If you are serious about getting the word out about your auto detailing or mobile auto detailing business then you need to have a marketing plan that utilizes the various social mediums that are available today. There are literally hundreds of channels the question is which ones should you use for your business? Use the ones that will work of course, but if you aren’t sure and do not want to waste your time trying social media channels that have not proven to be effective for your type of business model then I suggest you concentrate on the one I will write about below. All of these have been proven as an effective way to promote an auto detailing or car reconditioning business.
Facebook, if used the correct way can be a very effective way to help promote your detailing business. Don’t just make a facebook fan page and not keep up with it. You should have created a vanity display name once you obtain 25 friends, the vanity URL should be the name of your business so you can easily display your facebook address on your business cards, flyers, web site, banner, mobile rig, etc. Your facebook fan page should contain pictures of cars that you have detailed on a daily basis. Ask the car owner to tag the photo once you have published it so his or her friends can see how good it looks, this can lead to more potential business. Offer your customer a free carwash if he tags his car’s photo.
You may also want to post an event that you are having on a weekly basis. This event could be a weekly special that you are having just for your facebook fans and their friends. Make it something worthwhile like a free fabric protection application for carpets and upholstery with every complete interior auto detailing service completed. Or offer a free step up to a polymer paint protection which will extend the paint protection up to a year versus 6 months. Both of these specials have value to them and can get your phone to start ringing. Facebook is not for “pushing” auto detailing sales although if promoted in a low key way and you really show value, you will get business. Be sure you read-up on the new facebook timeline format and new messaging features and how it can help you really get your detailing business noticed.
Linkedin is a goldmine but you are probably not taking advantage of it because you are not sure how to use it. I realize it may be complicated in certain ways and can be overwhelming, although if you hone in on only a few of its tools you can acquire new contacts that could lead to new revenues! First of all be sure you have a LinkedIn business profile and that your profile is “keyword” rich as it pertains to your car detailing business. You want your profile to show up if someone in your area is doing a search for car cleaning, auto detailing, auto reconditioning, etc. For example there could be a fleet manager searching for a detailing business that needs to have 100 vehicles cleaned and professionally detailed before they are returned to the leasing company. Or maybe an insurance claims manager is searching for a professional car detailing outfit that can handle a huge smoke or water damage claim that that just recently came in. If your business is not represented on LinkedIn the chances of these people talking to you are greatly reduced.
You can also use LinkedIn as a search tool to locate contacts of businesses in your area that you know about but aren’t sure who to contact or have made a phone call and not got passed the receptionist. LinkedIn is a way to get past the “gatekeeper” and right to the decision maker. I suggest you familiarize yourself again with LinkedIn, check out any relevant tutorials and experiment with locating opportunities in your area. You will not get anywhere without trying it out and logging in to your account. You will also be able to see who was viewing your account profile, and if appropriate send them a message to see if there is any synergy there. Keep your profile updated and if you find that LinkedIn’s free account is working well for you, you may even want to explore the idea to obtaining a paid account which will give you more features to send messages and make even more contacts.
QR codes
(quick response codes) are becoming a terrific tool to connect your printed materials to your web site or special landing page. If used correctly you can drive more sales and book more appointments. QR codes should be used as a marketing connection tool to expand on from your printed brochure, business card, flyer, service menu, or even the lettering on your van, pick-up truck or trailer. It is critical that your landing page that the QR code is connected to is optimized for a smart phone. If it’s not optimized and the person who scanned it has a poor experience they may not even give your brand a second look and you lose a potential client. Many are using QR codes, that when scanned connects to a mobile coupon. Mobile coupons are the hottest digital promotion to hit wireless since the smart phone. Your QR code can connect to a mobile coupon that has a great offer or discount to get the phone to ring. Be sure you have your phone number in the coupon as a live link so if the person who is viewing the coupon likes the deal they can call you up to book the appointment.
SMS Text Alerts
SMS Text Alerts are short text alert messages that you send to your auto detailing prospects and customers. You would send the messages to a database of individuals that have signed up to receive them. These are individuals that are current customers or are interested in your auto detailing services in the future. Keeping your detailing company’s name in front of them is critical. Sending them weekly or bi weekly text alerts is a way to inform them of auto detailing specials that you are having. By attaching a mobile coupon in your text alert will build customer loyalty quickly. Have a plan and send text alerts regularly without becoming annoying. Your customers can sign up to receive your text alerts on your web site or you can explain on the back of your business card or on your flyers how to “opt in” to receive your text alerts and mobile coupons. You can send out as many text alerts as you want, and as often you want and even attach a mobile coupon by signing up for this service at DetailDeals.com.
Mobile Apps
Mobile Apps and Mobile Websites for your car detailing business are a must-have for 2012 and beyond. We are in the beginning of the smart phone revolution! You can sit back and watch your competitors take the lead by having a mobile app, mobile web site or even both, or you can take charge now and be the innovative leader in your town and reap the benefits by acquiring new customers that use smart phones more and more everyday to shop and help organize their busy lifestyles.
I suggest you first at least start off with a mobile app for your auto detailing business. A mobile app is a quick and easy way for your prospects and customers to connect to your social media channels, visit your web sites, learn about your specials, sign up for your newsletters and even book an appointment, all from their smart phone! Once you enjoy some success with your own mobile app for your auto detailing business you should consider a mobile web site. You would still keep your mobile app, but now your customers would be able to quickly view your auto detailing service information from their smart phones without having to log on to their computer to go to your desk top web site. In just a few years there will be more people doing online searches through their smart phones than their computers. You might as well be one of the first to have the latest technology and stay way, way ahead of your competition. DeatailDeals.com can provide you a mobile app, text alert service and even build your app for your detailing business.
Well here you have a few old ways to promote your auto detailing business online and a few new ways to start thinking about. Don’t wait too long to put a plan of action in place, time is of the essence right now. If your competition beats you to the punch it will be difficult to get those customers over to you once they see the benefits of receiving mobile coupons and the ability to communicate with a service easily through their smart phone. If you have questions don’t hesitate to contact me nvacco@detailking.com or call me and ask for Nick Vacco 1888-314-0847.
