Perfect detail market?

I

imported_rookie

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What is the perfect market for detailing?



What places come to mind? Dallas, Atlanta, Fort Lauderdale.



I would think these places because of the economics and the weather these would be the ideal for year round detailing?





Anyone agree or disagree?
 
rookie said:
What is the perfect market for detailing?



What places come to mind? Dallas, Atlanta, Fort Lauderdale.



I would think these places because of the economics and the weather these would be the ideal for year round detailing?





Anyone agree or disagree?
Click to expand...



If this was a mobile business and you'd be working outside often I wouldn't want to work in any of those places. Heat + Humidity isn't my thing.
 
Right I am talking about a mobile business. I should have pointed that out from the get-go.



The reason why I would think those are good places is because there isn't a down-time during the winter..... In the North, you cannot detail outside during the winter.
 
While I don't do this for a living, I do have some long time regulars. I am just as likely to get a call in June as I am December and pretty much never have to schedule around rain. In these parts we pretty much get our last rain in early March or so and it's dry until late November. It's pretty rare to get rain all day let alone two days in a row.*





*El Niño years excluded!
 
My buddy rented a home out in the Hamptons in NY. Land of the rich and famous up here in the North East. When I have visited, there is no shortage of insane cars EVERYWHERE as if you would see a Chevy any place else. The $$$$ would be amazing.



My folks vacationed in Rancho Santa Fe and a few other Cali spots and my old man told me about the boat loads of high end cars. In fact, they were staying in such a nice spa, that my dad rented a Jaguar instead of the traditional Crown Victoria he usually gets on vacations!
 
rookie said:
Right I am talking about a mobile business. I should have pointed that out from the get-go.



The reason why I would think those are good places is because there isn't a down-time during the winter..... In the North, you cannot detail outside during the winter.
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I figured you had winters in mind with those cities, but if you're working year round outside I'd worry about summers too. After having spent 10 years in the mid atlantic and later 5 years in western MT I'll tell you every season I actually prefer western MT for outdoor stuff, and this is coming from someone who prefer's being too hot to too cold! (eastern MT is a different story, they get the extremes). At times when I was younger I did construction and landscaping in each of those places. MT really wasn't that bad for being outside during the day and for the most part it was the nights that were cold. On the otherhand when I was doing landscaping work in the summers in MD it was pure hell at times. I remember days where the heat index and air quality were so bad they were advising people to avoid any outdoor activity...and yet we had jobs to get done.



Now I'm not suggesting MT would be close to ideal for year round outdoor detailing (1st off their economy sucks), but it would be a heck of a lot more livable in the summer. No tornados or hurricanes either. North/South isn't the only thing involved in weather (average Jan. low is the same in Portland & Dallas). I think the midwest and east coast have harshest extremes. Weather wise I'm thinking coastal California cities would be the best bet. They definately have the population and some big pockets of wealth. May be a good spot as long as they don't run out of water or electricity!
 
Dallas is pretty good although when there is an El Nino winter, it can be pretty wet. We have a couple snow/ice days a year, highs mostly in the upper 40's to mid 50's. Uncomfortable but liveable. Summers are fine for me. I grew up in Phoenix so Dallas heat doesn't faze me in the least.



Dallas is also one of those areas where your car is your personality.
 
Most small business owners will tell you that they experience a business cycle where there is a busy time and a slow time. I remember someone telling me that when you are in your own business, it's either feast or famine.



Here in Southern New Jersey the market for detailing is really no different than most other places. The busy time for mobile detailing here is usually from early March thru mid December. Hey, I've actually seen sunny days in January that felt warmer than a cold day in April. It's all relative.
 
Due some Google research for the top ten or twenty zip codes, by per capita income. My shop is in one of those... Business is quite good.



Jim
 
Jimmy, thanks. That is a great idea. I think there was a good point made about extremes, you don't exactly want the cold extremes, but you also do not want the hot extremes.



Thanks for all the responses!!!
 
Jimmy Buffit said:
Due some Google research for the top ten or twenty zip codes, by per capita income. My shop is in one of those... Business is quite good.



Jim
Click to expand...



Thanks for the heads-up Jim. I did that search and here's what I found. I guess that high per capita income level here in Southern New Jersey helps to contribute to the reason why my detailing business has been so successful.



