You’re an auto detailer. You take pride in your work and are good at what you do. You provide a valuable service and deserve compensation for your time and effort. But for some reason, you can’t seem to get the word out there. You’ve tried everything, but nothing seems to be working.
Competition is stiff when it comes to auto shops like auto detailing. There are more than 200,000 auto shops in the country. Some come in the form of multi-million franchises. As an independent auto-detailer, this can be a challenging mountain to climb.
However, before you give up and return to your day job, take a step back and assess the situation. Chances are, there’s something you’re doing wrong. Here are four common mistakes auto detailers make when promoting their business—and how to fix them.
Your Target Market
One of auto detailers’ most common mistakes is failing to define their target market. Instead, they assume that anyone with a car is a potential customer, so they try to appeal to everyone—and as a result, they end up appealing to no one.
The key is to focus your efforts on a specific group of people. Ask yourself: who are my ideal customers? What do they look like? Where do they live? What do they do for a living? Keep your ideal customer in mind at all times when formulating marketing strategies – this will enable you to appeal to them more effectively.
Quality Marketing Materials
Another mistake auto detailers often make is skimping on quality regarding their marketing materials. They think that if they have anything to hand out, it will be enough to promote their business effectively.
This couldn’t be further from the truth. If you want people to take your business seriously, you must invest in high-quality marketing materials like business cards, flyers, and brochures. This doesn’t mean you have to spend a fortune; there are plenty of ways to get quality materials without breaking the bank. Make sure that whatever you use accurately reflects the quality of your work.
Online Marketing Techniques
In today’s digital world, auto detailers need to be utilizing online marketing techniques if they want their business to succeed. This means having a presence on social media and creating a website for your business—two things that far too many auto detailers still don’t have.
If you’re unsure where to start with online marketing, don’t worry; plenty of resources are available to help you get started. Here are three of the simplest online marketing techniques out there.
Business Profile
The first step is to build an image around your company. You can start by making a Google business profile. Most auto-detailers overlook the importance of Google’s business profile in auto-detailing. It can put your brand on the map and even use it for other options.
Feel free to use your business profile to showcase your work, give people an idea of what to expect when they come to you for service, and establish yourself as a reputable brand in the industry.
Blogging
The next step is to create content that will make people want to visit your website. This is where blogging comes in. By consistently publishing high-quality content on your website, you can establish yourself as an expert in the industry and drive more traffic to your site.
Create helpful guides or top tips for auto detailing. This will help people learn about the process of auto detailing and start associating your brand with their own success story—which is precisely what you want.
Social Media Marketing
Finally, make sure you’re using social media to your advantage. About seven in ten Americans have social media, making it the best way to reach out to clients. You can do this by joining relevant groups and posting helpful information people will find valuable. You can build a loyal following—and improve the visibility of your brand at the same time.
Consistent Marketing
Finally, one of auto detailers’ most significant mistakes is failing to market their business consistently. They might do some initial promotion when they start, but after that, they quickly fall off the wagon and stop promoting altogether.
To be successful, you need to treat marketing like any other task on your to-do list; it needs to be done regularly if you want results. So set aside time each week—even if it’s just an hour or two—to work on promoting your business, whether that means updating your social media accounts or passing out flyers in your neighborhood. The more consistent you are with marketing, the better results you’ll see over time.
There’s no denying that promoting an auto detailing business can be challenging—but it’s far from impossible. By avoiding these four common mistakes, you’ll be well on your way to success!
