What is your sales pitch when people aren't willing to spend money?

2

2StepsAhead

New member
Getting kind of frustrated, I've been detailing friends cars this year and hoping the word of mouth would get me some steady side work. Problem is I'm in the wrong market, no one is willing to part with their money whatsoever...if I mention anything over $50 (not that I would charge that for this amount of work, this is just what people are willing to spend) for clay barring, compound, polish, seal, rubber/vinyl dressing and a vacuuming they do this :bolt I've posted pics on my local forum of my work and everyone PM's me asking for prices, as soon as I give any price that is the end..I am not looking to undercut the competition or low ball myself just to get a job so I've been sticking to my guns, I don't want to get stuck in the "well you did so and so for _______ why not me?" Any words of wisdom for this situation besides just find a new market? :hairpull
 
Walk away...I explain to people that charge by the hour, and if they want just a wash and a quick wax, then I have no problem doing it for $50. But if they want a full detail that is a different story.
 
Just concentrate on finding your target market. Don't waste time trying to sell high end prices to folks that won't pay more than low end. Once in a while, I get the, "well, this guy does it for $85. Why are you charging $250?"



My reply to this is always, go to him then. I have no problem turning down people who complain about pricing. If they complain about pricing, they probably shouldn't be your customer. Keep at it. Once people realize the hours of hard word that go into it, they will see why it costs the amount of money it does.



Good Luck,



Greg
 
Also, keep in mind that those people you need to 'talk into' spending more money for your services are going to be the hardest to please. If spending $200 on detailing their car is a big financial decision, then they want that to be the best $200 they've spent and any spec of dirt or dust is going to make them upset.



I have a few people that come in for 'touch up' detail because it's cheaper then complain when they pick it up that I missed parts. I explain to them what the difference between that and a full detail is and if they want it done properly then don't bargain over the price. They always try to stretch their dime and I'm always expected to jump over hoops to make them happy.



These are the people I have no problems turning away from because they are more hassle than their money is worth. I still have yet to get paid from one of these clients after two months!
 
I think as out industry changes and more cut throat, low end, unprofessional *detailers* come in to make a fast buck, the true professionals need to improve their selling skills. We need to add value and differentiate ourselves from our competition. Being professional and intelligent with all clients will pay off when most in the industry are the opposite. Detailing is a service and this industry requires us to thrill our customers. We need to go beyond people's expectations and this holds true with selling and negotiations. We need to convince our customers that they need what we have to offer and this can't be purchased from ABC detailer. Take a sales class and I'm sure it will pay off really fast. Sales, cars, detailing and people were the only things I knew anything about before getting into the business full time and it helped me become successful at it.
 
i heve a customer who said they were looking for a detailer to detail cars for their car lot. his requirement was he spends 3 days to clean up his cars for sell how long does it take me? i told him for a basic detail for selling used cars starts at $200 if u keep me busy ill give u a 35% dealership discount. depends on the vehicle itll take me 5-10 hrs for the detail, full interior with shampoo, and a 3 step restoration process. now hes 1 of my main cleints and constanly sends referrals for me. so stick to your guns man and build your rep and they will come. u might eat alot a oodles and noodles but they will come.
 
People who detail cars and want to make a career out of it need to take a lot of things in first. Just because you are good at your trait, does not mean you will be succesful. Keep in mind that more than half of all small biz fail within 2 years. Why should this be any different. If an outstanding chef opens a restaurant, he still needs the customers to be succesfull. Keep in mind that this biz is about selling as well as your work. We constantly harp about how we love to shop with CG because Paul is great, or CMA because Jon is great, but then we forget that we should be just like that to our customers. Give them incentives. People forget that starting a small biz is a lot of work, and should not be just done over night....There are many things. Taxes, finances, advertising, etc...All of this makes a biz succesfull.
 
