How long did it take you and how well did it start off?

[sweatthedetails]

This is the digital age. Don't waste your time with fliers. Car shows are ok to network but most of that crowd is going to be working on their own vehicles. Craigslist is ok to start out on but be prepared for a lot of tire kickers and phishing scams.

Honestly the actual detailing is a small part of the job. You need to be comfortable on the CPU if you want your business to work. I know it sucks, I had to learn all this crap at 40 yo but if you put the time in you will stay busy. I move every couple of years because of the military and have to start over in a different market. But because of the internet I'm turning down business by year 2 every time.

Step 1
GET A WEBSITE
Without a website displaying your work and prices you will never be able to compete. This will also eliminate a lot of those "how much for a detail" calls. People will see a pricing reference on your page and will continue to call you or gasp, say "who does he think he is, Mike Phillips" and not bother you. Also I like to have names for my packages. When someone leaves me a message wanting a specific package I know that's someone I want to deal with and get on the schedule. Because they put the time in to go over my information and make a informed decision on what they want.

Step 2
LEARN TO MANAGE IT YOURSELF. Because you will need to update it often. Get familiar with SEO. This will get you on the first page of searches organically.

Step 3
GET ON GOOGLE MAPS
It's free and almost everybody now days searches for what they want via maps.

Step 4
MAKE A FACEBOOK BUSINESS PAGE TO STAY CONNECTED TO CUSTOMERS
You can also run geographically targeted ads for as low as $20. You are only charged per new "likes" received from potential customer. Great bang for the advertising dollar. Also good for targeting new markets.

Step 5
GET GOOD ON THE PHONE
Practice your script. Learn to sell yourself. Be confident. When I started I would only book 1-5 calls. That number now is closer to 4-5. I have many people tell me they were going to go with another guy because of price but felt more comfortable with me after 1 conversation. This is as important a skill as your actual work.

[TrueColor]

There's a black mini cooper running around near me with a black mirror for his hood but the rest of the car looks like a brillo pad

That is funny