Marketing detailing services: Paint rejuvination

[Mary S]

I have been trying to research what the competition is like for professional detailing in the Kansas City area. There really is not much competition here.

But what is more, I think this is true in general: A lot of detailing services do not even offer what we call paint cleaning or paint correction. The following is an example, from a detailing service in the Kansas City area, but I don't think this is atypical anywhere:



It looks like otherwise a fine array of detailing services, just that there is nothing beyond car washing and waxing and bug and tar removal that addresses the car's paint.

So my thought is, why not advertise the service as "Paint rejuvination and detailing," where the "paint rejuvination" includes the paint correction or cleaning, and the "detailing" includes all the other detailing services, although of course if you did the correction you would always include washing, claying, waxing, etc.

So in all the marketing fliers, literature, online media, and so forth, you price the paint rejuvination separately, for small, medium, and large vehicles, for 1-pass, 2-pass, 3-pass, which should pretty much cover it. And you explain exactly what that is, because there are some people who don't know, even people who are taking their car to car shows with massive swirls or holograms. And you explain the process and show examples, before and after photographs of what the "paint rejuvination" process can do.

My thoughts are that this kind of approach would bring people in to the service who might not otherwise be in the market for a detailer. Months ago, I was one of those people who had no idea that there was anything you could do for old, tired paint beyond waxing it, other than to repaint it. But also, it would help price out that process, and people who have brand new cars and don't want it, or otherwise don't want to pay for it, you can offer these people detailing services without paint correction.

Any other thoughts about this idea?

[William_F]

Re: Marketing detailing services: Paint rejuvination

I think your thoughts are on point, but since each car is different it would be hard to say how many passes it would take to achieve correction. It would have to be on a case by case basis. Also would need to be careful not to oversell the customer. Not all paint problems can be fixed without some paint and body work. Again, overall you're on the right track.

If you wanted to start a detailing business this would be your market position. You offer services your competition doesn't. That would be a good way to differentiate yourself from everyone else.

[Mary S]

Re: Marketing detailing services: Paint rejuvination

I think your thoughts are on point, but since each car is different it would be hard to say how many passes it would take to achieve correction. It would have to be on a case by case basis. Also would need to be careful not to oversell the customer. Not all paint problems can be fixed without some paint and body work. Again, overall you're on the right track.

If you wanted to start a detailing business this would be your market position. You offer services your competition doesn't. That would be a good way to differentiate yourself from everyone else.

You definitely have good points, some problems can't be fixed with paint correction, especially clear coat failure, and some cars would take more than 3 passes to do the job. I would like to add rock chip repair and paintless dent removal as services though, at some point.

I am still a long way from going professional, but it has been in my thoughts from the beginning, and how I would market it. So far, though, in this area I have only found 1 professional detailer who does the kind of work you see from people on this site. I'm not saying there aren't more, but most people advertising under the "detailing" category consider adding the dressing of tires, vacuuming the interior, and washing windows inside and out to an otherwise automatic car wash as a detail.

[William_F]

Re: Marketing detailing services: Paint rejuvination

I'm in the same boat as you in that I would like to do this for $$$ but am not quite there yet. Of course here in Dallas we have detailers of all sorts. The interesting thing to remember is that every one defines "detailing" differently.

To me before getting into it here and really learning about it, all it meant to me was to wash, wax, vacuum and clean up the inside really well. I had no idea about clay, swirls etc etc.

The key thing to success in any business is adding value. Adding value doesn't mean working for cheap. You can charge more than the guy down the block provided you offer additional services and high quality for that price.

One service I would be interested in offering is a pre sale clean up. In other words, doing just enough work to a car someone is selling to make it just a bit nicer. Would be easy to market if you see a car for sale that might need a little help, the owner's number is right there for you to call and discuss it. I would do things like put UP on cowels and exterior trim, moderate headlight restoration etc.

[ClearlyCoated]

Re: Marketing detailing services: Paint rejuvination

One service I would be interested in offering is a pre sale clean up. In other words, doing just enough work to a car someone is selling to make it just a bit nicer. Would be easy to market if you see a car for sale that might need a little help, the owner's number is right there for you to call and discuss it.

