How to gain more new customers using a Sidewalk Sandwich Sign

[Mike Phillips]

How to gain more new customers using a Sidewalk Sandwich Sign (http://www.autogeekonline.net/forum/how-make-money-detailing-cars/28331-how-gain-more-new-customers-using-sidewalk-sandwich-sign.html)


If you're a Mobile Detailer hopefully your work rig is shiny with black tires and clean windows and you have your business signage on it somewhere...


Problem - No Marketing Signage on Location
The problem is that you can't always have your work rig close to where the detailing work is being performed so anyone passing by won't easily know who you are and how to contact you.

Solution - Sidewalk A-Frame Sandwich Sign
Here's way you can get new customers and that's with a Sidewalk A-Frame Sandwich Sign. These are relatively inexpensive and you can customize it for your business.

Then anytime you're detailing a car, have the sign on display nearby where potential customers can see and read it. Be sure to use large lettering for key points of information like,


Name
Phone Number


For example if you're working in someone's driveway but your Detail Van is parked down the road a space or two due to crowded parking, you want the letters on the board large enough for someone driving by to read and capture the two most important pieces of information,

What you do -> Detail Cars
How to get a hold of you -> Your Phone Number


Your Sidewalk A-Frame Sandwich Sign could look something like this...

http://www.autogeekonline.net/gallery/data/715/SidewalkAframesign.jpg


You can add other information like a website or basic services, etc. but these would be in smaller lettering and shouldn't be to overwhelming... stick with 2 - 4 basic pieces of information. You can even attach a business car holder and keep it stocked up or a holder for tri-fold fliers, then if you stop working to talk to a potential customer you have printed material you can give them on the spot.


Do's and Don'ts


Do's
Do spend the money to purchase lettering or pay someone to letter your sign.

Don'ts
Don't draw with a felt marker and have your sign look like a 3rd grader made it for you. Perception is reality and if you have a sign with poorly written lettering it will not instill confidence in your potential customer.




From NeoPlex... Vinyl-Coated Plywood A-Frame Sidewalk Sign
[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7G0hY0YMnRE]YouTube - Vinyl-Coated Plywood A-Frame Sidewalk Sign from Neoplex[/video]


Vinyl Clad Outdoor A-Frame Sign (http://www.neoplexonline.com/aframe-sidewalk-sign-outdoor-wood-frame/)


One of the first rules for growing your business is to make it easy for your customer to know what you do and how to contact you.

Don't make your potential customer work at it giving you their business...


:)

[Cliffnopus]

Nice writeup Mike. Whew....when I saw the title i thought it was going to be about trenchcoats and such.

Cliff

[08krewkab]

Nice writeup Mike. Whew....when I saw the title i thought it was going to be about trenchcoats and such.

Cliff


lol.... i was thinking washing in daisy dukes and polishing in thongs...lol

[Shade Tree]

Nice write up Mike :xyxthumbs:

Something else (maybe you mentioned somewhere else in the past) is the need to have business cards at the ready. I tend to work on site at & within corporate parking garages etc and in the process I am approached frequently with questions pertaining to pricing, services etc.

Having business cards or even a "menu' of sorts outlining services & pricing really helps me to secure customers for future detailing work.

Just my .02 :cheers:

[SoCalAutoSpa]

Thanks for the helpful tips. 3 years in and I don't have one. I am on my way right now to get one done.

[SATracker]

"Expose yourself for more business..." Mike had me going also. Last time someone tried that the, "Expose yourself for more business...", she got arrested for....what's the subject again?

[Mike Phillips]

Just to note, this was a tip we talked about on Mel Craig's Mentorship Program "Conference Call", which includes detailers from around the country and even International.

Simple idea and some great success stories that worked with it...


:)

[HeavyMetal]

Good write-up. The title had me laughing. Ya might wanna reword that a tad :D.

[Mike Phillips]

Good write-up. The title had me laughing. Ya might wanna reword that a tad :D.

Done.

When I wrote this article last summer I thought the title would would draw interest to the article, my mistake.

There's a time and place for comedy but this article is actually of a serious nature so I've re-titled it to accurately describe the solution it provides for helping a mobile detailer get more "new" customers.


:)

[CEE DOG]

Great idea Mike Im the MAN

I would just ask the client first before putting it down.

[Mike Phillips]

Last night on Mel Craig's conference call I shared this tool for helping new mobile detailers to get more new customers and I think it was Paul Weidler that chimed in and said he had a Sidewalk Sandwich Board made and as soon as he started using it he started getting more new customers.

Without a sign, people walking or driving by don't know what's going on, they don't know if it's your car and you're just working on it or if you're a detailer or something else.

As soon as you put the sign up you tell your customer what your are, (a detailer), and you remove any confusion on their thinking about what you're doing. Then if they have questions or are interested in getting their car detailed they will more likely to approach you and start up a conversation.

That puts the ball in your court to sell yourself and close the deal.

No sign... most people won't take the initiative to take action. The sign opens the door for making a contact.

:)

[Mike Phillips]

There's an old saying that goes like this...

The more you tell the more you sell....


Before you can "tell" you need someone to talk to and that's the point of the sign, to get the attention of anyone in the area and let them know what you do.

Some people won't be interested for whatever their reasons, maybe they detail their own car, maybe the have a detailer already or maybe they don't care about their car's appearance.

The possibility exists however that someone that sees you detailing a car might be interested in getting their car detailed but you can't talk to them if they don't approach you and you can't stop detailing and approach strangers all day. The the idea of the sign is to get a "potential" customer's attention

The sign pre-qualifies anyone that approaches you while you're working.

Heck add the words,

Accepting new clients


Or something to that effect and really get the message out...


Getting new customers to grow your detailing business is your job, no one is going to put more effort into this aspect of your business than you.


:)

[HeavyMetal]

Done.

When I wrote this article last summer I thought the title would would draw interest to the article, my mistake.

There's a time and place for comedy but this article is actually of a serious nature so I've re-titled it to accurately describe the solution it provides for helping a mobile detailer get more "new" customers.


:)

I've written a few articles and chose a "less than optimal title" once or twice. Like the guy who took off all his clothes and jumped into the cactus patch said, "It seemed like a good idea at the time." :xyxthumbs: