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Author Topic: Places to advertise?  (Read 2980 times)

Offline JackG

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Places to advertise?
« on: November 09, 2011, 06:50:18 pm »
Hi guys
I've recently set up my own part time detailing buisness and it's really taking off....I know these things take time but I'd like to speed it up?
I'm trying to sort my own unit out at the moment but currently using my friends unit, I'm also getting some proper camera gear to help shoot the awsome work I do  :grin:

I've had about 5 customers since I've started it wich I don't thinks great,

Just wonders weather anyone can shed some light on places to advertise and help get my name out there, I know there are some pretty clued up peps on here so I'm sure someone can help

Currently on google....kind of, belive you need to build a reputation up? I haven't paid anything to them?
Yell.come
A few local shops

Any tips would be great  :drinking:

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Offline BeezerDiesel

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Re: Places to advertise?
« Reply #1 on: November 10, 2011, 06:07:20 am »
A forum member from here who is fairly local to me advertises on ebay that he has a VCDS cable and people can pay via a 'buy it now' price to have his services!
So why not give something like that a go as you can link to your website from the ebay ad.
It never ceases to surprise me the amount of people that buy just about everything on ebay and it has increased markedly since everyone and their dog has a smart phone. I've not looked on ebay for detailers so you may be unique. Don't forget to put your area in the heading though or you may be expected to travel the length of the country!!

Failing that, or in addition to, leaflet professional type companies in your area as a lot of high end car drivers are cash rich but time poor and would happily pay someone to clean their expensive car so they can look good down at the golf club or for ferrying clients about.
Local forums are good, once you have a few customers on a forum happy your name soon gets around, and people on forums know people not on forums and so it goes on...

A lot of people who are either lazy (like a lot of non car enthusiast drivers are) or just don't have facilities close to their home like to get their cars cleaned professionally before they sell them so gumtree, autotrader, local papers may be worth getting a small ad inserted.

Get people you know who work in large-ish companies local to you to put flyers up on their staff notice boards. Everyone who works in the place will see the advert and will pass info on to friends and family members too if you make your service look a bit unique and catchy enough for people to remember it.

I put up some details on our staff notice board when a guy I know locally started his own VAG indie garage, it brought a surprising amount of work his way.

There are probably a good few established detailing and valeting companies in your area so you need to be able to stand out from the crowd a bit so people remember you. A lot of people can't afford or justify spending a couple of hundred quid on a full detailing session, myself included, but as you're part time you could perhaps push things like paint correction at affordable prices as everyone hates crappy paintwork and smaller jobs won't take up so much time. Your prices look quite attractive though, so you'd certainly get people wanting to sell their car using you to clean it up and then possibly get repeat work from them to keep their new purchase looking better when they realise how good and affordable you are!!
Andy
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Offline keano

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Re: Places to advertise?
« Reply #2 on: November 10, 2011, 06:36:26 am »
Get a website & get your money ready to buy some google ad words.

Offline JackG

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Re: Places to advertise?
« Reply #3 on: November 10, 2011, 10:23:49 am »
Get a website & get your money ready to buy some google ad words.

Google add words? Tell me more  :party:

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Offline AnSGTI

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Re: Places to advertise?
« Reply #4 on: November 10, 2011, 12:21:55 pm »
I work in Malvern - you may have a customer here for a winter protection but I'll have to check finances.

There's a guy who go's around most of the businesses, but he's obviously mobile. He doesn't offer a snow foam etc. or correction detailing. We have a flyer for him on our notice board - have you considered flyering all the local businesses or taking out an adverts in the local newspapers etc?

Offline JackG

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Re: Places to advertise?
« Reply #5 on: November 10, 2011, 01:18:52 pm »
I work in Malvern - you may have a customer here for a winter protection but I'll have to check finances.

There's a guy who go's around most of the businesses, but he's obviously mobile. He doesn't offer a snow foam etc. or correction detailing. We have a flyer for him on our notice board - have you considered flyering all the local businesses or taking out an adverts in the local newspapers etc?

