Great Detailer. Sorry Businessman. Frustrated

[Kris R]

I started detailing for the local Porsche dealership in 98. Learned a lot and was an enthusiast since then. Doing my own cars and such. In 2007 I started 360detail. It was a small detail service I ran out of the back of my Jeep Unlimited. Last year I decided to take the jump and really sink some cash into the business as far as equipment and exposure goes. I bought an enclosed trailer, upgraded all my tools and equipment, designed my own website, business cards and t-shirts and launched my social media campaign. I actually am surprised how its growing. Good work is the best referral.

HOWEVER. The one part of this that I don't like is the business side. I just want to listen to my tunes and detail the hell out of vehicles and see smiling faces when I'm done. But everyone wants your work for free. Not happening. People say they want a detail but want to pay for a car wash. They compare your prices to the guy down the street that shows up with a giant orbital buffer, some turtle wax and a bottle of armor all. They will stand in line at the Apple store and drop 800 on a phone and not bat an eye but want you to work and sweat outside for 4-8 hours using expensive tools and supplies and want to "get a deal."

I know its our job to educate our clients. Maybe its a personal pet peeve of mine when people just want what they want without taking the time to educate themselves on what they're talking about but either way its a road block for me. I feel like 90% of customers are cheap and don't care as much as I do about their car. lol

So my question is how do I make a flow chart style price menu without it being over whelming? Would it be best to have packages? Or base packages with an ala carte menu? I have no idea. Ultimately what I want is for people to see the site, see what the prices are and what they can expect, and AFTER they are informed and theres no sticker shock THEN call me. I don't like talking price over the phone because I try to be the Ruths Chris of steak houses and not the Outback. They don't know they are calling Ruths Chris when they go steak shopping. lol

Any advice or help would be great. Have a nice day!

[roguerobot]

The flow chart you mention is not a bad idea, but in order to do it, you need to understand what your customers want, what they value, and what they don't. Only then can you get the 'menu' right.

For example: if you don't want to attract customers who just want a quick wash, then do not offer that service. You are not 'losing' customers by not offering it, because you didn't want that customer in the first place! BUT, for this to work, you need to know who your customer is, and what they DO want.

In marketing terms, you need to examine and segment your market, then define targeting strategies for those segments. This means that you design and sell your services to the customer that most appreciates them, and your prices are inline with their expectations.

Your business strategy, marketing, pricing, packaging and even your methods will all align to this targeted segment.

For example, you may decide to service the owners of Ferrari and Maseratti's. This will require a certain set of detailing practices, tools, supplies, and even services. You might need to service cars in a climate controlled garage, wear a custom uniform with company logo, and include working with Qtips to remove dust from stitching on leather, and pricing accordingly. Or you might decide to focus on family vehicles and work on volume, offering Groupons and doing quick washes.

In either case, you can understand that almost everything about your business will be different.

So, from what you have said, you are trying to sell and service a different set of customer from the "Turtle wax guys", but it sounds like you are not finding or identifying those customers. What you want is the customers who don't want the 'Turtle wax guys' to touch their car.

It may very well be that 90% of customers are cheap...so what you want to do is remove those 90% of buyers, to focus on the 10% that are really your customers...or potential customers.

To do this you first need to really look at your market: what is the population, what is the average income, how many and what kind of vehicles do they have? Look at zip codes, and segment on income, vehicles, home square footage...whatever.

Once you determine your segments, then you can create profiles for the segments you think would appreciate your services, as well as determine what services to offer. Then the hard part: identifying and selling to those segments. Here is where advertising comes in: you need to sell to where these customers are: events, magazines, websites. Partner with complementary vendors that are already associated with these segments: auto repair shops, car audio shops, sports leagues, etc etc. Get your name out. Look at new public vehicle registrations, send them a brochure or offer to detail their new car... you get the idea.

Look at your competition, and categorize them: who are they selling to? what segments are they appealing to? Which ones will be your key competitors? Which ones can you ignore? And most importantly, how can you differentiate...what do you do differently from your competitors, that your customer segment will value?

Then tailor your offerings and services to these customers. This might mean picking up cars or performing services in parking lots if customers are busy people. It might mean servicing vehicles in customer's garages, or while they wait for other services. It might mean the use of vehicle brand recommended products, or offering extensive insurance coverage, guarantees, etc. But to figure out what to offer, you need to understand what your target customer wants.

Anyway, the first step is figuring out who you want your customers to be, and whether there are enough of them, and how to find them. If you can't find the customers you want, or determine there are not enough of them, then you need to change your tactics. Rather that offering the services you want to do, they way you want to do it, figure out what people will buy, then offer that.

All of the above is basically part of creating a business plan. After you identify who will buy and how much they can spend, then you need to understand your costs to offer the services. What is left is profit, a critical factor in the success of any business.

[Setec Astronomy]

I know its our job to educate our clients. Maybe its a personal pet peeve of mine when people just want what they want without taking the time to educate themselves on what they're talking about but either way its a road block for me. I feel like 90% of customers are cheap and don't care as much as I do about their car. lol

I think you're looking at it wrong--you need to find those 10 percent that care as much or more about their car as you do. Trying to educate car wash customers that they should be getting a detail instead is the hard way (not that finding those 10% will be easy).

[Mike Phillips]

I think you're looking at it wrong--you need to find those 10 percent that care as much or more about their car as you do. Trying to educate car wash customers that they should be getting a detail instead is the hard way (not that finding those 10% will be easy).

