Welcome!
» Log In
» Create A New Profile
Home
>
Auto Detailing: Secrets of the Experts
>
Topic
Selling Chemicals
Posted by Dan
|
Selling Chemicals February 22, 2005 10:15PM |
Registered: 17 years ago Posts: 894 |
<HTML>Hey guys, hows it? Im looking into putting together car care kits for my customers who could use it. Some of the stuff Im going to sell may contain some water based solvents. Can someone point me in the direction of how to get started in this. I formulate some of the stuff myself and plan on re-bottling things like leather cleaner, degreaser, conditioners, etc..
I also plan on hosting some seminars for do-it-yourselfers in my area and selling these chemicals to them. Are the laws very strict with this stuff? Thanks!!</HTML>
I also plan on hosting some seminars for do-it-yourselfers in my area and selling these chemicals to them. Are the laws very strict with this stuff? Thanks!!</HTML>
|
Re: Selling Chemicals February 23, 2005 02:12AM |
Registered: 17 years ago Posts: 505 |
<HTML>Sounds good, until you take a hard look at the "product liability" that is "your problem", by doing so.
You may wish to spend a little money now, on exploring this, rather than lose your house, your car, your future chances to make a living.
It is not just "products', but "product liability", which becomes, "your liability".
After all, no reason for me to lie to you, I have been dealing with this issue for 20 plus years.
Ketch</HTML>
Do it right or don't do it all!
You may wish to spend a little money now, on exploring this, rather than lose your house, your car, your future chances to make a living.
It is not just "products', but "product liability", which becomes, "your liability".
After all, no reason for me to lie to you, I have been dealing with this issue for 20 plus years.
Ketch</HTML>
Do it right or don't do it all!
|
Re: Selling Chemicals February 23, 2005 03:14AM |
Registered: 17 years ago Posts: 894 |
<HTML>Thanks Ron, I figured that would be the case.
Do you think that is might be easier to sell basic products that arent governed like car wash soap, leather conditioner, etc..? I dont want to invest too much money, but am willing to fork over some to get this off the ground. Thanks!!</HTML>
Do you think that is might be easier to sell basic products that arent governed like car wash soap, leather conditioner, etc..? I dont want to invest too much money, but am willing to fork over some to get this off the ground. Thanks!!</HTML>
|
Re: Selling Chemicals February 23, 2005 03:29AM |
Registered: 17 years ago Posts: 3,550 |
<HTML>They are all governed by issues related to product liability. If a baby gets your carpet shampoo or carwash shampoo and drinks it you are liable.
Why not simply sell what is already bottled and covered by product liability insurance.
Further, why compete with yourself? If a customer comes to you to detail his car or wash it, why would he want to buy chemicals to do it himself?
Regards
Bud Abraham</HTML>
buda
Why not simply sell what is already bottled and covered by product liability insurance.
Further, why compete with yourself? If a customer comes to you to detail his car or wash it, why would he want to buy chemicals to do it himself?
Regards
Bud Abraham</HTML>
buda
|
Re: Selling Chemicals February 23, 2005 03:42AM |
Registered: 17 years ago Posts: 505 |
<HTML>Dan,
I will be on the west coast, LA for the next 10 days, if you wish to sit down and discuss the "in's and out's" of this idea, I am more than willing to do so.
Just call the office and have them patch you through to my cell, cause I ain't putting than number up here, I get enough calls.
Just let me know.
Ketch</HTML>
Do it right or don't do it all!
I will be on the west coast, LA for the next 10 days, if you wish to sit down and discuss the "in's and out's" of this idea, I am more than willing to do so.
Just call the office and have them patch you through to my cell, cause I ain't putting than number up here, I get enough calls.
Just let me know.
Ketch</HTML>
Do it right or don't do it all!
|
Re: Selling Chemicals February 23, 2005 05:08AM |
Registered: 17 years ago Posts: 64 |
<HTML>Ron named the exact reason why we utilize everyone elses products! Why try and compete with multi-million dollar organizations that specialize in these products?
