Professional Detailing Business Forums - International Detailing Association

IDA Information

eliza — Fri, 20 Jan 2012 01:13:54 GMT

Is the IDA still functioning? Have not read too much about their activities on this sight?

Eli Eliza

Forum: International Detailing Association

Creative Ways to Sell Gift Certificates

Detailn — Sat, 17 Dec 2011 14:03:28 GMT

Do you promote gift certificate sales for detailing at your business?
Both of our locations get slow when winter unloads snow on us here in Michigan during December, January and February. We have heavily promoted sales of gift certificates for Christmas over the last couple years and it has helped us get through the slow period. Actually our customers help finance our slow period by pre buying services.
What are some creative methods you have used to promote sales of gift certificates?

Forum: International Detailing Association

New California Mobile Detailer - Advice Please!

brianelhardt — Fri, 21 Oct 2011 06:02:25 GMT

I'm currently preparing to enter the mobile detailing business on a very small scale/shoe-string budget, but with a vision for making a significant business out of it as it grows. All of this California regulation is really getting me down - largely because I can't seem to get the real deal of what I need to do. Any California mobile detailers out there able to tell me the real story of how things really work? Much appreciated. Brian

Forum: International Detailing Association

Sales and Marketing (how to make an incredible income)

m22wright — Thur, 24 Mar 2011 03:08:19 GMT

I am the proud owner of Wrights Highend Detailing and Refinishing Services and have been in operation for over thirty years. Thats a long time and in that time, I have seen EVERYONE come and go and there are many reasons for that. Motivation, lazyness, not being focused, burnout and the list goes on.

My back ground is sales and marketing with a degree in business mgt./economics and yes, this gives me a distinct advantage over everyone where that I have the ability to do more than just survive in this bad economy, I am actually thriving and feel absolutly no effect of the bad economy AT ALL.

You ask, How can this be ????

Quite simple, This is a business that I am operating, not a side line car wash as most everyone is operating, and I operate it as such.

One thing that I do that most are not willing to do and thats invest in my own business and I am not talking about supplys and equipment, I am talking about sales and marketing. (promoting my own business)

This in its self is a full time job aside from detailing and this can consume at least seventy percent if not more of your total business. Infact, my wife will tell you that I am on the computer sometimes till 2 and sometimes 3:00 am promoting my business.

Your business image is EVERYTHING and will altimatley determine your destination. Comunication skills, being diversified, suggestive selling, hygene, confidence, PROSPECTING and I capitalize prospecting just to name a few components that will make you successful however, this is only touching the tip.

I want to share a couple of things with everyone that has made me very successful and its not rocket science.

1st of all, a well designed website. Not rag tag. Remember, people are looking at you. http://www.wrightsmobiledetail.com

2nd of all, a secondary site to post your credentials and this site I am showing you is already coded for Craigs List, Ebay and more. Stay away from Photobucket, WHY, because you will look like everyone else and the whole objective behind marketing is standing out from the crowd and heres the site.
http://www.use.com/myaccount.pl?q=wrights%20highend%20detailing%20and%20refinishing%20services

3rd, a Youtube page. I know already that a lot of you are asking WHY ??? Because seeing is believing. Did you know that I have one of the largest detailing sites in the world with over seventy videos on Youtube and almost every video that is on that page can correspond to a gallery on my main website for authentisity. (WOW, HOW COOL)Very smart i say.
Remember this ok and remember this well. As long as I have been in business, everyone says that they can do what I can do and this is furthest from the truth. Its so criticle that you build up a portfolio as I have done because SEEING IS BELIVING. And now here is my Youtube page.
http://www.youtube.com/user/m22wright?feature=mhum

4th is a Google business account. Did you know that your potential customers google services right in their own zip code ???? and guess what, are you popping up ??? I can almost guarantee you that your not and if your not, your missing out on a big piece of the pie.
What I want everyone to do who is reading this is Google auto detailing 32065 and 32203. Also Google headlight restoration 32065 and 32203 and tell me what you see.

