Challenging as our financial crisis has been, there are always opportunities to promote your detailing business but you need to be innovative. As far as the poor state of our economy is concerned, everyone has their fair share of uncertainties. Instead of worrying about what you cannot control, you want to work with what you can control to promote your detailing business. The very first place to start is to get in touch with the constraints your customers are experiencing today i.e. how to control expenses, lower spending, and buying based on needs as oppose to wants.
Even though discounts are quick and common to implement, cash-strapped customers are not so easily swayed during financial crisis. Thus, in addition to using lower prices and promotions, you have to factor in other value propositions such as convenience, extras, exceptional quality, and affordability to win them over.
Think convenience
Where convenience is concerned, instead of offering your detailing services at your shop location, consider off site, to offer mobile detailing promotions. Where possible, offer your services to customers who are located within a specified mileage radius. You will make a difference in how your business is perceived because you are thinking of their convenience, and saving them the time and money involved in making the back and forth trip out to your premises.
Make it affordable, especially during financial crisis
All consumers appreciate it when they can get more “bang for their buck” especially when they are in the “crisis” mindset. A discount is great but a free tag-on service/product or payment by installment basis are also other ways to make your service even more appealing because it does not break the bank for them. During financial crisis, they will appreciate your efforts to allow them to spread out their payments and make it more affordable to use your detailing services.
Value
Another way to promote your detailing business would be to offer e.g. special limited time discounts or ‘3 for 2’ value package where they pay for 2 services and get the 3rd one free. In the latter, they will be getting extra value for each dollar they spend and alternatively, they can share the offer with two other friends and split the costs and enjoy the savings between them. If those two other friends are new to your detailing business, that is two new prospects for you to look forward to in the future.
Keep Up The Goodwill
In good or bad times, you never want to be sitting on your laurels waiting for your customers to turn up. You want to be seen and heard to be doing something all the time that keeps your brand in full view of your marketplace.
A great way to raise your brand awareness and appeal is to participate in building goodwill in your community during a lull. An open day-cum -charity event or -fund raiser or -social awareness campaign is good for boosting morale all-round and to simultaneously showcase your detailing services.
Despite being in the midst of the macro and micro doldrums, people need and want to feel a sense of hope and relief, even if it’s for a few hours. You want to be seen and known as an upbeat entrepreneur who “sees the cup as half full rather than half empty”.
Take Stock
This is also an opportune time to review and clarify your customer knowledge base, and your public relations fronts such as your customer service, shop front and of course, your website. Sometimes when you and your team get caught up with the day to day demands and challenges of the business, there will be valuable information or areas that are overlooked. This is the perfect time to re-visit each of them to analyze where there may be new opportunities or opportunities missed.
As a provider of high quality auto spa services and franchise, DetailXPerts understands the ups and downs of doing business in these challenging times. There are no two ways about it but to work even harder and smarter to forge ahead.
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