There are so many good products out there...narrowing down the good supplier will be a good start! We do this same thing for aircraft, RV's and Custom Bikes and they love the kits...all well respected products that cover several needs!
Have fun developing this part of your business as we really enjoy our clients reactions and the fact they love these kits!</HTML>
Renny Doyle
Attention To Details
Aircraft & Auto Detailing
www.detailingsuccess.com
Proud Detailers of Air Force One!
PDTA Member
There are so many good products out there...narrowing down the good supplier will be a good start! We do this same thing for aircraft, RV's and Custom Bikes and they love the kits...all well respected products that cover several needs!
Have fun developing this part of your business as we really enjoy our clients reactions and the fact they love these kits!</HTML>
Renny Doyle
Attention To Details
Aircraft & Auto Detailing
www.detailingsuccess.com
Proud Detailers of Air Force One!
PDTA Member
|
Re: Selling Chemicals February 23, 2005 07:22AM |
Registered: 17 years ago Posts: 866 |
|
Re: Selling Chemicals February 23, 2005 03:17PM |
Registered: 17 years ago Posts: 894 |
<HTML>Bud, I am not after my usual customer that recieves my service. Im after the customer that won't pay for my service and has a couple hours on the weekend to do the job him/herself. My classes will sell the products.
I do have people, and Im sure you all do to, where you detail their car frequently, but they wash it themselves instead of taking it somewhere. This is where you can provide a kit so they dont damage their vehicle.</HTML>
I do have people, and Im sure you all do to, where you detail their car frequently, but they wash it themselves instead of taking it somewhere. This is where you can provide a kit so they dont damage their vehicle.</HTML>
|
Re: Selling Chemicals February 23, 2005 03:19PM |
Registered: 17 years ago Posts: 894 |
|
Re: Selling Chemicals February 23, 2005 03:28PM |
Registered: 17 years ago Posts: 894 |
|
Re: Selling Chemicals February 23, 2005 03:32PM |
Registered: 17 years ago Posts: 894 |
|
Re: Selling Chemicals February 23, 2005 03:40PM |
Registered: 17 years ago Posts: 3,550 |
<HTML>Dan:
If these people do not come to you, how will they know you sell detail products? Seems you would be spending a great deal of money to advertise to consumers who do not come to you letting them know they can come to you.
Why can't they buy, and why would they not buy, from the auto parts stores? They sell Lexol for leather; Meguiar's and other high quality paint sealants and a wide array of tire dressings?
Yes, there are some detail customers who do wash their own car, but if it were me I would discourage them from doing the washing themselves and convince them to let me do it.
I found, when I operated detail centers that very few of my high end customers washed their own cars.
Have never been an advocate of selling products that competed with what I do. If someone asked for products I would give them a FREE sample, good customer relations.
Bud Abraham
DETAIL PLUS SYSTEMS</HTML>
buda
If these people do not come to you, how will they know you sell detail products? Seems you would be spending a great deal of money to advertise to consumers who do not come to you letting them know they can come to you.
Why can't they buy, and why would they not buy, from the auto parts stores? They sell Lexol for leather; Meguiar's and other high quality paint sealants and a wide array of tire dressings?
Yes, there are some detail customers who do wash their own car, but if it were me I would discourage them from doing the washing themselves and convince them to let me do it.
I found, when I operated detail centers that very few of my high end customers washed their own cars.
Have never been an advocate of selling products that competed with what I do. If someone asked for products I would give them a FREE sample, good customer relations.
Bud Abraham
DETAIL PLUS SYSTEMS</HTML>
buda
|
Re: Selling Chemicals February 23, 2005 03:53PM |
Registered: 17 years ago Posts: 237 |
<HTML>Dan,
I just had a look at your web site and it looks pretty good. But there are a few pointers that I can give you which maybe you should change now before it becomes difficult later on.