This is only for starters what I have shown everyone here. Believe me when I say there is more to the picture than what I have shared with you.

I am here to help everyone be successful but I cant do it for you.

I also want everyone to know that I am severly handicapped, crippled, disabled with an onset of Parkinsons Diease. I am in pain 24/7 and never really sleep at night because I am in so much pain. In other words, I am severly banged up from head to toe. I bring this up because if I can do all of this, then you should be able to do half of what I can do..

I am challenging everyone to do what it takes, WHY, because this is all my wife and I have and this is all I know and dont think I collect from the V.A., and dont think that I collect anything because I dont. I either fall through the cracks or I dont meet guidelines or criteria or whats known as a quoata.

Get up off your butts and go out and make something happen.

Forum: International Detailing Association

EPA & Safer Chemicals...

IDA — Wed, 01 Dec 2010 23:39:12 GMT

EPA Announced New Tool to Promote Safer Chemicals & Products

WASHINGTON - As part of Administrator Lisa P. Jackson's commitment to strengthen and reform chemical management, the US Environmental Agency (EPA) has announced new criteria to help companies, businesses and government agencies identify safer chemicals. As part of the agency's Design for the Environment (DIE) program, EPA has unveiled the new critieria which are an important tool under it's DfE Alternatives Assessment for identifying safer alternatives to chemicals that pose a concern to human health and the environment.

"The new approach for evaluating and indentifying safer chemicals is an important step toward ensuring that the chemicals used in this country are safe," said Steve Owens, assistant administrator for EPA's Office of Chemical Safety and Pollution Prevention. "Making this information available will not only lead to the manufacture of safer products, it will increase the public's access to critical chemical information.""

The DfE program works in partnership with industry, environmental groups and academia to help industry choose safer alternatives to chemicals that may pose concern to human health or the environment. Information on chemical hazards from DfE Alternatives Assessments is combined with industry data on performance and cost to guide the choice of safer alternatives. To distinguish among alternatives, DfE evaluates data for each chemical and assigns hazard levels of high, moderate or low for human health and environmental concerns.

DfE Alternatives Assessments will be conducted for bisphenol A (BPA), phthalates, decabromodiphenyl ether (decaBDE), hexabromocyclododecane (HBCD) and nonylphenol ethoxylates (NPand NPEs). Both the BPA and decaBDE efforts are underway and include the use of BPA and its alternatives.

The assessments will lead to the manufacture of safer products and reduced chemical exposures.

EPA will accept comment on the criteria through January 31, 2011

For more information: http://epa.gov/dfe/alternative_assessments.html

Forum: International Detailing Association

The IDA Detailer Certification Program

IDA — Mon, 29 Nov 2010 20:56:23 GMT

The International Detailing Association is pleased to announce the creation and launch of a Professional Detailing Certification Program. The goal of this program is to test professional detailers knowledge on a variety of topics, the creation of baseline-standards shared throughout the industry, and to increase the level of proficiency and professionalism for the industry.

The first phase will focus on a series of 10 written exams with the fess structure listed below

Members: $25 per test, or prepay for all 10 tests for $200

Non Members: $45 per test or prepay for all 10 tests for $400.

The Certification Program is available to IDA members and non-members. Non members are welcome to join the IDA so they too can benefit from Member pricing.

Testing Process and Administration:

1. Candidates will email info@the-ida.com to apply to take the test or visit http://www.the-ida.com/certification-and-education/

a. Please include your name, address, telephone, place of work, email address in your email or complete the form already on the site.

2. The IDA Executive Director will administer each test in .pdf form to the test taker via email.

3. Upon receipt of the completed test via email or mail, the associations Executive Directors office will grade the test.

4. The pass or fail notification will then go to the candidate informing them they are eligible/or not to take the next test.

