56
Auto Detailing for Fun and Profit
Auto Detailing for
Fun and Profit
2
Auto Detailing for Fun and Profit
By Shawn L. Frey
© 1996 Shawn L. Frey
First Printing November 1996 Second Printing March 1998 Third Printing October 1998
Fourth Printing September 1999 Fifth Printing with additions June 2001
Sixth printing with re-writes December 2006
3
This publication is designed to provide accurate and authoritative information in regard to the subject matter covered. It is written with the understanding that the
publisher is not engaged in rendering legal, accounting or other professional service. If legal advice or other expert assistance is required, the services of a
competent professional person should be sought.
From a declaration of principles jointly adapted by a committee of the American
Bar Association and committee of publishers.
Reproduction or translation of any part of this work beyond that permitted by the copyright lay without the permission of the owner is unlawful.
4
Full Disclaimer: I am a full-time employee of the
Harper Brush Company. My job is to recruit and train our full-time Industrial Distributors. I also operate a
Harper Brush Industrial Distributorship in South Eastern Iowa called The Broom Wizards.
From 1992-1999 I owned and managed Shawn’s
Custom Car Care, a professional auto detail shop serving private owners, investors and automotive
dealers.
5
INTRODUCTION
Dear Friend,
Thank you very much for spending time with me today. It is my hope that this information gives you a good understanding automotive detailing and its many opportunities.
Years ago, when I first started in the automotive detailing business I thrived on making the sale and having the customer say, “YES”! Some of the best things that have ever happened to me have come after hearing, “YES”! Think about it. All during our childhood we are told “no”. “No” is negative. No, you can’t have any ice cream. No, you can’t stay over at Joey’s tonight. No, we can’t afford it! But when we hear “yes”, that’s when the fun starts. Yes, you can play baseball. Yes, you can have the loan. Yes, I will start my business. Yes, you can detail my car. The word “YES” is powerful and positive. Get around “YES” people and your life will change dramatically. I am living proof of the power of “YES” and so are many of my friends!
Now, I would like to share a short story with you. It may not be written the way my high school English teacher would have liked, but I think you will enjoy it anyway.
It was a cool autumn day in Niota, Illinois and I was getting ready to look at my first used car - a 1974 Camaro.
The car sounded great and with my part-time Kentucky Fried Chicken income, it was just within my price range. So, off I went with Mom, Dad and my high school buddy Scott.
We pulled into the owner’s driveway and looked the car over. It was half red, one-quarter primer and the other half rust. About that time the owner came over and said, “Hello, you must be the young man who called about the car this morning?” “Yes, that’s me,” I said. “Here are the keys, why not take it for a
6
spin?” He said. I came back with a big smile on my face and thought; I’m 16 and can actually get a Camaro. Who cares what it looks like, it’s a Camaro!
I happily parted with my $650.00 and immediately drove to Jacks discount store. I bought oil, filters, wax and some fuzzy rear window carpet. Do you remember that stuff?
So there you have it - my first car deal. I sold that car about 2 years later for $500.00.
That brings me to car number two. Read carefully here, because I got ripped off! I spotted a black Mercury Capri parked at a local gas station. I stopped, looked the car over and wrote down the phone number. The next day I called the selling party. They told me that the car was just fine and the only reason they were selling it was because their daughter had left for college. They also said the owner of the gas station had the keys and I could drive it anytime.
The next day my older brother, Alan and I drove the car. I took the bait and paid well over retail for the car and didn’t even know it until it was too late. About two days later I noticed the oil gauge read low. I pulled over and checked the dipstick. It was almost out of oil! That’s when I found out this car was an oil burner. I had all kinds of trouble with this car and eventually sold it for $400.00.
Later, I discovered this guy sold numerous junk cars at the same gas station where I had bought mine. He is my definition of a crook and con man.
Let’s talk about car deal number three. This time I thought I knew all the answers. Silly me! Car profits are for insiders - not novices and wannabes. So, in all my arrogance I bought a 1985 Plymouth Tourismo for $2,750.00. After 18 months and 50,000 miles I sold it for $1,250.00. Another loss!
It was about this time my wife, Susan decided to join the United States Air Force. I think she secretly got tired of me losing money on cars.
7
When Susan left for basic training in San Antonio, Texas we decided I would drive her car until she received her first assignment. She had a 1980 Dodge Omni. It was a good little car. It got great gas mileage and the insurance was cheap.
Then the news came. Susan was being stationed at RAF Chicksands, England. Another car sale was about to happen.
I advertised our car in the local shopper and received a phone call. The interested party came to look at the car and took it on a test drive and then came the pitch. My daughter just wrecked her car and she needs one quick. Will you take $500.00 for it? So, of course knowing nothing about selling used cars, still ignorant to the fact that millions of dollars change hands every day in the used car business take the $500.00 deal.
Now, we are happily without an automobile and on our way to merry old England. England is lovely, very lush, and very green and the people are very friendly. Susan and I lived just 40 miles north of London in a wonderful little village called Shefford in the county of Bedfordshire.
Now is when the story gets a little more interesting.
I started looking at used cars for sale on the air base. If you have never been on a military installation before there is a place you can park your personal vehicle for sale. It’s called a lemon lot, no pun intended. Being uneducated about British cars we bought an American Dodge Lancer.
The manager of the Keesler Federal Credit union was selling this car. We agreed on the sale price and did the financing in about an hour. But, was I in for a shock! You see, in England all vehicles must go through a strict motor vehicle inspection. It takes about an hour. After they finished with ours it cost us over $600.00 for the needed repairs. After that the car drove fine. Actually, it drove fine before they ever touched it!
One day Susan and I decided to take a drive in the romantic village of Old Warden. It was very peaceful and relaxing admiring the 500-year-old thatched
8
cottages as we drove down the cobblestone carriageway. Until... the steering rack went out.
I didn’t even know what a steering rack was. All I knew was my wife had to be to work at 7:30 a.m. the next morning. After we finally got home I checked the base newspaper for companies that rented cars. I found one that specialized in renting cars to Americans.
About 30 minutes later Steve Meadows, of SMT CARS came to our house. I went to his home/office, signed the rental agreement and off I went in an old, beat up Honda Accord.
A few days went by and one evening I got a call from Steve. He said, “Shawn, I hear you’re a property rental agent and have helped many Americans find suitable housing.” “That’s right,” I said. “I’ve got a deal for you, let’s get together at the Green Lantern Pub and talk it over,” he said. What Steve and I talked about changed my life forever and it will change yours too!
During the course of our stay in England, Steve and I became great friends. I detailed over 100 cars for him. It was some of the easiest money I’ve ever made and the best education I could have hoped for.
Steve taught me everything he knew about the used car business. Over 31 years of specialized knowledge, almost all self-taught. That’s really the best kind.
I learned how to buy vehicles from new and used car dealers, auctions, estate sales, fleet sales, repo’s and private individuals at good wholesale prices.
On the other side of the business, I learned how to detail cars for sale appeal. These techniques I learned about and will be sharing with you can immediately add $300.00-$500.00 worth of retail value to almost any vehicle. Once I finish my retail detail system the vehicle practically sells itself!
9
Just as Steve and I were making expansion plans I received some bad news. RAF Chicksands was closing! The last American occupied day would be September 30, 1994! My wife and I decided it was time to leave England and come back to America.
We knew we wanted a warm climate, friendly people and an abundance of opportunity. So we choose Altus Air Force Base in Altus, Oklahoma. Altus is a nice city with about 30,000 people and is a great car town.
It didn’t take me long to make my first contact. A simple phone call was all it took to be back in business.
Please remember that I am not a car dealer but a “Pro-Detailer”. I have over 31 years of cumulative expertise. I used to do service work for local car dealers and retail customers. As a profitable hobby, I used to buy; sell and trade used cars from home - about six a year.
If you play your cards right and follow my guidelines, you too can have a wonderful business that can generate a net profit from day one. Should you wish to expand and go full-time you can do so from profits, not bankers.
