How to get customers?

[moparboy]

Hello - I have been visiting this forum off and on soaking up as much info as possible. This is a great forum as I have already learned so much.

I would like to pursue auto detailing. I want to do it more often as a side job. I thought it would be a great way to make money and enjoy at the same time. I have always enjoyed cleaning and detailing my vehicles. But I can't get any customers, not even family members will pay me to do there car. Starting to seem like no one want's to spend money for someone to make a vehicle look almost new. But this forum has people that do it as a living and hobby. My question is how did you get started? Whats the best way to attract people? I have bought all kind of supplies. My work sells meguiars and I have bought many of there products and each one does a great job. Any info is appreciated.

Thanks!

[archie2135]

Re: How to get customers?

a lot has to do with what area of the country you live in. it seems like the two coast have a better market for detailing. you need to make up some flyers and everything you go some place leave them on peoples cars. find some local car meets to attend and get the word out that you do auto detailing. you can also offer someone a free service or a large discount on their second service if they get you one customer. when you detail cars, get yourself a banner made up and hang it up. have flyers ready and when people drive by stop them and hand them a flyer. you have to learn to target the people that are into cars and like to have a clean and swirl free car not someone that sees a car just as an object to get from point a to point b and back. it can be a very slow process to start and could take months to even get your first customer. dont let that discourage you because you are doing this for the passion more so than the money.

[pampos]

Re: How to get customers?

The key is the advertising and the people that this advertise goes..If you don't advertise your ''product'' nobody will know what you 'sell'.Also trying to sell ice to an Eskimo it is almost impossible...So if you are going to do it as a second job don't worry too much because you are already have money to come...Try to advertise your job to the correct people....Explain them why it is good for their car to be clean and especially protected with a good wax/LSP just to avoid in the future repainting their cars...Tell them that it is better to pay some money now that a lot of money on the future...Detail some cars for free just to show them your work..Especially do the 50/50 in front of the ''client'' just to see the big difference...
Every car that i detailed for free got my at least 2 customers each....
People cannot imagine the difference so you have to show them....
Choose a couple of your family members that know a lot of people and do their car for free...You have nothing to lose because you like detailing and it will not 'cut' you from doing other cars at the moment...
Hope that help...
Good luck

[Ivan Rajic]

Re: How to get customers?

First of all, you can't expect anyone to pay you until they see what you can do... I'm sure all of us who are doing detailing on a more regular basis (whether you're a pro doing 20 cars/week or someone like me, doing 1-2/week) have had our fair share of free or nearly free detail jobs, earning $1-10/hr. I know I have at least. Start by doing half of each of your family cars... might be weird for a few weeks and they might think it's dumb what you did, but when you start showing the half and half to friends, friends of friends, etc., your work will get noticed.

In short, the answer to your question is CAR SHOWS...

Start hanging out with car guys, people in clubs, groups, etc. head out to some meets, and bring your half/half cars haha... basically, as pompos mentioned above, you need to show what you can do, not simply talk about it... 90% of my clients today come from about a handfull of people who got a full detail for $80-100 (a quality detail though, not one to compare to the usual car wash places' $50-100 "full detail)

Start slow and low while you make a name for yourself, and later the clients come. Good luck and hope this helps

[mirrorfinishman]

Re: How to get customers?

My question is how did you get started? Whats the best way to attract people?

I got started by simply going out there and talking to people. I would introduce myself by telling them my name and begin to briefly explain what it was I could do for their car.

I would set aside every Wednesday and make that the day where I would talk face-to-face with at least twenty five people. Of course, 24 out of 25 would usually turn down my offer, however, I almost always landed at least one new customer. Actually, I always carried all of my detailing supplies with me just in case someone wanted me to go to work right then and there.

In summary, best way for you to attract people to your car detailing service is to talk to people. Just tell them your name and exactly what it is you can do for them. Keep it simple.

[davidadavila]

Re: How to get customers?

i started doing it when i was still in california. just gets some cards online with your name on them you phone number and email, go to car shows, before you do anything get the nastiest car you can probably get to detail and see how good your skills are set yourself limits to what you are confident doing and what you are not, improve on what you dont know...if you want to be concidered a good detailer that you have to know how to use a rotary machine, u need to know how to repair paint, i started detailing cars for people at work, every car show i would go to i would give out my cards...

dont do anything that you are not 100% positive you can accomplish, remember is better to say no than to mess up somebodys car, dont give false expectations, especially if you are a rookie.....
When you first start work for your name, dont work for the money, set yourself a low price and most of the time you are rewarded with a good tip plus the free advertising,
in california in 2006 i made about 2000 grand in additional money working just some weekends, i left my cards at local rim shops or even at sound places......etc
Make sure that you have all your supplies clean and in order, your towels clean,make sure the car that you show up to detail is clean and at its best possible shine....its like an office job dress for success in clean work attire.........
I am in no way an expert, i work in an office everyday and i do detail for fun but that does not mean i dont take my detailing seriously, most people i do work for i have to see the next day at work, i cant afford to have a job......o and use meguires, their stuff is good and affordable

[moparboy]

Re: How to get customers?

Thanks for all the info. I'll definetly give the 50/50 technique a shot and make some cards/flyers. I go to car shows quite often so thats where I can start letting people know who I am. So many great ideas. I know many car people/enthusiasts around my area. Thanks again.

[Kevin Brown]

Re: How to get customers?

One of the best things you can do is to do someone's nice car for FREE.

Make sure it's a nice car, one you can do every week.
It has to be in a high-visibility area.

People living or working in the area will see you over and over and over.

This way, they'll see the nice car frequently.
They will know you made the car clean & shiny.

They'll see that you show up (as scheduled).
This shows that the person getting the car wash is a regular customer.
It also shows that you're reliable.

It's not a bad idea to look like a pro.
Something as simple as a nice t-shirt, shorts, and shoes goes a long way to making a good impression.
A fold-up sign, or even a little detail-cart with a sign attached to it makes it apparent that you want more work!
An inexpensive tool cart keeps things tidy. (Harbor Freight- $39!)

Eventually- Someone WILL stop and ask what you charge.
At that point- You're on your way to building a customer-base!

I speak from experience.
I tried flyers, ads.. NOTHING worked as well as giving away ONE free car wash. After that, things took off!

[pampos]

Re: How to get customers?

One of the best things you can do is to do someone's nice car for FREE.

Make sure it's a nice car, one you can do every week.
It has to be in a high-visibility area.

People living or working in the area will see you over and over and over.

As i told before i agree 100% with that...
for every car i detailed for free i earn two fully paid details on their friends cars.Also it is mutter of luck.For example i detailed a lot of cars but not all of them said something about my job etc,not because they didn't like it but because they had nobody to tell about.When i detailed that Lambo it was my good luck.Now the showroom of the dealer has inside a shiny Lambo and my name/phone number on it .
He was so excited so HE placed the flyers on the car and everywhere on the showroom....So everybody that stop to see the car , he can see also who detailed that car....I was just very very lucky

[Fischer]

Re: How to get customers?

Pampos, how did you manage to detail a dealership car? I found those to be the hardest to land.

[pampos]

Re: How to get customers?

Pampos, how did you manage to detail a dealership car? I found those to be the hardest to land.

i was just lucky...I send an email to a lot of dealers and he was the only one that called me back....This guy imports only such cars in Cyprus,he knows a lot of things about detailing and he has no problem to pay ''normal'' prices for a good job...
i was very very lucky

[bookeem]

Re: How to get customers?

ive been doing just that for months now with no luck, from new dealers, used dealers, limo places, rental car places...

depressing..