Class - How to become the recognized detailing expert in your hometown by Mike Phillips

[Mike Phillips]

Class - How to become the recognized detailing expert in your hometown by Mike Phillips



At Detail Fest - Saturday March 18th

Topic: How to become the recognized expert in your hometown
Time: 8:00am
Location: Classroom 1B



This class teaches you how to put on your own 45 minute class for car clubs in your area. Car clubs are made up of passionate car enthusiasts. The name of the class is,

The 5-Step Paint Care Cycle


The point of the class is two fold.

1: You help car enthusiasts in your area to better understand the 5 basic steps to taking care of their car's finish. This helps car owners to avoid damaging the scratch-sensitive clearcoat paint on their special interest car.

2: Some of the people in the club while finding the information you present interesting, won't want to detail their own car. By demonstrating you have the knowledge to professionally work on cars, you will earn their trust and thus earn their business.


Been there done that
This is a process that I have used all my life to move ahead from working on mundane daily drivers to working on cool cars. It's the backdoor into a club because walking in through the front door doesn't work.

Let me explain...

When you go to a car show, you see lots of cool cars but they are all swirled out. You know you can fix them. You walk up to the owner of the cool Mustang, or the cool Corvette, or fill-in-the-blank and tell them who you are and that you're a detailer but you never get the job. The reason why is because when you cold call like this people don't know you and thus they don't trust you. This is walking in through the front door.


Now follow me on why cool cars are always swirled out...
The owner doesn't know how to work on their own car and they don't trust anyone else to work on their car so over time their car looks worse and worse.


When you teach a class, that is walking into the club from the back door, you are presented as an expert there to help them learn how to correctly clean, polish and wax their cars. You're not their selling yourself in a flagrant manner, you're helping them. And you really do help them when you show them the basics by going over the information I share with you called The 5-Step Paint Care Cycle. But from years of experience that I've gained first-hand by teaching this class, some of the members of the club simply will not want to do the work themselves. And unlike cold calling at a car show you've just demonstrated that you know your stuff.


And what happens after the class if one or two of the club members will ask you

What do you charge to detail a car?

You’re in.


Have you car detailing packages dialed-in and ready to present like I share with the VIF or Vehicle Inspection Form. There's a second page to the forum where you create your detailing packages. You should always have a detail package for everyone's budget for the different types of cars people own. There's a huge difference between washing and waxing a 2003 Honda Civic and polishing the paint on a 1986 Porsche 911 SC Cabriolet with Turbo Wide Body Slant Nose conversion and boxed rockers.

Next you do a GREAT job of detailing any club member’s car, (like you normally would do because you're a professional) and now word-of-mouth advertising takes over inside the club.

Repeat this process with other clubs. Simply by helping fellow car enthusiasts to understand the basics that you already know, (and possibly take for granted), you make friends and earn trust. This is how you elevate your business to work on more and more cool cars at a higher price point than work on mundane daily drives which are for the most part production detailing. Production detailing is using a one-step cleaner/wax and there's nothing wrong with this. In fact, it's the major portion of most detailing business. But if YOU want to work on cool cars, not mundane daily drivers, then you need to put out the effort to become the recognized expert in your home town and you do this by helping others.


Of course, all of the above assumes you actually do know what you're doing when it comes to being a professional detailer. And if you don't, maybe you're just starting out, you don't have to trudge along for years or decades learning from the school of hard knocks in order to become an expert you have plenty of resources to fast track your career.



Resources

Joining the AutogeekOnline.net car detailing discussion forum and reading all the informative articles and discussions.
Watching videos on the Autogeek YouTube Channel
Reading my how-to books
Attending the Competition Ready 3-Day Detailing Classes held three times a year here in Stuart, Florida
Attending our Boat Detailing Class taught in February each year.
Become a member of the IDA - International Detailing Association - Become recognized as a Certified Detailer and a Skills Validated Detailer.

[Mike Phillips]

Continued....


I recently held this class for the Jupeter Jeep Club at one of the member's shop at their house. This took place after they attended our Cars & Coffee car show that takes place here at Autogeek the 2nd Saturday of each month.


There was a strong turn-out and after the class I had 3 request for my professional detailing services. Point being, this technique I'm going to share works if you simply put out the effort and I'll show you how in the class.


Here's some of the club member's Jeeps...












This classic Jeep Wagoner would end up being my demo car for the class







This is the club member's house. You can see my Silverado in the background. It was scaring the Jeeps.