You will notice that I write from the viewpoint of: Give a man a fish; he’ll eat for a day. Teach him to fish and he’ll eat for life. This information does not contain all the answers. Hopefully, it does contain the necessary information for you to discover answers for yourself as you build your own home based business.
10
GETTING EDUCATED
Let’s talk about Pro-Detailing, what it is and why I am qualified to teach you.
Pro-Detailing is all about vehicle enhancement. The main reason I am qualified to teach you is experience - over 21 year’s worth of cumulative knowledge.
This publication can help you to get started in your own unique service business. However, once you’ve started you must continue a good “education for growth” program. Read everything you can that pertains to your business. Check out new products and see if they are as good as the manufacturer claims. If they aren’t call them and let them know about it.
Now let’s talk about working from home. One of the first things you’ll need to do is register your business with the county courthouse. Another good thing to do now is check on local requirements for running a home based business. This information can be obtained through your local city government. Give them a call, they will be glad to point you in the right direction. Another avenue to consider is your local college. They occasionally have Small Business Administration information that can be quite useful to the beginning entrepreneur.
O.K. lets have some fun! Start by stopping in at your local detail shop. If you don’t have one close by check out the new car stores. If all else fails make some calls to a nearby city or local used car dealer. Tell them you need a quote for a full detail job.
A word of warning - do not ask any questions that will raise suspicion. The last thing anyone is going to do is give away information. Just get your estimate and leave.
After you have obtained at least three estimates, call each one and see how soon they can get you in. This is an absolute must. You need to see how busy they are with the prices they charge. If they are charging high prices with very little business, then very soon they will be out of business.
11
On the other hand, if they seem super busy with fair pricing you will want to study their operation more closely. Get a buddy to go in for a quote, too. Check them out thoroughly and ask them what services they perform on a full detail. Simple questions should not raise any eyebrows. You can even ask them how long they have been in business and if they have any referrals you might be able to contact.
Just remember to act like a live customer, not some idiot trying to start another detail shop. Believe me; people used to always try to pick my brain when they saw me “set up”. I always used talk to them about this, that and the other. Usually, they would leave so confused they wished they hadn’t have bothered asking.
After you have determined local pricing and talked to a few referrals make an appointment for a full detail. Tell them you would like to bring it in as early as possible and that you would like for them to call you as soon as it’s finished.
With this information you can determine how long the job actually took and if they are being honest with you. An average full detail job can take between 4-8 hours for one person with experience.
With accurate facts on hand, you can now estimate what you would have earned if you had done this job for a retail customer.
Remember to take a picture of the car right before it goes to the shop and right after you pick it up. Once you get home pick apart their work. Really dig into their work. Does it look as good as it could? Did they get all the wax out of the cracks and moldings? Are the doorjambs clean? How about underneath the jambs? Does it smell nice and fresh? Did they miss any road tar? Go through the entire car and make a list of things that could have been done better. I am sure you will find several things that could be improved upon.
Now that’s what I call getting educated. Pretty simple isn’t it. All it takes is some time and a little effort. Before you know it you will be gaining insight that others only dream about.
12
If you prefer to save the costs of having the shop do a full detail for you that’s O.K. Just remember, you need to have a good idea of what the competition is charging and the quality of their work.
With the C.A.S.H. Generation System you will discover how to invest your profits in productive equipment for maximum return. Things like a good steam clean machine, professional paint touch up equipment and a first rate windshield repair kit.
Keep learning and growing while you continue to raise your level of expectations. Before you know, it you will be the local Detail-Pro.
All you have to do is start small and keep a low profile. You will be working from home, by yourself and for yourself as a well-paid professional. There is a lot of business out there and you don’t need to get in a hurry. Slow down, take your time and do a good job.
Now, the truth about hard work; Have you ever heard the saying “the harder I work the luckier I get”? I’m here to tell you it is the truth! Years ago I would not have believed it but I do today and it’s all because of Pro-Detailing. Once you have done a couple of jobs, and the cash starts to grow in your bank account, you will realize that the harder you work the luckier you really do get.
You see, when you are in the Pro-Detail business you are the boss. You control your costs. You decide how much you’re going to charge and no middleman will be allowed to suck up the profits!
With your business come several more advantages. Things like additional tax deductions, free time to spend with whomever you wish, abundant travel opportunities, networking possibilities and the list could go on and on.
Here are two questions that people always ask me. Should I go mobile or just work from my garage at home? Here’s the answer: You should try and do both just as I do. If you don’t, you will probably lose some business, which is exactly what you don’t want.
13
Simply schedule jobs at home and at other peoples’ homes. I always try to get the customer to bring the job to me. If they won’t I will go to them. However, I do charge an extra fee for the mobile service. After all it is a convenience and most customers realize this and have no problem with my price.
Just kick back and relax on any busy street corner and watch all those dirty cars, trucks and vans go by. Your market is huge!
I’m not saying that starting a Pro-Detail business is easy, it’s going to require some hard work, but when you look at your other options hard work looks pretty good. Try to make hard work your best friend and I think you will be pleasantly surprised. Remember when you had a best friend in school? Think about a time when you and your best friend did everything together - I mean everything! I’ll bet you had lots of fun didn’t you? I thought so.
Make hard work your best friend and you can get those same kind of cherished memories. Only this time you will always have your best friend nearby.
With this information you can put a simple business, such as Pro-Detailing together with very little risk. In fact, you should be able to put the odds of success in your favor of 50-1 or better.
“It’s not what you make that counts,
It’s what you keep.”
Information Unlimited
London, England
14
TOOLS AND SUPPLIES/PRODUCTION
Congratulations! You are now ready for phase one of your Pro-Detail training. Let’s get started. The very first thing you’ll need is desire and the second is common sense. I am assuming you have both of these since you are already reading this it. You’ll need about $200.00, some basic tools and a place to work. Please remember, Pro-Detailing is simple, profitable and very inexpensive to get started. Do not try to complicate things by doing too much to fast.
Remember detailing is about enhancement. You want the best products that work in the least amount of time to make the vehicle look clean, feel clean and smell clean. You will not be doing quickie jobs, but a professional job that will command $15.00-$60.00 per hour.
Don’t worry about buffers, steam cleaners, and expensive add-on equipment. Just concentrate on getting your basic tools and supplies.
Now let’s talk about a few tools Pro-Detailers have used for decades. The first is a boar bristle paint brush. This brush will be used to remove wax from moldings and trim. The next is a box of cotton swabs and a toothbrush.
There are two products worth mentioning that you can buy from your local automotive paint store. They are 3M super heavy-duty rubbing compound and 3M-hand glaze. The compound is used to remove and hide scratches while the hand glaze is used to fill in micros catches and hide marks caused by the compound. Use these products sparingly, they are very expensive.
Be sure to apply a coat of wax once you have used either of these products. If you do not, the sun will remove the hand glaze and leave a dull finish.
Now let’s talk about uniforms. When I first started out I did not have any type of professional clothing. I didn’t have the extra cash. However, if you do have an extra $100.00 or so you can buy some nice looking shirts, shorts and hat with your company name and logo on them. The investment will be well worth it.
15
After I got my uniforms customers were always telling me how professional I looked. I figured that if customers thought I looked more professional I had better raise my prices, so I did. As an added bonus, I even felt more professional with my new uniforms.
Recommendation: Buy uniforms once you can afford them.
The production side of the Pro-Detail business is about hard work, going the extra mile and taking the time to do it right.
In this section you’re going to learn about the various types of products I use and how I use them. You’ll also learn about the kinds of tools I like and how I use them, and lots of detailing tricks the pro’s have used for years.
Lets jump right in and talk about the full detail and my customized Retail Detail System. These are the two basic services you will want to offer your first customers.
I am going to take you through a full detail. Get comfortable and get ready for a lot of information.
ITEM# 70308, 70309
High-foam car wash.
Concentrated formula.
Ideal for cleaning automotive, marine and industrial vehicles.
1 gal. – #70308 5 gal. – #70309
The full detail starts with putting 2 squirts of Harper Carwash Concentrate (part #70308) in a bucket of warm water. Suds it up really well. Next take your Harper degreaser and liberally spray your first tire and wheel. Let it soak for about 5-10 seconds and then scrub the tire with your tire brush and the wheel with your soft Harper wheel brush (part #356).
