If you were to rank various occupations on how important a computer is to the success of that business, we’re pretty sure auto detailing professionals would be near the bottom of the heap, some of them proclaiming, “I work with my hands and I don’t need a damned computer.” So it’s understandable why many auto detailers question if it’s even worth the time and expense to invest in a professional website.
In most cases, this hesitation to be ushered into the 21st century boils down to the fact that some car detailers are just stuck in their ways. Or they don’t want to shell out good money for a computer. And then there’s the expense of hiring some high-priced technology wiz to set up their website.
But here’s the thing: Nearly all the detailers for whom we’ve developed a website (yes, in addition to training professional auto detailers and selling the best professional-grade auto detailing equipment and supplies, we build websites for our Authorized Detail King Licensees) have told us that 50 percent to 80 percent of their new business is generated through that website!
Let’s face it. You can only go out and physically market your auto detailing business so many hours a day. And unless you’re a Marvel action figure, there’s only so much real estate that you can cover in the course of a day. On the other hand, a professionally built and maintained website sells and markets for your auto detailing business 24/7. That means your website is still up and running — being perused by potential patrons — while you’re sleeping, eating, working or even on vacation. Beginning to get the picture?
Some of the other advantages of having a professional website for your auto detailing business include:
- Reduce your labor cost: Word of mouth, brochures and flyers are great for getting the word out about your auto detailing shop, but they’re all labor intensive. Your own website does it better and without you having to run all over town selling yourself to complete strangers.
- Fish where the fish swim: Most of your potential and return customers are using the Internet to research products and services they’re in need of, including professional auto detailing.
- Get found: Believe it or not, getting their automobile detailed isn’t a top priority among most consumers, so when they are on the hunt for a good detailer, your name isn’t at the top of their list. That’s because they don’t have a list. They have to look it up online. You’ve probably heard the lottery pitch: “You can’t win if you don’t enter.” Same holds true for marketing your business. If you don’t have a presence on the Internet, fewer people are going to find you.
- Right place at the right time: With your own website, potential customers can check you out at their leisure, see what you’ve got to offer, look at some before and after pictures, and get an idea about the strength of your auto detailing services.
- Credibility counts: Having links on your website to reviews of your business, and to Facebook and Twitter where potential customers can learn more about your business, means even more exposure for your brand.
If we’ve persuaded you that a business website is the way to go, that’s great news. But we don’t want you to run out and jury-rig your own site with duct tape and some bad coding. Because unless you’re married to a professional website designer/programmer, you’re probably going to need help getting a respectable site up and running.
Think of it this way: You wouldn’t show up at a customer’s business with a mobile rig that has bald tires, chipped paint and a filthy exterior would you? Same goes for your website. It’s got to be easy to maneuver around, neat, clean and professional.
And here at Detail King, we offer an Authorized Licensee Program, in which among other things, we develop a professional website for your auto detailing business, making sure you have a competitive online presence that will attract customers from your local area. Click Detail King Authorized Licensee to learn more.