5. In the event of a fail grade, the candidate will be eligible for 1 free re test. If a test is failed a second time then the candidate must pay to retake the test for a third time.

6. Upon a candidates completion of the 10 tests the Execustive Directors office will issue an IDA Certificate of Completion in the name of the candidate.

For more information please email us at info@the-ida.com

Forum: International Detailing Association

Effective Email Marketing

IDA — Wed, 17 Nov 2010 15:00:14 GMT

This marketing assistance is brought to you by the INTERNATIONAL DETAILING ASSOCIATION, "the voice of the professional detailing industry." JOIN WITH US TODAY http://www.the-ida.com

If you are not, you need to immediately build your database of customers by obtaining their emails to create an "email mailing list." You can also include friends, relatives and potential customers on your emailing database.

Then put together regular emails to this database.

The secret, however is to get them to read it and not DELETE it.

In about 3 seconds a prospect makes a choice to read or delete your email. Obviously you want them to not only read it but to respond and make an appointment.

So how do you get past their "delete barrier?"

There are two simple ways:

a. Your message
b. A personal approach

Even if they are not customers you can still get them to respond. But you have got to grab the prospect's attention. You have got to make them personal.

Here are some thoughts to consider:

1. Limit the Number of Messages You Send - never send more than you can immediately respond to. People expect a reply within 24 hours.

2. Limit the size - this allows you to be responsive. Often a prospect is not sure if you are a real person or an email blast. Responding quickly removes all doubts.

3. Tailor Your Message - a small targeted list allows you to be more personal.

4. Personalize the Subject Line - this will increase your response rate. If you are emailing to people who do not recognize your name or company name it is critical for the "subject line" to grab their attention and entice them to read the email.

5. Use a Salutation - to get a reply you have got to be informal and inviting. You can use openings like, "Hi John/Hi Megan." If you do not have a personal name then do not send to this company or email until you get one. An email with no name is usually immediately deleted.

6. Keep the Short - keep your message very short to insure they look at it. You will get them to read the email if it is a short read, 4 sentences at most in a paragraph and no more than 3 paragraphs.

7. Write Conversationally - this is not a business letter, you do not have to write grammatically correct. Make it personal that is more effective.

Emailing can be one of your most effective ways to reach prospects and customers. Do it correctly they will get read and you will get a desired response.

Regards
THE IDA

7.

Forum: International Detailing Association

Product Recall

IDA — Wed, 03 Nov 2010 19:28:20 GMT

Claire-Sprayway Inc. is recalling protectors sold under 3D, Simoniz, Auto Magic and Auto Brite.

A recall has been issued for 73,500 13.5 oz bottles of Claire-Sprayway fabric protector due to possible respiratory hazards, the Post-Gazette reported.

The products are sold under the brand names: Sprayway No. 980 Industrial Fabric Protector; 3D Fabric Protector; Auto Brite Fabric Protector Guardatela; Auto Magic Fabric Protector No. 91-S; Crystal Aire Products #680 Fabric Protector; Falcon Labs Spotless Fabric Protector; Quiltprotect Spray; Robbie's Fabric Shield; Showcar Fabric Protector and Simoniz System 5 Stain Sentry Fabric Protector.

The recall information from Consumer Product Safety Commission stated: Overexposure to fumes, vapor or spray mist from the product can pose a serious respiratory hazard.

Products were sold between January 2005 and August 2010.

Forum: International Detailing Association

Tips on Hiring Your First Employees

IDA — Tue, 02 Nov 2010 01:18:26 GMT

The IDA is pleased to provide both technical and business information to help detail business owners succeed:

Tips on Hiring Your First Employees

If you want your business to grow you must hire employees. That is the only way you can service more customers on a daily basis.

However, the decision to hire your first employee (s) can be a nail-biter for most detail busines owners.