16
It’s very important to not scratch the wheels. Next, spray off the tire, the wheel and your brush with clean water and continue doing all the tires and wheels.
Note: I use the Harper 20720H handle with the 356 wheel brush. It’s much easier to use with a handle.
ITEM# 574
Tire and wheel brush.
Plastic block.
Ideal for cleaning tire sidewalls.
Fiber: crimped synthetic. Trim Length: 1/2"
8 1/4" block, 2 1/2" x 3" face – #574
ITEM# 356
Wheel brush.
Flow-through plastic block with threaded 45° handle hole.
Ideal for cleaning wheels and rims.
Fiber: split-tip synthetic. Trim Length: 3 1/4"
Diameter: 4 1/4"
#356
Once you have completed this step, do the fender wells and the under carriage the same way. Be sure to clean the tailpipe, an SOS pad works well here. If these areas are real dirty you may want to consider using the high-pressure washer at your local do it yourself car wash.
Next, wash the vehicle with your Harper wash brush (part #885510). I like to work top to bottom paying special attention to doorjambs and places where there tends to be a heavy concentration of bugs. Be sure to wash the bumpers and
17
windshield wipers too. Bugs have a habit of sticking to these areas. Use your bug sponge if necessary.
Note: I use Harper handle 90160H with the 885510 wash brush. It’s much easier to use this way. It is very easy to get up high and down low and the brush holds soap and water like a sponge.
ITEM# 885510
Plastic tri-level block.
Block and fiber design allow for three distinct washing angles.
Ideal for automotive and marine applications.
Fiber: soft, split-tip nylon. Trim Length: 2 1/2"
#885510
After you have washed and rinsed the vehicle, chamois it dry with your Harper microfiber chamois (part#448). Next, pull the vehicle under some shade. A garage or portable canopy works the best. You do not want the sun beating down on you or what you are working on. Now, let’s open all the doors including the trunk. Take another Harper microfiber towel (part number 444) and wipe out the excess water from the doorjambs, rubber moldings and trunk moldings.
ITEM# 444
Microfiber, loose weave terry cloth.
Best for general cleaning.
Use damp for cleaning, dry for dusting.
Absorbs eight times its weight in water.
18" x 30" – #444
448 – Not Shown
18
Next use your Harper degreaser (part #70305) that you have diluted as per the instructions on the bottle and spray and clean the moldings and jambs. Clean it all! Do not cut corners! Do a super job! One of the first places a customer checks is the doorjamb. Reason why: Most of your customers will not have a clue on how to clean grease and grime from these areas. Make these areas shine and your customers will come back again, and again.
ITEM# 70305
Degreasing cleaner.
Heavy-duty formula.
Ideal for greasy floors, walls, equipment and machinery.
1 gal. – #70305
Once all the jambs and moldings are finished, vacuum out the trunk. (I use a Sears Craftsman vacuum cleaner. It has great suction and even came with a special car attachment.) Once the trunk is vacuumed, remove any stains with your Harper microfiber towel and degreaser. Next, use Harper’s Protectant on the trunk moldings. Apply this product to your microfiber towel first and then to the molding. Close the trunk and move on to the door moldings.
ITEM# 70326
Protectant.
Restores, preserves and protects vinyl, rubber, and leather, plastic and wood.
Imparts rich, natural sheen to enhance color.
1 gal. – #70326
Do the door moldings the same way. Spray Protectant on your microfiber towel first and then wipe the molding. I like to spray Protectant between the door and
19
the frame of the vehicle and on the rubber housing as well, it really gives it a nice clean look.
Next, do the plastic door guard protectors that protect the surface from being scratched by boots and shoes. I clean these with Harper Degreaser and a toothbrush. Once these are clean, apply your Protectant and finish.
Go through the entire car and bag up your customer’s personal belongings. Dispose of all the trash and put the other items in the already detailed trunk. Now, vacuum the rear carpet and upholstery. Next, remove any stains, chewing gum or tar. Ice can be used to freeze the gum then you can use a fork to pick it away.
Once all the stains have been removed, clean the door plastics, vents and ashtrays with your Harper Degreaser, microfiber towels and cotton swabs. If you have an air compressor with a good straight nozzle, you can spray your Protectant directly into the vents and blow the excess off.
Once you have completed both rear doors, vents and the ashtray, its time to move onto the front. Perform the same procedure in front as you did in the rear. Pay special attention to the dash components, stereo and other sensitive equipment. The key here is patience. Take your time and do a sweet job. Your effort will be justly rewarded.
Now, lets clean all the inside glass including the rear view mirror. Simply apply your Harper glass cleaner (part #70301) directly onto the windows and wipe to a sparkling clean with a clean microfiber towel.
ITEM# 70301
Glass cleaner.
Concentrated solution.
Ideal for removing grime, greasy film, bugs and fingerprints.
1 gal #70301
20
The interior should now be fully detailed. You did remember to move the front seats back and forth and vacuum underneath them, didn’t you? Good!
Now, let’s take our Protectant and enhance the tires. Spray a liberal amount of Protectant on each tire and let dry. Spray the fender wells too this helps them shine and appear very clean. Next, use your microfiber towel (part #444) and remove the Protectant from the wheel/rim/hubcap. Finish each tire completely before continuing to the next one.
We are now ready to prepare the exterior for a coat of wax. You’ll want to remove any overspray, tar, bugs and anything else you might find. You want the exterior to be good and clean, ready for a coat of compound, glaze and wax. An excellent product to use here is Prep-Solv by DuPont.
Step 1: Hand compounding surface scratches. Surface scratches in the clear coat are easily removed with a good heavy-duty compound and a lot of elbow grease or a good variable speed buffer. I use the Black & Decker 6138 machine with the Hook It system. It has variable speeds ranging from 0-3000 Rpm’s. If you are planning to buy a buffer I recommend you try the 6138.
Once you have compounded the scratches, you need to come back over them with hand glaze. Hand glaze is very effective at filling in micro scratches. The compounding/glazing process can be somewhat time consuming if the process is done entirely by hand. However, many of your customers will not require this and you can go straight to waxing after prepping.
447
Microfiber, window cleaning cloth.
Best for cleaning and shining smooth surfaces.
Use lightly dampened with water.
Ideal for glass, mirrors and chrome.
16" x 20" – #447
21
After you have compounded the scratches and glazed over them, you are now ready to wax the vehicle. When I wax, I use a random orbital polisher. There are several models to choose from. Check out you local auto parts store for a selection of waxes and polishers.
I always wax the roof first, trunk second, hood third, and panels fourth working back to front. Always have a clean microfiber towel handy for wax removal.
There is no magic to hand waxing, its hard work. Always follow the instructions on how to apply the particular wax you are working with and you will do just fine. Remember, all waxes are not the same and all waxes/polishes are not applied the same.
Once you have finished waxing the vehicle, you will want to go around the moldings with your boar bristle paintbrush. The brush will remove any excess wax that was missed with the initial wax off process. Do not press very hard on the brush. Some brushes can scratch paint.
Next, polish the wheels, chrome and any other metal that needs a good shine. Once you have completed these tasks you’ll want to use Harper Protectant to bring back the black satin finish on bumpers, bumper end caps, trim and moldings.
Now, let’s polish the windows, windshield and rearview mirrors. Simply spray on your glass cleaner and buff clean with your Harper 447 microfiber towel. If you begin to notice any streaking, get a clean towel. Make sure you get all the bugs off. Use a razor blade if needed.
Next, dust-buff the entire vehicle with a clean 444 microfiber towel. Take your time and examine the exterior making sure you didn’t miss anything.
Step back and admire your work. Smile, you did a super job! Call your customer and let him know his vehicle is ready to be picked up or delivered at his convenience.
22
Now we are ready to talk about the Retail Detail System, and how to make maximum money in minimum time.
There are four things you need to remember:
1) Does it look clean
2) Does it feel clean
3) Does it smell clean
4) Is it clean! Your strategy is simple - don’t cover it up, clean it up.