Firstly, you have a splash page. these are very much out of fashion because search engines consider the index.htm page to be the most important. But search engines also like lots of content and keywords... but a splash page usually only containst a big graphic and the word 'enter'. This tells the search engine nothing about your site.
Secondly, your use of filenames and titles could be better.
For example, if I click on the link that says 'Detailing'. The page adress I am sent to is [www.drapersautoimagery.com]
and the page title is 'No title'
It would be of great benefit to you if the page adress was
[www.drapersautoimagery.com]
and the page title were 'our Detailing - Palos Verdes Penninsula'
However, I may be wrong, but I doubt anybody is ever going to serch for "Detailing Palos Verdes Penninsula", they are more likely to search for the actual names of towns. So mention these places in the page titles or on the pages.
Thirdly, you really need to resize some of your images. I have a 1mb broadband connection and it's still taking a min to load, or the images are refusing to load altogether. This page- [www.drapersautoimagery.com]
has over a megabite of graphics on it.
Other than that, you have done a pretty good job, it's nice and simple and clean, and easy to read. But I can recommend thinking about what people in your area will type into search engines, and putting those keywords on your pages.
I hope this helps</HTML>
I just had a look at your web site and it looks pretty good. But there are a few pointers that I can give you which maybe you should change now before it becomes difficult later on.
Firstly, you have a splash page. these are very much out of fashion because search engines consider the index.htm page to be the most important. But search engines also like lots of content and keywords... but a splash page usually only containst a big graphic and the word 'enter'. This tells the search engine nothing about your site.
Secondly, your use of filenames and titles could be better.
For example, if I click on the link that says 'Detailing'. The page adress I am sent to is [www.drapersautoimagery.com]
and the page title is 'No title'
It would be of great benefit to you if the page adress was
[www.drapersautoimagery.com]
and the page title were 'our Detailing - Palos Verdes Penninsula'
However, I may be wrong, but I doubt anybody is ever going to serch for "Detailing Palos Verdes Penninsula", they are more likely to search for the actual names of towns. So mention these places in the page titles or on the pages.
Thirdly, you really need to resize some of your images. I have a 1mb broadband connection and it's still taking a min to load, or the images are refusing to load altogether. This page- [www.drapersautoimagery.com]
has over a megabite of graphics on it.
Other than that, you have done a pretty good job, it's nice and simple and clean, and easy to read. But I can recommend thinking about what people in your area will type into search engines, and putting those keywords on your pages.
I hope this helps</HTML>
|
Re: Selling Chemicals February 23, 2005 06:50PM |
Registered: 17 years ago Posts: 1,838 |
<HTML>Dan,
Putting together a gift basket for your customers to buy is a great idea if you ask me. We all have our opinions of whether its competing against yourself or just offering products to make a profit.
In my experience, maybe 50-60% of my customers wash their own car while 90% hose down their own boat. But its us they come to for the real work and skilled jobs we do.
An PhD of psychological economics would be better off explaining the reasoning why a customer would buy products from their detailer rather than an auto store, or vice versa. I would have to say preference and the "if its good for him, its good for me" attitude.
The gift basket is a great idea for customers looking to keep their vehicles up to par in between their visits to you. It can be a great Christmas gift for your elite clientel, etc.</HTML>
Take care,
Brian
Precision Auto & Marine
Learn to detail boats! Visit www.detailtheboat.com
Putting together a gift basket for your customers to buy is a great idea if you ask me. We all have our opinions of whether its competing against yourself or just offering products to make a profit.
In my experience, maybe 50-60% of my customers wash their own car while 90% hose down their own boat. But its us they come to for the real work and skilled jobs we do.
An PhD of psychological economics would be better off explaining the reasoning why a customer would buy products from their detailer rather than an auto store, or vice versa. I would have to say preference and the "if its good for him, its good for me" attitude.
