Input on my flyer please!

I

imp_dan

New member
Hi,



I have been lurking on this and another detailing site for quite awhile soaking up all of the knowledge that there is to offer. I have finally decided to take the plunge and try to make some money out of my very enjoyable hobby. So, I've designed a flyer and I am almost finished with it, here it is:







MIRROR IMAGE DETAIL

What is included in the detail package? The full white glove treatment!



Exterior Interior



Hand wash Vacuum

Clay bar Interior trim cleaned/protected

Polish Spot treatment

Swirl mark removal Plastic polished/protected

Paint cleaner Leather cleaned/protected

High quality wax or sealant Door jambs cleaned/protected

Wheels and Tires Door hinges lubed

Windows in/out



Wash, dry, windows, interior wiped, wheels and tires - $40.00



Wash, wax, windows, wheels/tires, interior vacuumed, interior wiped/dressed (available only for previous full detail customers) $75.00



















Dan Brown -owner

Please call xxx-xxx-xxxx to schedule an appointment.





**Large cars and SUV’s please add 30 percent to final price**

One week guarantee on full details, if you’re not 100 percent completely satisfied with results after one week, I will come at the earliest convenience and fix the problem for free. Still not satisfied? I’ll gladly pay for the detailer of your choice to fix the problem.





These will be 1/2 page flyers in landscape orientation. I dont have photoshop, but the top in the real flyer has large and attractive lettering (mirror image detail) on white paper. Im basically looking to see if there's anything I missed or things that maybe needed to be added?



I finally feel that I've gathered enough supplies and worked with them enough on my own car (99 electric green mustang coupe) to feel comfortable with their use, these include:



DACP, UPP (made me totally stop using Zaino, what to do with all the extra?), klasse twins, menzerna intensive (hoping for the final polish soon), 3m's SMR for light and dark, lots of Stoner stuff, Zaino, EFHI (which I am very impressed with), EF carpet and upholstery, EF engine degreaser (yet another impressive EF product), p21s wheel cleaner, my oxo wheel brush, many MF's (I hope to make a big order to pakshak here pretty soon), My porter cable 7336 with lake country pads, shop vac, the whole Novus polish line ( I love this stuff), plexus, not to forget 303 protectant, and many other various money draining chemicals:D



Anyway please give me some info on the flyer! I'm looking for something to fill the void in the middle, but I also dont want to make it into a novel. I think the prices seem reasonable, I live in a pretty nice area (Olathe, KS).



And..... Im happy to have finally made my first post, hopefully there will be many many more to follow as I progress with the business. Thanks and I look forward to your replies!



The table got messed up in the move, heres what the interior detail description is:



Interior



Vacuum

Spot treatment

Interior trim cleaned/protected

Plastic polished/protected

Leather cleaned/protected

Door jambs cleaned/protected

Door hinges lubed
 
Im waiting for the first day a client doesnt like my work. It happens to all of us sooner or later. Its not your work, its just the fact of the matter. It s like going to a restauraunt, and ordering, only to find its not quite what you expected....

I would definetly leave that out.....
 
Most people are so afraid of confrontation that they will gladly pay you and not say a damn word and just not call you again than actually saying something. Detailing is something that most people can't differentiate between much, if it looks clean= good job. Only rarely do people question a certain spot or place.
 
Not sure if it's just me but I was confused by the first part of the flyer.



You give a list of what is included in your detail package but then give two seperate prices for a hand wash and vacuum and then a price for a detail on previouslly detailed cars but no price for the first list, whats up there?? Am I missing something here?



Lastly, people in general don't like to read alot of text in a advertisement so try to get across as much as you can with graphics in place of words.



Anthony
 
Good eye Anthony, I needed this part:



Regular size cars interior and exterior detail: $140.00



Ok,



I can definately see people abusing that pay for the detailer of your choice part of the guarantee, so out with that.



Revised guarantee:



One week guarantee on full details, if you’re not 100 percent completely satisfied with results after one week, I will come at the earliest convenience and fix the problem for free.



I would at least like them to know that if there happens to be a problem that its going to be as painless as possible to get it fixed. Hopefully resulting in repeat customers rather than the scenario greg was talking about (BTW greg if you dont mind me asking, where at in OP are you located?)



Im pretty much stuck in the graphics department, no photoshop or any of that good stuff, just Microsoft Paint :doh Any advice that I could do graphics wise to get rid of some of the text?



Thanks for the replies.
 
A line to add:



All wash & detailing prices quoted above are estimates, based on an average car in reasonable condition. A firm price can only be quoted upon inspection of your automobile.



I saw this on other detailers website.
 
crashman2600 said:


All wash & detailing prices quoted above are estimates, based on an average car in reasonable condition. A firm price can only be quoted upon inspection of your automobile.
Click to expand...



I agree.



Also, I believe you should definately try to find a solution to the graphical issue. Most people hardly pay any attention to flyers in general, so if yours is only text, without any sort of flashy/catchy image you'll have even a harder time converting.



I would be asking myself what kind of clientele I want to serve, and also what kind of clientele is available locally. Maybe only a small percentage of local residents are able and willing to have this kind of work done. You need to target them specifically according to what they expect your service to be like. Remember that the average potential customer makes no difference between microfiber and cotton, waxes and glazes, etc. Usually, all they know is: wax = shiny. It's up to you to educate them about quality and the reasons why you charge 140$ instead of the usual 10 or 12 macaroonies they pay at the local carwash.
 
