Business cards on your car
Discussion
Now, ive never been one to do this and after making a comment on another thread, i got to thinking. What would you think if a detailer, like myself, left a business card on your door/window or windscreen, where you could see it?
Would you think "oh, i didnt know about any detailers around here, i'll give him a call" or would you think "how dare he put that on my car. Even if i wanted it doing, im not going to use him..."?
Its a grey area and i guess each person is different. I know word of mouth is the best way and i would like to think that as a detailer, im well thought of on here, but there are people that are not in the know and something like that might be a good idea......What do you guys think?
Francis
Would you think "oh, i didnt know about any detailers around here, i'll give him a call" or would you think "how dare he put that on my car. Even if i wanted it doing, im not going to use him..."?
Its a grey area and i guess each person is different. I know word of mouth is the best way and i would like to think that as a detailer, im well thought of on here, but there are people that are not in the know and something like that might be a good idea......What do you guys think?
Francis
Straight in the bin along with other stuff that some bugger puts under my windscreen wipers.
No offence to you but there's no way I'd spend a few hundred pounds on the basis of a card on my car. Recommendations from friends or pistonheads only.
Genuinely - best of luck with growing your business.
No offence to you but there's no way I'd spend a few hundred pounds on the basis of a card on my car. Recommendations from friends or pistonheads only.
Genuinely - best of luck with growing your business.
paddy328 said:
Thought so. Dont get me wrong, this is not a ploy of "help me, i need to get more work" I have a regular client base and have been doing this for a number of years and im very good at what i do, swissvax authorised and all that jazz, I was just curious to be honest.
Mate, I think this will get a mixed response... We all get rubbish shoved under the wiper blades but lets be honest, for every 1 person that throws it away, 5 will read it.. And then if you have bothered to put it on a car, you obviously think that the car is worth the money to have a detail carried out on... A compliment to the owner!!Trust me I know what it is like, being out there trying to get more work... 5 years ago I was out leaflet dropping my own stuff through peoples doors, rain or shine!! Keep it up and it will pay off....
Carry on and do what you think is right, its tough out there at the moment and people are spending less.... Lots of nice cars in need of attention to detail.....
Appreciate that mate. I think i have only put my card on two cars in all the time ive been a pro detailer, even though ive seen some supercars that need to be rescued.
However, i think this thread will be taken as a "help, i have no work thread" which isnt the case. I travel all over (mainly london and around here) detailing high end cars, mostly astons and the usual ferrari's and lambo's etc and im doing well. The winter months arent always the best though, but when you focus on the kind of cars i detail, come the winter, alot of clients put their toys away till the spring. Im busy, but every detailer out there will tell you its always good to have more work coming in, especially in the winter time. I was just curious about the card thing thats all.
However, i think this thread will be taken as a "help, i have no work thread" which isnt the case. I travel all over (mainly london and around here) detailing high end cars, mostly astons and the usual ferrari's and lambo's etc and im doing well. The winter months arent always the best though, but when you focus on the kind of cars i detail, come the winter, alot of clients put their toys away till the spring. Im busy, but every detailer out there will tell you its always good to have more work coming in, especially in the winter time. I was just curious about the card thing thats all.
Paddy, during a downturn of sorts it does make sense to adopt the 'safety in numbers' approach.
Forming strategic alliances with related companies, many of whom will be in a similar situation, can be an effective defensive strategy.
As a silly example, progressive high end Dealers would see your bespoke services as an 'added value' item to their portfolio of services, something that they could push for you whereby they are afforded an introductory commission as well as informing customers that they have negotiated preferential rates for your private services. Always helps if you tweak your retail price upwards before entering this strategy.
Car wash companies could also add your services to their portfolio. The argument that Dealers and car wash companies already perform these activities in-house does not hold water (sorry). Your services are the private health care of the nhs, whereby people are willing to pay for excellence (perceived or not).
You look at car companies and they all have their own high-end range which does not duplicate nor compete with their standard models - Audi, Lexus, Ferarsi etc.
You have already formed such alliances with your suppliers so this should not be a problem.
Good luck matey
Forming strategic alliances with related companies, many of whom will be in a similar situation, can be an effective defensive strategy.
As a silly example, progressive high end Dealers would see your bespoke services as an 'added value' item to their portfolio of services, something that they could push for you whereby they are afforded an introductory commission as well as informing customers that they have negotiated preferential rates for your private services. Always helps if you tweak your retail price upwards before entering this strategy.
