# Thinking of giving in :(



## envious89 (Aug 24, 2010)

Hey everyone.

Thinking of giving into the detailing game. Started more then A year and a half ago now and I thought by now I would at least have a few days of work each week. But between people canceling or not showing up I have no business. I'm kind of dumb founded and lost. Don't know exactly what to do. Am I expecting too much? I have grown up around a family business and know of the struggles and the time it takes to build a business. Any advice? Cheers


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## MidlandsCarCare (Feb 18, 2006)

Lots of people talking of this at the moment.

Where are you based? Maybe do more valeting to keep you ticking over or diversify into other areas?

It is a bit over saturated now... I'd not want to rely on it for my sole income if I'm honest. It can work though, look at people like Miglior and Magic and how busy they are. It will be partly location, but also your marketing and networking ability, plus reputation.

How have you acquired your previous customers?


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## Clark @ PB (Mar 1, 2006)

You can still make it a success but if you're not already half established you'll struggle as the market is so flooded with new starts. I know I wouldn't fancy starting up now a days,certainly not for my only income.


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## Eric the Red (Sep 14, 2010)

Do you do detailing or do you do valets, if you do detailing yeah its hard to convince people to spend x amount on their vehicle if they dont appreciate what they have got, if after a year and a half and you dont have the business you thought you should have you need to look at where your going wrong as russ says many people make a very good living at this game, but you need to know your market, your skills, you only have to look in the studio or showroom to that you can make money, but these guys have been at it for years and have perfected their craft, if detailing is your preference then maybe get on some courses and hone your skills, but dont give in mate, never give in


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## Mirror Finish Details (Aug 21, 2008)

Taken me 7 years to be where I am now, have had bad years and terrible months. Even nearly jagged it in a few times.

I just keep marketing my self on other forums and keep bashing the leaflets out for the splash and a dash jobs I can do at home.

I walked the dog the other night and dropped off some valeting leaflets and have a job on Tuesday for a Gold Valet booked today.

It is not just detailing, that is the cream on the cake. I make more money doing new car protections and top ups than actually swirl removal details.


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## MidlandsCarCare (Feb 18, 2006)

Yeah, new car protection is what I'd go after if I were full time, lord knows how much is wasted on dealer applied LLS's every month or year, tap into that market and you could do okay potentially, especially with a larger, up-market independent. 

Know your target audience - I know I can't command the day rates of the best on here and I wouldn't even try to, that comes in time with reputation, but it takes years.

Ask yourself this... if you had a DB9 requiring a one day enhancement detail, with no real budget in mind, who would you call? Would it be your own company? How are you perceived? Or look at your local competition, if you chose one of them... why did you? You need to be the 'one' that people think of when they want some work doing.


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## Eric the Red (Sep 14, 2010)

Steve is spot on there, it takes anything and everything to build a successful business, one thing you can do is read some literature on how people became successful, ie sugar,branson,trump, these guys at some point must have thought sod it but they kept going, changed strategies mixed in the right circles and gained info, just keep at it if its something you desire to do then you will succeed if its not a desire then you wont


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## Mirror Finish Details (Aug 21, 2008)

RussZS said:


> Yeah, new car protection is what I'd go after if I were full time, lord knows how much is wasted on dealer applied LLS's every month or year, tap into that market and you could do okay potentially, especially with a larger, up-market independent.
> 
> Know your target audience - I know I can't command the day rates of the best on here and I wouldn't even try to, that comes in time with reputation, but it takes years.
> 
> Ask yourself this... if you had a DB9 requiring a one day enhancement detail, with no real budget in mind, who would you call? Would it be your own company? How are you perceived? Or look at your local competition, if you chose one of them... why did you? You need to be the 'one' that people think of when they want some work doing.


Think the £6k wet sand details don't help much either Russ in perceiving detailing is easy money.

I mean the Mr Dalton detail, there was more orange peel in that BMW than my bike I resprayed.


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## Eric the Red (Sep 14, 2010)

Right again steve,


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## MidlandsCarCare (Feb 18, 2006)

True Steve, but Paul has been doing it for probably over a decade, surely people aren't naive enough to think they can command such fees after 12-18 months?

It's like opening a mobile phone shop in a market and expecting to be competing with Phones4U a year later... these things take time! I know you know this, and I know you're right... people seem to think its a "glamorous" job too it seems... its far from it when starting out!

It's a fascinating industry this...


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## CraigQQ (Jan 20, 2011)

you telling me I can start up tommorow and have a 6K wet sand on monday?  damn... 

sorry.. trying to be lighthearted..

some brilliant advice in here.. you really need to assess your market, find your target audience and just market the hell out of yourself.. but above all keep at it and turn out brilliant work.. a happy customer will tell 10 people.. an unhappy customer will tell 100..
(thats the model we run hotels on anyway lol)


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## MidlandsCarCare (Feb 18, 2006)

As if he's gone to bed and missed all of this... no dedication that lad, lol!


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## CraigQQ (Jan 20, 2011)

:lol:


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## envious89 (Aug 24, 2010)

Hey guys, thanks all for the quick replies! I am actually from newcastle, Australia. The industry isn't as flooded over here as it is over there. There are a few mobile detailers in my area but I'm the only stationary detailer and im striving to do it right! Not to say the other guys aren't doing it well. But I have had some reports on some dodgy jobs lol. I'm trying to set myself apart from everybody else and I might be a bit more expensive but I trying to use the "premium" products and trying to get the best results possible. But at times it just seems to be a lost cause. I do have a secondary job, so I always have a source of income. But I want my business to be a full time job that I can be proud of... Cheers


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## [email protected] (Apr 28, 2011)

Mirra do you do splash and dash job from home ?


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