Cleaning the engine: There are several ways to detail an engine. It all depends on your customer’s wants and needs. Let’s use your personal car as an example. It might be very dirty and greasy or just moderately dusty. Let’s say your engine is about average, not very greasy but fairly dirty.
Step 1: Get your soap bucket and suds up the windshield, front bumper, front fenders and front doors. The “soap up” process will help prevent any of the cleaner from staining the paint. This is an extremely important process and should not be omitted.
Step 2: Get a small metal scraper and dig off any grease or any foreign substance that has been allowed to harden in and around the engine compartment. Next, use your Harper degreaser (part #70305) that you have diluted as per the instructions on the bottle. Liberally spray the engine with your cleaner. Follow the directions very carefully. Use a good stiff nylon brush and scrub the engine parts that are the dirtiest. Be careful not to scratch hard plastics or any chrome.
Step 3: Power wash the engine and let it air dry, or blow it off with an air hose. Check over your work for spots that you missed. Try to spot clean these areas with your cleaner, brush and dry rag. If this doesn’t work, repeat steps 1 and 2.
Note: I usually do my engine cleaning at the local self-service car wash.
23
Step 4: Make the clean engine shine like new by misting on Harper Protectant. Let dry completely.
I hardly ever use clear engine enamel, it looks artificial. What I have just described is very basic engine detailing, actually it’s just a quick clean and shine. Finely detailing an engine can take several hours. Most of your customers will want the quick clean and shine. To learn more about how to finely detail an engine read the book: Ultimate Auto Detailing. This is an excellent resource manual.
The real difference between an average detail job and the Retail Detail System, is engine detailing and paying special attention to the little extras. Some of those little areas include painting the ash tray, simple scratch removal with your compounds, glazes and sandpaper, under carriage painting, exhaust painting, painting the fender wells, repairing any cracks in the windshield and touching-up rock chips, key scratches or bumper scuffs.
As an added bonus, you can offer to help sell the customer’s vehicle. I usually charge $300.00 for my sales-service. This might sound expensive but it isn’t. Just check your local auto auction fees.
Is this a lot of extra work? Yes! Will your customers pay extra for these additional services? Yes! Is your competition doing any of these? Probably not. The real secret to the success of your new business is simple. Detailing is about hard work, giving the best service and being an expert.
Do you remember the last time you received excellent service? Can you remember how good it made you feel? That’s how you want your customer to feel once they have used your service. This one technique alone will put you head and shoulders above most of your competitors.
Practice makes perfect, and that statement is so true when it comes to Pro-Detailing. If you want to do the best job possible, just do a lot of jobs and continually improve your expertise and service.
24
One thing you might want to consider doing is going to your local junkyard and asking for a hood to practice buffing on. Also, if you think you are going to do windshield repairs ask for a windshield. It’s O.K. if it’s already cracked.
At this stage you’ll also want to consider buying a digital camera. You’ll use this to build your Pro-Detailing scrapbook. Your scrapbook will be your show-and-tell and let your customers know that you are the expert.
Remember you’re not some poor wash boy, you are a professional worth $15.00 - $60.00 per hour and sometimes much more.
Let’s talk about mobile detailing and how to set up your service vehicle. I personally used a van dedicated just for Custom Car Care, but you can use your personal car to get started. You might want to consider having some magnetic signs made that say Mobile Detailing on them. Once your customer has decided to use your mobile service make sure they have a garage for you to work out of or a very big shade tree. Adequate shade is a must. You might also check into purchasing a lightweight canopy for portable shade.
Let’s go mobile. Simply take everything you have been using at home and put it in the trunk of your car or wherever it will fit. Be sure to include your own hose.
Once you arrive at your customer’s home tell him about how long the job will take; this is just common courtesy. If the vehicle is really dirty and they want the engine cleaned use a local self-service car wash.
If you happen to live in town, you might also offer a pick up and delivery service to complement your mobile service. This has been a real winner for my business.
25
Here are some basic Pro-Detailing services you can begin offering. These are the same services I started with.
Mobile wash and vac $35.00 - $50.00 Full detail in shop $90.00 - $135.00 Mobile full detail $110.00 - $145.00 Basic Retail Detail System $140.00 - $195.00
There are several add-on services that I offer, things that you can add at any time for huge profits.
Expanded Retail Detail System $300.00
Air brush touch up minor $60.00 major $90.00
Back to black paint techniques:
One bumper $40.00 - Wiper arms $20.00 - entire car $100.00
Windshield repair $25.00 - $50.00 Consignment sales service $300.00
Once you have completed a few detail jobs, examined the competition and discovered your local market potential, you’ll be excited about fast expansion. Let’s take a look at some of the profits that can be made in the Pro-Detail business.
Mobile or shop detailing (1 person):
1 car per day at $100.00 x 5 days = $500.00 per week
2 cars per day at $100.00 x 5 days = $1000.00 per week
Mobile or shop detailing (2-person team):
3 cars per day at $100.00 x 5 days = $1500.00 per week
Add-on services:
Minor touch up job at $40.00 x 4 jobs = $160.00 per day
Major touch up job at $80.00 x 3 jobs = $240.00 per day
26
Windshield repair at $40.00 x 8 jobs = $320.00 per day
As you can see, earning $300.00 per day performing Pro-Detail services is obtainable with the right attitude, work ethic and first-rate customer satisfaction.
Remember these are not illusionary figures. They are facts taken from my own business. Don’t let some of the dreamers out there tell you can make $1000.00 per week part-time doing this, you can’t! Pro-Detailing is about hard work, getting the job done, building mountains of referral business and treating every customer as if they’re your best customer.
27
MARKETING
Marketing is the essence of any business. Without active marketing, you will not have any customers, and without any customers you will be out of business. So, let’s get started with some effective marketing strategies that work.
Free publicity. The very first thing you need to do is let the media know what you are up to. Talk to your local newspaper and get them to do a little write up about your new Pro-Detail business. You might need to persuade them to do this by taking out a small classified ad for a few weeks. Do it! It will be a good investment. Offer to have your picture taken for the editorial, too. My first editorial resulted in several phone calls and subsequent sales.
Let’s talk about fielding phone calls. The main things for you to remember are to be kind, considerate and professional. You want to talk as an expert but don’t be arrogant. This will be a definite turn off and a huge loss of business for you.
Once you have answered your potential customer’s questions and helped satisfy their curiosity, schedule a time when you can arrange an estimate either at your shop/home or at their residence. You’ll want to do the estimate right away and get the job scheduled immediately. This type of work ethic will really impress a new customer.
Here is an example of how I handle my telephone inquiries:
(Me) Hello, Shawn Frey (potential customer) Yes sir, a friend of mine told me about your detail business and I was wondering if you could look at my vehicle (Me) What kind of vehicle do you have? (PC) I have a 93 Lincoln Town Car (Me) Yes, those are excellent vehicles, when would you like me to look at it sir? (PC) How would one o’clock today be? (Me) Fine, would you like to bring the vehicle to me or would you like me to come to your vehicle?
28
(PC) I have some errands to run so I’ll just bring it by. I have your address as...is that correct? (Me) Yes, that is correct. I’ll see you around one o’clock.
Simple, isn’t it. Handling phone inquiries is very easy. Just be a good listener, answer your potential customers’ questions, schedule the estimate and then schedule the job.
Here is a quick note about estimates. You want to be perceived as the expert. Do not talk too much and do not give away any information. Just be a good listener, answer any questions and as you are listening, be figuring in your mind how many hours this job is going to take and how much you want to earn per hour.
Now, I would like to share with you one of my favorite subjects - niche marketing. Niche marketing will leave the competition eating your dust and can provide you with an excellent income for the rest of your life.
Just what is niche marketing? Niche marketing is going to the business before it has a chance to go anywhere else. Niche marketing is about deciding who is going to buy your Pro-Detail service and why. Niche marketing pure and simply is about Five Star customer service and follow-up after the sale.
