Detail Business Advertising Ideas??

Relaited said:
TG,



I am absolutely saying that. You are in So California, and the game is changing my friend.



If you do not have some type of reclamation system, in the future, not even a vacuboom will be allowed, you will not receive a Business License or more and more a Permit to operate.



I will be giving testimony at the State Water Control Board this Friday on the new NPDES Permit ... what is that you say ... that is what is necessarily going to change. More and more Cities will be requiring a model where you either do not allow discharge to hit the ground, or a contaminant capture system with proper disposal of waste water / contaminants.



In my opinion, any Detailer who is subject to a fine is not a professional.



Do you operate in So California without one? I would be happy to go to any City in Orange County with you, and talk with the Water Quality / Code enforcement people and see what they have to say.



-jim



Hmm, so you have to prove to the city you have a reclaim system? haha ok... Do they include weekly checks to make sure you're using it? I'd love to see how they'd check up on this, and the logistics of using taxpayers money for idiotic stuff like that.



Anyone who is subject to a fine isn't a professional? Well not to put too fine a point on it, but I'm glad your opinion doesn't make policy.



Lets get this thread back on topic eh? This isn't an ego (errrr.... i mean eco) greenie thread. :sosad
 
Hey thanks guys for liking my technique. And yes, I would wash it at home not on the spot.



As my full time job work I work for an ad agency in new york, and we did somthing similar for one of our accounts and we had unbeilivable positive feedback since its unique and different. I figured why cant i do this for my detailing business? It has proven over and over to be a sure head turner, and profit builder.
 
Another sneaky form of marketing is to invest in an A-Frame sign (durable plastic ones) and to obviously set it up near the curb when you pull up to the clients house, but to also set it up when your washing or detailing your own car at your own house.



99.9% of the time the person driving down the block will have no idea that its your house, they will think your just at another job site, thinking that your keeping busy and in demand.
 
AeroCleanse said:
Door magnets with you info on there.



Yes, very inexpensive, but if done right can get you some business. I just upgraded my magnets to vinyl lettering with the hopes of attracting more attention. I kept it simple and tasteful, but you definitely see it.
 
LI Auto Detail said:
Another sneaky form of marketing is to invest in an A-Frame sign (durable plastic ones) and to obviously set it up near the curb when you pull up to the clients house, but to also set it up when your washing or detailing your own car at your own house.



99.9% of the time the person driving down the block will have no idea that its your house, they will think your just at another job site, thinking that your keeping busy and in demand.



I have been looking for those signs.. whats a good site to buy them from?
 
be wary though. Sandwhich boards are illegal in alot of different townships throughout the nation for a various number of reasons. I would definatly check with your local ordinances about rules in placing the "A frame" sandwhich boards. No need to get a fine trying to attract new clients.
 
Jakerooni said:
:wow::nervous2:.. Please tell me your joking? Why would you purposly pour mud and rocks and dirt all over your own car trying to promote your business?? Dangerous game your playing there.

And crazy too. Man just wash ,clay wax and shampoo the car. Don't try any circus stunts. Do good work, respect the customer and above all be Honest.

You will get more customers doing Good Quality Work than any tricks!
 
I have done all of those things (minus the display car- which is awesome, by the way) and I get nothing. 2 months into a LEGAL business and all I get are the customers from before.



Is there a matrix on what works best, IE, adwords compared to yellowpages.com, etc?



I have been joking with my son for about a year now that I am going to go to the local junk yard and find the largest, most faded hood that I can find and tape it off into 4 sections and label them: original, just wax, polished and polished with wax. Take it to the local flea market (largest in the Southeast) and set up a booth. I guess it's not funny anymore and I need to get off my butt and do it.
 
Showroom Shine said:
And crazy too. Man just wash ,clay wax and shampoo the car. Don't try any circus stunts. Do good work, respect the customer and above all be Honest.

You will get more customers doing Good Quality Work than any tricks!



Completely understandable, and definitely very well spoken. But it seems to me this day and age people seem to have tunnel vision when they are walking around, so my "out of the box thinking" tries to break that spell and get people to notice something they might have never even thought about in the first place.



I mean, even if they dont walk over to my truck and take my flyer or card, at least (in my mind) i tried something unique and different and cant say i never attempted.



Plus, im trying to help out the other members on this forum think a little more creatively to build business. You never know what it may spark.



call me crazy.
 
Flawless Image said:
I have been looking for those signs.. whats a good site to buy them from?



esigns.com is where i got mine from. a little on the expensive side, but very durable, fully customizable (as in you can create w/e design you want and just upload it) and easy to store.



i think i would be a good sales person for them. haha
 
LI Auto Detail said:
esigns.com is where i got mine from. a little on the expensive side, but very durable, fully customizable (as in you can create w/e design you want and just upload it) and easy to store.



i think i would be a good sales person for them. haha



The prices are pretty good, not very expensive at all.
 
For some reason I though I remember paying $170 for mine last year. Maybe im thinking of something else. But yea, esigns doesn't disappoint
 
LI Auto Detail said:
For some reason I though I remember paying $170 for mine last year. Maybe im thinking of something else. But yea, esigns doesn't disappoint



Based on the website price info, they seem cheap (in price). I've ordered some samples to check it out.
 
Okay, I will share with you where my customer base all started quickly and easily. One of my best friends from high school went to beauty school and is now a hair stylist. I would work on her and her husband's cars/boat for free because they are such good friends. So she started talking(like most women do in beauty salons) about how nice her cars/boat looked and how it looked better then when she bought it used. Then one after another customers would ask where she got her car done at. It actually works out that how long it takes for someone to get cut and color is similar in length (depending on condition and size of vehicle) to how it takes to detail a car. She also knew which of her customers were so into image that they absolutely could not get their cars done when other customers were doing so.



So beauty salons actually can be gold mines. Work out a deal to do the managers/owners car or one/all the beauticians cars. Depending how much business you get it is beneficial to take care of the whole salons cars.



So I now fully expect everyone to ask their wives and girlfriends where they get their hair done. I bet they have an excellent relationships with their stylist. Watch how quickly your book expands.
 
This idea may work, it did for me. I have a friend who owns a bar/restraunt in our town. I helped him out a few times last year when he was short on help. I bartended the other day for him and was talking to some customers and they asked if this is all I do (bartend) told them no I also own the Auto Detailing place out on the Highway. Well long story short I booked a detail. It was very strange just talking to these people a little bit they wanted to know more about me and it would come up in almost every conversation I had with people. Gave away about 20 cards that night and although booked just 1 I have a feeling it is going to turn into more. I did tell my buddy I would help him out until the summer help arrives!! He pays me to peddle my business!
 
If you live by a beach you could create flyers to put on windshields: "Hate sand in your car?" something to that effect...
 
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