The owner set up an area for the class under a canopy by his shop. Here's the deal - function over form. You DON'T have to have a fancy location. People will show up to here you share your knowledge not to see a pretty shop or meeting room.




Class starts...












What I'm holding in my hand is a simple 3-page report that you can print out and give to the people that attend the class. This is,

The 5-Step Paint Care Cycle

It shares a brief overview of what you talk about PLUS some other interesting tidbits of information that establishes you as an expert.

Because it's a MS Word Document you can edit the last page and put in YOUR CONTACT INFORMATION.







I'm what's called a Prop Guy. When I teach a class I like to have props, these would be the tools a person needs to wash and wax their own car.

While many of you reading this will recognize some of the "props" in the picture below, remember this is YOUR area of expertise so of course you know what these things are. The people in your class don't know what they are and by showing them things they don't know you present yourself as an EXPERT.

You're earning their trust simply by sharing your knowledge.




Here's I'm showing how moving a wash mitt over a Grit Guard Insert works to release dirt off the mitt so it will become trapped UNDER the Grit Guard Insert and thus help a person to reduce instilling swirls and scratches into their car's finish.






Car wash soap instead of Dish Soap. Simple stuff, you don't need to get complicated.




IN FACT - you don't want to get complicated you want to keep it,

KISS or Keep it Simple Simon

The audience is spell-bound!






As I run through the 5 Step Paint Care Cycle I reference where the information is on the handout so the class can follow along.





I know that in the year 2017 most car enthusiasts have heard of and probably used detailing clay. BUT I also know many of them have never seen any of the nifty tools on the market that replace detailing clay.

So I share a few things that I think they might be interested in and I do this for 2 reasons.

1: Help them by sharing cool stuff that will help them. (sharing knowledge)

2: Showing them I really know my stuff and the effect is I earn their trust.






Live Demo
Anytime you can do a live demonstration this is powerful. Just be sure of yourself (confidence), and be sure of your skill level. This is no time to make a mistake. And for the record, while this may be an old Jeep Wagoneer, a beater vehicle is a lot safer to demonstrate on versus someone's brand spanking new Ferrari although I do both.


Here's I'm showing the proper way to use simple detailing clay.






The Baggie Test
Now I've asked a member of the club to come up and help me by doing the Baggie Test and then turning to the crowd and telling them what he felt both in the area we clayed and the area we did not clay.

The Baggie Test is another chance to show most people something they don't know and they've never done.

I started showing this on TV about 7 years ago on Two Guys Garage and My Classic Car.

I have to wonder, after watching the baggie test on TV - how many cars guys went to the kitchen and asked their wife's or girlfriends for a sandwich baggie? Then after getting a strange look from their better half, walked out to the garage, felt the paint on their special toy and then with a surprised look in their eyes, said to themselves...

Wow! What's all those bumps on my car's paint

Without thinking it what they were thinking was this guy on TV just shared something with me I didn't know --> earning trust.





After finding out the paint felt like #40 grit sandpaper I then demonstrated the correct way to use clay. Believe it r not, most people don't know how to correctly cay their car.




Then I shared how to use the Nanoskin Towel so they could see it's the same idea, just a different approach. Except with the Nanoskin Towel if you drop it you can wash it off and keep using it. With detailing clay you should throw it away. (another light bulb goes off in the mind of those attending)





Next it's time to talk about buffers

Most old school guys call a buffer a wheel. You can tell because they'll say things like,

I know how to wheel a car --> that means they know how to use a rotary buffer.


What I like to do is show a tool that most of the guys know, i.e. the rotary buffer and then explain this is where most of the holograms swirls come from by Hack Detailers. It's also the tool responsible for burning through paint. What I'm doing is connecting the tool with common knowledge that most car enthusiasts know and understand.

I tell them that when used correctly it can be a real time saver but for the average guy... it's too much tool and a better choice would be a simple dual action orbital polisher.





Then I show them a simple or entry level dual action polisher that anyone that owns a special interest car, like a Jeep or a BMW or a Corvette, etc. can afford to purchase as well as purchase a few pads, compounds, polishes etc. A person can get started into machine polishing for around $200.00

This is important because later when they find out what you charge they're going to understand their options. They can spend the money on tools, pads and products or simply have you, a person that already has the tools, pads and product PLUE the know-how, to do the job for them.





Wax on, wax off
After explaining tools and in the 5-Step Paint Care Cycle, this is part of Step 3, the polishing step which can be done by hand or machine, then I move to step 4 which is sealing the paint. I like to share the difference between a finishing wax and a cleaner/wax. And explain when you would choose one over the other. Once you explain how they are different it all makes sense to our audience and again... they can tell you know your stuff.