This is exactly how I began niche marketing my Pro-Detail business. First, I visited the local new and used car dealers to see if there was going to be a good wholesale demand for my service. Second, I talked with a few automotive parts stores. After this “testing” proved positive I wasted no time and bought all required detail equipment.
Next, I designed some business cards, stationary and flyers. After my printing was finished, I made a list of every car dealer and businessperson in town that would be a likely customer for my Pro-Detail service. The Yahoo yellow pages will come in handy for you here.
Once my list was finished I went out and had fun. I told everyone who would listen about my Pro-Detail business. I told them about my services and how I
29
could be of service to them and left my card. Towards the end of the conversation, I would always let them know I could usually get to any job within 24 hours.
Here is a small sample list of the contacts I made when I first started.
1) New and used car dealers within 5-35 miles.
2) All public and private school superintendents.
3) Any businessperson that I thought my service would benefit. Realtors, Doctors, Nurses, Lawyers, Dentists and any other professional types I could think of.
4) Neighbors.
5) Relatives.
6) Banks - talk with the person in charge of repo’s.
7) Any other person that would stop and listen to what I had to say. Always have plenty of business cards with you. If someone asks you for extra cards, smile and gladly give them several.
Now, let’s talk about the lucrative FSBO market which means For Sale By Owner. There are two methods I use to contact these individuals. The first method is to leave your card or flyer on the individual’s vehicle when you see it parked for sale. If the vehicle looks as if it’s been finely detailed don’t bother to leave any information. It will be a waste of time.
The second method is to place an inexpensive classified ad under the Used Autos For Sale section of your local newspaper.
Used Autos for Sale
Trying to sell your car? Let me help you sell it faster and for more $$$$ with my Pro-Detail service. All work guaranteed. Free estimates. Call Shawn 555-5555.
Ad 2
Want your car to look its best? Let me help with my Pro-Detail service. Shop or mobile. Convenient and reliable. All work guaranteed. Call Shawn 555-5555
30
Ad3
Help your car to look its best with my Pro-Detail service. Convenient and reliable with available references. For a free estimate call Shawn. 555-5555
If a customer is trying to sell his vehicle, you’ll want to impress him with your knowledge of a good price guide. The National Automobile Dealers Association NADA Used Car Guide will give you the average prices for cars in your region. Some public libraries have the guide. You will want to subscribe to the guide if you are going to work for the FSBO market. You can receive subscription information be calling 1-800-544-6232.
NADA also publishes a guide for older used cars. For subscription information, call 1-800-544-1026. I subscribe to both guides. They are an excellent investment and I highly recommend them.
Now, I would like to talk to you about customer service and treating everyone you meet as if they were your best customer.
Customer service in this business is easy. Simply smile, do a good job, thank your customer for their business, ask for referrals and let them know you will be contacting them with future promotions.
The way I see it, a business goes out of business because of four basic fundamentals. Lack of customer service, lack of a good competitive product or service, lack of repeats sales and or poor money management. If you follow my carefully laid out instructions and start your Pro-Detail business using the Low Risk Options formula, you will achieve Pro-Detail success, I guarantee it!
Now, a word about advertising. You’ll notice the classified ads that you just read are short, sweet and to the point. Much like this information, my philosophy on advertising is one of sharing information and caring about the individual I am sharing it with. I don’t believe in using blind advertising, bait and switch ads or trash ads that badmouth the competition.
31
Hey, let’s barter! One of the fastest ways to get new customers in this business is trading your Pro-Detail service for another person’s goods or services.
Many years ago business was done this way, probably before the arrival of real money and government economists. Today, the underground economy is flourishing so why not get your piece of the action.
Just because I say underground, it does not mean tax-free. Anytime you perform your Pro-Detail service you need to log the appropriate price/credits in your ledger, whether you trade out or not. Next to the job log description you then enter if it was a trade and what you traded for.
Simply make a list of potential trade out business you wish to pursue by going through your yellow page directory again. You might want to begin with print shops since you will need some business cards right away. Restaurants, a tire shop, small “mom and pop” grocery stores and any other business that you frequent are all prime candidates for your barter program. Make sure the business or individual that you barter with is reputable and not on the verge of bankruptcy. Otherwise, they’ll have a clean car and you’ll be left empty-handed.
I like bartering with various businesses in my local area. Its fun, and it promotes a strong bond between my business and theirs. It’s a win-win situation.
My recommendation - start bartering at once. It will help you get to know some local business people and teach you about real world marketing.
Would you like to have a detail shop in a prime location with zero money out of your pocket? I thought so. Once you’ve gained some experience and have a good list of customers, you might want to think about expanding into a full-time operation. One way to do this without offering high profit add-on services, is to offer your services in an established retail location. A good business to start talking with would be a quick oil shop, a tire shop, other automotive shops or possibly a high-end used car dealership or body shop. At one time, I even negotiated with a local Wal-Mart Super Center. I “set up” for a week to test the waters.
32
Remember when I told you I contacted school superintendents? The reason for this was to see if they would allow me to bring my mobile operation to the school parking lot and service teachers/students vehicles and busses. I’ve had great success with this. I usually come once in the fall and again in the spring. I average $25.00-$30.00 per hour and have five schools on my route and would eventually like to bring this up to a dozen.
Besides schools, two more good places to bring your mobile operation are self-service car washes and office parks. Simply find out who is in charge, explain your business and give them your card. Once you have authorization to “set-up” you’ll want to give them an exact date as to when you’ll be there. I leave a sign up sheet with management and sometimes run an ad in the local paper.
Custom Car Care will be set up in the high school parking lot on xx/xx/xx from 7am-4pm performing Pro-Detail services - Windshield repair, Interior-shampooing ect. Today only most services are $25.00. Appointments are not necessary, but for your convenience, a sign up sheet is available at xxx or you can call 888 8888.
I also make up flyers that say basically the same thing. I then put a flyer in each teacher’s mailbox a few days ahead of my Pro-Detail date.
Another thing to have, is an erasable sign with stand to write your daily specials on when you’re on location. Believe me, when people are walking by they will stop to read it.
While you are out making contacts, stop in at your local cellular telephone phone retail outlet. Ask to talk with the sales manager. Tell him you are in the Pro-Detail business, give him your card and explain that you would like to be an outside agent for him. I have an agreement with my local company that pays $50.00 every time I sign up a new customer. This is easy money considering all I do is send them to the retail outlet with my card. If I have time, I’ll even go with them.
The $10.00 marketing plan - Business cards flyers and salesmanship. It is inexpensive, simple and very effective. I am going to assume you already have
33
your business cards and flyers. The next thing to do is get them out where you’re potential customers can see them.
Your business cards should cost around 7-10¢, and flyers about the same. That means you can put out 50-65 business cards and the same amount of flyers for about ten bucks! This is very powerful marketing. I’m talking about real world marketing. The kind that creates a genuine net profit that’s going directly into your bank account. Are you smiling yet?
We have already talked about handling customer inquiries, now you’re going to start getting some with your personal marketing mix of business cards, flyers and salesmanship.
Here is where the fun begins and where your profits start to mount. You get a real live person calling from a flyer they saw on their company’s bulletin board. You schedule the estimate, give your Pro-Detail pitch and your potential customer decides to use your services.
Your new client decides to bring the vehicle to your home/shop. You finish the job in 7 hours and charge $110.00 for a complete detail, minus engine steam cleaning. Smile, will you! You just averaged about $16.00 per hour working part-time from home. The job costs you about $3.75 for supplies and the marketing costs were about a quarter.
Follow-up is the key.
Here are the methods I use to generate maximum follow-up and subsequent repeat business:
1) Get a 5x7-index cardholder.
2) Take a 5x7-index card and write down the customer’s name, address, home telephone number and work number along with the best times to call each one.
3) Write out a brief description of the services they had done and the date on which they were done.
34
4) Make a note of the services they might need in the future and put a date on these.
5) Jot down any referrals with full name, address and home telephone number. If someone gives me a referral that turns into a customer the referring customer gets a $10.00 gift certificate to his or her favorite restaurant. This generates the best kind of advertising - word of mouth.
