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How to Start a Mobile Detailing Business |
Mobile auto detailing involves thorough cleaning and polishing of the interior and exterior parts of a motor vehicle. Mobile detailing helps to maintain the vehicle, prolong its lifespan and increase its value during re-sale. Mobile detailing is divided into:
- Interior detailing
- Exterior detailing
Mobile detailing business can provide you with an extra source of income. It is easy to start and requires minimal capital. A mobile auto detailing business is a recession proof business because even when the economy is witnessing a downturn, a mobile detailer would continue to receive patronage because a lot of people would want to maintain their current vehicles properly, since they may be unable to afford new cars.
If you are someone who derives pleasure from washing your car and seeing it sparkle, then mobile detailing is the perfect business for you. The beautiful thing is that you can either choose to run it as a part-time business or full-time business depending on how much time you can invest into it.
Starting a Mobile Auto Detailing Business – Sample Business Plan Template
1. Get Trained for The Job
To start up a mobile detailing business, you would need to learn how to detail vehicles, the right products to use and the techniques of mobile detailing. You can acquire the necessary training and experience needed for the business by working with an experienced mobile detailer for a short period. They would teach you all the necessary skills to detail a car perfectly.
2. Determine your Start-up costs
The start-up costs for a mobile detailing business depends on the scale at which you want to start your business. You would want to start small and gradually build your business into a larger scale.
Start-up costs for a mobile detailing business can range between $100 -$5,000. Here is a sample car wash business plan template to help you get started. However, there are some basic equipment and materials you would need to purchase to start your mobile detailing business. Some of which include:
Wet-dry vacuum: You would need a wet-dry vacuum cleaner with about 5 horse power and above to enable you do a good job.
Brushes: You would different brushes for different functions. You would need separate brushes for the interior, exterior, wheels and tires as well as the engine. You would also need mitts and sponges for different vehicle types.
Towels: Invest in 100% cotton towels or micro-fiber towels that are suitable for all tasks.
Air compressor: An air compressor would be needed to blow out water from the engine after washing or to blow out dirty vents.
Extractor: Extractors are used by mobile detailers to thoroughly clean vehicle carpets and upholstery.
Chemicals: The most important items you would need are chemicals. Throughout your business, you would have to continue buying chemicals unlike other equipment which you just have to buy once.
Some of the chemicals you would need include:
- Car washing shampoos
- Spot removers
- Upholstery shampoo
- Odor neutralizer
- Glass and leather cleaners
- Detailing clay and spray
- Wax and leather conditioner, among others
You may also need to invest in a good motor van to carry you and your working tools around conveniently.
3. Estimate your Potential Earnings
The estimated yearly earnings of a mobile detailer in the U.S is about $25,000 or more, with about $15 -$75 earnings per hour. Mobile detailers in the U.S charge between $25 -$50 for a vacuum and a hand wash. The charges for a full mobile detail range from between $100 – $150 while engine detailing goes for about $40 – $55.
Other services like windshield repairs spray or cement removal, paint touch-up, dent repair and black trim restoration cost between $40 and $200. If you are lucky to get at least 1 detailing job per day while working for 5 days per week, that means you would be able to make about $500 per week or more depending on the services offered. This also means that you could make well over $2,000 monthly from your mobile auto detailing business depending on how hard you can work.
4. Advertising and promoting your auto detailing business
To promote your business and gain recognition, it is important to figure out what your customers expect. When a customer engages your services to detail their vehicles, they would expect convenience, fairly priced services and a superb job. When you have figured out what your customers expect, you should build your marketing campaign around these needs.
It is also important that you offer services that would be convenient for clients such as pick-up and drop-off services and home services. You should also make sure your services are fairly priced.
You could also reward your customers from time to time by giving them discounts and offering some additional services for free. To get customers as a beginner, you can print hand bills describing your business in detail and offering special prices. Distribute such handbills in public places.
Since you are targeting car owners, you can leave such handbills on parked cars in public places. You can also promote your business via radio jingles and television adverts.
Another effective means of promoting your mobile detailing business is through the internet. Create a business website and sign up for Google ad-words to increase search engine optimization for your website.
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