A marketing approach

G

getcha

New member
All of the work I do, I get by word of mouth passed along or directly myself. I run a pretty private operation have been very good on keeping this to keep client integrity up. I can deliver everything expected and vice versa. I was thinking that eventually down the grapevine I would have a customer who knew someone in at least one of few of these very wealth(like almost obscene wealth) areas around me. Nothing yet.



I now want to target them for the spring and summer and am very unsure how to do so. I have gone back and forth with how to approach these people. They are never outside their houses, never see them in their cars so thats out. I have now been thinking of literally going door to door(which I'm almost sure will be perceived as rude or intrusive) OR typing up a letter explaining briefly what I'm about, signing it and including a card, sealing in an envelope and placing in their mailbox.



Open to all suggestions. Keep in mind I am normally referral and word of mouth grown.



Thanks guys and gals
 
I have had very good luck with direct mail. I use a company called United Marketing that sends out an envelope with 30 or so coupons eight times a year. I pick the zones that I want to mail to based on their proximity to me and abundance of wealthy neighborhoods. Each zone has 10,000 recipients which are mostly single family or town homes. I am currently doing three zones close to me. The company takes care of the ad design, printing, collating, postage, and mailing.
 
getcha said:
OR typing up a letter explaining briefly what I'm about, signing it and including a card, sealing in an envelope and placing in their mailbox.
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To me it sounds like you are thinking of just delivering these yourself. I believe, but am not 100% sure, that putting items in a mailbox is a Federal Offense. Now would someone really use it against you... I don't know, but why risk it? :nixweiss



I'd highly advise against it and suggest putting up the small amount for the postage if you wanted to go that route. I know I hate when people leave things in OR on my mailbox.
 
In my experience, you are better off indirectly marketing toward them. Unless you know them or have met them in public (at a gas station, country club, restaurant, etc.) you will find it hard to 'sell yourself' that narrowly with a letter or mailer. I have had great response selling in public to individuals that I spot as potential clients, but you have to have that personality and be very good at sales.



The roundabout way to do this is to offer your services or even donate a detail to a business as a performance award or bonus gift. Typically (at least in my area) the top bread earners are lawyers and doctors. So go to a law office and give them a gift certificate, explain your business and what you would like to do, and ask if you can leave some business cards or speak with the owners.



Wealthy people do not like being targeted as 'cash cows'. However, with the right approach and technique, you can market toward them. Just know what needs or wants of theirs you are going to fulfill and why they should choose you. Most of these people are not concerned about cost. If they make a certain amount per hour (I've found $75 per hour, or $150k per year), there are certain daily tasks that they can assign to laborers because it is financially ridiculous to do it themselves. This would be occupations like a home cleaning service, laundry, gardener, and detailer.



The 'time is money' mantra is never more accurate than to this type of client. If it takes them 30 minutes to wash their own car, that is possibly worth $40 to them just so they don't have to lose work or leisure time. This is just a mind-set that most people just do not understand, but it is completely different than how the majority of the country has grown up. Understand your client so you know how to sell to them.
 
Holden_C04 said:
The thing about the rich is they are generally cheap ;)
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Funny you think that, cause I typically find them to be very generous and great tippers as well, especially after a full 8 hour day on there beloved car.



The super wealthy have there priorities preferences just like the middle class do so they will spend there money on what's important to them.
 
I would wait for them to come to you. Sometimes just having the right products, like Zymol estate glazes is enough to get people in the door. I work on a lot of high end cars, and find that these customers demand not only a great detail, but also demand that you have a high-level insurance policy, and good record with other such vehicles. If you want Ferrari's and Bentley's you better be able to assure your customers that his/her car is going to be babied while they are gone, and if anything happens to the car, you are capable of taking care of them, and their baby.



John
 
I never do market towards people. Luckily I started off and I am able to get more and more clients albeit a bit slower than true marketing because my work speaks for itself.

I have also found that people love to be able to say they have someone who comes and takes care of their cars. I also find people like to have a feeling(while they do understand its a business) that I AM semi private and that I dont offer my services to every single person. If they wanted that they could go to a commercially run place locally, granted the results would be different.

