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Can a profit be made doing detail during the winter
Posted by Nivek
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Can a profit be made doing detail during the winter November 23, 2004 02:27AM |
Registered: 17 years ago Posts: 1 |
<HTML>I have been doing mobile detailing for over five years full time. Recently I moved to the east coast from Texas for those of you that don't know, it doesn't snow in South Texas so there is year round detailing going on. So my question to the professionals in snow states how do you do it. Oh yeah the summers are so sweet 90% of my business went to detailing Yachts, not boats 5'-30' ft yachts 30'-60' in length. If you own a mobile detailing business and dont go get your peice of this pie your missing out. detailing from $1500.00 - $2500.00 Interior and Exterior. However, now the Marinas are doing winter prep, turning off the water. Tempertures are droing past the degrees to do a great wax job or high speed buff. So how do you survive...</HTML>
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Re: Can a profit be made doing detail during the winter November 23, 2004 02:45AM |
Registered: 17 years ago Posts: 45 |
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Re: Can a profit be made doing detail during the winter November 23, 2004 03:03AM |
Registered: 17 years ago Posts: 505 |
<HTML>I wish I could give you an answer that would solve your concerns, but it would be either very stupid or a lie.
When a mobile detailer is in a "strong winter" area, they must face the reality of the weather, the conditions.
That means, that during the "good months", they have to put away the bucks, work long and hard hours to produce as must income as they can when they can.
Otherwise, when the wind and snow blows, the temperature is below 40F, they are in trouble.
Most of the "advisors" or "training" companies, are from warm weather parts of the country.
Reality sucks, and a mobile detailer must accept the reality of what they are doing, how to control their business, their income and "save, save, save" the income for the 2 to 4 bad weather months.
The one other thing, while it will not be as profitable, is during the bad months, find a dealer, bodyshop, etc, that will pay you something to keep the heat on at the house, and tough it out.
Ketch</HTML>
Do it right or don't do it all!
When a mobile detailer is in a "strong winter" area, they must face the reality of the weather, the conditions.
That means, that during the "good months", they have to put away the bucks, work long and hard hours to produce as must income as they can when they can.
Otherwise, when the wind and snow blows, the temperature is below 40F, they are in trouble.
Most of the "advisors" or "training" companies, are from warm weather parts of the country.
Reality sucks, and a mobile detailer must accept the reality of what they are doing, how to control their business, their income and "save, save, save" the income for the 2 to 4 bad weather months.
The one other thing, while it will not be as profitable, is during the bad months, find a dealer, bodyshop, etc, that will pay you something to keep the heat on at the house, and tough it out.
Ketch</HTML>
Do it right or don't do it all!
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Re: Can a profit be made doing detail during the winter November 23, 2004 03:55AM |
Registered: 17 years ago Posts: 382 |
<HTML>You may also want to consider finding a temporary "real" job for the winter months. Living in Michigan I can tell you that it's just godawful miserable in the winter. And that's for detailers that have a shop or access to a place where they can work indoors.
And that's the hard, cold, honest truth. Let's face it. Here in the Northern climates, nobody gives a rip what their cars look like in the winter because they're all the same color...salt white!! Not only that, but consumer's have been awfully cautious with their money lately. All the dealerships & detail shops I know are seriously wondering if the market's ever going to come back to what it was pre-9/11. Some say it's the worst they've ever seen. I'm inclined to agree with them!</HTML>
Shine On!
Rod Wesley
Touch Up 'N' Go!
Auto & Marine Appearance Center
We take your car from Rough to Buff!
Visit our website at: www.touchupngo.com
And that's the hard, cold, honest truth. Let's face it. Here in the Northern climates, nobody gives a rip what their cars look like in the winter because they're all the same color...salt white!! Not only that, but consumer's have been awfully cautious with their money lately. All the dealerships & detail shops I know are seriously wondering if the market's ever going to come back to what it was pre-9/11. Some say it's the worst they've ever seen. I'm inclined to agree with them!</HTML>
Shine On!
Rod Wesley
Touch Up 'N' Go!
Auto & Marine Appearance Center
We take your car from Rough to Buff!
Visit our website at: www.touchupngo.com
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Re: Can a profit be made doing detail during the winter November 23, 2004 03:56AM |
Registered: 17 years ago Posts: 751 |
<HTML>I'm not mobile, so cant really help you too much, but here are a few ideas ..
Reposting this from a few months ago.
"During the winter months , we neglect our automobiles more than at any other time of the year. The season brings more rain, so more acids on your vehicle finish. Then there is the snow and associated salts that cling to the paint finish, not to mention the regular wear and tear of every day use. A dirtier car means more trips to the car wash and , inevitably, more damage to the finish.
This is an ideal time to educate customers of the benefits of a winter maintenance program. Perhaps monthly washing and waxing, or a paint protection program with good quality sealant. Educate the customer of the damage that overusing the car wash can do to the finish. Educate how a good paint sealant can protect the finish of the car , and how your monthly wash with a good quality detergent can help to maintain that protection. If a customer does not want a monthly program , try every 6 weeks or BI-monthly , and educated customer is much more likely to buy a winter
maintenance program . Try selling it to them during the summer when you detail their car, put a leaflet in the car explaining that the damage is being done to their car year round and not just when the sun shines.
It’s also a time of holidays, start selling gift vouchers for Christmas presents, valid from December through March maybe . Valentines day is another great chance to sell gift certificates, at the risk of deeply offending the woman in your life, maybe an advertising campaign such as ‘treat the one you really love to a treat this Valentines day , get your car detailed at blah blah detailing services”. The ICA also run a campaign around this time called ‘love your car” . I have read that some car wash operators have even taken to giving a 10 % off special for red cars on Valentines day , or try 10% off for green cars around St. Patricks day.