Be great if you could, be nice to get the veiw from a enthusiast  :smiley:

I have thought about it yes...I'm currently trying to sort my design out for them, the local news paper is good one that I didn't think of  :laugh: thank you

Jack

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Offline stealthwolf

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Re: Places to advertise?
« Reply #6 on: November 10, 2011, 02:51:25 pm »
TBH the majority of people don't know the difference between valeting and detailing and hence the majority won't have a clue.

Are you on detailingworld at all? Might be worth paying up and putting some write ups in the showroom area. Initially, it'll be word-of-mouth based.

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Offline JackG

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Re: Places to advertise?
« Reply #7 on: November 10, 2011, 02:57:40 pm »
TBH the majority of people don't know the difference between valeting and detailing and hence the majority won't have a clue.

Are you on detailingworld at all? Might be worth paying up and putting some write ups in the showroom area. Initially, it'll be word-of-mouth based.

Yes that what I thought..most pepole I tell don't know what it is, I am on detailing world so I suppose a few write ups would be a great start  :drinking:

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Offline JackG

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Re: Places to advertise?
« Reply #8 on: November 10, 2011, 03:00:54 pm »
Thanks beezerdiesell  :congrats:

That's a good point, if they could just pay over the web like pay pal...that may take a the question of "how am I going to pay" out of there head and make the process smoother

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Offline garrardrj

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Re: Places to advertise?
« Reply #9 on: November 10, 2011, 05:12:44 pm »
I work in Malvern - you may have a customer here for a winter protection but I'll have to check finances.

There's a guy who go's around most of the businesses, but he's obviously mobile. He doesn't offer a snow foam etc. or correction detailing. We have a flyer for him on our notice board - have you considered flyering all the local businesses or taking out an adverts in the local newspapers etc?

Do you know Cher Lloyd :evilgrin:
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Offline JackG

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Re: Places to advertise?
« Reply #10 on: November 10, 2011, 05:18:58 pm »
Yes were good mates  :ashamed:

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Offline biilyb

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Re: Places to advertise?
« Reply #11 on: November 10, 2011, 06:25:59 pm »
 I live near glasgow. As other guys have said yell  local papers  flyers but you can't be good word of mouth. In our area a local biz  booklet which advertises small buisnesses. 
  I have the same problem i would class myself as a garden designer not a landscaper. So i yell or yellow pages we are in both. Yell costs i think 400 pound for the year. Yellow pages comes out in may or june but there reps start about now for the yellow pages but to be honest its die a slow death. All this advertising costs money there has to be a return. 
 Good luck i take it  you have another job just now. why dont you go partime on that one and build up your detailing side. but to be honest its all or nothing. 
  Dont know if you have a buisness gateway think its goverment run there always worth a chat to costs nothing. 

Offline JackG

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Re: Places to advertise?
« Reply #12 on: November 10, 2011, 06:37:40 pm »
Yes I work for VW at the moment so won't quit my current job, it's doing ok but I'd like it to take off faster,
Word of mouth is how I've got my current customers, I know it's the wrong time of year to start it up but it's not costing me much and 1 detail covers my costs so I'll be silly not to keep at it
Time is what I need and maybe 70k so I advertise on the tv  :signLOL:

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Offline biilyb

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Re: Places to advertise?
« Reply #13 on: November 10, 2011, 06:55:13 pm »
Steady on about tv adverts
Been self employed for nearly 10 years enjoyable but hard work.
 Is it the wrong time of year if we get a mild wet winter loads of potential customers out there just looking for a quick wash easy cash to build your buisness up.  Just an idea.
 If you are looking for a unit and other stuff now is the time to do the ground work cause its amazing how much time all the extra stuff eats up 
When is the right time of year?

Offline JPC

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Re: Places to advertise?
« Reply #14 on: November 10, 2011, 06:58:49 pm »
Word of mouth is the best way mate. Its all about being steady away. Btw... are you a LTD company? it just mentions your the "company director" on your website. if its not a company yet, be careful about stating things like that.