The gift basket is a great idea for customers looking to keep their vehicles up to par in between their visits to you. It can be a great Christmas gift for your elite clientel, etc.</HTML>
Take care,
Brian
Precision Auto & Marine
Learn to detail boats! Visit www.detailtheboat.com
|
Re: Selling Chemicals February 23, 2005 07:38PM |
</HTML>
|
Re: Selling Chemicals February 23, 2005 07:38PM |
|
Re: Selling Chemicals February 23, 2005 09:57PM |
Registered: 17 years ago Posts: 894 |
<HTML>Dan Loves Tea,
Thanks for your input, I sincerely appreciate your opinions and time you took to write all that.
I definetely need to do some meta tags with page descriptions and figure out my keywords. I also need to resize the images on my showroom page and link them to larger versions. Hey, thanks!!</HTML>
Thanks for your input, I sincerely appreciate your opinions and time you took to write all that.
I definetely need to do some meta tags with page descriptions and figure out my keywords. I also need to resize the images on my showroom page and link them to larger versions. Hey, thanks!!</HTML>
|
Re: Selling Chemicals February 23, 2005 10:29PM |
Registered: 17 years ago Posts: 894 |
<HTML>Bud,
The people I plan on selling to are people who will attend my class, which I plan on marketing through community recreation centers. These people are my first priority with selling products. My good friend makes a great living marketing his surfing lessons through the same centers, you would be amazed at how many people utilize these classes!
I would have to agree with you about not selling products as a detail shop. That really would not benefit you as a detail center. The customers we have are so "out of the loop" they wouldnt ever go to a fixed detail shop anyway, why when they can and dont mind paying higher prices for someone to go to them. These people I am not targeting. People that call up a detail shop are usually looking for the best price, these are the people I will try to attract with my class.
I disagree with you on trying to convince people for us to wash the car weekly. If I dont offer this service to them, then this person does not fall under my exact profile for our target market. After that thought hits me while Im speaking to the customer, that is a good time to sell them a kit where they can wash and semi maintain the vehicle in between. People buy things all the time that they cant afford to maintain, thats where I come in.
In other words, the people that get detailing done every 6 months, we will try to sell kits to. The people who get our 6 week service done, will get a kit. Weekly customers will not need or appreciate such a thing.
Products sold in stores are absolute garbage. The tools are inferior and the chemicals are too. A person using store bought items will spend too much time cleaning their cars on the weekend, with my process, they will spend half the time.
What Im trying to get at is, selling products will not hurt the detailing side of my business, it might even help it.</HTML>
The people I plan on selling to are people who will attend my class, which I plan on marketing through community recreation centers. These people are my first priority with selling products. My good friend makes a great living marketing his surfing lessons through the same centers, you would be amazed at how many people utilize these classes!
I would have to agree with you about not selling products as a detail shop. That really would not benefit you as a detail center. The customers we have are so "out of the loop" they wouldnt ever go to a fixed detail shop anyway, why when they can and dont mind paying higher prices for someone to go to them. These people I am not targeting. People that call up a detail shop are usually looking for the best price, these are the people I will try to attract with my class.
I disagree with you on trying to convince people for us to wash the car weekly. If I dont offer this service to them, then this person does not fall under my exact profile for our target market. After that thought hits me while Im speaking to the customer, that is a good time to sell them a kit where they can wash and semi maintain the vehicle in between. People buy things all the time that they cant afford to maintain, thats where I come in.
In other words, the people that get detailing done every 6 months, we will try to sell kits to. The people who get our 6 week service done, will get a kit. Weekly customers will not need or appreciate such a thing.
Products sold in stores are absolute garbage. The tools are inferior and the chemicals are too. A person using store bought items will spend too much time cleaning their cars on the weekend, with my process, they will spend half the time.
What Im trying to get at is, selling products will not hurt the detailing side of my business, it might even help it.</HTML>
|
Re: Selling Chemicals February 24, 2005 12:35AM |
Registered: 17 years ago Posts: 3,550 |
<HTML>Thanks for the clarification. I can agree with you that you could probably sell car care products to people that attend the class.
