55 Ferraris , 12 Porsches , 2 Bentleys + .. in 8 months!
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Hi Mike , got your advice to write this up...
i hope it will inspire new detailers and new business detailers , and the old one`s too.
i move to Austin , Tx in february 2010. i was jobless for 2 months, new city , no income and trash by some POS company where i had 2 interviews and they not even told me they got someone else.
i detail as side for 1year and a half but not exotics or stuff like this.
in april i got my dba and i plan the business: luxury and exotics
yes! u have to plan that, is all about planing and goals.
i use a simple software to get my website together. the first 2-3 months in business i charge up to 30-50% off and get things moving.
i did hit few forums , but no luck. i did try magazine ad , no luck , i did hit few dealership doors and they kind of laugh at me but i told them straight: "u will hear about me sooner or later!" , i left bcards in car windows , i give bcards everywhere. NOTHING , some things works for others some not. but i did try it.
finally i start reading about marketing and got adwords google , and few more others web marketing stuff. another boom was p-cards , is a big investment but it pays in a long run.
after 8 months of detailing as a business i rich and beat my goal every time , got from jobless to $5200 a month. and i know i can pull 6-7 by myself and have sunday and maybe some saturdays off.
as cars.... i work on dream cars: 55 ferrari ( Formula F1 , Enzo , 458 ,california , 599, f430 , 360 , 612 scaglietti, testarossa , maranello, 355) , 12 porsche , 2 bentley , 1 aston martin , 1 rolls royce and a lot more bmw, mercedes etc. wasn`t all of them corrections or polish involved , but not everyone want the full deal. u have to adapt your service to get the most out of it.
my future plans is get a helper in 3-4 mo from now and push to 10k a month. i know is possible , is just have to get the right ingredients... and i will have them.
about dealer work , is good to have an account if they can afford your service. of course i try get a deal from there , i do give a deal price in exchange of giving out some business cards.
as soon as i start as a business i realize that getting regular clients is a big step. monthly or weekly is just great.
when i have a new client i usually go to see the car first , inspected , talk with the owner and after that i shoot an email with few quotes based of what needs to be done and what i think will help to get a better condition of the paint /interior.
when i email a quote i always put 30 days expiration , i give available days to be choose.
if the client is serious about getting the car detailed is all set , the day time , and the process. i focus on 1 -2 cars a day , but if light maintenance as wash wax , i can pull few cars a day.
talking about competition.... my first words was... "i don`t care". are a lot of cars in this town and is up to each one to get the best out of it. so i see my things and they see theirs...i am friendly and open to any detailers gtg , or similar things .
i don`t see competition as competition. i know they are there they do good /great jobs but i have other things to focus on than waste time what A or B does. i have my own plans and rules and i follow them.
in the last few mo , 1/2 from each mo income went back to marketing. if u are superman and no one knows , u are nothing! so get your word out.
if u plan make profit from detailing think it as a business , is more important. if u focus on detailing u may loose some bucks , clients , time and energy.
i see few post here and there of "how" a detail should be... well when u detail for living things change, u don`t have time for 200 pictures from 20 angles each wheel.
what`s on my schedule: correction on black porsche 911 , correction on black GTR`s, 2011 white bentley correction , maybe a light polish GT40 to get it ready for sale - pending.
english is my second language so don`t be mean.
Time is Money!
Think first , Money after!
Cosmin
as you can see the winter affect me a little , but spring and summer is where my plans are.
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Originally Posted by Puckman
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