Mobile Detail?

[02blackout]

I want to start gettin a small detailing service going. From neighbors to anybody else, they would (of course) want me to come to them. My garage is spacious, air conditioned, organized, well-lit and so on, I would greatly prefer doing all the work in my garage but some people might not want to drop their vehicle off for awhile (definitely 5+ hours). How can I convince them to drop it off? How does a mobile detailer work? Do they do all the polishing and junk in the persons driveway, I really hope not. Help guys

[Clutch34]

subscribed! I'm looking to do the same thing!

[Mike Phillips]

If your customer's are in the same town and you do quality work then they will bring you their car. It's your job to educate your customer on what you're going to do for them and why you're the best choice as compared to their other options.

If you're going after daily drivers, like an Astro Van for a Soccer Mom or Dad then this type of customer probably won't bring you their car because they're not into their car.

If you're going after people that consider their car an extension of their personality then, for example a Mini Cooper owner, a Corvette owner, a Viper owner, a Mercedes-Benz owner, a BMW owner, a Lexus Owner, a Honda S2000 owner, a Ford F150 owner, etc., if these people are looking for a qualified person that they can trust to touch their baby then they will bring it to you and even arrange for someone to follow them to your house to give them a ride back to their house or to work.

Find a way to educate them is your job. It can be over the phone, (hard), or in person, (better), word-of-mouth is the best but you need to jump start your business to get mouths recommending you.

A business card that is about your customer and not you is a first step. A website with your services, qualifications, prices and examples of your work is also a tool you should use if you're in this for the long run.

If your car looks nice and you keep it clean and shiny all the time then consider putting some kind of signage on your car. Maybe the glass and not the paint.

Most all the cars I've detailed in my life I would categorize as "Special Interest" because they've never been just common daily drivers. They're not always exotics or antiques, but something that's important to the owner.

I'll post some tips on this subject to the best of my ability as I certainly will never claim to be the best sales or marketing guy in this field.

[Impressions]

"It's your job to educate your customer on what you're going to do for them and why you're the best choice as compared to their other options."
"these people are looking for a qualified person that they can trust to touch their baby then they will bring it to you and even arrange for someone to follow them to your house to give them a ride back to their house or to work."

Educating a customer is very important. This will distinguish you from the guy that sells a $79.95 detail.(no offense intended) You need to describe your technique (not in too much detail) and try to build their confidence in your ability to give them a better than new vehicle back.

As Mike said, "Find a way to educate them is your job. It can be over the phone, (hard), or in person, (better), word-of-mouth is the best but you need to jump start your business to get mouths recommending you."

It is very difficult to sell over the phone, develop a technique that will get them to invite you over for a free "estimate" session. People want things for nothing, it makes them feel important. Than have a list of "satisfied customers" that have already agreed to give testimonials.
Good luck

[Showroom Shine]

Educating the customer! Very good point Mike! I'm fully mobile,no building,and I carry it all in my truck. But educating the customer is what helps my business to grow,and get referals.Of course doing good work too. I often get calls from perspective clients trying to describe what problems they have with their vehicle. I try to be polite and tell them I need to come look at the vehicle in question and give them a vehicle evaluation. To see if I can or can't correct or improve the appearence. Alot of people do not know about the processes of detailing. I can't count the times someone has asked what clay barring is and what it will do. Some of the simple things explained to a customer puts them at ease. That You have invested ,money,time and training. Whatever the case maybe to assure that your aim is for them to be happy with the end product!

[sullysdetailing]

Here is some info I gave another member

Hey man,



My name is Conrad and I was just wondering some things about your business. I believe from reading earlier posts that you are a younger guy (18?). I am 18 too and also trying to get into detailing here over the summer/beyond. It is really a passion for me to maintain my own car/ families cars so detailing others cars seems like a logical step. Anyways, just wondering how you got started. From your website, it looks like you get to detail some sick rides (Z06, saw some nice Benz's, ect). How did you go about marketing your services to snag such high end work?



Thanks for any info,

Conrad.

I started by posting pictures of my car fully detailed before and after when I was 16 on local car forums. And I would do that same when I detailed my rents and Friends cars. Then I made some flyers and handed them out to my neighborhood. After that I had 4x6 postcard made and I put them on nice cars I saw. Most of my work come through the forums and word of mouth. if you do a killer job on the guys car he will recommend you to others on the forum. Also when you post in the forums I always put something like Sully's Detailing: 135 ...then in the post i will post South Florida Premiere Detailing Service. So when people search on google for south Florida detailing I will show up

You need to educate yourself so that you can educate your customers, from swirls to the process that you will do to correct there vehicle. Also educate them on the products you will be using and processes. The more you know and can tell them the easier you will get the job

[02blackout]

If your customer's are in the same town and you do quality work then they will bring you their car. It's your job to educate your customer on what you're going to do for them and why you're the best choice as compared to their other options.

If you're going after daily drivers, like an Astro Van for a Soccer Mom or Dad then this type of customer probably won't bring you their car because they're not into their car.

If you're going after people that consider their car an extension of their personality then, for example a Mini Cooper owner, a Corvette owner, a Viper owner, a Mercedes-Benz owner, a BMW owner, a Lexus Owner, a Honda S2000 owner, a Ford F150 owner, etc., if these people are looking for a qualified person that they can trust to touch their baby then they will bring it to you and even arrange for someone to follow them to your house to give them a ride back to their house or to work.

Find a way to educate them is your job. It can be over the phone, (hard), or in person, (better), word-of-mouth is the best but you need to jump start your business to get mouths recommending you.