But then again, are you doing these classes to teach people the value of professional detailing or how to do the work themselves?
If you show them how to do it themselves and sell them the products then you are still competing with yourself and every other detailer in the area.
What business are you in? The teaching business or the detailing business?
You are one man and you need to focus on one thing. At least that is what I have heard makes for success, focusing on one thing and being the very best you can be at that one thing.
Best of luck
Bud Abraham</HTML>
buda
But then again, are you doing these classes to teach people the value of professional detailing or how to do the work themselves?
If you show them how to do it themselves and sell them the products then you are still competing with yourself and every other detailer in the area.
What business are you in? The teaching business or the detailing business?
You are one man and you need to focus on one thing. At least that is what I have heard makes for success, focusing on one thing and being the very best you can be at that one thing.
Best of luck
Bud Abraham</HTML>
buda
|
Re: Selling Chemicals February 24, 2005 01:40AM |
Registered: 17 years ago Posts: 1,838 |
|
Re: Selling Chemicals February 24, 2005 06:11AM |
Registered: 17 years ago Posts: 894 |
<HTML>Brian,
Thats who I got the idea from! We use to email each other a couple years ago when he first started. I was pretty close minded about the whole thing until I realized people need some help with this stuff.
Bud,
The people are not going to learn about reconditioning like what detail king and rightlook offer, just the VERY basics, what to do to maintain and do basic cleaning and maintenance, theres a lot to be confused about when you see a million different products at the auto store.
Yes, I am focusing on one thing DETAILING. An ear,nose, and throat doctor doesnt just help you out with your ears. Does he?</HTML>
Thats who I got the idea from! We use to email each other a couple years ago when he first started. I was pretty close minded about the whole thing until I realized people need some help with this stuff.
Bud,
The people are not going to learn about reconditioning like what detail king and rightlook offer, just the VERY basics, what to do to maintain and do basic cleaning and maintenance, theres a lot to be confused about when you see a million different products at the auto store.
Yes, I am focusing on one thing DETAILING. An ear,nose, and throat doctor doesnt just help you out with your ears. Does he?</HTML>
|
Re: Selling Chemicals February 24, 2005 06:51AM |
Registered: 17 years ago Posts: 3,550 |
<HTML>Everyone is entitled to their opinion, that is what is great about this forum and those like this one.
And, in my opinion, a person who is in the business of providing detail services to the motorists who spends their time teaching the motorist how to do anything to their car is competing with themselves and hurting the detail business for others.
What an industry association should be doing is educating the public that they need to have their cars professionally detailed, that "in the driveway cleaning is a thing of the past, and subtely that they don't know what they are doing in any case.
That is my opinion.
Regards
Bud Abraham
DETAL PLUS SYSTEMS</HTML>
buda
And, in my opinion, a person who is in the business of providing detail services to the motorists who spends their time teaching the motorist how to do anything to their car is competing with themselves and hurting the detail business for others.
What an industry association should be doing is educating the public that they need to have their cars professionally detailed, that "in the driveway cleaning is a thing of the past, and subtely that they don't know what they are doing in any case.
That is my opinion.
Regards
Bud Abraham
DETAL PLUS SYSTEMS</HTML>
buda
|
Re: Selling Chemicals February 24, 2005 07:09AM |
Registered: 17 years ago Posts: 866 |
<HTML>I disagree with you Bud. The people that take the class are for the most part arn't the same kind that use my service.
Most of my work is for upper income, affluent and busy people that see the need for my service but have no desire what so ever to perform it themselves.
And for the ones that take the class will still need to bring it to me for buffing, scratch removal, stain removal, etc.....
I teach all my clients about detailing. The more they understand about acid rain, water spots, paint thickness, interior materials, dressings, etc... the more I can justify my higher than average price (in my area anyway) for my detailing.</HTML>
-----------------------------------------------------
Plays in the rain --- www.SuperiorShineDetailing.com
Most of my work is for upper income, affluent and busy people that see the need for my service but have no desire what so ever to perform it themselves.