POPULATION, PER-CAPITA INCOME

(last updated on August 2, 2004)



Williamstown NJ, Per-capita income

(2002 dollars).....$39,461



Hamptons NY, Per-capita income

(2002 dollars).....$36,886



Los Angeles CA, Per-capita income

(2002 dollars).....$33,171



Atlanta GA, Per-capita income

(2002 dollars).....$30,563



Fort Lauderdale FL, Per-capita income

(2002 dollars).....$30,311



Dallas TX, Per-capita income

(2002 dollars).....$30,158



Indianapolis, IN, Per-capita income

(2002 dollars).....$29,159
 
Here's more income information from the U.S. Census Bureau website. http://www.census.gov/hhes/income/income03/statemhi.html

----------------------------------------------------------------------



Three-Year-Average Median Household Income by State: 2001-2003



United States.........$43,527



New Jersey.............$55,221

Maryland.................$55,213

New Hampshire......$55,166

Alaska.....................$55,143

Connecticut.............$55,004

Minnesota...............$54,480

Virginia....................$52,587

Massachusetts........$52,084

Delaware.................$50,451

Colorado..................$50,224

Hawaii......................$49,839

Utah.........................$49,143

California..................$48,979

Wisconsin.................$46,782

Nevada.....................$46,118

Washington..............$45,960

Illinois...................... $45,607

Rhode Island............$45,205

Michigan...................$45,176

Nebraska..................$44,357

Pennsylvania............$43,869

Kansas.................... $43,622

Georgia....................$43,535

Ohio.........................$43,535

Missouri....................$43,492

Vermont...................$43,212

New York..................$43,160

District of Columbia...$42,597

Oregon.....................$42,429

Indiana.....................$42,124

Arizona.....................$42,062

Iowa.........................$41,985

Wyoming..................$41,501

Texas.......................$40,934

Idaho.......................$40,230

South Dakota...........$39,829

South Carolina.........$38,791

Florida......................$38,572

North Dakota...........$38,212

Kentucky..................$38,161

North Carolina.........$38,096

Maine......................$37,619

Tennessee..............$37,529

Alabama..................$37,419

Oklahoma...............$36,733

New Mexico............$35,265

Montana.................$34,375

Louisiana................$34,307

Arkansas................$33,259

Mississippi..............$31,887

West Virginia..........$31,210



1/ The 3-year-average median is the sum of 3 inflation-adjusted single-year medians divided by 3.

2/ Excludes the District of Columbia.



Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Current Population Survey, 2002, 2003, and 2004 Annual Social and Economic Supplements. http://www.census.gov/hhes/income/income03/statemhi.html
 
Regarding income per state.....



consider the cost of living, folks.



I can live better on $20,000 per year in low-housing-cost Nebraska than someone making $50,000 in an area where an el cheapo roach-infested apartment costs $1,500 per month!!!!!



Just take those figures with the proverbial grain of salt.



Regarding business fluctuations..... there are several marketing tactics to increase your slack period business.



For starters, just one idea among many....... when the known slow period is approaching give your customer a coupon that offers X amount off their detailing the next time they return when the friend/co-worker/neighbor/etc redeems the coupon when THEY show up for a detailing. You may want to offer the lower cost detail job to the new customer. And, have an expiration date on it...... has to be used by such-and-such a date that coincides with your slow period.



There are MANY methods to increase biz during the slack periods. One thing to do is consider WHY is it a slack period. Is it winter time? Perhaps you can concentrate on corrosion prevention by getting that dried salt off the vehicle.



Is it because Christmas is approaching and folk's minds are on the holiday season? Well, heck!!!! The answer is obvious!!!! Get out there and sell gift certificates for your service!!!!!! Have different prices for the certificate with the lowest price to purchase the certificate given for when it is used during the slack period. Charge more for the busier periods. Folks like options and some will buy for the busy period but expect many to buy the ones limited to your slow period.



Be creative. Let folks know they can increase the value of their car/truck at selling or trade-in time by having it look its best. During the slow period keep your eye open for vehicles with "for sale" signs on them, especially the dirty ones that have been sitting. Call the number and inform them you can help sell their car and maximize the sale price by detailing it.



So many marketing methods...... watch what other industries do. See a good idea? Alter it to fit your business.



Of course, some of you may be so busy already you don't need to employ marketing tactics. For those of you who do need more biz.... well, corporate America hasn't spent BILLIONS of dollars on marketing research for nuthin'!!!!!!!
 
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