To avoid mistakes you need to research and learn what to do and not to do. That is why having a network to call on like the IDA and it's members is so valuable for detail business owners, whether they realize it or not.

It really seems like it would be easy to find good workers, especially with unemployment so high in the US today. You can put on an on Craig's List, hire relatives or friends. The former does not always get you the highest quality personnel and hiring friends or relatives can be kind of difficult if the hire does not work out.

The following are some suggestions from employment experts Jamie Resker of Employee Performance Solutions and author Rhonda Abrams, "Hire Your First Employee."

Here is what they say you should do when ready to hire your first employee (s):

1. You know you are ready to hire when you have opportunities for more detail business but you can't take advantage of the opportunity because you do not have the time to get anymore work done in a day. If you are spending time not only detailing yourself, but with all the other tasks required to run a business you need to hire an employee.

2. Write a job description of what you want the new employee (s) to do, this is important. If you are not sure, talk to other detail business owners and find out what they have their employees do.

3. Network. Before placing a want ad anywhere, spread the word with friends, business associates, customers that you are looking to hire. Use the social networks, these are very good today.

4. When you interview, do it for the job, not to find out about their personality. This is important, of course, but ask questions to be sure that the applicant is qualified for this type of work and will enjoy it.

5. Check their attitude. What you want more than anything is a person with enthusiasm. A "will do" attitude. You can teach them detailing skills, in fact that is often best, but you cannot teach attitude.

6. What's in it for the employee? Find out why they want to job. This question can often reveal why they really want to job. They might simply be desperate for a job and will take anything until what they really want comes along. Not a good hire.

7. You can start with a part-timer. Why not try an prospective employee out on a part-time basis and let them know you will give them full time if they like the work and the job. That also allows you to see how dependable they are; if they really have the "will-do" attitude, etc.

These are simple ideas, and very valuable if you have never hired an employee before. The last thing you want to do is hire and then find out you got the wrong person. It wastes time and money and results in poor quality work too.

Regards

Forum: International Detailing Association

Marketing Advise for your Detail Business

IDA — Wed, 20 Oct 2010 22:55:38 GMT

FORGET the PRICE SHOPPER CUSTOMERS....

Talk to any detailer and they will tell you that the penny-pincher, price shopper customer is most often more trouble than they are worth.

We call consider price when we are making a purchase, no purchase is just about price is it. If that were so we would all be eating at McDonald's and driving Yugo's.

Both ourselves and our customers are looking for service too. Personal service; quality of the detail job, etc. In short as well as price the customer wants value.

So, the key in selling to your customers is to first and foremost sell VALUE. You do that and price does not matter.

If you can sell the customer on the value of your detail service before price comes up you have a chance to make the sale. That is why posting prices on a menu board or menu flyer or in an ad or quoting price over the phone kills a sale. You have not had a chance to sell to the need of the vehicle nor to sell the value of your detail service.

You can often close the sale before even quoting a price.

Don't misunderstand me, price is important, in today's economy price is an even more important factor than it ever wash. But if price is the only thing that differentiates you from the competition, you are in the wrong business.

HANDLING PRICE OBJECTIONS

The best way to handle price objections is to direct the conversation back to need and value.

If a customer say, "your price is too high," that does not mean a "no."

What it means is that "I am interested in purchasing your service, but you have not convinced me that your price is worth it."

What you have to do is describe in detail what they are getting for their money. For example, explain that after handwashing the car you use a body clay to remove "invisible' IFO which effects shine; then you remove scratches and swirls; then polish and blend the paint and finally protect it with a high quality carnuaba wax/or paint sealant. If you are doing the interior point out you have to remove both dry soil and oily soil and how you do that. That you hand remove stains; then pre-spray the carpets with a specially formulated carpet shampoo; hand or rotary shampoo the carpets and finally extract all shampoo and oily soil residue.

If they still bring up the competitor's cheaper price, you can gently challenge them to have the competitor tell them what they are going to do to the paint and what they are going to do to the interior, saying that if they do everything you described at that price tell you where the competitor is located and you will take your cars there.

