Reddit reviews How to Start a Home-based Car Detailing Business (Home-Based Business Series)
We found 7 Reddit comments about How to Start a Home-based Car Detailing Business (Home-Based Business Series). Here are the top ones, ranked by their Reddit score.
My suggestion: https://www.amazon.com/Start-Home-based-Detailing-Business-Home-Based/dp/0762778768
There isn't anything "ground breaking" here but it will set you mentality in the direction of doing it.
Real friends won't let you work for free, and they damn well will not ask you to do stuff free. Now if you need to build a portfolio, there is an exception, your fee is in advertising/marketing material. But you really only need a few vehicles before you should stop this. Don't work free, free will attract things you don't want. I started out setting a high expectation with my costs. My cheapest packages attracted a customer base I didn't want. I very quickly dropped my cheapest interior and also exterior details, only leaving the packaged deal which I don't sell to at all. It literally exists for a quick detail for well maintained vehicles. My prices push away customers, and I am simply not bothered by this. Odds are they are not the customers I want to build my customer base on. Sure maybe I miss out occasionally, but I suspect I've been better off with my starting at prices creating a "price gate" than not. Honestly from some descriptions, the cost would have been doubled and they didn't even want to pay the starting price. I know my worth and I am going to get my worth, or I won't take the job. I also am closing down 1 business(covered my first year of transition) with money saved and a side value from that business that should cover year 2 and 3 easily. With my savings, good chance I could go 5 years without seeing a profit, though if the latest indicators say anything, I am not even remotely worried about this. 0 marketing and business is gaining momentum unexpectedly. But seriously, this is a luxury service, charge accordingly. I am not here to wash cars, I am here to detail, there is a difference.
I will tell you now that this approach will take a slower growth rate, but it is generally a solid growth rate. From a lot of people I've talked to, after a year or two things just beginning snowballing, I've already gotten a little taste of this this month, and I just started my 2nd year of business. (Though in Ohio, winter isn't much for business...)
Go and purchase this book. It has everything you'll need to know for starting out.
If you haven't bought and read [this] (http://www.amazon.com/Start-Home-based-Detailing-Business-Home-Based/dp/0762778768/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1463790719&sr=1-1&keywords=renny+doyle) book yet then you're doing it all wrong IMO.
I would recommend picking up a good book first. Renny Doyle. Great read. Pick up the nanoskin medium grade sponge, instead of clay. Much more user friendly and cheaper than most clay.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/0762778768?cache=93c53338cc8c8b985cd3678d7df4f7a9&pi=AC_SX110_SY165_QL70&qid=1413444641&sr=8-9#ref=mp_s_a_1_9
Education! Detailing, business, and marketing. Start with Renny Doyle's book on starting a detailing business.
If that resinates with you, pony up the money to get trained. You could learn on the job, but the risk and the ramp time are too high IMO.
Good luck!
[edit: sorry about the link, mods. I was being lazy.]
First, be SURE you know what you're doing. It only takes one botched job to sink a new detailer. I've seen it happen multiple times when a high schooler tries it out as a summer job and messes up a paint job with his new orbital polisher. People care a lot about their cars, so you need to be good enough to make a difference without overreaching.
Second, advertise! You're going to need to get your name out there. Go to a car club, put an ad in the newspaper, flyers around town, anything to get the business rolling.
Third, read up on starting up and running a business. There will be some unforeseen hurdles you'll have to go through if you're creating a business and not just under-the-table cash. Things like insurance, setting up an LLC, starting a business bank account, getting licenses, taxes, etc.
Fourth, be realistic. You're not going to get very lucrative jobs starting out. They'll likely be things like "clean up all this pet hair and cheerios dust from the back seat of my minivan" rather than full paint restoration.
Finally, and maybe most importantly, I recommend reading this book.
Good luck! Be sure to stop over at /r/AutoDetailing for some expert opinions!
Most likely this one: https://www.amazon.com/Start-Home-based-Detailing-Business-Home-Based/dp/0762778768