I agree.

You need to target the affluent customer with disposable cash that wants the best quality work not the cheapest.

Any customer that is price shopping will dump you for the next cheapest detailers. I cover techniques for going after top tier customers in my 3-day classes and I'm happy to say most of my students do just this, that is create a customer base of quality, repeat customers and quality referrals.

Are you a member of the IDA?

I'm a board member of the IDA as well as a Certified Trainer and starting with my May class any of my students can take their Skills Validation test on Monday, the day after the normal 3-day class.

The reason I ask if you're a member of the IDA is because one of the main goals of the IDA is to teach detailers how to market themselves as well as educate the general public and this leads to fair pay for quality work.


Also, if you don't have a copy of my VIF forum then reply to this thread and I'll e-mail you the forum and you can edit it to fit your business. This forum is not only a way to protect yourself but a simple way to educate your customer to separate the kind of customers you want to capture.

Mike Phillips VIF or Vehicle Inspection Form



This forum is also coming out as an App to make everything faster and easier for detailers and everyone that replies to the above thread will be notified when the App is ready.

[dcjredline]

I too find it hilarious that people will spend so much $ to have the newest phone and neglect lots of other things in their lives to be "cool"

[jrs1418]

This is the struggle I deal with on a Daily basis, but to make it worse.. I'm at a local mall and get at least 10-15 customers a day asking questions. Ive realized that there's NOTHING you can do about it..

Customers that are going to do research when they want something - Will do research and call you educated.

Customers that will not do research - will just call irregardless of how your website lines up your services.

From just a sales perspective - K.I.S.S. - If you're offering to many package variables you're going to confuse the hell out of the customer, and force them to call you with stupid questions.

Build value in what you do before you speak price. If you speak price first, and it's too high from their perspective, they're going to tune you out. Speak services first and you'll have their attention, then hit them with price.

[jarred767]

Good thread, and definitely one worth subbing to. I've had similar issues in the past as the OP and found that the biggest thing was over time I was able to weed out the price shoppers and focus on people who really truly cared about their car. The best way to weed this out is make sure that you charge accordingly and don't offer "small" details. I like to try and focus on the good quality customers and try and get them to be my return customers. It might not happen overnight, but over time, your clientele will largely consist of these quality customers.

After years of this approach, I felt like it really started working and my average customer has been more closer aligned with the that 10% crowd for the last few years. This past March I moved the business out of state and restarted that whole process, so I'm interested to hear what others have to say as I'm essentially close to square one once again

Good luck with it!

[GSKR]

I started detailing for the local Porsche dealership in 98. Learned a lot and was an enthusiast since then. Doing my own cars and such. In 2007 I started 360detail. It was a small detail service I ran out of the back of my Jeep Unlimited. Last year I decided to take the jump and really sink some cash into the business as far as equipment and exposure goes. I bought an enclosed trailer, upgraded all my tools and equipment, designed my own website, business cards and t-shirts and launched my social media campaign. I actually am surprised how its growing. Good work is the best referral.

HOWEVER. The one part of this that I don't like is the business side. I just want to listen to my tunes and detail the hell out of vehicles and see smiling faces when I'm done. But everyone wants your work for free. Not happening. People say they want a detail but want to pay for a car wash. They compare your prices to the guy down the street that shows up with a giant orbital buffer, some turtle wax and a bottle of armor all. They will stand in line at the Apple store and drop 800 on a phone and not bat an eye but want you to work and sweat outside for 4-8 hours using expensive tools and supplies and want to "get a deal."

I know its our job to educate our clients. Maybe its a personal pet peeve of mine when people just want what they want without taking the time to educate themselves on what they're talking about but either way its a road block for me. I feel like 90% of customers are cheap and don't care as much as I do about their car. lol

So my question is how do I make a flow chart style price menu without it being over whelming? Would it be best to have packages? Or base packages with an ala carte menu? I have no idea. Ultimately what I want is for people to see the site, see what the prices are and what they can expect, and AFTER they are informed and theres no sticker shock THEN call me. I don't like talking price over the phone because I try to be the Ruths Chris of steak houses and not the Outback. They don't know they are calling Ruths Chris when they go steak shopping. lol

Any advice or help would be great. Have a nice day!

You just solved your promblem right there with the steak house comment.If you do this for a living you will starve with that mentality of chasing 500 details.There is nothing wrong with that but in this economy people are looking for price.so mix up your business plan by servicing the masses and the wealthy.

[Kris R]

Such great replies and good ideas. Thank you all! Mike I would like to start using that form and am interested in a class if for no other reason than to validate my skills. thank you!

[mobiledetailingmpls]

First off, great website! Might I ask how much of an investment it was for the trailer and vinyl wrap? I'm sure that's really eye-catching hauled down the road!

Unfortunately, there will always be an element of folks just price-shopping/kicking tires without any real intent. I think it does help to have an easy to read chart comparing packages/pricing. I might be relatively new to the detailing game, but I do have a bit of experience in marketing - remember that internet users have a very short attention span, so the easier it is to a) find a pricing chart and b) decipher the chart, the better the chances your potential client will educate themselves.

Also, I remember reading about using pricing psychology to filter out the less than desirable clients. For example, you could offer 3-4 packages, and make the lowest tier less desirable by pricing it a little higher, meanwhile offering better value with the services you provide into the middle or higher tiers. Essentially, you provide incentive to have clients opts for the higher tiers, which you price accordingly to make it worth your time/effort.