In the market you are in you should charge enough to make a small profit and then let word of mouth bring them to you. You don't need to spend 10 hours on a car to make it look good - especially when you are charging less. I am just starting out and doing friends/family for free - for the experience. But, then again, I'm not in this to start up a business. My back wouldn't last!
 
The folks at work that PM you:



Are you quoting prices back to them via PM or inspecting the car and explaining what has to be done in person......and in detail?
 
Seriously man, when people are being that tight with their money I just tell them to F-square, just like others said if these people really need convincing to spend that much then it is going to be a real pain doing business with them.



However with regards to what Texas here said, are you just shooting people back a PM with a $200 price tag? If so then I think I might have found your problem. That is one of the classic signs of a hack. What I do when I receive a PM or a phone call asking about pricing I first and foremost DO NOT quote a price over the phone until I get a chance to inspect the vehicle. Then I arrange to do a free estimate where I can come see the car, check it out under the lights, feel the paint and TALK to the customer about what kind of goals he or she has for the car after I am done. After that I will usually quote a price only after telling them what I intend to do plus the benefits of longevity etc etc. A lot of times people will try to negotiate with me at that point but I have already told them what I am going to do and what it is going to cost. Frankly I feel that asking me to lower the price is actually kind of insulting, it is like they are saying, "OK I realize that you are trying to scam me, I feel that THIS (enter significantly lower dollar amount here) is more like what it should cost." At that point I usually tell them to kick rocks and we go our seperate ways.



Stick to your prices, do excellent work, be friendly and courteous and you will find that soon your schedule will be filled.
 
Being in the detailing business has everything to do with giving people a chance to discover your business. It is all about marketing and how you intend to position your business in the marketplace. It is not about price and certainly not about becoming a good salesperson. When you have to convince someone to use your services, that is a sure sign that you are going after the wrong clients.
 
Last time I checked, sales is part of marketing? If you can't sell yourself and/or your product, you won't do well in any business. Can you imagine how many products and services would not be sold throughout the world if a salesperson didn't "sell" them? You can't go into Home Depot or Walmart and purchase detailing, so somehow through the supply chain it needs to be sold to someone. Sales isn't the only thing that goes into sucessfully owning and operating a business, but I guarantee it's one of the most important. I'd be willing to bet that if *most* detail business owners took a basic sales class, it would increase their revenue and income drastically. You'll be able to sell more quantity and get more $ for it. I think that would be a huge help to this industry and probably has a direct reflection on how we are perceived in the eyes of a community as a whole. Can anyone out there that's taken a sales class ague this?
 
LastDetail said:
Seriously man, when people are being that tight with their money I just tell them to F-square, just like others said if these people really need convincing to spend that much then it is going to be a real pain doing business with them.



However with regards to what Texas here said, are you just shooting people back a PM with a $200 price tag? If so then I think I might have found your problem. That is one of the classic signs of a hack. What I do when I receive a PM or a phone call asking about pricing I first and foremost DO NOT quote a price over the phone until I get a chance to inspect the vehicle. Then I arrange to do a free estimate where I can come see the car, check it out under the lights, feel the paint and TALK to the customer about what kind of goals he or she has for the car after I am done. After that I will usually quote a price only after telling them what I intend to do plus the benefits of longevity etc etc. A lot of times people will try to negotiate with me at that point but I have already told them what I am going to do and what it is going to cost. Frankly I feel that asking me to lower the price is actually kind of insulting, it is like they are saying, "OK I realize that you are trying to scam me, I feel that THIS (enter significantly lower dollar amount here) is more like what it should cost." At that point I usually tell them to kick rocks and we go our seperate ways.



Stick to your prices, do excellent work, be friendly and courteous and you will find that soon your schedule will be filled.
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EXCELLENT ADVICE! I use the consultative selling approach and explain what I am going to do to the customer's vehicle. I also give them a range of hours for the work involved (i.e. 8-10 hours, etc). By giving them the hours, when they try to bring down the price to an unacceptable level, I often ask: "you want me to completely detail your car for $ XX?" That usually puts the work in perspective and they either back away or accept my pricing.



