What happend here?? (business realated)

[tdekany]

Just keep triying - the first time I put flyers by the mailbox (about 150) I got 3 or 4 full details. The client called the very next day. Next time in a different area I put out 50 of them and not one call. Keep trying, and take flyers to dealerships, tuning/stereo shops etc...

They say the only difference between the winner and the looser is that the winner didn't give up - or something like that.

[Ringo]

This is just my opinion....

Please make sure the flyers look professional and give a good description of the services offered. I'm in Maryland and there's no way to get professional detailing services at those prices (your prices may be too low). It's possible that some people may think that you're not professional because the prices are not in line with what other professional detailers are charging. A full detail starting at $99 is pretty cheap?

I agree with the others, forget the rocks. Potential customers may think you're a neighborhood kid instead of a prefessoinal.

[stluciedetail]

Mattz28 : i know. people in this town are cheep and most are crackheads. Maybe i should try other area's. But the thing is i need them to come to me. Or what if i threw everything in my trunk and went to their house?? kind of like mobile detailing without the power washer and hot water. And what do you think i should be charging.

tdekany: isnt it illegal to put stuff in people's mailbox?

Ringo: ahh, what should i be charging? people in this state are cheep so i dont want to scare them. yea i am just a neighborhood kid (18) but i do a really good job. thats what i hear.

[tdekany]

I don't put anything inside the mailbox. I put it between it & the flag.

[rachael]

It has been my experience that face to face contact yields more new business. However, I realize knocking on doors is a slow, intimidating, and possibly dangerous process.
If you prefer to pass something out to the neighborhood, you may need to spend a few more $$ and upgrade from the flyer/bag/rock combo. I agree with the earlier suggestions for door hangers. But, I would affix a full color business card magnet onto the hanger. (BizCard magnets are fairly cheap to have printed (around 25cents per unit if you order 500 or more)). You could pass them out with your flyer/doorhanger. Supply your printshop with an attractive image for your business card magnet. Perhaps use an image of a shiny Viper, Vette, etc. along with a small text overlay of your name & phone. Since its basically a magnet of a cool car, I think alot of men might be inclined to stick it onto the frig, or onto their tool box.
Marketing strategists all stress the importance of repeat exposure, before a purchase is ultimately made. If your magnets end up on alot of refrigerators, your going to get plenty of subliminal exposure.

If you passed out 500 flyers with magnets, and 15% of the magnets get used, and 20% of those eventually called you, that would net 15 new customers (500 x .20 x .15 = 15) --My Geeky Quant Analysis ; )

Assuming your magnet costs were $125 plus your door hanger costs another $40, and assuming $100 for your time. Total investment of $265 is easily mitigated by just a couple of new customers.

Sorry for the rambling. Anyway, I still think face to face is the best, but if your going to use the indirect canvassing approach, give them something that they'll keep.

[Dwayne]

Originally Posted by rachael

It has been my experience that face to face contact yields more new business. However, I realize knocking on doors is a slow, intimidating, and possibly dangerous process.
If you prefer to pass something out to the neighborhood, you may need to spend a few more $$ and upgrade from the flyer/bag/rock combo. I agree with the earlier suggestions for door hangers. But, I would affix a full color business card magnet onto the hanger. (BizCard magnets are fairly cheap to have printed (around 25cents per unit if you order 500 or more)). You could pass them out with your flyer/doorhanger. Supply your printshop with an attractive image for your business card magnet. Perhaps use an image of a shiny Viper, Vette, etc. along with a small text overlay of your name & phone. Since its basically a magnet of a cool car, I think alot of men might be inclined to stick it onto the frig, or onto their tool box.
Marketing strategists all stress the importance of repeat exposure, before a purchase is ultimately made. If your magnets end up on alot of refrigerators, your going to get plenty of subliminal exposure.

If you passed out 500 flyers with magnets, and 15% of the magnets get used, and 20% of those eventually called you, that would net 15 new customers (500 x .20 x .15 = 15) --My Geeky Quant Analysis ; )

Assuming your magnet costs were $125 plus your door hanger costs another $40, and assuming $100 for your time. Total investment of $265 is easily mitigated by just a couple of new customers.

Sorry for the rambling. Anyway, I still think face to face is the best, but if your going to use the indirect canvassing approach, give them something that they'll keep.

Excellent advice and information! This is what Detail City is all about!