6) Put a follow-up date on their card and make sure you call them on that date.
7) Get the customer’s birth date so you can send them a nice card.
8) Put all customers on your XMAS card list.
If you start to get too busy to do telephone follow-up you can send a personal letter. Just remind the customer what they had done last time, the date it was done and that you will be happy to service their needs again. Also, send along a special flyer or promotion if you have anything new to offer.
Let’s continue your Pro-Detail education with…
35
CONNECTIONS - NETWORKING FOR SUCCESS
Networking for success is about building a home based business through contacts you make and people you trust.
Networking for success has to do with spending money on tangible assets and equipment to expand your new, successful Pro-Detail business. I’m not talking about spending money on useless advertising or filling your garage with some ponzi multi-level marketing crap that can’t be sold any other way! I’m talking about personal one-on-one communication that real people listen to. The kind that works and the kind that generates steady net profits.
Let me share with you a few of my networking rules. I never close! I am open 24 hours a day, seven days a week for networking opportunities. I am always ready and willing to talk with someone face to face, over the phone, through the mail or over the Internet. I go the extra mile to make an important contact and to “win” him or her over to my side. I integrate my personal and business success with my many contacts and friendships to continue adding more and more people to my network. Above all else, I have fun while I network for success.
I’d like to give you a prime example of networking for success. One day, I was handing out a business card to a local used car dealer. He told me to go and see a local new car dealer and gave me the name of the sales manager. The sales manager said, yes I can use your services. I started performing my Pro-Detail services for him and then the body shop manager wanted to use me too. He loves my work and now sends me several customers a year.
Of course I take him out to lunch anytime he wants to go. This is honest to goodness networking for success. It works and my business has skyrocketed because of it.
Recommendation: Read Dale Carnage’s book HOW TO WIN FRIENDS AND INFLUENCE PEOPLE.
36
One thing that you’ll need is a good organizer with plenty of room for names, addresses, telephone numbers and general information. I prefer the Day-Timer system. You can check them out at www.daytimer.com
Now let’s talk about how to build value for virtually anyone you meet. This one technique alone could add hundreds of contacts to your network and thousands of dollars to your bank account.
Building value for almost anyone you meet is simple. You first need to find out what their needs are, then you need to decide if you can fill those needs.
Here is a real life example: I placed a flyer in a bag of groceries at our local food co-op. The customer’s son read the flyer and gave me a call. The service I was advertising was windshield repair. In the process of one of our conversation, I found out that he details cars from home, part-time. Now, I’ve got a good source of trained part-time help and as an added benefit, we are going to play tennis this weekend. Do you see how I built value for him first by offering free information and my expertise over the phone?
When you are networking you must be sincere and genuine. If people think you don’t care about them, you will never succeed at building a very big list of contacts.
Really, networking for success is about building a personal contact base for fun and profit. It’s about caring and sharing with another human being. It is about trust, honesty and your personal integrity.
Sometimes when I am out networking I play a game with myself to see how quick I can build value for the person I am talking with. Here is how I do it. I quickly decide what their Pro-Detail needs are and if I can be of benefit to them. If I can, I tell them in less than thirty seconds and hand them my card. If I can’t see anything I can do for them immediately I just go into my Pro-Detail pitch which takes about forty-five seconds.
37
This approach works wonders. People are never insulted, confused or left feeling any sales hype or pressure. I use clean, kind language and I always say thank you. You should use this approach too if you want to maximize your personal effectiveness.
Remember that the key to marketing, connections and your networking for success program, is all about personal one on one communication and follow-up after the sale/contact.
You want to stay connected with the people you are putting in your little black book. Stop in and see them, bring’em doughnuts, call them on the telephone, help them solve any problems they might have. In general, just be a friendly, genuine good guy and have fun.
Now, let’s expand your horizons a little bit further with...
38
THE CASH GENERATION SYSTEM
The Cash Generation System is about all C.A.R.S. C stands for cars, A is for assets, R is for rewards and S is for savings.
Read this section carefully, then come back and re-read it as often as you need to and The Cash Generation System will become part of your everyday thinking.
Step 1: Learn how to spot maximum profit opportunities that you can take advantage of with minimum time and $$$ investment. For a beginning Detail Pro such as yourself, you’ll look for things like: a) One owner vehicles that have been pampered by their owners; b) People that have a lot more money than they have time; c) Customers that just don’t think they can perform the type of detail job that you can; d) People who need to sell their car in a hurry and at almost any price.
You’re looking to earn at least $25.00 per hour with the least amount of effort. Of course it’s not always this easy. You’ll have days where you have to put up with a hard customer, but if you keep your eyes open for the fast cash deals you’ll have more fun and more of the “S” which stands for savings.
Step 2: Stop paying over the top for your used car purchases! Once you have finished this important step and done your homework, you will be able to save $500.00 - $1500.00 on your next used car. How many hours are you currently working to earn $1500.00? Slow down, do this step right, and take the money you saved and invest the difference in your new business.
Ready! Set! Let’s teach you how to save a minimum of $500.00 on every used car purchase you’ll ever make again!
Warning: The following information could have a drastic effect on your financial future.
39
How to buy your next used car - A simple get started plan.
A: The first thing you need to do, is call NADA car guides at 1-800-544-6232. Tell them your business name because they usually will not ship to a private individual. If they think you are an average consumer they will try to sell you the retail edition of their guide. Do not buy it! If the NADA phone operator starts to ask to many questions, politely explain that you are a professional detail shop and that you need accurate information because you have many for sale by owner customers.
If you don’t have the extra cash for the NADA guide your local library probably has a copy that you can study. However you will not be able to take this guide with you. You cannot call your local banker every day either, asking them to look up prices. They will think that you are some kind of nut and they’ll treat you like one too. Recommendation: Get a subscription to the guide once you can afford one. It will be a terrific investment for your new business.
B: Remember when I talked to you about networking for success? Now is when you need to put it into action. Your job is to find a local used car dealer that will let you attend some dealer only auctions. You won’t be bidding on any cars you’ll just go to learn some of the tricks. Offer your dealer buddy cheap detail prices on his inventory and work out a deal where you’ll pay dealer buddy a flat amount for anything that he buys for you at the auction. Something like $50.00-$150.00 is an acceptable amount. Go to as many auctions as you can. Learn as much as you can about how these cars are sold and most of all have fun.
C: All is not lost if you cannot find a dealer buddy to work with. Your next job is to check out the local new car stores to look over their used car inventory. Find out what their top sellers are. Have a notebook with you and write down the year, make, model and asking price of the vehicle. Do not have your guidebook with you. You are just getting educated about your local used car market. Once you get home you can look up the prices and see how they compare. I recommend doing this until you feel comfortable in knowing which cars are good sellers and which ones are not.
D: Check out the “for sale by owner” vehicles that are in the classifieds and parked along the side of the road. These are excellent training grounds for your
40
people skills, and they will provide you with a first-hand opportunity of what it’s like to try and sell a car privately in the real world. Most of the people you will talk to haven’t got a clue on what it takes to make a car sell. They just know they want to sell this thing and that they are getting tired of the dead beats and dreamers bothering them. Hence, the serious inquiries only that you’ll see in the classifieds. Occasionally, people that advertise for serious inquiries only are dreamers who want a ridiculously high price for their car!
Occasionally, you will run into a desperate seller who has already punted their vehicle to every dealer in town. In the end he’s found out he paid way too much for it and is left with the hopeless situation of trying to sell a car that he is upside down in. Meaning he owes more than it’s worth. This poor guy is left with only two options: 1) Give the vehicle away to a dealer which he reluctantly wants to do because he’s mad at them already; 2) Sell it to a private individual. They normally try to sell it privately because the payoff is more than the dealer will give them.
Here is a quick note about upside down deals. Have you ever seen a cat dropped from the air? They usually land on their feet. People don’t, they tend to land on their heads. Just pick up any financial paper and read about the huge increase in personal bankruptcies.