Meguiar's #26 - This is a pure Carnauba wax, no cleaners. Can only be used on paint in new or like new condition or on paint that you have just polished. (step 3)





Meguiar's #6 Cleaner Wax - This is a one-step product that will clean, polish and protect in one step.





Meguiar's M21 Synthetic Sealant - This of course is a man-made or syntheict wax.




Gyeon Ceramic Paint Coating - Different than waxes and sealants and again, you're demonstrating you're up to speed with all the latest car detailing technology.

Showing people a clear liquid that looks like water in a small glass bottle that is applied to an applicator using an eye dropper will literally blow people away. Again... showing you're an expert in your field.




With the above four products I've been able to explain,

1. Carnauba wax - no cleaning
2. Cleaner/wax - offers cleaning
3. Synthetic wax - man made and tends to last longer than a Carnauba wax.
4. Ceramic Paint Coatings - The latest in paint protection

Maintenance
The 5th step in the 5-Step Paint Care Cycle is maintenance. This is tips and techniques to maintain a car's finish normally using simple products like spray detailers and spray waxes. Again, keep it simple.








Demo Time
After going over the 5 steps for taking care of a car's exterior, it's time for a simple demonstration.







Here I let the owner see how easy and safe it is to run a simple Griot's Garage 6" DA Polisher using a Meguiar's polish.





Hands-on
A little hands on to show how much pressure, how slow and which direction to move the polisher instantly flattens out the learning curve. This gives a person brand new to machine polishing confidence that they now know how to do it.




Let the owner wipe off the residue and if you look at the pant where he's wiping you can see the reflection of his orange shirt in the paint that previously had zero shine.





Finish by showing how to use the same machine that remove the swirls, scratches, water spots and oxidation to machine apply a wax and you seal the deal.





Also showing an important technique, and that's to inspect microfiber towels before using them. You start by explaining microfiber towels are GRABBY. Anyone that has ever had a callous on their hand or fingers and grabbed a microfiber towel knows what you mean, they are grabby. And in the same way they can and will grab onto debris like rocks, sticks, leaves, etc. when dropped. (and everyone drops their towels).

Show them how to take the extra precaution of looking at and then FEELING their towel before using it and again you will have demonstrated you really know your stuff





You can even share some tips on how to wipe off a wax. (I have videos on this and also share it in my books)





Bonus
I know Jeep owners STRUGGLE with keeping the clear plastic windows on the Jeep convertible tops CLEAR so I brought a plastic polish and showed them the same tool that was easy and safe on the paint will also remove the cloudiness out of the plastic windows. (This was a real gem of a tip)




Yeah... everyone wanted to see how this worked out....





Wrap up
After your dog and pony show, wrap up the class by asking everyone to take their seats and the ask if there's any questions.

Be polite and answer every questions you can. If you don't know the answer simply say that, say

I don't know the answer to that question but I'll get you an answer and get back to you. Then do it.



In under an hour you have just become the recognized detailing expert in your home town.

[RayVega]

Awesome, see you there!

[Mike Phillips]

Continued...



Stay tuned for my article, The 5-Step Paint Care Cycle to be made available as a document you can edit to fit your business.



If you want a copy, simply reply to this thread.


And please, if you meet someone that also wants a copy, don't give my "work" away for free. Make them do what you did to get it and that's pay for it by asking for it via replying to this thread or shooting me an e-mail


mike.phillips@Autogeek.net


Thank you!

[Mike Phillips]

Awesome, see you there!

Hey it's Ray!

Since this is your first post as forum member,


Welcome to AutogeekOnline!

[TMQ]

Hi Mike,
I would like a copy.
Thanks!

Wished I could attend the Detail Fest. I'll make sure it's on my calendar for next year.
Later,
Tom

[OCD-tailing]

Mike,
I will be doing this in June for a local Mustang club and I would love to have that info to put with what I already have together.
Thanks,
Alan
OCD-tailing

[david b]

Awesome information! I would like a copy.

Thanks,
David

[umana2482]

Awesome write-up Mike!
I should give it a try with a local Porsche club about 3 miles from me.
Can you please send me a copy?

Thanks in advance.


Sent from my SM-G928T using Autogeekonline mobile app

[Bill1234]

Hi Mike, would love a copy. This is a great way to get involved in your clientel base but also not look sleezy. Ive had plenty come up and ask what do you charge and etc. Kinda hard to do the work and get paid as so many wanted it fixed for free.