So I am not comfortable with mail marketing just because of the group of people I do work for. They like that I am their guy and they like that I dont offer to everyone and that they are in a niche of clients so to speak.
 
[quote name='twitch']To me it sounds like you are thinking of just delivering these yourself. I believe, but am not 100% sure, that putting items in a mailbox is a Federal Offense. Now would someone really use it against you... I don't know, but why risk it? :nixweiss/QUOTE]



It is indeed against postal regulations. Got a call from my local postmaster a couple of months ago when I did that. I got excited when she asked if it was XXX detailing. Thought I had a customer.
 
getcha said:
I never do market towards people. Luckily I started off and I am able to get more and more clients albeit a bit slower than true marketing because my work speaks for itself.

I have also found that people love to be able to say they have someone who comes and takes care of their cars. I also find people like to have a feeling(while they do understand its a business) that I AM semi private and that I dont offer my services to every single person. If they wanted that they could go to a commercially run place locally, granted the results would be different.

So I am not comfortable with mail marketing just because of the group of people I do work for. They like that I am their guy and they like that I dont offer to everyone and that they are in a niche of clients so to speak.
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You asked how to reach the people in the wealthy areas correct? What is it you do not like about direct mail? I have used direct mail to target people in the wealthy areas with good success. Like you, I offer highly personal service and do outstanding work. Many of my customers come from word of mouth too. I also prefer to do detail work for people who truly care about their cars and who value regular detailing. The difference may be that I do this full time and can not wait for the customers to come to me. I mentioned the direct mail because it works.
 
I did Brad and I appreciate your input I was looking to hopefully find a way to be a bit more personal with these people compared to something like direct mail as you mentioned simply because it is more personal and to a lesser degree could be less overhead to me.
 
A well designed piece can be fairly personal. When considering cost, take into consideration your opportunity cost of doing in person sales calls. In other words the time lost doing sales, when you could be detailing, making money in another job, or spending time with friends/family. Direct marketing is a bit expensive, but it allows you to reach large numbers of people and you do not have to spend any of your time doing it. Anyways good luck finding those who truly value detailing. I sure wish there was magic bullet to find them.
 
Except for retail, where I have spent $20-30,000 per month on newspaper ads, I have never had any luck with anything other than word-of-mouth.



My detailing site brings in inquiries, which eventually materailize. I wouldnt plan paying my bills from it alone though.



People here talking and writing helps. But it's still word-of-mouth.



My existing clients have been the number 1 source of additional business. Again word-of-mouth.



$75/hr does not = "Rich" in any part of the country. Dont market to these people should be able to identify them.
 
One approach that I am trying this year is donating "silent auction" prizes at local live Theatres, Hospitals and charity golf events. In my area, there are many "Gala" events at local theatres and hospitals that charge $75-150+ per person for a wine and cheese night to raise money for charity. They often have silent auctions at these events and I am going to donate a "full detail" package. I will have a professionally designed poster board with some pictures and a creative description of what will be done to their car and they bid on it. Business cards will be left in that area for interested people as well.



I have been to several of these functions and every person seems to look over all items. You get your name out to your target audience at these events. You will get a donation receipt for your taxes, and the lucky winner will get a great detail done and will tell others plus all the other customers who took your business cards during the night. The first event is in 2 weeks, so we will see how it goes!
 
I have donated to many silent auctions and they always have materialized into more business. A very good method of promotion, IMO.
 
Todd how would you go about trying to earn the business of an almost separate section of town without advertising? As if that makes sense..
 
todd@bsaw said:
I have donated to many silent auctions and they always have materialized into more business. A very good method of promotion, IMO.
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Todd, you couldnt have said it better!! Donate your services at an auction!! Think about it, if its a large auction...everyone goes and reads what each product or item is. Thats close to 400 people just SEEING your name! Yea, most will walk by because they dont need it, but some person with money to spend will grab it up! Dont offer your top service, but go over the top when you perform the detail! Its the whole WOW factor!



I was lucky enough to place a couple of my business cards with a flyer for a silent auction, all of the cards were taken! Maybe someone threw them away, maybe not! But its getting my name out there!



I think someone also said previously, offer a free detail to doctors or lawyers...they all know other doctors and lawyers...then thats where you word of mouth comes in!
 
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