There's an equally lucrative market in lease returns. Folks returning their leased vehicles want to minimize the wear and tear hit that gets assessed by the dealership, so you might want to consider a package that addresses their particular needs.

I know that PDR and Bumper Repair businesses really focus on this aspect of the business.

[Mary S]

Re: Marketing detailing services: Paint rejuvination

I'm in the same boat as you in that I would like to do this for $$$ but am not quite there yet. Of course here in Dallas we have detailers of all sorts. The interesting thing to remember is that every one defines "detailing" differently.

To me before getting into it here and really learning about it, all it meant to me was to wash, wax, vacuum and clean up the inside really well. I had no idea about clay, swirls etc etc.

The key thing to success in any business is adding value. Adding value doesn't mean working for cheap. You can charge more than the guy down the block provided you offer additional services and high quality for that price.

One service I would be interested in offering is a pre sale clean up. In other words, doing just enough work to a car someone is selling to make it just a bit nicer. Would be easy to market if you see a car for sale that might need a little help, the owner's number is right there for you to call and discuss it. I would do things like put UP on cowels and exterior trim, moderate headlight restoration etc.

One approach you could take if you want to help people with pre-sale clean up is to go through people selling their cars on craigslist and drop them an email if you think they could use the help (which most of them could).

Also, I have seen people advertise their detailing services on craigslist. Although, here again there are people lowballing offering very watered-down services for a low price.

[ClearlyCoated]

Re: Marketing detailing services: Paint rejuvination

One approach you could take if you want to help people with pre-sale clean up is to go through people selling their cars on craigslist and drop them an email if you think they could use the help (which most of them could).

Also, I have seen people advertise their detailing services on craigslist. Although, here again there are people lowballing offering very watered-down services for a low price.

Careful, Marcki. There is a disclaimer at the bottom of almost every Craigslist ad that's very easy to overlook:

it's NOT ok to contact this poster with services or other commercial interests

Contacting the seller and disregarding the disclaimer could get your Craigslist account revoked if the seller complains

[Mary S]

Re: Marketing detailing services: Paint rejuvination

Careful, Marcki. There is a disclaimer at the bottom of almost every Craigslist ad that's very easy to overlook:

it's NOT ok to contact this poster with services or other commercial interests

Contacting the seller and disregarding the disclaimer could get your Craigslist account revoked if the seller complains

You're right, it might get you in trouble, although there is no such thing as a craigslist account per se, they might be able to block your email address.

You could case out the used car dealers, who also advertise quite a bit on craigslist too, whose detailing leaves much to be desired and offer your services to them (by phone, or stop by with your immaculately detailed car).

One other way you could make money on craigslist once you had some working capital is to buy some of the vehicles the owner is selling for $500 that (at least they claim) is in good condition except for 1 thing, and they don't have the time to fix it, buy the car, detail it, fix the 1 thing, and sell it yourself, or go for some of the older classic ones. Well, the first one may be beyond restoring the paint, but you get the idea.

http://kansascity.craigslist.org/ctd/1666851103.html

http://kansascity.craigslist.org/cto/1655620757.html

[agp56]

Re: Marketing detailing services: Paint rejuvination

Missouri has a law you need to look into about how many cars you can sell per year without having a business license. It used to be 3 cars per family member per year.

[Mary S]

Re: Marketing detailing services: Paint rejuvination

Missouri has a law you need to look into about how many cars you can sell per year without having a business license. It used to be 3 cars per family member per year.

That's definitely something to keep in mind to do something like this. I don't have enough garage space at home to do this but just throwing out ideas.

When I do go professional, which will probably at least 6 months away, I think from a marketing standpoint, I would be targeting people who just want to make their own car look nicer, especially people who wouldn't have thought it was possible, and also people as close to my home as possible, since starting out I will probably need to work at home and can give someone a lift back to their house. If I can't find people that way I will reach out further. When I have generated the income then I will invest in mobile equipment, like a generator, air compressor, hot water extractor, power washer. And it may not all fit in my Explorer, and no room to put a trailer. So... that's a long way away anyway. I guess I could be trading the Explorer for a truck or van.