Toto
 
Totoland Mach said:
EXCELLENT ADVICE! I use the consultative selling approach and explain what I am going to do to the customer's vehicle. I also give them a range of hours for the work involved (i.e. 8-10 hours, etc). By giving them the hours, when they try to bring down the price to an unacceptable level, I often ask: "you want me to completely detail your car for $ XX?" That usually puts the work in perspective and they either back away or accept my pricing.



Toto
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So this is a great example of one of your sales tactics/pitches and it works for you. What if you didn't explain this info, you most likely wouldn't get the sale right?
 
I usually ask to see the car and get replies like well whats your ball park, what do you start out at...I say usually it starts at $100 as a minimum for clay barring, polish, sealing, rubber/vinyl and interior vacuum, this price varies by size and condition of the vehicle. Problem is I don't think many people know what a detail really consists of, because I get all types of odd ball questions such as...can you just compound the car and I'll do the rest? What type of wax are you using to get rid of all those scratches, maybe I'll just pick it up myself. My local car wash offers their details for $30...etc etc.
 
David,

I dont think you can explain sales to people that just do not want to understand it. They assume that because they spend the time, people will pay for it. Sales is the biggest aspect of detailing other than working on the car...
 
joshtpa said:
David,

I dont think you can explain sales to people that just do not want to understand it. They assume that because they spend the time, people will pay for it. Sales is the biggest aspect of detailing other than working on the car...
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:clap: :2thumbs: :thx :xyxthumbs :welcome :nana: :shocked :chuckle: :woot: :bigups :rofl :laugh: :bow :woot2: :D :idea :grinno: :Geezx :bolt :tribe:
 
I have had people call me for an estimate. I always go to look at trhe vehicle prior to accepting the job.



When I get the "So and so charges less"... or "so and so does all of theis for the same price you charge"... I say "Great! It's your car and your money, so it is your choice..."



Most of them have come back to me for an estimate after having their cars hacked at the local "swirl-o-rama" :chuckle:
 
joshtpa said:
David,

I dont think you can explain sales to people that just do not want to understand it. They assume that because they spend the time, people will pay for it. Sales is the biggest aspect of detailing other than working on the car...
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I'm guessing this is pointed towards me?



That was the point of my thread, to get some insight on the pitch...I don't see how I "don't want to understand it"
 
David Fermani said:
Last time I checked, sales is part of marketing? If you can't sell yourself and/or your product, you won't do well in any business. Can you imagine how many products and services would not be sold throughout the world if a salesperson didn't "sell" them? You can't go into Home Depot or Walmart and purchase detailing, so somehow through the supply chain it needs to be sold to someone. Sales isn't the only thing that goes into sucessfully owning and operating a business, but I guarantee it's one of the most important. I'd be willing to bet that if *most* detail business owners took a basic sales class, it would increase their revenue and income drastically. You'll be able to sell more quantity and get more $ for it. I think that would be a huge help to this industry and probably has a direct reflection on how we are perceived in the eyes of a community as a whole. Can anyone out there that's taken a sales class ague this?
Click to expand...



I just want to add a few notes to this. I agree that it is important to sell yourself and know how to sell, but it is important to know who you are trying to sell to. It typically starts with a goal in mind. If one is trying to run a high end, high dollar business, they need to keep that goal in mind. Obviously, you will want to charge a higher price for your work. It is hard to hold a high end image and charge 85 bucks for a full detail. :) We also must figure out how we will promote the business. Flyer's on windshields isn't a form of high end. It tends to be tacky. Lastly, we must figure where we will look for our customers. For a high end business, try to score business in upper end neighborhoods with higher end cars. These folks typically have more disposable income, and will not argue about pricing. That isn't to say some won't. :nervous:



I hope that helps a little bit.



Greg
 
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