OK, how do I get work?

[Toy_Cam_Ed]

So far I've only had 1 job, and that was a friend of the family. How exactly do I get started getting regular jobs? (I need at least 1 a week)

So far I am advertising on Craigslist, put fliers on people's mailboxes and cars, pass out business cards when possible, and am on yp.com.

What else can I do on a very limited budget? I'm lucky to be able to afford a few hundred business cards and some fliers.

[A-train]

I got the ball rolling by doing a co-worker at a discounted rate. I had the perfect candidate, one that liked a clean car and likes to talk. So he spread the word. I also started with friends and family and word spread from them as well.


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[Toy_Cam_Ed]

Originally Posted by A-train

I got the ball rolling by doing a co-worker at a discounted rate. I had the perfect candidate, one that liked a clean car and likes to talk. So he spread the word. I also started with friends and family and word spread from them as well.


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Are you getting regular jobs now?

[Sommy]

Go to every possible office building, doctor's office, etc. in your area and drop off business cards, coupons, whatever with a front desk person. You could also put flyers on cars (although I hate when people do that).

After that hit up local restaurants in the area that allow you to put up flyers, with your information.

I would consider building a bare bones website with some pictures of the one car you detailed. I usually research a company before I call them for the first time and the website will help you with that. Creating a basic website is much easier than you think and while you are in between jobs you can spend the time it takes.

Have you considered approaching a small car lot and asking if you can help them?

[tampatopless]

Word of mouth is the best marketing. This works well at office buildings, especially when you are set up and people come by and notice your work. Be careful of dealing with landlords and management companies. We don't allow it on any of our properties.

I would also go into rich neighborhoods, look for people with dirty cars and knock on doors.

Neither one of these costs a thing, except time.

Lastly, a one-page website will cost you about $50 a year. Just make it one page with a few pix, phone number, email and packages menu.

If AutoGeek were really saavy, it would host a domain service for detailers. Servers are so cheap these days. If AutoGeek didn't want to partition off part of its existing IS infrastructure, it could buy a separate server. Hell, that's all residual income and pure profit after a couple of months.

Many of these domain-hosting services are such rip-offs. My sister has a lawn-care company and both Verizon and ATT took her to the cleaners. This would be a service and company that auto detailers could trust. I bet that all most of the detailers want is an Internet presence that doesn't cost a whole lot.

[Bill1234]

I dont do detail jobs much ,but I just speak to family members and do their cars, then friends of them want to get their car detailed. I would also try talking and doing a lottery type thing

the person would need to get their car detailed first.
You would then give them a ticket
the other ticket would be used to draw a person a month that would get half off their next detail job. Basically all it would consist of is those orange or other color raffle tickets

[ryance39]

I dont have a detailing business but I do have another small business dealing with cars and how they look, I detail a little onside as well but don't need steady work. In my experience with my business though is that typically business cards dont do much when just left with someone. So you money may be better spent in other areas of your business. For the time being any work you do get, do it well and take lots of pictures, work will come, slowly but it will come. For the time being save save save because if you go "by the book" they say have enough saved to support the business for 6months to a year with zero income from the business. The way that I look at it is have enough for 3 months, because if after 3 or 4 months you can't get work then it's time to shut the doors because your either in the wrong business, or don't have "what it takes" to make the business float.
Treat people well, customer service is a lost art. Try to find older people who can know longer clean there cars, single successful parents, other business. Keep pushing yourself out there, if your timid you need to break that insecurity fast because the way you talk and carry yourself shows how your business operates.

[statusdetailing]

It's all about Google! You listed yourself on yp.com , good!

Build a website. It's not optional if you want to work. If you can't build an awesome website then have somebody do it. Find a friend who can do it.

Now, list yourself on the hundreds of other free website. For example: merchant circle, yelp, local.com, service noodle, it goes on and on. You'll spend weeks doing this but it's worth it

Make sure your business info is exactly the same on each one. This will help you build an online presense.

Make sure you are on all the social networking sites and update them frequently.

start photo accounts, like photobucket, using your business info.

GET REVIEWS! Clearly ask your customers to give you good reviews on google if you did a good job!

If you aren't on the first page of google places you won't be getting very many calls.

Update Craigslist every day...maybe have multiple accounts and list twice a day.

Don't sell yourself out. Keep you prices competitive with the other local guys or you'll just look like an idiot and won't get calls.

Word of mouth is good, but it's not the majority of my business.

The first thing everybody does when looking for a service is go to google. Don't forget it.

It will take 6 months to a year to get optimized. Good luck!

[Nicholas@Autowerx]

Originally Posted by statusdetailing

Build a website. It's not optional if you want to work. If you can't build an awesome website then have somebody do it. Find a friend who can do it.

Word of mouth is good, but it's not the majority of my business.

99% of my business is from my website and word of mouth referrals. I do this part time on my weekends and days off. I also hired my dad to fill in my availability for maintenance washes, etc on week days.

I just rolled out an online booking system and just booked my first job today completely online without ever speaking with the customer first. It's through ClickBook and it was free to set up. Technically you don't even need a website to setup the booking system. It's working great. I hope to become full time detailing next year.

Good luck in your pursuit!

[paskett]

Word of mouth is best! I was doing about 3 a week, then all of a sudden a Shop manager at a local dealership saw my facebook page and since then I do 4-6 cars a week @ $100, it pays my rent, cost of material and utilities !