The auto detailing market has grown by leaps and bounds over the past few years. While many businesses find themselves struggling as consumers tighten their belts, auto detailing offers an economical service which extends the value of a vehicle for their customers. This places them in a prime location for not only keeping current customers but expanding to other customers who perhaps hadn’t considered detailing as a viable option. One of the biggest untapped markets for this is the business traveler.
People who often travel for business park at long term parking lots located near airports. The average stay in one of these long term lots is five days. This gives you ample time to go in and detail the car while the owner is away. You can advertise your services through trip planning sites, direct mailshots to companies with a traveling workforce such as sales and insurance companies and also through flyers which can be handed out by the lot attendant. The best way to play up your service to traveling business people is by listing your available service packages with included services bullet-pointed for quick reading. Keep in mind that these potential customers will be pressed for time so ensure your formatting is able to be speed read by them while still covering all the major points of interest. Include your number, website address and any other contact information in bold at the top and bottom of each flyer and include your years of experience as well as any guarantee you offer.
If your business has a shop front in addition to a mobile service, also consider offering long term parking solutions if your location and available space allows it. If your shop is located within 15 miles of the airport you can easily offer a drop off service which will put you ahead of the competition. If this isn’t an option for you, develop and foster relationships with nearby park and ride lots which may offer you a discount for advertising with them. As always, networking relationships with local businesses can yield customers who otherwise wouldn’t be aware of your services.
Since many professionals who travel worth within sales you can also advertise your services at conventions and industry shows which may be hosted in your own city. These professionals often spend their entire day at these conventions and your services can easily be completed during their time there. The speed and convenience of auto detailing means that your services can be offered “on the fly” which makes them more appealing to those who want their cars to be showroom perfect but who simply don’t have the time to drop their vehicles off and wait for them to be detailed.
Marketing to business travelers means playing up the speed and convenience of your services. Keep this demographic in mind when developing flyers or brochures and remember that these potential customers will have less than a minute to evaluate your services and consider your pricing before making their decision. If you offer multiple tier pricing list them from the least expensive to the highest so that they can easily choose the car detailing package that fits both their needs and their budget.