As the bad weather arrives with the slippery roads, so do the car accidents, people sliding off in to the scenery on icy roads, which means the body shops are busier than ever. Try forming a relationship with the local body shops to do their clean up work, or see if they will let you put a flyer in the car advertising your winter protection (bear in mind that newly sprayed auto paint needs time to cure before you apply sealant etc.) . The same with hail repair centers, maybe a pamphlet saying ‘now the outside looks good again, how about the inside “ .
This nasty weather could actually become a detailers best friend if we educate the customers enough.
Dont forget that auto dealers sell just as many cars during the winter as they do during the summer. I work for one , and while the “traffic” (number of customers visiting the dealer) drops quite a bit, the number of sales actually stays about the same . This is because people are actually out to buy a vehicle and not just passing by . So while it is not the work that everyone wants, it is still a source of income during the winter. The money is the same color , no matter if its coming from a retail customer or a dealer.
If you think about it for a while, how do Wal Mart, and the other big retailers get people in when they need them ? The answer is to have sales. Retailers know that small profits are better then no profits at all . How about a 12% off deal through the 12 days of Christmas , or every 12th customer gets a 50% off Christmas present. Try what the retailers do, after all , there’s only one letter difference between being a retailer and a detailer !
Push these promotions on your web site! 24 % of all online shopping is automobile related , more and more people are doing their Christmas shopping online , this is a chance to be a part of it , consider using Google Ad Words to draw visitors to your site. I don’t have any figures , but I am willing to bet that a large majority of the presents wives buy for their husbands are automobile related .
Make sure that any advertising carries the ‘maintenance” word, and educate the customer as to why they need your service."
____________________________________________________________
Ok, last time I posted this, it turned in to an all out flame war , but there really isnt a lot wrong with doing dealer work or body shop clean up work, when the alternative is doing nothing at all.
Jim.</HTML>
Reposting this from a few months ago.
"During the winter months , we neglect our automobiles more than at any other time of the year. The season brings more rain, so more acids on your vehicle finish. Then there is the snow and associated salts that cling to the paint finish, not to mention the regular wear and tear of every day use. A dirtier car means more trips to the car wash and , inevitably, more damage to the finish.
This is an ideal time to educate customers of the benefits of a winter maintenance program. Perhaps monthly washing and waxing, or a paint protection program with good quality sealant. Educate the customer of the damage that overusing the car wash can do to the finish. Educate how a good paint sealant can protect the finish of the car , and how your monthly wash with a good quality detergent can help to maintain that protection. If a customer does not want a monthly program , try every 6 weeks or BI-monthly , and educated customer is much more likely to buy a winter
maintenance program . Try selling it to them during the summer when you detail their car, put a leaflet in the car explaining that the damage is being done to their car year round and not just when the sun shines.
It’s also a time of holidays, start selling gift vouchers for Christmas presents, valid from December through March maybe . Valentines day is another great chance to sell gift certificates, at the risk of deeply offending the woman in your life, maybe an advertising campaign such as ‘treat the one you really love to a treat this Valentines day , get your car detailed at blah blah detailing services”. The ICA also run a campaign around this time called ‘love your car” . I have read that some car wash operators have even taken to giving a 10 % off special for red cars on Valentines day , or try 10% off for green cars around St. Patricks day.
As the bad weather arrives with the slippery roads, so do the car accidents, people sliding off in to the scenery on icy roads, which means the body shops are busier than ever. Try forming a relationship with the local body shops to do their clean up work, or see if they will let you put a flyer in the car advertising your winter protection (bear in mind that newly sprayed auto paint needs time to cure before you apply sealant etc.) . The same with hail repair centers, maybe a pamphlet saying ‘now the outside looks good again, how about the inside “ .
This nasty weather could actually become a detailers best friend if we educate the customers enough.
Dont forget that auto dealers sell just as many cars during the winter as they do during the summer. I work for one , and while the “traffic” (number of customers visiting the dealer) drops quite a bit, the number of sales actually stays about the same . This is because people are actually out to buy a vehicle and not just passing by . So while it is not the work that everyone wants, it is still a source of income during the winter. The money is the same color , no matter if its coming from a retail customer or a dealer.
If you think about it for a while, how do Wal Mart, and the other big retailers get people in when they need them ? The answer is to have sales. Retailers know that small profits are better then no profits at all . How about a 12% off deal through the 12 days of Christmas , or every 12th customer gets a 50% off Christmas present. Try what the retailers do, after all , there’s only one letter difference between being a retailer and a detailer !
Push these promotions on your web site! 24 % of all online shopping is automobile related , more and more people are doing their Christmas shopping online , this is a chance to be a part of it , consider using Google Ad Words to draw visitors to your site. I don’t have any figures , but I am willing to bet that a large majority of the presents wives buy for their husbands are automobile related .
Make sure that any advertising carries the ‘maintenance” word, and educate the customer as to why they need your service."
____________________________________________________________
Ok, last time I posted this, it turned in to an all out flame war , but there really isnt a lot wrong with doing dealer work or body shop clean up work, when the alternative is doing nothing at all.
Jim.</HTML>
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Re: Can a profit be made doing detail during the winter November 23, 2004 04:22AM |
Registered: 17 years ago Posts: 505 |
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Re: Can a profit be made doing detail during the winter November 23, 2004 04:35AM |
Registered: 17 years ago Posts: 751 |
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Re: Can a profit be made doing detail during the winter November 23, 2004 05:01AM |
Registered: 17 years ago Posts: 866 |
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