Seasons for detailing?

T

tssdetailing

New member
Hello,

I just initiated a mobile detailing company. I'm wondering if i'm going to be struggling though, as summer is about over now and I live in a region where we get all 4 seasons. Do you think that i'm going to hang myself by just starting now or is there really no "season" for mobile detailing. Granted, i'm sure winter months are out though....
 
good luck with your new business,



one would assume that inclement weather would affect a mobile detail business....living in a suburb of chicago, this is one reason why i have not taken the plunge.....
 
Good luck with your new venture!



I am sure its not like sunny So Cal.......So you should look at ways of marketing other types of services......such as PDR, Alloy wheel repair, Headlight lens correction, PPF. Also its very important to have a nice monthly maintenance clientel, customers that you charge a monthly fee and you service them weekly. This should be your "Bread and Butter"......You will have a guaranteed monthly income from these customers, and then you can fill your schedule accordingly. Attend local car shows and pass out cards, look for collectors who need work performed all year long, or even dealerships or bodyshops when things are a little slow. This has worked wonderful for me as I will soon be entering my 24th year in business.....Some of my monthly maintenance customers have been with me for over 16yrs on a weekly/monthly basis......
 
tssdetailing said:
Hello,

I just initiated a mobile detailing company. I'm wondering if i'm going to be struggling though, as summer is about over now and I live in a region where we get all 4 seasons. Do you think that i'm going to hang myself by just starting now or is there really no "season" for mobile detailing. Granted, i'm sure winter months are out though....
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Yes, you did not pick the best time to open your business. Be sure to market the benefits of preparing your car for the coming winter months. In addition, try to sign people up for year round maintenance type details. I give people special pricing when they agree to this type of service.
 
+2 with brwill2005... My last winter sucked royally... from Dec. to Mar. almost nothing. If you have a "car wash" it will certainly be different because people are not looking to get their cars "beautified", they just want the salt and crud rinsed off.



Also, I prepared myself for the winter as well as I could last year (water-proof this and that, sub-zero XYZ stuff), but despite all that I couldn't work because the water froze... Don't quit your day job yet, buddy :). Also, I lived in Akron for a while... good luck :).



BTW, you may want to remove the links from your sig before the mods give you a lashing!
 
brwill2005 said:
Yes, you did not pick the best time to open your business. Be sure to market the benefits of preparing your car for the coming winter months. In addition, try to sign people up for year round maintenance type details. I give people special pricing when they agree to this type of service.
Click to expand...

+3



Pre-winter prep is a good marketing opportunity, but you need to jump on it starting RIGHT NOW.
 
gav'spurplez said:
good luck with your new business,



one would assume that inclement weather would affect a mobile detail business....living in a suburb of chicago, this is one reason why i have not taken the plunge.....
Click to expand...
HEY! you're on ls1.com too! :woot:



EliminatorXP said:
Good luck with your new venture!



I am sure its not like sunny So Cal.......So you should look at ways of marketing other types of services......such as PDR, Alloy wheel repair, Headlight lens correction, PPF. Also its very important to have a nice monthly maintenance clientel, customers that you charge a monthly fee and you service them weekly. This should be your "Bread and Butter"......You will have a guaranteed monthly income from these customers, and then you can fill your schedule accordingly. Attend local car shows and pass out cards, look for collectors who need work performed all year long, or even dealerships or bodyshops when things are a little slow. This has worked wonderful for me as I will soon be entering my 24th year in business.....Some of my monthly maintenance customers have been with me for over 16yrs on a weekly/monthly basis......
Click to expand...



What is PDR and PPF?
 
Paintless Dent Removal and Paint Protection Films (Clear Bra)...........find some good subs in your area that specialize in these services. Have them work with you on pricing so that your still able to be competetive and offer this to your current customers and future customers. At that point all your doing is selling the service, call your subs and they perform the work. Then your able to offer more services to your customers and make some extra $$. But make sure that the level of work your subs perform is of the best quality this way you concentrate on the sales end of it.
 
Cool-i plan on doing most of my business that way, actually. Basicallly getting work for other people to do and scraping a fee off the top.
 
tssdetailing said:
Cool-i plan on doing most of my business that way, actually. Basicallly getting work for other people to do and scraping a fee off the top.
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You plan on doing most of your business by sub-contracting out to other businesses ? So in essence, you're basically going to be owning / operating a marketing firm ?
 
Right, but the other people (well, person) is under my wing. not moonlighting to other companies. I would do the work where i can apply myself, such as interior and engine, tires, wheel wells, while he would do the most important stuff to the paint finish. It's more a partnership than it is anything else-we each are bringing our advantages to the table.
 
tssdetailing said:
Right, but the other people (well, person) is under my wing. not moonlighting to other companies. I would do the work where i can apply myself, such as interior and engine, tires, wheel wells, while he would do the most important stuff to the paint finish. It's more a partnership than it is anything else-we each are bringing our advantages to the table.
Click to expand...



A partnership, or you relying upon someone else for the improtant stuff, while owning the business yourself, its a disaster waiting to happen. I have not seen any detailing partnerships that I remember( Dodo is the only one in mind, but they are not quite detailing cars all day, every day). I dont see it working at all. You need to know how to do everything, it gives the other guy no power, I am sure the other guy can do interiors, wheels, and so on. Which makes you dead weight to him. Your taking his money for work he can do alone. I was there once, I was the the guy doing the important stuff. Now I am a sole-proprietorship, the dead weight was cut loose.
 
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