Experienced detailer, new business owner

So you’ve been detailing for the past few years and you decided to start up your own detailing business. You followed all the right procedures, you are now a business owner, or better yet an official tax payer. You know you are great at what you do, especially considering how OCD you are. But now you have no idea where to begin getting steady business. Your work is good, your business is organized, but now you need volume. And I am not talking 10 cars a day volume, but just enough to be successful, steady, and profitable. You need to learn how to market your detailing business.

This is a situation where all detailers find themselves. Business is competitive and you need to find a way to position your brand, your image, and your company so that you are successful for years to come. I designed this article for newer companies trying to get their feet wet and cash flowing quickly. These ideas may not work in your region or could be seasonal, but these tips are generally successful for all business types.

1. Get Social, Get an Instagram

Facebook, Linkedin, and Twitter are useful, but not necessarily the exact social media platform where you will find your business. The most crucial aspect to marketing is first finding your target demographic. Who is your ideal customer, what do they do, what do they drive, who do they talk to, and where to they hang out. What are they looking at online. What hashtags are they following. Take some time, write down your target demographic and primary customer. Then choose the top 3 social media platforms that you may find them on and begin marketing. Use similar hashtags, post pictures they will enjoy (use your own media!), and start getting social.

For a detailer, the image is everything. We are aesthetic artists. Pictures are what show our customers what service they will be getting. And what better platform to share pictures than Instagram? You can market directly towards your local clientelle using local hashtags and also show off your work to detailers around the world using detailing hashtags such as #paintcorrection, #autodetailer, #itsbetterwaxed, or even just #detailing.

2. Go talk to people

Some people would say this one is obvious, but it’s too obvious and everyone overlooks it. Word of mouth marketing is still just as strong if not stronger than ever. Keep business cards in your glove box and wallet at all times. See a nice car? Go up to the owner. Talk to them, ask them how they keep it looking so clean, and take your time mentioning you’re a detailer. Focus on the customer, focus on talking about them. You’re a detailer and you should be genuinely interested in other peoples interests in detailing too. Going out to local car clubs, car meets, and talking with those who coordinate events is a fantastic way to bring in a large group of potential clients. These people enjoy talking with fellow members and can be a great foundation to begin your business.

3. Get an awesome website

By getting a website, I don’t mean put up some random self made “Wix” or piece together some cheap and flakey DIY website. Get a real website and do it right the first time. Some websites made with Wix or other DIY programs can come out fantastic, but it still lacks the professionalism of a well made website. As a developer myself, I understand and see flaws in every website, especially my own. But me being so critical can help you in designing your own website that can rank well in search engines, present a professional appearance, and provide a return on your investment.

Your website will be your front door, your front cover, your face. When someone searches for your detailing company (or just detailing in your area), they will see your website first. You want this to be a lasting and effective first impression. First impressions are nearly impossible to break. This is your one shot, so why cheap out now? Start simple, get the right information on the website, contact information, and effective images of your work. Remove all the flashy nonsense, big words, and over exaggerated claims. People don’t need to see big fancy words like super hydrophobic ceramic silicon dioxide paint coating.Just be simple with them and explain what you are doing, what you provide, and how it will ultimately help your customer. The more simple, the better it will rank. If you need help on your detailing website, I’d be more than happy to help just email me at info (at) itsbetterwaxed (dot) com.

And when launching your website, I recommend following a few simple steps. Start by finding a reliable and affordable host that has good service. I personally have had a lot of luck in the past with StableHost. Their customer service is second to none and their pricing is really effective. If you want to save 40% off your purchase with StableHost, use coupon code DetailersBox. As for domains, you can use plenty but places like NameCheap and StableHost have really affordable pricing. And look into starting your website with WordPress as your platform if developing by yourself. It will make the process still very DIY-friendly and you can “google” half of your questions and learn. Just be sure to secure your installation with any of the common WordPress Security plugins to make sure you are good to go and safe from basic attacks.

So there you have it. 3 simple and effective ways to boost your business when first starting out. If you are an established brand or company, I recommend you implement all 3 steps if you haven’t already done so. It will only help and especially form a steady foundation for your company to grow on. More information coming soon on all 3 topics as I expand on the marketing, growth, and business aspect of auto detailing.