E: After you have looked at several private vehicles for sale and you feel you know what the top sellers in your area are start to look for your bargain. Check out everything you see parked for sale. Check out the classifieds and bulletin boards too. F: What’s that, you say you just want to be a Pro-Detailer and that you don’t know a thing about mechanical problems. Try running the following ad under the help wanted section in your local evening or Sunday newspaper.
ATTENTION WEEKEND MECHANICS!
I need someone to service and repair my investment vehicles. Must have own tools and workshop. Phone and references essential. $20.00 per hour cash plus bonus Part-time/hours to suit Must be reliable!
41
Get ready for some serious phone calls. When I run this ad, I put it in Sunday’s paper and stay home that day to take phone calls and arrange interviews.
G: O.K. You too know what sells, you’ve gotten your NADA guide and you’ve hired a mechanic on a per job basis. Now all you have to do is start making offers. There are 4 steps you’ll need to follow.
Step 1. You have located a potential vehicle and arranged a meeting with the owner. You meet and make small talk for a few minutes. You begin by going around the exterior making notes on paper or mental notes in your mind. I recommend mental notes.
Next, open the hood and check all the fluid levels - again making your notes. Now, look over the interior and start the car. Check the horn, lights, wipers, radio and anything that is electronically operated. Be sure to check the heater and air conditioner too.
Now you are ready for the test drive. Try to go on the test drive alone, but if the owner wants to come along don’t object.
If you are fortunate enough to go on the test drive alone, go down the road a few miles and pull over. Put the car in neutral and step hard on the gas. Check the rear view mirror for smoke. A blue hazy smoke will probably indicate trouble. I would pass on this car. If the car passes the smoke test go on to the next test.
Slowly go down the road and step on the brakes while you loosely hold the steering wheel. If the vehicle dives to the left or the right, you could need new tires or an alignment.
This could cost you $150.00 or more. Next, turn the wheel hard to the left then the right. You are checking for slippage in belts or any clicking/popping noises.
42
O.K. We are ready to take the vehicle up to highway speed to check the cruise and 0-60 stopping power. After you have checked these two things, drive back to the owner and mentally make a low offer to him.
Note: You may want to have your part-time mechanic meet and come with you on the test drive. This can really work to your advantage if you are dealing with a seller that is uneducated in the world of used cars.
Step 2. The owner is anxiously awaiting your arrival. Once parked calmly get out of the vehicle and hand him the keys. If he says nothing or has a blank response when you do this say, “ what’s your bottom dollar that you would take today?” Get him to talk about money first. You do not want to be the one who makes the first offer! Let him talk and then counter with your low offer.
Note: Do not let the owner of the vehicle know that you have an NADA book - he might think you are a dealer.
Step 3. Always remain a friendly, good guy and always remind the owner that you are prepared to buy his car today if the price is right. Keep haggling and keep working him and be sure to let him know that your price is good today only. You would be surprised at how many sellers will try to hold out for a best offer. Most of these people are dreamers and deep in debt. Blow these types off like the wind blows leaves.
Note: I always try to buy every vehicle below loan value. However, some vehicles cannot be purchased at loan value because of their high demand. Some vehicles can be bought at or above book wholesale and still are excellent buys. I have even seen some vehicles bring book retail at dealer only auctions. The key is to do your homework and learn what’s hot and what’s not.
Step 4. Financing. You have made the deal and now you are off to see Mr. Banker. Hopefully you have already explained your situation to him and let him know that you are working on becoming a used car insider and Detail-Pro. Shame on you if you have not given him your business card yet. Give Mr. Banker your facts and figures on the used car and let him do his calculations.
43
Naturally, you’ll be buying the vehicle right so you won’t need any kind of down payment. If you have AAA credit you can even over finance the deal and put cash back in your pocket!
Here is a quick note about Mr. Banker. He loves customers with good credit and common sense. It makes his job easier and it makes his boss happy. Make sure you tell him to call you if any repo’s come his way. Explain to him that you might be a buyer or that you might be able to help him sell the vehicle.
Congratulations! You probably just saved $500.00 - $1500.00 on your used car purchase. Remember, the CARS program works. It’s not going to be easy. I never said it would be. I did promise that it would work for you and it will if you work the system and become an expert.
Note: Consumer Reports has an annual book they publish called Consumer Reports Buying Guide. I believe the guide is free if you subscribe to their magazine. The book gives a rundown of reliability factors on used cars and gives recommendations on used cars to buy and used cars to avoid. I use this guide all the time. Give Consumer Reports a call at 800-234-1645.
Your vehicle is freshly detailed and ready for sale now lets do a few critical steps that most people aren’t even aware of.
Step 1) Make two descriptive signs about the vehicle. You’ll want the signs to include your asking price, telephone number and the best time to call.
Here is a copy of a sign I once used:
1984 Plymouth Voyager LE Automatic, Cruise, Tilt, Cold AC, Stereo Electric windows, locks, seats Recent service. New front tires and brakes. Runs and drives great! Must sell quick
44
First $2,950.00 or best offer takes it S. Frey xxx-xxxx after 5 or leave message Step 2) Park the vehicle in a high traffic location. Put it there before 7am and pick it up before it gets dark. Some suggested parking places are grocery stores, malls, busy intersections, military installations or in front of your house if you live on a busy street.
If you have followed my instructions your phone will soon start to ring once you have the vehicle parked, waiting to be “picked up”. When a potential buyer calls they are already pre-sold on the vehicle. They have seen it and they want more details about you and the cars history. Be very polite on the phone and try to answer all of their questions. Set a time to meet with them and arrive a few minutes early.
The first showing: Your potential buyer has arrived, you go over to meet him and make small talk. After a few minutes hand him the keys and remain silent. Be a good listener and let him do all the talking. When he is ready to go on the test drive make sure you go along. Calmly and politely answer any questions he might have while on the test drive.
Once you return let him be the first to mention money. Just have a little patience and have some fun seeing who will mention money first.
Don’t budge off your price too quick. You want him to think you are a motivated seller, but not too motivated. Feel him out to see if he’s trying to get the car at dealer prices. If he offers you some stupid price, just tell him you could do better than that selling it to a used car dealer or running it through an auto auction.
You want to demonstrate to him that you know what the car is worth to a retail consumer and that it’s a bargain buying it from you rather than a dealer. If you have any type of serious buyer this will normally push him over the edge to make a positive buying decision.
45
I am not saying that you will not have to come down on your price. You probably will have to drop a little. Just remember to add $300.00 - $500.00 to your asking price then if you need to drop $500.00 to make the deal you will still come out smelling like a rose. I do this all the time and it works wonders.
O.K. Mr. Buyer finally decides he wants the car. The next thing you need to do is get a deposit of $50.00 - $100.00 in cash. If he is reluctant to hand over the cash, simply tell him that if someone else comes along and puts a deposit down you will be forced to sell to them. If he balks at this or gets mad just say, look I understand how you feel, I felt the same way when I bought my last car from a private individual. But you know what I found? I found that if I get a deposit when I’m selling a car that it really protects you, the buyer. It protects you because you know you are getting a great deal and you don’t really want to miss out on a great deal, do you?
If you are not a salesman type or you just aren’t full of BS like I am when I go into my sales mode, forget everything I told you about getting a deposit. Simply arrange to meet your buyer at his bank with the vehicle, title and keys. If your buyer has strong objections to this he may be a poor credit risk or a dreaming deadbeat. I would probably pass on this deal or simply tell him that he’s got 48 hours to come up with money. No ifs, ands or butts and NO you don’t finance!
Occasionally you’ll have to deal with an idiot when you are trying to sell a car. Car dealers get idiots all the time so be prepared to get your share too. Some people call them fools, others call them deadbeats and still others call them wasters. They are all in the same boat. They desperately need transportation but usually have no cash, no credit and generally very bad luck. Under no circumstances let them take your car for a test drive alone. Do not offer any help or solutions to them. Let your local note lot take care of them with high interest rates of 21% or more.
Have some patience, learn your local car market and look at over 100 vehicles if you need to before you make your first buy. Always carry your NADA book with you but never let anyone else know you’ve got one. Have fun, learn to spot bargains and be prepared to take advantage of them.