Car wash companies could also add your services to their portfolio. The argument that Dealers and car wash companies already perform these activities in-house does not hold water (sorry). Your services are the private health care of the nhs, whereby people are willing to pay for excellence (perceived or not).
You look at car companies and they all have their own high-end range which does not duplicate nor compete with their standard models - Audi, Lexus, Ferarsi etc.
You have already formed such alliances with your suppliers so this should not be a problem.
Good luck matey
I can't stand it when other people think they have the right to use my property to advertise their product or services—be that my cellular minutes for an unsolicited "courtesy" call, littering my driveway with ads for their lawncare service, or my vehicle to place an ad for your detail service.
If you want to be guaranteed that I will never use your service then go ahead and do these things. Yes, this is a peeve of mine. I was brought to respect others people's property and part of that was to look, but never, ever touch. Just because my car is in public does not make it public property. What if your business card damages their wiper blade or window seal?
rant OFF
If you want to be guaranteed that I will never use your service then go ahead and do these things. Yes, this is a peeve of mine. I was brought to respect others people's property and part of that was to look, but never, ever touch. Just because my car is in public does not make it public property. What if your business card damages their wiper blade or window seal?
rant OFF
KarlFranz said:
If you want to be guaranteed that I will never use your service then go ahead and do these things.
Take your point. I'm not an admirer of any sales tactics commensurate with cold calling. Very ineffective and usually a waste of time and money.The simplest way to increase revenue streams is always to look at ways to sell your existing customer base more products - top up waxes, cloths etc. Build up an email and bithday database of your customers. Email them a voucher on their birthday. Email them any product updates. Keep communicating with them. Offer a referral incentive, allowing the current customer a bit of commission and the prospective one a bit of introductory discount.
Apologies if I'm teaching you how to suck eggs
Jockman said:
Take your point. I'm not an admirer of any sales tactics commensurate with cold calling. Very ineffective and usually a waste of time and money.
The simplest way to increase revenue streams is always to look at ways to sell your existing customer base more products - top up waxes, cloths etc. Build up an email and bithday database of your customers. Email them a voucher on their birthday. Email them any product updates. Keep communicating with them. Offer a referral incentive, allowing the current customer a bit of commission and the prospective one a bit of introductory discount.
Apologies if I'm teaching you how to suck eggs
Actually, I suggest you don't build up a birthday database. Use the anniversary of when they first had a detail done. Why? Do you want to go round your clients and explain that your data has been hacked? Me - I never tell any company more than the bare minimum they need to function.The simplest way to increase revenue streams is always to look at ways to sell your existing customer base more products - top up waxes, cloths etc. Build up an email and bithday database of your customers. Email them a voucher on their birthday. Email them any product updates. Keep communicating with them. Offer a referral incentive, allowing the current customer a bit of commission and the prospective one a bit of introductory discount.
Apologies if I'm teaching you how to suck eggs
KarlFranz said:
I can't stand it when other people think they have the right to use my property to advertise their product or services—be that my cellular minutes for an unsolicited "courtesy" call, littering my driveway with ads for their lawncare service, or my vehicle to place an ad for your detail service.
If you want to be guaranteed that I will never use your service then go ahead and do these things. Yes, this is a peeve of mine. I was brought to respect others people's property and part of that was to look, but never, ever touch. Just because my car is in public does not make it public property. What if your business card damages their wiper blade or window seal?
rant OFF
I agree with this 100%. Nothing gives anyone the right to touch another person's car just because it's parked in a public place.If you want to be guaranteed that I will never use your service then go ahead and do these things. Yes, this is a peeve of mine. I was brought to respect others people's property and part of that was to look, but never, ever touch. Just because my car is in public does not make it public property. What if your business card damages their wiper blade or window seal?
rant OFF
I agree with whats been said so far, but not 100% with karl. I dont think someone that puts cards on your car would be using it to advertise their product, but rather to get your attention and yours alone. Its not as if they would put a sandwich board by your car or stick a poster on it advertising two for one pizza. I take your point though mate.
DB9VolanteDriver said:
A business card under the wiper, provding a service I might be interested in, wouldn't bother me one bit. We're not talking about selling sandwiches here. I'd keep the card and check out the web site. It provides a starting point to look a service you may be in need of.
+1.It annoys me if I call down to sainsburys and the Microfibre car wash crew ask if I want my car washed with bucket of dirty water even though its gleaming like a new pin, but a card left on my windscreen would not offend
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