How to approach businesses for waterless washes

**Steadfast detailing** · 06-09-2016, 05:18 PM

Originally Posted by natewood70

I wouldn't forego that step as it just adds a nice little cherry on top of the experience for the customer to leave a lasting impression. It sounds like you'll hit a decently high profit margin with these washes, so you want to pump as much value into them so you can get repeat business.

Good idea. Nobody wants to come back to a clean car with dull looking tyres. Thanks.

**AuroraDetailing** · 06-18-2016, 11:45 AM

We've always called it a "wash, wax, wheels and tires" and charged $40 for it in Hawaii. The stipulation was they had to have at least 4 cars for us to show up. I could knock one out in 20-25 minutes with a waterless wash and DA wax application. Are you just planning on washing them with no wax? If you are serious about making money with it, you should get a small inverter generator in the 2000W range, and a good vacuum with good attachments. Get some envelopes printed out with some business info and a place for them to write in their number plate (I lived in Sydney for two years so I learned some of your words haha) and give them some options like vacuuming or cleaning the interior windows. Develop one contact at a particular place of business and get them to ask coworkers about their interest in a scheduled and reoccurring visit from you. Give them some kind of incentive like half off and and if he can get 4 people interested, schedule a date and give that person some envelopes so you can show up, gather up the envelopes with the payment already inside, and do the cars. If they need interior stuff done, have them put their key in the envelope as well. It's obviously better to go as high as you can in the chain of command at the work place. You don't want the low guy on the totem pole getting yelled at for putting any time into arranging it while they should be working.

**JWilliams.RadiantDetail** · 06-27-2016, 10:22 PM

Waterless is usually a hard sale to a potential customer for me. I do only waterless and they're rarely interested without a lot of coaxing. I explain the process to them, and I tell them I wash my own vehicle with it. What's worked for me more than probably anything else is me busting out one of the towels I use and letting them feel it. Well that + me telling them how I use a clean new towel for every panel, or more often even if needed. I suggest getting the best towels you can afford. Most people feel my towels and are sold. I also tell new customers the 1st time if they don't absolutely love how their car looks, they don't have to pay me. I know this could back fire and they get a free detailing. But up until now I've never had a person complain, so knock on wood it's worked well for me. And I will say a lot of them are blown away because they are so hesitant. I have a lot of repeat customers.

I don't know what products you can get in AUS, but if you want a waterless+wax in 1, Chemical Guy's Ecosmart is excellent. 1:16 concentrate, which is pretty damn good for a waterless that has Carnuba in it.

**AuroraDetailing** · 06-28-2016, 03:05 AM

Originally Posted by kevincwelch

I don't know what the mentality of the average Australian is, but even for $51 US, the vast majority of the American public would flatly refuse to pay $51 for a full "wash and wax" and forget a waterless/rinseless wash, which the public probably doesn't even understand. "How can you wash my car without water? This sounds like a scam!"

Have you considered approaching car dealerships with the same goals in mind?

$51 is the price of a case of beer there. $48 for a fifth of alcohol when it's on sale. Pack of cigarettes over $19. The average price of a new car is about $50k. The single level townhouse next to the one I lived in was a two bed room, about 1100 sq ft with a one car garage that didn't even have access from inside the townhouse sold at AUCTION for $675k. The average price to rent a ROOM in someone's house is about $300 a week. Getting the picture???

**AuroraDetailing** · 06-30-2016, 08:49 PM

Also, i think dealerships are the worst place to approach for this kind of work. I've done quite a bit of marketing in the past approaching all types of businesses, and won't even bother with any dealerships anymore. They can hire guys specifically to do that kind of work for near minimum wage, and what they would be willing to pay is a waste of your time. It doesn't even matter how good of a job you do. They don't really care about that. They just need the dirt and dust off them, and they just get dirty again in a very short period from sitting outside.

**Steadfast detailing** · 06-30-2016, 11:02 PM

Originally Posted by AuroraDetailing

$51 is the price of a case of beer there. $48 for a fifth of alcohol when it's on sale. Pack of cigarettes over $19. The average price of a new car is about $50k. The single level townhouse next to the one I lived in was a two bed room, about 1100 sq ft with a one car garage that didn't even have access from inside the townhouse sold at AUCTION for $675k. The average price to rent a ROOM in someone's house is about $300 a week. Getting the picture???

^ this. What state did you live in? Those prices are quite indicative of Sydney alone.

I would not dare approach a dealership for the exact reasons you've stated.

**AuroraDetailing** · 07-01-2016, 02:05 AM

I lived right outside Sydney in Botany for about 2 years. Left in 2013 when the AUS dollar was more than US. The government there really loves extorting money from the public haha. I was seriously thinking of ways to anonymously destroy speed cameras. And they can #### off with their $100 parking tickets! I happen to do chewing tobacco and obviously had to quit since they don't sell it there, but some mates of my ex wife said they order it from Norway. So I ordered 10 cans which average about $4 a can in the US and paid $40 including shipping which was an awesome deal. Got a letter from customs a little while later saying i have to pay $84 customs duty for 5 cans. I thought it was weird they mentioned only 5 cans, but got another letter the next day for the other 5. Those bastards wanted me to pay $170 for $40 worth of tobacco. I just took it as a loss and let them keep it.

**ducksfan** · 07-01-2016, 11:24 AM

Originally Posted by AuroraDetailing

I lived right outside Sydney in Botany for about 2 years. Left in 2013 when the AUS dollar was more than US. The government there really loves extorting money from the public haha. I was seriously thinking of ways to anonymously destroy speed cameras. And they can #### off with their $100 parking tickets! I happen to do chewing tobacco and obviously had to quit since they don't sell it there, but some mates of my ex wife said they order it from Norway. So I ordered 10 cans which average about $4 a can in the US and paid $40 including shipping which was an awesome deal. Got a letter from customs a little while later saying i have to pay $84 customs duty for 5 cans. I thought it was weird they mentioned only 5 cans, but got another letter the next day for the other 5. Those bastards wanted me to pay $170 for $40 worth of tobacco. I just took it as a loss and let them keep it.

What do you think the odds are that the person who ended up with your cans didn't pay the duty on it.

Oh, and I don't know why people on a national (or international) forum talk prices. Unless you live in the area of the poster, you have little idea of what pricing is like there. The dynamics of costs in just the state of California make it hard to relate to someone in the next county (or city) over. And it's not just how prices are relative to housing or other things. It's just a whole different scenario.

**AuroraDetailing** · 07-01-2016, 11:32 AM

Originally Posted by ducksfan

What do you think the odds are that the person who ended up with your cans didn't pay the duty on it.

Haha, I'm sure nobody was going to pay postage to send them back to Norway. I actually got one can because the company threw in a free can because i bought 10, and it shipped separately and somehow made it through customs. So i paid $40 for one can of dip haha.

**Steadfast detailing** · 07-02-2016, 02:45 AM

Originally Posted by ducksfan

Oh, and I don't know why people on a national (or international) forum talk prices. Unless you live in the area of the poster, you have little idea of what pricing is like there. The dynamics of costs in just the state of California make it hard to relate to someone in the next county (or city) over. And it's not just how prices are relative to housing or other things. It's just a whole different scenario.

I didn't mention price in my OP for the same reasons, only when asked I relented and made sure to state that I'm talking Australian dollars. I understand that the cost of living is different everywhere.