46
Remember the totem pole I told you about earlier? Keep a low profile and never act like a car dealer. You want people to like you.
Cars and the C.A.S.H. Generation System - A long-term residual income plan.
Now, let’s talk about the 60-90 day plan and how to never lose money on another used car again. The plan is very simple. First, you locate a bargain vehicle and buy it right. Next, you get insurance coverage, register the vehicle and pay your taxes.
Write down the exact amount you paid for the vehicle including all taxes plus 90 days worth of insurance coverage and three months worth of fuel costs. Drive the car and have fun showing off your bargain. Do not ever tell someone the exact price you paid for your “new car”. If someone asks just tell them that it was a bargain and that when you get ready to sell it you will make somebody else a good deal too.
Make sure you keep track of all your expenses related to the vehicle. Try to keep your expenses minimal to insure good a profit when you sell.
After 60 days or so give your latest car bargain a retail detail and put it up for sale. Add up all your expenses for the car and price it at least $500.00 - $1500.00 over those. If you bought it right, this should be no problem.
If you paid over the top for the vehicle or put to much money into repairs and other items, the very least you’ll want to do is break even.
I profit between $500.00-$1500.00 on most of my deals. The very least I have done is driven a good used car practically free.
Now I would like to talk to you about over financing a good car deal, and investing the difference in your new business. This is exactly the same method I use from time to time.
47
My wife needed a good work car so I found her a 1991 Ford Probe. I paid $4350.00, financed $6000.00 and gave the dealer $300.00 for buying it through the dealer’s only auto auction. This was a great deal so I gave dealer buddy a little extra.
Lets see, that’s $6000.00 - $4650.00 = $1350.00. I used the extra cash at 7.5% interest and bought a good air compressor and some other equipment I needed to begin offering my paint touch up service.
Now, let’s start to rap things up with...
48
PUTTING IT ALL TOGETHER
Here is my quick start list:
Pick a business name and register it with your county courthouse.
Open a business checking account.
Check out the local competition using the guidelines we have already discussed.
Order printed materials – offer barter arrangement with local printer.
Purchase your Harper Brush Sure Start Auto Detailing Kit by calling 641.919.5186.
Talk to the editor of local newspaper about an editorial for your new business.
Get a cell phone
Obtain local business license if required.
Detail personal vehicle(s).
Begin niche marketing once printed materials are received.
Make a list of businesses and individuals to form barter arrangements with.
Search out good parking places for The Retail Detail System
Order NADA guidebooks.
Here is a detail checklist I thought you would enjoy. You have my permission to copy the checklist and I encourage you to do so.
You could make up a similar checklist to include your customer’s name, address and telephone number. Tick off each space and put the completed form back in the vehicle. This will give your customer a sense of satisfaction knowing that the job was done in accordance to a check-off list.
49
DETAIL CHECKLIST Exterior
Exterior Paint < > Top/Roof < > Tail Pipe < > Chrome < > Wheels < > Tires < > Wheel wells < > Windows < > Mirrors < >
Hood/Trunk
Engine compartment < > Under Chassis < > Trunk < > Interior
Vacuuming < > Stain removal < > Shampooing < > Door Jambs < > Dash/Vents < > Instruments < > Electronics < > Headliner < > Floor Mats < > Door Jambs < > Ash Tray < > Pedals < > Controls < > Windows < > Dust Buff
Remove wax from any cracks < > Touch up nicks and scratches < > Repair windshield < > Other < >
50
Harper Brush Sure Start Auto Detailing Kit
With these products and a good vacuum cleaner, you will have virtually everything you need to start professionally cleaning anything that rolls, floats or flies.
ITEM# 574
Tire and wheel brush.
Plastic block.
Ideal for cleaning tire sidewalls and rims.
Fiber: crimped synthetic. Trim Length: 1/2"
#574 $2.67
ITEM# 356
Wheel brush.
Flow-through plastic block with threaded 45° handle hole.
Ideal for cleaning wheels and rims.
Fiber: split-tip synthetic. Trim Length: 3 1/4"
Diameter: 4 1/4"
#356 – uses 20720H shown below $13.14
ITEM# 885510
Plastic tri-level block.
Block and fiber design allow for three distinct washing angles.
Ideal for automotive and marine applications.
Fiber: soft, split-tip nylon. Trim Length: 2 1/2"
10" – #885510 $30.71
51
ITEM# 444
2 Microfiber, loose weave terry cloths.
Best for general cleaning.
Use damp for cleaning, dry for dusting.
Absorbs eight times its weight in water.
18" x 30" – #444 $14.02
ITEM# 70308
High-foam car wash.
Concentrated formula.
Ideal for cleaning automotive, marine and industrial vehicles.
1 gal. – #70308 $16.69
ITEM# 70305
Degreasing cleaner.
Heavy-duty formula.
Ideal for greasy floors, walls, equipment and machinery.
1 gal. – #70305 $21.36
ITEM# 70326
Protectant.
Restores, preserves and protects vinyl, rubber, and leather, plastic and wood.
Imparts rich, natural sheen to enhance color.
1 gal. – #70326 $34.50
52
ITEM# 70301
Glass cleaner.
Concentrated solution.
Ideal for removing grime, greasy film, bugs and fingerprints.
1 gal. - #70301 $16.03
ITEM #447
2 Microfiber, window cleaning cloths.
Best for cleaning and shining smooth surfaces.
Use lightly dampened with water.
Ideal for glass, mirrors and chrome.
16" x 20" – #447 $10.47
ITEM# 70323
Pump for one gallon jug.
Threaded cap.
#70323 $3.34
**Your kit includes 4 pumps
ITEM# 538
Bug sponge.
Ideal for removing bug residue.
Material: sponge sewn inside nylon net cover.
Size: 5" x 7" x 1 1/4" – #538 $2.38
53
448 Microfiber Chamois – Not Shown $10.80
ITEM# 20720H
Wood.
Painted red.
15/16" diameter. – Use with #356 wheel brush $2.23
ITEM# 90160H
Hardwood.
Lacquered.
15/16" diameter.
$8.01
ITEM# D21
Display hook.
Holds auto detailing equipment.
$8.24
54
ITEM# 70320
Spray bottle.
May be used to mix and dispense cleaning solutions.
22 oz. – #70320 $4.00
**Your kit includes 4 spray bottles
The above products make up the Harper Brush Sure Start Auto Detailing Kit. The price for the complete kit is $247.00 and includes FedEx Ground shipping. The ONLY way to order the kit is for you to talk to me personally. There are two ways you can do this. 1) Call my cell phone at 641.919.5186. You can call anytime, but you will probably need to leave a message. OR 2) Send me an email at [email protected] with the best time for me to call you. You will need to place your order with a Visa or MasterCard. The Harper Brush Sure Start Auto Detailing Kit comes with my Absolute Satisfaction Guarantee.
Absolute Satisfaction
Anything less and you get your money back. Period.
55
Your Harper Brush Sure Start Auto Detailing Kit includes all this:
56
BONUS 1
Purchasing the Harper Brush Sure Start Auto Detailing Kit also entitles you to 1-hour of consultation via my private 800 line. My normal rate for this consultation is $100.00 per hour. You will receive 1-hour free. I can schedule your free, private consultation when you place your order. BONUS 2
As a working customer you will also be invited to join a special conference call facilitated by yours truly. Share auto detailing ideas and challenges while networking with like-minded individuals. Each call lasts one hour and has a specific agenda. All calls are recorded in MP3 format; notes are hand typed and distributed to the group via email. Conference calling can be a great support system that fosters learning and camaraderie. I have been personally facilitating conference calls since Nov 17, 2003. Upon acceptance of your invitation, you will be given a special toll-free number and pass-code to participate with the group. The conference calls are Monday evening at 7pm CST. These calls are by private invitation only! No exceptions. Questions: Please call 641.919.5186. You will probably have to leave a message but I will get back to you within 24 hours. Thank you for taking the time to read Auto Detailing for Fun & Profit. I hope you enjoyed it. Sincerely, Shawn Frey (the brush guy)