Point out that many detailers do what is called "wholesale work" on cars, that is work on dealer cars who do not pay much money for the service so the detailer short-cuts to save money. The car looks good but it really not been detailed properly.

You never want to be the cheapest detailer in town.

Sure, you can get sales by cutting price, but the customers who only go for price, they are, in a word, "cheapskates." And they end up being your biggest headache too.

If this cheap customer went with you because your price was cheaper, how much extra work will they demand without paying for it? How much more time are you going to have to spend on the cheapskate?

You want to cater to customers who understand the value of your service and not the value of what you do not charge.

Try this: make a list of your best customers and I will wager that there is not a cheapskate in the bunch.

Filter out the cheapskate customers you will winner in the end.

Remember, other detailers in your area are always going to be a little cheaper than you are. If your customer wants the cheapest price, don't waste your time with them. You will make less money and have more problems with them.

Find customers who want to work with you, and who will pay you what you are worth.

INFORMATION PROVIDED BY:

International Detailing Association

http://www.the-ida.com

Forum: International Detailing Association

Has your website been Plagiarised ?

DirectAutoDetailing — Wed, 01 Sep 2010 01:14:48 GMT

Earlier today while I was checking up on my website statistics, ie: hits, which pages were being looked at , how long visitors were staying etc. I noticed a side banner called "Copysafe", I briefly read what the service was offering, which is basically to allow you to entre any of your website pages and it will search the internet for content plagiarised from your site.

Now as much as imitation may be the highest form of flattery and on a whole I don't mind if someone requests permission to copy factual content provided they state where the information came from.

I was annoyed to fined that a detailing business in Phoenix has plagiarised 99% my clients testimonials as his own and only changed my name for his own and my business name Direct Auto Detailing for his his Detailing name.

I have sent the business a email requesting that the plagiarised content be removed and I am currently waiting on a response.

My first question is what else can I do?

And secondly who else has their web page content plagiarised by another detailer?

Cheers Rodger

Forum: International Detailing Association

Detail and Carwashes visited by Ca. Labor Commissioner's Office

IDA — Tue, 25 May 2010 21:03:29 GMT

Detailers:

Here is a complete list of the detail and car wash businesses that were visited by the California Labor Commissioner's office and the fines that were leveled against these businesses.

I am told that the way the law is written a business owner is personally responsible for these fines and cannot escape them through bankruptcy.

You are urged to learn the requirements of the law and to register.

Regards

Bud Abraham

California Car Wash Businesses Sweep Results

Forum: International Detailing Association

California Continues Sweep of Detail & Carwash Businesses

IDA — Sun, 23 May 2010 19:14:04 GMT

California continues to enforce it's mandatory registration law that was recently extended to 2014.

In a recent sweep of 264 businesses they levied fines in excess of $700,000.

If you are a detail business in California you NEED TO REGISTER.

Read the press release from the California Labor Commissioner's Office:

http://www.carwash.com/news.asp?/N_ID=7060

There is also a website explaining the law and what you must do if you are a car wash and detail business:

http://www.dir.ca.gov/DIRNews/2010/IR2010-14.html

Again, if you are a detail or car wash business in California you need to register and be familiar with the law because the State of California is enforcing the law and the sweeps they have conducted since the law was put into effect have resulted in over $3 million dollars in fines.

Regards
Bud Abraham
Executive Director
IDA

Forum: International Detailing Association

MEMBERSHIP

IDA — Sat, 15 May 2010 19:47:57 GMT

MEMBERSHIP

Teddy Roosevelt once said:

"No man has a right to withhold his support from an organization that is striving to improve conditions within sphere. Every man owes a part of his time and money to the business or industry in which he is engaged."