[Poorboy]

:yeah

..and nice avatar:naughty

...where's The Fuzz...this lady is smooooth

[The Fuzz]

Originally Posted by Poorboy

:yeah

..and nice avatar:naughty

...where's The Fuzz...this lady is smooooth

I noticed that avatar last week! That is one smooth lady and one smooth car. Now I can say that she is one smooth DC member as well with awesome advice like that. She is smoooooooth with the detailing business information!

I know that what I have with awd330 is special, but I just can't help but think that the Love Buzzard needs to spread his wings and fly once again. :naughty

[Ringo]

[QUOTE=stluciedetail]Mattz28 : i know. people in this town are cheep and most are crackheads. Maybe i should try other area's. But the thing is i need them to come to me. Or what if i threw everything in my trunk and went to their house?? kind of like mobile detailing without the power washer and hot water. And what do you think i should be charging.

tdekany: isnt it illegal to put stuff in people's mailbox?

Ringo: ahh, what should i be charging? people in this state are cheep so i dont want to scare them. yea i am just a neighborhood kid (18) but i do a really good job. thats what i hear.[/QUOTE


I don't know much about your particular area of Florida, but I had a friend in Central Florida and he was charging $175+ for full details (he would have charged more but he had to use the customers water/electricity). Since your 18, meeting people in person would probably work in your favor. Let them know that you have a passion for detailing and would like to start a local business. I noticed that you mention the folks are pretty cheap around there, but you would be surprised on how much people will spend on their cars.

Keep trying and it will work out. People will pay for quality work!!

Rachels comments are terrific...

Good luck

[awd330]

Originally Posted by The Fuzz

I know that what I have with awd330 is special, but I just can't help but think that the Love Buzzard needs to spread his wings and fly once again. :naughty

:boohoo That's okay Fuzz. I'll try to cope. :miss

Back on topic - Any bags with rocks found in my driveway go right into the trash without a second look. I consider it to be littering on my property. Flyers on my mailbox usually receive a cursory glance, but then it's right into the recycling bin from there. If I were looking for a local home contractor service (e.g. handyman, power washing, gutter cleaning, etc.), I normally look in those free circulars that arrive with the regular mail. Some communities call them "Advertisers" or "Pennysavers".

[305Cane]

I hate to bump an old thread, and especially with this being my first post. But since I was lurking and checking out old threads, this one brought up an old story that might be of some help in a random sort of way.

Back when I lived in South Florida and detailed boats for a living, a fellow detailer would use this same method to try and drum up business. He would take a dingy and cruise up and down the canals along the intracoastal, tossing advertising bags filled with sand onto the decks of the boats docked behind private homes.

Problem was, he tossed one onto a boat which had been sitting untouched for a month while the owners were on vacation. The boat sank. Of course it wasn't the ad's fault, just coincidence that the bilge pump failed while his adverstisement was sitting onboard.

But there's the rub. Although he never set foot onboard the vessel, he still couldn't get away from the evidence that his company *may* have been onboard. He ended up getting sued for everything, and subsequently lost his business.

Stick to the Yellow Pages, face to face, or word of mouth, folks.

[ArmstrongDetailing]

Any marketing that involves fliers in plastic bags with rocks or sand is probably never a good idea.

[dave40co]

Originally Posted by norahcrv

:yeah

Sorry, but bags with rocks on my driveway go straight in to my trash can.

I'm with Norah on this, straight to the trash.

[sullysdetailing]

1. Rocks in bag = Bad Idea
2. Raise your prices
3. Either put the post card in the driver door window of cars or punch a hole in the card and use a ruber band to hand them from people doors and mail box.
4. Put and ad up on craigs list
5. Post pics of your dealing here and AG make sure you put your location the body of the text. For example I alway put "South Florida's Premiere Dealing Service" now go on google and search South Florida Detailing and my company shows up.
6. Find shops like performance shops or service shops ask them if they need someone to detail there cars give them 15% off for the first detail and maybe you pick up business and they let you leave business card at their front desk.

Dont give up. it might be slow at first but if you take pride in what you do and your good at what you do word will go around that your the man to call

[ArmstrongDetailing]

Originally Posted by sullysdetailing

3. Either put the post card in the driver door window of cars or punch a hole in the car and use a ruber band to hand them from people doors and mail box.

Did you mean punch a hole in the bag?