how to get quick high volume retail

Heff

New member
Hey guys, I have a new detail shop with pretty good frontage/traffic, and I was wondering what kind of temporary sign or banner would pull people in, kind of like an impulse purchase? I know it's gonna have to be quick and cheap business, like while you wait washes and waxes for next to nothing, but at this point I'll do $10 washes all day long if it gets people in the door. All of the drive through/cheapo detail shops and car washes are busy all day so I know the business is out there. Also I have been doing the flyers on parking lot cars and haven't gotten any response yet, so I was wondering what flyes, or banners have worked well for you guys?
 
Heff said:
Hey guys, I have a new detail shop with pretty good frontage/traffic, and I was wondering what kind of temporary sign or banner would pull people in, kind of like an impulse purchase? I know it's gonna have to be quick and cheap business, like while you wait washes and waxes for next to nothing, but at this point I'll do $10 washes all day long if it gets people in the door. All of the drive through/cheapo detail shops and car washes are busy all day so I know the business is out there. Also I have been doing the flyers on parking lot cars and haven't gotten any response yet, so I was wondering what flyes, or banners have worked well for you guys?



You may want to try balloons, grand opening signs, dancing bear with your sign?

Sounds funny but it works!

You need to establish a “call to action� in your advertising!!!

No surprise the car flyers didn’t work.

Post your flyer with all the contact information taken out or Pm me. Did you hand out your flyers close to your shop?
 
I actually didnt expect much from the flyers, and I only handed out 120, so far, but 0% response from 120 is the same as 0% of 500, so are flyers a waste of time completely?

as far as the dancing bear and "call to action" I agree, but I was just curious about what specifically the signs or banners should say, what kind of price or deal has worked.

thanks

Heff
 
Heff said:
I actually didnt expect much from the flyers, and I only handed out 120, so far, but 0% response from 120 is the same as 0% of 500, so are flyers a waste of time completely?

as far as the dancing bear and "call to action" I agree, but I was just curious about what specifically the signs or banners should say, what kind of price or deal has worked.

thanks Heff



Not really, handing out flyers is like any other marketing tool, it’s a numbers game on a target market. Your going to have to put out a lot of flyers, 1000 or so for some kind of representation and effectiveness. If you can put out about 200 per day for a week, then decide. If flyers work for you, do you have the time to hand them out every day for the next 6 months and run your business? Since you have a shop your target customers should be within 1/4 to ½ mile in radius. .



This depends on marketing signs or banners.

Who is your target market in the area? What detailing services are you providing for this target market? Who and what is your competition marketing?
 
Yeah, I plan to hand out flyers for another couple of weeks, it only costs me about $25 for 500 so it's not like I'm losing money, if those 500 flyers get me at least one customer, then it's worth it fiscally. As far as my competition, I have never seen any marketing or promotion from them. I think that people just drive by and see cars getting cleaned so they stop by and drive through. Pricewise I'm at or below them. Saturday, I'm going to put a sign out front advertising a saturday only special $10 express wash, and see what happens.

Heff
 
Heff said:
As far as my competition, I have never seen any marketing or promotion from them. I think that people just drive by and see cars getting cleaned so they stop by and drive through. Heff



They don’t do any marketing??? I’m puzzled!!!



Your sign could read, Why are we the best detailer in town?



Let them drive-in and ask you.
 
Heff,



Rather than being concerned with how to get quick high volume retail, maybe it is time for you to review and begin to use some of the marketing, advertising and promotion strategy contained in your business plan. That is always a good starting point for new detailing businesses.
 
Flyers take time to bring in business and you have to put out a lot more than 120. I've had calls within a few days of putting out flyers and once, I got a call about 5 years after putting them out. Some lady had just stuck it in a drawer and found it when cleaning it out one day.



I'm not so sure I'd use low prices to get people in, but maybe offer a quality hand wash for $20 for cars, $25 for trucks and $30 for SUVs. Train people to realize that your shop gives individual attention to each vehicle and paying more is worth it. Just remember that lowering your prices makes it hard to raise them back up.
 
Do you know anyone with a high-dollar sports car? park it out front and work on it-that will get a potential customers attention. There is a low buck detailer that I drive past and he does washes for a local trucking company. That might be good repeat business.
 
The fastest way to how to get high volume retail is Radio!!! I don’t know what it cost in your part of the U.S. but it is $100 a Pop in ours. You need to do 3 a day minium for it to be effective. Do that and you will have high volume retail, guaranteed. You will have to do the dancing bear, balloons and signs too.
 
Scottwax said:
I'm not so sure I'd use low prices to get people in, but maybe offer a quality hand wash for $20 for cars, $25 for trucks and $30 for SUVs. Train people to realize that your shop gives individual attention to each vehicle and paying more is worth it. Just remember that lowering your prices makes it hard to raise them back up.



Agreed.



I was a low priced detailer when I started three years ago and I will never do it again. There are so many negatives to list that comes along with offering a low priced service. Some companies actually get away with it and avoid alot of the headaches, but let me tell you, I'm one of the one's that is living proof that you should never low ball.



I think some good creative marketing and sticking to a reasonable (for the customer) and profitable (for you) price for your services should get you the business you want.
 
I did the same as Aj even the same time frame. Especialy now that I have joined this forum my detailing has improved, and am able to live up to my potential and continue growing. Quality detailers are few and far between. Setting high standards can make your business plentyfull.
 
I just started and i have about 16 cars or so waiting for me to get my pads cause the ones i did so far made my poor pad that came with the PC to rip... I was only using it on low speeds for polishing too thats the sad part...
 
Where in Georgia are you Heff?? Around here the market is flooded with $20 swirl and scratches. Every season one closes and a new one opens...I have yet to see one of them last more than two years.



Don't sell price...you'll lose every time. Sell quality...it will generate better clientel. They will be loyal and will refer you to dozens of like minded folks willing to spend some more $$$ to have it done right.
 
thanks for the advice guys, I know my advantage is quality, I just wanted a way to get customers in the door to show them. I think I'm going to keep doing dealership work for now to pay the bills and let the retail slowly build.
 
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