Dan, you may just want to leave guarantee out completely.. I always just ask my clients to review my work, and "if theres something I may have overlooked, please call so i may make arrangments to come out." The word guarantee is real strong, and people have different expectations when the word guarantee is included.... I mean are you guaranteeing(sp) that if paint gets on the paint, it can easily be removed ? Are you guaranteeing protection for x amt of months ? Or just that it will look good for only one week ? Just consider the "what ifs"..
 
lalaland and Patrick....



Really good points and great advice :)



I would also leave out the "guarantee" and replace it with a simple quote of sorts....something like, "References Available"



On a flyer I did years ago I went to a few of my customers and asked them for a simple quote describing my work. They did so and they allowed me to print them and also their names and occupations.



For the graphics use some strategically placed clipart pieces. You can choose a cartoon theme, like a cartoon man slaving over his car and then have a text box say something like...."Wouldn't you rather be playing golf? Or something like that and you can then add a line or two describing what you do.



If you wish to take a more straight line then use clipart and graphics that catch the eye. Colors, focused areas of high end cars, like a highly polished Mercedes wheel and tire, the polished emblem on a Rolls Royce or the prancing horse on a Ferrari. Also include a snapshot of a detailed interior. A TAN interior is always a nice color to showoff for this.



You want the flyer to look as if you spent time and money on it because that means, at least to those with money, that you are a top notch, high end detailer and work on a certain type of car. No one plans a luncheon for rich folks and has it catered by McDonalds!!



The cartoon method does not mean you are a "cheap" detailer but rather shows the potential client that you have a sense of humor and are creative. Both methods can work well but DO NOT mix the two. Don't put a picture of a highly detailed Ferrari on your flyer and then a guy washing his car in shorts bending over and showing nothing but CRACK :)



Keep it simple and let it flow in a natural manner to the human eye. Grab some flyers from other business and read them, see how you read them and where your eye goes to first. Have others do it and ask them what they notice first and what they overlook. Use that info and style your flyer as such.



Anthony
 
Thanks for all of the great responses guys.



I have decided to completely do away with the guarantee.



Anthony, you've got my head swimming with ideas. How about at the bottom of the flyer have a pic of the hood/front end of a ferrari (or benz, rolls, etc.) and moving on up have clouds and the name of my business reflected in the hood? I think that would make it definately flow. Now if I could only do that in Microsoft Paint :D I think I'm going to go check out the price of photoshop.
 
hey, you can check out my flyer/webpage at www.ipcf.net/detailing.html for ideas...or even some critiques. It's non-profit btw, so I'm not getting anything out of this except for lots of experience :D.

I created a simple postcard-sized flyer with a bmw hood reflection on the front and the URL on the back...not much else. Keep it simple.
 
Dan, looks you've received some great advice. Just a couple of questions occur to me: Will you do engines? Carpet/fabric shampooing? Those aren't listed, but some people may be interested.



About graphics and design: Don't just throw up your hands because of no Photoshop/design software on your machine. A zillion small printers/graphics companies are out there now (even some places like Kinko's, I think), who probably could do a professional job for you. If you follow Anthony's suggesion and find other flyers you like, you could ask them who did their printing/design.
 
I have to disagree with all of you who have advised against the guarantee. When people spend their hard earned money they want a guarantee. The want a guarantte that the job will be performed to their expectations not yours. A vehicle is the second largest investment that a person will make. They don't want any person working on their car. They want someone with confidence who is not scared to stand behind what they do. For 30 years my guarantee has been simple "If you can find a better detailer, who will give you a better detail with better service, at a better price I will pay for it" Needless to say I have never paid for a detail from another detail shop. We pride ouselves with honesty, integrity passion and a commitment to excellence. These are a must if you plan on longevity in this business. I also would never use percentages when advertising. People do not want to figure out what price they will be paying
 
Ive always felt you can get your message across without offering a guarantee....Of course you stand by your work 110 %, who wouldnt ?!

This is exactly what some of us are worried about,
their expectations not yours
Click to expand...
. One day, someone will run across a customer, who thought or knew "They guy down the street has done better work."

Autopians live up to the highest expectations, bar none. And we consistantly show that in our work.

Im just implying, you can get the job, without offering a guarantee....And what good is it to repeat customers ? They know what your capable of doing for them, otherwise they wouldnt be coming back ?



I'd be interested in starting a thread asking how many mobile/fixed detailers offer "guarantees".....
 
A customer of mine today got a free interior clean because I wasn't able to get a stain out that I said I could get out. Was it worth it to give it to him for free? Absolutely, 4 of his friends called me and wanted me to do their cars. Would he have passed my name along if I had charged him for a mediocre job? No. He understand that coffee that had been spilled 30 years ago was not going to come out of hooked carpet, but it was a good business move on my part.
 
"All wash & detailing prices quoted above are estimates, based on an average car in reasonable condition. A firm price can only be quoted upon inspection of your automobile."



This is what I have on my site:



"Because vehicle conditions can vary greatly, our pricing policy is a only a general guideline."



Got to cover your rear end when someone brings in a real t-u-r-d.
 
When I hand the keys back to a client my last words are, "If there is any problem please call me and I'll take care of it"



That's the guarantee I give to each client and all of my regulars know this, cause in Texas your word is gold......yep.



Anthony
 
Scott and Anthony,

A firm price can only be quoted upon inspection of your automobile."
Click to expand...



My practice exactly !

I use "Pre-inspection" quote....and word for word, what Anthony uses...

"If there is any problem please call me and I'll take care of it"
Click to expand...



Greg, something for nothing will keep them coming back...Good move...!
 
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