you probably will not be able to get $400+ for a full detail. But you can find a happy medium and tell your client that you guarantee them to be satisfied, then you deliver.



rightaway said:
I agree with everything that you say. I was looking on CL and everybody was offering a full detail for $60. I dont know how they do it. I agree that I should go door to door but what should I bring or say, "hi, I'm new to the area and just opened a detail shop and would like your business?"

I'm going to start out part time and try to build from there. I'm doing all the details in my garage. I'm not sure how that looks to people when I tell them if I go door to door.
Click to expand...
 
As far as door to door selling of your services. It is pretty stinking easy. Go around with a nice polo on/tucked in and introduce yourself. If they act as if they are in a hurry or not interested, drop a card with them and say thanks for their time. If they appear interested, take a few minutes to give them a rundown of your experience and how you are different. Do not bad mouth anyone, just express how you focus on quality and guarantee satisfaction. If you are trying to sell a polishing job, offer to show them an area on their car for free. If they ask for a price, be prepared for not everyone to like hearing that a wash and wax is $100/whatever.



It's easy to say that you should never bargain on your prices when you are established. But when you are starting, sometimes you need to do something to keep money flowing and making a reputation. There are no absolutes. Early on, I was willing to work on my prices if it meant that I kept busy. It's been quite some time since I was flexible on my prices. I now do not bargain. My prices are what they are and they are always backed up with quality. But I am busy and established.... If someone tells you they will have 3 cars washed every week if you take off 20%, ask yourself if keeping busy is worth it or not. Bottom line, you need to feel out what will keep money flowing and you feeding your family.
 
thanks for all the feedback. how does everybody detail business do in the fall and winter. Does it drop off a lot?
 
rightaway said:
thanks for all the feedback. how does everybody detail business do in the fall and winter. Does it drop off a lot?
Click to expand...



Fall is easy since you can promote a winter prep detail package. In winter if you have a heated garage you can usually do maintenance washes and interior details pretty easily but don't expect to be doing much correction work.
 
rightaway said:
I never heard of google adword advestising. I'm going to look into that. thanks
Click to expand...



I definitely recommend Google Adwords for advertising. You can set your own monthly budget and it's the best way to advertise on the net. I can recommend this to you because I too just opened up my own shop, and I typically receive 3-5 clients a week. I know that not's fantastic, but the 30 or so vehicles I've done in the past 30 days, 20-25 have come from my Google Adwords ads. I wouldn't recommend jumping right into it without researching ads and keywords though, you can waste a lot of money doing this incorrectly. The biggest thing is using effective keywords in your ads and on your website that will make you relevant to Google, and you have to be willing to pay for the clicks.



One of the biggest things is, if you start an Adwords account, Google will not hesitate to throw you a few (I just received 2 $100 credits) to try them out. I'm still surviving on that. My ads place (locally) 1st for all of my keywords and even if I don't close the deal (mostly due to price), I know my ads are working.



I've also tried Craigslist as well, but I like others advertised and NOT the cheapest, but guarantee quality and satisfaction. Not even an inquiry. I hate Craigslist for this reason, it's so flooded with "$89 details" that good quality service just doesn't shine through. I tend to think more people got there for a deal than anything else.



I wouldn't stop going to the car shows and other vehicle related gatherings, these are perfect places to pick up clients. If you don't mind driving, I will travel up to an hour (and I find so will clients of mine) if you can prove to them quality of work and make the trip worth it. Like others have said, there's no formula, but TRACKING YOUR $$ will tell you where to put it back and where to pull it from. If you haven't already, advertise yourself on Yellowpages.com, YP.com, Kudzu.com, Yelp.com, Yahoo!Local, Google+, and other free business listing pages and have people you have either done work for or friends and family that you have done work for, leave you a good review. These are the place people researching your business online will go to to learn more about you.



Hope it helps and good luck!!
 
Google Adwords is definitely a solid way to get customers, but you need some money to advertise on there.



He and whoever else is using Adwords should also throw up the same campaigns on BingAds. You'll get 1/5 the traffic, but you'll also pay less than half for each click, maybe less if you have your campaigns set up properly with proper ad groups, etc.



As far as the "guerilla marketing" goes, Craigslist could be a good option. I would post ads for every major make. (nissan, toyota, honda, chevy, cadillac, bmw, acura, etc.)



Also don't just offer full detail. Some people just want their cars washed, waxed and vacuumed. You can get $30 - $50 for that alone depending on the size of the car.



And you need to pick up the pace. 8 - 10 hours is way too long. I guess it's ok if your goal is to only do 1 car a day. Obviously it's better than 1 every 3 weeks or whatever you said, but you need to think big picture.



ie: getting so busy you need to bring someone on to help.



Back to Craigslist, go through the ads and look for obvious car flippers and dealers who are curbstoning. Work out a deal with them to detail their cars for them. You may get less money that way, but there are more people flipping cars on craigslist than are actual owners selling their car. And they would rather pay someone else to clean their car for them so they don't have to slave over it for 3-5 hours.



You can give them a volume discount too. If they give you 5 cars a month, they save 25% off of your pricing. 10 saves them 40%. They'll cut into their profit to avoid doing it themselves.



In the beginning, you want to go after low hanging fruit. That's as low hanging as it gets. They don't want it perfect and you can get away with your 7/8 rating. These guys have friends, partners etc and you can get a lot of referral business.



One thing I said earlier is you need to move a little faster. These guys like to move fast, so you're gonna have to sacrifice a little bit. You're probably being a little too anal which is why it takes you 8-10 hours.



I used to take 5-6 hours and I thought that was a long time. 8 - 10 hours is insane.



Hope this helps and good luck.



- Jay D



P.S. If you want to know how to spot flippers on craigslist, I have a vid in my sig file below that shows how to find them. It's really simple :) (wait - my sig file isn't showing apparently and my profile can't be viewed either. Google "how to spot another car flipper" and mine will be the first vid you see in the results)
 
Starting off with limited funds, you may have to resort to passing out cards and knocking on doors. The thing to keep in mind is that going this route is going to cost you in terms of fuel (if your driving around looking for work or driving to different neighborhoods). If you have a van and it takes $70 to fill the tank and you will be filling your tank 2-3 times a week, your looking at a little over $200.



Something cost effective that you can do with that $200 is take advantage of low cost marketing like the USPS every door direct retail. If you can provide the marketing materials (based on their specs) they will pass out your marketing materials to neighborhoods that you choose, while the mail carrier is on their route. For an average sized neighborhood where I'm located, that cost is between $60-$100. If you can find a graphic artist to create some fairly inexpensive marketing materials, this is a good way to hit every home in a neighborhood vs knocking on doors (bc some people may not be home at the time and you may not be able to canvass a whole neighborhood by foot - due to fatique or discouragement).



As far as adwords, we spend about $500-1000 each month on adwords and it is very helpful, but more-so if your familiar with ppc and how it works. There is a LOT of minutia involved with managing a pay per click campaign effectively (quality scores, measuring conversions, bid adjustments, keyword selection, etc) and you can end up wasting a lot more money than making money. Hiring someone to manage your ppc campaign can cost too much, so you will have to learn it yourself in many cases.



We started out beating the pavement for work and we realized, we couldn't reach enough potential customers in a day and the cost of fuel was too much. So, I recommend boning up on your understanding of internet and social media marketing & direct mail options. There are enough people looking for the services that you are offering each day that will more than make up for what you will lose by not beating the pavement. Contact your local SBDC and take some business classes (most are $25 - $50 each). After so much trial and error (and continuing error) I've quickly learned you can't be a successful detailing business owner if you don't understand business and marketing.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top