Just started car detailing fixed operation

[lepineAutoDetai]

I just started my own fixed operation a couple months back and its been tough due to i live in western new york and well we get snow. i started with minimum funds and looking for solutions for marketing to get buisness in during this season with a low budget. any thoughts would be greatly appreciated !!

[jimmyjam]

Use facebook,my space, twitter etc... Allot of people are online in the cold months, and good opportunity to network, hope it helps.

[BobbyG]

:welcome: To AutoGeek!

Getting started can be a challenge so if you have some spare time here's a link to some great reading by Mike Phillips.

http://www.autogeekonline.net/forum/ask-expert-featuring-mike-phillips/23722-articles-mike-phillips.html

[Mike Phillips]

Welcome to Autogeek Online! :welcome:



I just started my own fixed operation a couple months back and its been tough due to i live in western new york and well we get snow.


Congratulations!

I hope the overhead is low, that's a killer when first starting out.




i started with minimum funds and looking for solutions for marketing to get buisness in during this season with a low budget. any thoughts would be greatly appreciated !!


Start by doing the simple affordable things,

Business cards and each time you hand them to a customer be sure to tell them you're looking for more customers and ask for referrals. Word of mouth is always going to be your best bang for the buck so don't be shy about asking happy customers to send you their friends, it's a trust issue.

Craigslist ads, I'm working on a template for this that will be available here on AGO

Branch out, find other services you can offer besides car detailing, clear bras, tinting windows, rock chip repair.

Put a focus on "Interior" detailing and go after Moms and Dads with S.U.V.s and Vans and of course... kids...

Have separate prices for interior and exterior so in the winter months when people are not that concerned with the exterior you still might be able to earn their business cleaning their interior.

Just some ideas off the top of my head...



Check out this forum for lots of ideas...


How to make money detailing cars (http://www.autogeekonline.net/forum/how-make-money-detailing-cars/)


I have a few articles in the above forum that are also listed in my articles list...


Business and Promotion

Expose yourself for more business... (http://www.autogeekonline.net/forum/how-make-money-detailing-cars/28331-expose-yourself-more-business.html)

A few tips on starting a part-time detailing business (http://www.autogeekonline.net/forum/how-make-money-detailing-cars/27827-few-tips-starting-part-time-detailing-business.html)

How to put up a website for about $20.00 a year (http://www.autogeekonline.net/forum/how-make-money-detailing-cars/27823-how-put-up-website-about-20-00-year.html)

Tips for using a discussion forum to reach more customers... (http://www.autogeekonline.net/forum/how-make-money-detailing-cars/24041-tips-using-discussion-forum-reach-more-customers.html)

Brand Yourself, Brand your Forum Nickname and Brand your Business Name (http://www.autogeekonline.net/forum/tricks-tips-techniques/23241-brand-yourself-brand-your-forum-nickname-brand-your-business-name.html)

How to choose a name for your detailing business (http://www.autogeekonline.net/forum/tricks-tips-techniques/22283-how-choose-name-your-detailing-business.html)

The Reverse Test Spot (http://www.autogeekonline.net/forum/tricks-tips-techniques/22341-reverse-test-spot.html)

The power in the after shots is created in the before shots (http://www.autogeekonline.net/forum/tricks-tips-techniques/21216-power-after-shots-created-before-shots.html) <-- Learn how to take good pictures and get them on the Internet in a way they won't turn into red x's down the road

The Cruel Test Spot - This or that? - Reverse Bait & Switch (http://www.autogeekonline.net/forum/tricks-tips-techniques/22275-cruel-test-spot-reverse-bait-switch.html)




:xyxthumbs:






f

[Crazy Amos]

Welcome to Autogeek Online! :welcome:



Congratulations!

I hope the overhead is low, that's a killer when first starting out.




Start by doing the simple affordable things,

Business cards and each time you hand them to a customer be sure to tell them you're looking for more customers and ask for referrals. Word of mouth is always going to be your best bang for the buck so don't be shy about asking happy customers to send you their friends, it's a trust issue.

Craigslist ads, I'm working on a template for this that will be available here on AGO

Branch out, find other services you can offer besides car detailing, clear bras, tinting windows, rock chip repair.

Put a focus on "Interior" detailing and go after Moms and Dads with S.U.V.s and Vans and of course... kids...

Have separate prices for interior and exterior so in the winter months when people are not that concerned with the exterior you still might be able to earn their business cleaning their interior.

Just some ideas off the top of my head...



Check out this forum for lots of ideas...


How to make money detailing cars (http://www.autogeekonline.net/forum/how-make-money-detailing-cars/)


I have a few articles in the above forum that are also listed in my articles list...


Business and Promotion

Expose yourself for more business... (http://www.autogeekonline.net/forum/how-make-money-detailing-cars/28331-expose-yourself-more-business.html)

A few tips on starting a part-time detailing business (http://www.autogeekonline.net/forum/how-make-money-detailing-cars/27827-few-tips-starting-part-time-detailing-business.html)

How to put up a website for about $20.00 a year (http://www.autogeekonline.net/forum/how-make-money-detailing-cars/27823-how-put-up-website-about-20-00-year.html)

Tips for using a discussion forum to reach more customers... (http://www.autogeekonline.net/forum/how-make-money-detailing-cars/24041-tips-using-discussion-forum-reach-more-customers.html)

Brand Yourself, Brand your Forum Nickname and Brand your Business Name (http://www.autogeekonline.net/forum/tricks-tips-techniques/23241-brand-yourself-brand-your-forum-nickname-brand-your-business-name.html)

How to choose a name for your detailing business (http://www.autogeekonline.net/forum/tricks-tips-techniques/22283-how-choose-name-your-detailing-business.html)

The Reverse Test Spot (http://www.autogeekonline.net/forum/tricks-tips-techniques/22341-reverse-test-spot.html)

The power in the after shots is created in the before shots (http://www.autogeekonline.net/forum/tricks-tips-techniques/21216-power-after-shots-created-before-shots.html) <-- Learn how to take good pictures and get them on the Internet in a way they won't turn into red x's down the road

The Cruel Test Spot - This or that? - Reverse Bait & Switch (http://www.autogeekonline.net/forum/tricks-tips-techniques/22275-cruel-test-spot-reverse-bait-switch.html)




:xyxthumbs:






f

Definately do all of these things and search for a post called something like "all business should be done on the internet" Dunwoody Detail posted free internet sites to advertise on. Good luck!

[lepineAutoDetai]

thanks guys . i do use facebook and i do have buisness cards so thats all ive been doing lately is putting up specials for fb users and getting the cards handed out to everyone i come across and meet!! well ill be sure to check out those links out thanks mike P and jimmyjam for sharing those links :D

[WJave]

We had I guy come into where I used to work and tell the owner that he would do a wash and wax on any one vehicle we picked. He told him that if he was happy he could pay him what he thought was a fair price if not it was free. Well the owner was very happy with the work and ended up cutting a deal on doing all our company vans (15) twice a year. I thought that was a pretty good idea. It would of only the cost him the time and trouble of doing one free vehicle at worse. I talked to the guy a year or so latter and he said it really helped in getting his bussiness off the ground.