A business card that is about your customer and not you is a first step. A website with your services, qualifications, prices and examples of your work is also a tool you should use if you're in this for the long run.

If your car looks nice and you keep it clean and shiny all the time then consider putting some kind of signage on your car. Maybe the glass and not the paint.

Most all the cars I've detailed in my life I would categorize as "Special Interest" because they've never been just common daily drivers. They're not always exotics or antiques, but something that's important to the owner.

I'll post some tips on this subject to the best of my ability as I certainly will never claim to be the best sales or marketing guy in this field.

If your customer's are in the same town and you do quality work then they will bring you their car. It's your job to educate your customer on what you're going to do for them and why you're the best choice as compared to their other options.

If you're going after daily drivers, like an Astro Van for a Soccer Mom or Dad then this type of customer probably won't bring you their car because they're not into their car.

If you're going after people that consider their car an extension of their personality then, for example a Mini Cooper owner, a Corvette owner, a Viper owner, a Mercedes-Benz owner, a BMW owner, a Lexus Owner, a Honda S2000 owner, a Ford F150 owner, etc., if these people are looking for a qualified person that they can trust to touch their baby then they will bring it to you and even arrange for someone to follow them to your house to give them a ride back to their house or to work.

Find a way to educate them is your job. It can be over the phone, (hard), or in person, (better), word-of-mouth is the best but you need to jump start your business to get mouths recommending you.

A business card that is about your customer and not you is a first step. A website with your services, qualifications, prices and examples of your work is also a tool you should use if you're in this for the long run.

If your car looks nice and you keep it clean and shiny all the time then consider putting some kind of signage on your car. Maybe the glass and not the paint.

Most all the cars I've detailed in my life I would categorize as "Special Interest" because they've never been just common daily drivers. They're not always exotics or antiques, but something that's important to the owner.

I'll post some tips on this subject to the best of my ability as I certainly will never claim to be the best sales or marketing guy in this field.

Exactly, I really dont wanna detail a soccer moms van or friends '96 Explorer unless they come to me.
As far as getting a business started, I must have to have ALL the products there are then right? So far doing the 2 bucket method, claying, paint cleansing lotion, Klasse AIO, and DoDo Juice has given my car GREAT results. However, I still have light swirls. A potential customer (in my mind) wouldnt find me useful if I dont do paint correction. Is it worth explaining to them the great results I can achieve by using the amazing products I havenow even though I dont have a PC yet? Once I do two or three cars, then I can buy a PC and all of the polishing products and be set to go. I cant tell them, "oh I'll be doing paint correction soon once I get enough money." I already know everything about the pads, techniques, and products even though I dont have them. Just shows much I stalk AG :P

[Mike Phillips]

The Cruel Test Spot - This or that? - Reverse Bait & Switch


The Cruel Test Spot
One thing I've done a lot of in my detailing career that's a little cruel, a little risky but sometimes very effective and that's to do a little test spot on the hood of a potential customer's car to show them what you can do and what can be done for their car's paint.

This can be very effective if the paint is horribly swirled-out or oxidized and of course if they're not ready to hire you after the test spot, then let them get back to you.

Cruel
This is kind of cruel because since most people don't know how to create a totally clear, swirl free finish on their car's paint, by you doing this you'll have created a single spot that will stand out like a Sore Thumb in which their eyes, and all their friends eyes, will be attracted to each time they walk by and look at the car. It can even get you future clients you've never met before.

Risky
It's also kind of risky because it's possible that the person could become annoyed by your artistic work if they decide they don't care if their car's paint looks good or not and want you to "even" out the finish which is another way of saying, "Free Detail". Now that's never happened to me personally but I can see where it's a potential risk. This is why it's very important to Evaluate the Customer before you Evaluate the Car.


Effective
Assuming you make that one little spot look awesome they can either

• Hire you to finish the car
• Try to duplicate what you did on their own
• Try to hire someone that can do what you did

Be sure to point out using the sun or a Brinkman Swirl Finder Light that the results you created are clear, shiny AND swirl-free because any hack detailer can make paint shiny but they can't always make it clear and swirl-free. Using the "Cruel Test Spot Technique" is most effective if you can do on the hood of a car, usually towards the front driver's side, so every time the owner goes to their car they'll see a glimpse or teaser of how the entire car could look.





This or that? Your choice!
My friend Joe aka Superior Shine has a twist on this that's a better marketing approach, what he'll do is two test spots, he'll show a prospective customer what a simple cleaner/wax will do and then he'll do a multiple-step process to a nearby section and then share a little about the difference in complexity, time, labor and materials and let the customer decide which option.

This is a surefire way to get the job because if they don't want the more expensive multi-step show car finish they'll usually want the high quality one-step approach as Joe is very good with any approach and a job is a job. Actually, in some ways, just doing a GREAT one-step is faster and you've already established and grounded their expectations so they're not out of this world.

Genius.




Reverse Bait & Switch
I have yet another well-known detailer buddy that asked to remain anonymous, that has a twist on Joe's approach and that is to offer a very high dollar detail to a prospective customer with a high-end car but then also offer them their very good simple 2-step package that won't remove each and every scratch but will make the car absolutely glow and most of the time the prospective customer will go for the simple 2-step approach which is still in the $400.00 to $600.00 dollar range.

Genius.


Think about it...
Maybe this will spark your imagination to modify one of these techniques or simply incorporate it into your marketing practices.





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[sullysdetailing]

Great read Mike