I feel like I scare possible customers away

[Buckskincolt]

I think you should invest a little more time in selling the customers. I think I'd say I need to see your car inorder to give you an accurate price.

They sound like a competitor checking your rates if you ask me.

Try saying something like, that process would cost between $240 - $300 depending on the condition of the car and the products selected, there are several options for you to choose from. To give you an accurate price I would need to see the vehicle, when can I make you an appointment for a quote and to give you a chance to see what I have available? If they are serious they will take the next step, if they are fishing or a competitor they will run.

Seeing someone face to face will be a lot easier to close the deal, and also this method will keep your competitors from pinpointing your fees making it more difficult for them to undercut you.

[Vegas Transplant]

Buckskincolt nailed it in his thorough reply.

Potential customers do not have the 'trained eye' that you possess, and many times a three step is not necessary for full correction.
Not only that, but many product lines suggest and pro detailers use a combination of compound/polish on their pads to eliminate steps in the detailing process.
Also, the use of products like Hyperpolish/mf pads, or AIO's (with/without added polish on pad) can finish out LSP ready in some instances.

[Cosmin]

Hello everyone!

For some reason I feel like I scare people away when I start telling them how much I charge for a detail.
What am i doing wrong?

you do a lot of mistakes.

1. you quote a car you never see , you have no idea what kind of job you get into.
2. poor customer service , add more details about what you charge for , what he gets for the money
3. be more confident in your work , will help you to sell strong
4. add an act of action when you price a project
5. dropping your price too much , make you even more cheap , so add value , not with price but with knowledge
6. sometimes the client can`t afford your service , live with it
7. if you think the client can be a long term than drop the price or keep the price but add some extra work/service
8. i never beg for a job , "let me know if you are interested", you can say " let me know what works for you" , he contact you already so he is interested.
9. have a website that sells your work , your skills , when a client call me he knows few things: i deliver results , i deal with expensive cars , others trust me and my work already, i am "professional"/"expert"
10. when the client request swirl free and he is in doubt , ask for a test spot to see what he pays for or to see the diferance.
11. when the clients fishing around , ask them straight what`s the budget and what they wanna have done , based of that you tell them what you can do for that , as an example they ask for swirl free but the budget is way low than what you charge for a full exterior , do only the paint if fits in your package , so no wheels , interior etc , you will have an happy client , you address the issue and you got the money for correction.
12. if i don`t trust a client , i don`t work for him , so go out there see the car and meet the owner, that way you give him chance to decide if you are capable to deliver results.
13. address any client as a business man not as a detailer

good luck ,
Cosmin

[Royaldetail]

Next time try to set up an appointmentfor a free estimate and do a thorough walk around make sure the customer knows what they're getting for that price.Point out everything on the vehicle I think it's easier that way to close the deal

[DetailedByPrecision]

Cosmin, thank you for your knowledge in the detailing industry and as a businessman. I always learn something new from you.

[imranhakro]

I share my personal experiance here:

• I never quote the exact price without seeing the car. I tell my client a wide range of fee depending on the paint condition and customer's requirement.
  
• It also depends on customer profile. I analyze customer's social network/gathering, profession, intrests and other factors, which give me an idea of how much business he can bring in / attract for me. Because word of mouth does wonders.
  
• I never detail any walk-in customer's car. i only detail the references that my current clients make. This creates a chain of satisfied customers, who trust u and u dont even have to negotiate the fee

[A-train]

Cosmin makes a very knowledgeable assessment and provides some good insight.

I agree that when you meet the customer and start walking through each process:
presoak, decon, wash, clay, rinse, prep, wheels and tires, 3 step polish, sealant etc....and they get the appreciation for how long and meticlous each step is the chances of closing the deal is substantially higher. That is very hard to do through text, not saying that's your fault that's just the hand you were dealt at the time. Some of the videos i watch on closing the deal say that every day that goes by after the intial contact with the customer the likelyhood of them using your services decreased by 10 percent a day.

[mwoolfso]

I share my personal experiance here:

• I never quote the exact price without seeing the car. I tell my client a wide range of fee depending on the paint condition and customer's requirement.
• It also depends on customer profile. I analyze customer's social network/gathering, profession, intrests and other factors, which give me an idea of how much business he can bring in / attract for me. Because word of mouth does wonders.
• I never detail any walk-in customer's car. i only detail the references that my current clients make. This creates a chain of satisfied customers, who trust u and u dont even have to negotiate the fee

+1... when it comes to detailing the prospective client is buying YOU moreso than your service; simply because they have to decide whether or not they are going to trust you with the second or third most expensive purchase in their lives.

You need to meet with them, interact with them, let them see your past work, tell them what to expect relative to their goals and needs for this transaction (e.g. - price, results, etc...)

[BorisC]

As others have said, it could be competitors so do the same. Find out what other detailers in your area are charging & what exactly they are doing for that price. This way when a customer says 'that's to much' you can reply 'compared to who?'

If they insist on a price w/o seeing the car simply tell them you can't give an accurate estimate until you do see the car but a full detail starts at $xxx.xx. Then immediately ask when is a convenient time to inspect the car.

You're also giving them an 'out' by saying 'let me know if you're interested'. Take on the attitude that's it's a done deal right from the start w/o being arrogant though.

[alko]

Some very good advice here...I have this problem as well, and Cosmin and Buckskin have given me alot to think about. Thanks, OP, for posting this.