And for the ones that take the class will still need to bring it to me for buffing, scratch removal, stain removal, etc.....
I teach all my clients about detailing. The more they understand about acid rain, water spots, paint thickness, interior materials, dressings, etc... the more I can justify my higher than average price (in my area anyway) for my detailing.</HTML>
-----------------------------------------------------
Plays in the rain --- www.SuperiorShineDetailing.com
|
Re: Selling Chemicals February 24, 2005 07:22AM |
Registered: 17 years ago Posts: 3,550 |
<HTML>Joe:
Thanks for the reply. As I said, this is what is great about the forums everyone can freely express their opinions.
There is a huge difference between educating your detail customers about car care and what to watch for and when to come to you to have things taken care of like acid rain; rail dust, bird-droppings, etc.
And, teaching classes that encourage people to detail their own cars. I personally think this is counter-productive for the detail industry.
If we are going to educate people do it in such a way that they come away from a class realizing that they CANNOT DO IT THEMSELVES, and need to use a professional detailer.
But to tell them how to care for their car and then sell them products to care for their own car is not good for the industry, in my opinion.
Why waste your time creating competition when that same time could be spent in planning marketing programs to get more business. If you do not need more business then you could spend more time with your family or relaxing.
Again, that is my opinion.
Regards
Bud Abraham
DETAIL PLUS SYSTEMS</HTML>
buda
Thanks for the reply. As I said, this is what is great about the forums everyone can freely express their opinions.
There is a huge difference between educating your detail customers about car care and what to watch for and when to come to you to have things taken care of like acid rain; rail dust, bird-droppings, etc.
And, teaching classes that encourage people to detail their own cars. I personally think this is counter-productive for the detail industry.
If we are going to educate people do it in such a way that they come away from a class realizing that they CANNOT DO IT THEMSELVES, and need to use a professional detailer.
But to tell them how to care for their car and then sell them products to care for their own car is not good for the industry, in my opinion.
Why waste your time creating competition when that same time could be spent in planning marketing programs to get more business. If you do not need more business then you could spend more time with your family or relaxing.
Again, that is my opinion.
Regards
Bud Abraham
DETAIL PLUS SYSTEMS</HTML>
buda
|
Re: Selling Chemicals February 24, 2005 01:19PM |
Registered: 17 years ago Posts: 866 |
<HTML>One of the biggest reasons for teaching a class is income. I have also looked into giving classes and similar type classes charge $10- $50 per class.
If I had a 2 hour class on the proper way to wax/seal your vehicle and had 25 people sign up at lets say $25 each= $625!!! A portion goes to the facility you’re using but the rest remainder is yours. Not bad for two hours of your time.
And remember your teaching people that 99% chance will never be your auto detailing client. Your student is more than likely a blue or white collar employee that is the owner of an 8-10 year old car with plenty of time on their hands rather than a busy business executive or business owner with a disposable income.
If you’re not convinced we may have to agree to disagree.</HTML>
-----------------------------------------------------
Plays in the rain --- www.SuperiorShineDetailing.com
If I had a 2 hour class on the proper way to wax/seal your vehicle and had 25 people sign up at lets say $25 each= $625!!! A portion goes to the facility you’re using but the rest remainder is yours. Not bad for two hours of your time.
And remember your teaching people that 99% chance will never be your auto detailing client. Your student is more than likely a blue or white collar employee that is the owner of an 8-10 year old car with plenty of time on their hands rather than a busy business executive or business owner with a disposable income.
If you’re not convinced we may have to agree to disagree.</HTML>
-----------------------------------------------------
Plays in the rain --- www.SuperiorShineDetailing.com
|
Re: Selling Chemicals February 25, 2005 02:41AM |
Registered: 17 years ago Posts: 894 |
Sorry, only registered users may post in this forum.