Forum: International Detailing Association

WHOSE the EXPERT? (some business advise)

IDA — Sat, 10 Apr 2010 16:23:13 GMT

Detailer business owners all over the world are struggling to be competitive and have "a leg-up" over the competition.

In today's market those detail business owners who focus on "customer relationships," rather than the technical aspects of the business will have the edge.

If you do not have a personal relationship with your customers then it becomes all "about price." And, God knows this is a problem for most of us in the business.

Think about it. What is it that you have to offer customers that your customer does not have? They all claim to be the best detailer in town and to an unknowing customer if they can make the paint shine and clean the carpets, they are a good detailer.

The one thing you can offer your customer is knowledge. From knowledge comes confidence and from confidence comes enthusiasm. When you are confident and enthusiastic your customer knows it. If you do not have the knowledge you will come off as a phony.

You need to be more than a salesperson with your customers, you need to be an automotive appearance consultant.

It is only through knowledge that you gain this power.

Every person in your business must be an expert in the services your detail business offers and performs. This is necessary for them to feel confident, and if and when they talk to the customer, they exude confidence to the customer.

You often read on the forums how frustrated detail business owners are at the lack of education on the part of the customer regarding what is good detailing, etc. It is up to you to educate your customer about the benefits of your detail service and why it is better than the competition. Do this and you will set yourself up as a trusted adviser.

Provide the information and expand your interchange with the customer mentioning all the services you can provide to keep their vehicle in "showroom condition."

This all accomplishes the goal of building trust, and increases the opportunity to sell more services and/or products that you offer.

It Is All About Questions

When a customer comes in or calls you need to have already anticipated what they are going to say or ask and you need to have your list of questions ready to ask the customer to show you know what you are talking about and to get them thinking about their vehicle and how they maintain or do not maintain the vehicle.

For example, questions like:

a. Are you keeping the car or selling it?
b. When was the last time you had it detailed?
c. When was the last time you waxed it?
d. Do you garage it at night?
e. Do you garage it during the day or is it out in the elements?

This allows you to tailor your presentation based on information provided by the customer. Further it creates a state of mind for the customer that they might not be taking good care of their vehicle.

Does Your Supplier Help You?

It is amazing how little detail business owners demand information on "how to better operate their business from suppliers."

Because most detailers are technicians by nature and not business people, they do not demand business information from their chemical and equipment suppliers. BIG MISTAKE. Make them perform, make them provide you with help. Suppliers in other like industries provide their customers with this type of information, why not your suppliers?

The process of becoming an expert in the field of cosmetic car care must start with information you can obtain from your suppliers.

It can also come from being a member of the INTERNATIONAL DETAILING ASSOCIATION where you join a community of other operators and committeed suppliers who will help you, you only need to ask.

In the past suppliers to the detail industy provided only information on their line of chemicals and it was very pointed to "only their line of chemicals," so the detailer really did not understand what compounds or polishes did only that this particular brand did this or did that. No real generic information to increase your knowledge.

The key here is that you must be willing to go out and find the knowledge, know what to ask for and put pressure on your suppliers to deliver. Maybe a given distributor or dealer that calls on you does not have the information, but by your pressuring them for information they put pressure on their manufacturer to put in some effort to get the information.

In the End

Wherever you get the information, from suppliers, other detailers or by joining the INTERNATIONAL DETAILING ASSOCIATION, you must make certain that you have the information and knowledge about what you are doing so that you can become a "trusted" consultant to your customer who can provide them with expert cosmetic car care advise.

If you can do this you will set yourself apart from the rest, and you will enjoy success.

"A Member of the INTERNATIONAL DETAILING ASSOCIATION Sets Themselves Apart From the Rest."

Will we see you at the Car Care World Expo; the Detailing Pavillion, the IDA Educational Sessions and the IDA Welcome Reception, May 12-14, 2010 in Las Vegas?

Regards
Bud Abraham
Executive Director
IDA
info@the-ida.com

Forum: International Detailing Association