Really Need Help!!!

[EcoMobileValeting]

Hi there guys and girls,

I'm pretty new here and would really like your advice and any support I can get from the UK Business Forum members. I've recently started my own business called Eco Mobile Valeting in London. I have had this idea for ages even before I started uni and now I hold Bsc degree in Business Management. I have refined my idea a bit since I first realised it. The business is based on offering car owners an environmentally friendly mobile car cleaning service wherever they are and whenever they need it ( I know what your thinking but I havent had to do a job for anyone at night, yet). We use waterless cleaning products to clean all our customers vehicles eliminating the need for water and electricity heavily relied on by conventional car cleaning services. I believe our idea is unique and given the chance could actually work very well.

Now, the problem is business has been quite slow and although we've spoken to a lot of businesses who own fleets (who were actually taken in by our service when we approached them) have not really brought us as much business as I'd hoped.

Even though I've done a lot of theoretcal studies in business management, studying does not always teach you everything and I'd like to draw on your experience as there are a lot of wise and experienced heads here. I would like to know if anyone here would be able to tell me how I could attract more business from companies who own more than one vehicle and the general public for that matter, or be kind enough to reffer our service to anyone who they know might benefit from it.

If you want to have a look at our website visit www ecomobilevaleting co uk, again any advice would be much appreciated.

 

[Ashley_Price]

Things often don't go as quickly as a new business owner hopes - we all think we just have to open our doors and people will come flocking to us.

At least you are being quite proactive. You say you have been approaching businesses, but in what way? Although you may think you're only a car cleaning firm, if you're approaching a medium to large firm you will need to be as professional as anyone else. So are you sending out letters to the "fleet manager" (or even MD or owner) with some nice glossy brochures, etc. (Yes, I know you're trying to be eco-friendly but there are time when recycled simply won't do - believe me we've tried.) You will then need to follow up with a phone call. Perhaps offer discounts for the first 10 cars (or similar).

 

[Conceptstore]

I would agree with the above. I think what you are missing is marketing and possibly finance. You seem like a business which would need investment to be pushed to it's full limit. A commercial presence would be of help but on a very large scale (hence the finance).
Do a test run on a smaller scale. Have a corporate ID produced, create marketing materials but do it with the intention of creating the opportunity for a meeting with the potential client as i am guessing that is when they will really judge you and see what you are about.
Give your business that professional finish, it will work wonders for you.

- Highlight benefits for the client
- Target your audience (find out who has fleets of transport that need
cleaning) Possibly even other modes of transport.

To achieve public awareness you could do one of two things.
- Take the abandoned petrol station approach which has proved popular
for car cleaners
- Advertise with direct mailshots, newspapers and the usual (door to door).
- Try office buildings for professionals, they have nice cars and want them
cleaned, having someone come to them may be an advantage.
- Be trustworthy as your dealing with their cars.

Hope this helps

 

[Ashley_Price]

One thing I would definitely advise against is leafleting cars - unless you are willing to go back and clear up the roads where people have just taken your leaflet from under the windscreen wiper and thrown it on the ground. Also, if done incorrectly - by putting the leaflet in such a way that other passersby can clearly see your company details - is actually be illegal as it is using someone's car for advertising without their permission.

 

[Simon First Angel Film]

Its always the simplest ideas that do well - and I am sure this is a good exampleof one! You are right to acknowledge that having a business degree is only half the battle, and to be honest I don't think its even half. What you now really need to learn is how to SELL your business. You really have to BECOME the personification of EcoMobileValeting yourself, and you have to learn how to market yourself and your business in the right way. A good place to start would be your website: it does look good, but the first thing I noticed is that you don't have an address on there. Its crucial you have your address on every page (even if its only small in pages other than the contact page) for 2 reasons - search engine optimisation and so that customers can trust you knowing you have an office somewhere (even if it is your living room!). Have you signed up to Google's free business directory yet? You need to so that when people search under business keywords and your postcode/area you will pop up with the link and map. It takes a few weeks to filter through but gets there in the end. There are a million other things you should do for SEO but its a start as you have no rankings yet.

Basically the next stage for you is all about marketing, advertising and salesmanship as far as I can see it. So get out there!

Good luck.

 

[INDIZINE]

How about a press release? Also, try an email to Ling Valentine (Ling's cars) she might be able to advise something.

 

[MadKat]

There was a chap doing this in the car park of the office building where I used to work. He had advertising for his business on his own vehicle which he would park next or near to the vehicle he was cleaning. I noticed that he came back most weeks - looked like return customers - and whilst walking through the car park I saw a lot of people approaching him and booking their vehicles in for cleaning. I have to say that after he had finished the vehicles were very very clean and shiny.
Perhaps you could start by washing a car for free in an office car park and see if it brings in any business, perhaps you could stage it early morning (people arriving), lunch time or early evening when evenings are lighter.
The last thing most people want to do at weekends is spend their time washing the car, so if you can get it cleaned whilst you are at work sounds good to me.
Good luck and have fun.

 

[exotic detail]

Hi

I have much experiance with this problem. I set up in business nearly a year ago, and have gone through this same problem.

Apart from the fact that i dont agree with waterless products, i will offer some advice.

Know your traget audiance, and ask questions - DONT just real off a list of good points about your business. You have to meet their needs and requirments. Maybe businesses are not the right people to target, have you looked into becoming competition for Tesco car park cleaners?

You must also pitch your business to people who care about the environment, Alot of people have told me that why should i pay £100's when i can get it done for £2.50 round the corner? Its all about trageting people who understand the concept.

Its going to be hard, but keep trying

Si

 

[Mixy]

Why don't you try your local authorities??? They have decent budgets to spend and are always looking to try and convince us tax payers that they are doing 'green' stuff with our council tax! You might even get a 'kept clean by ecomobilevaleting' on the side of their fleet of vehicles.

Can I ask, how come the process does not scratch the car, especially on say solid black?

Anyway, fingers crossed for a house pipe ban this summer - then you'll be quids in!

 

[da8iwr]

As others have said, the one thing that REALLY matters until you have a following/client base is

• Corporate ID
• Branding

You dont really think the numpties at Kwick Fit or Exhaust a fit are any better than a back street garage at fitting an exhaust, but for some reason people keep going back.

My local shopping centre has a huge car park, a few guys pay for about a dozen spaces each day near the lifts on the main floor for the whole day. Then for the cost of a valet, wash and wax you can leave your car in one of their parking bays for free and come back to your car washed. Also the car is supervised 100% of the time whilst your away for security reasons.

Nobody is stupid enough to try and nab a car with 2 or 3 blokes around it washing when the car park is full of other unsecured cars.

Maybe find a supermarket or shopping center who isnt already doing this, ask about doing it a regular 3 times a week, mon, weds and fri then whilst you are doing the work you can leave your calling card in the vehicle for them to use you on Thursday or Tuesday.

Also how about call centers, there are hundreds of people working in them, there is always the smoking sheds where people stand around, stick some leaflets in them so people can see what you do and where. Say you can do it in the car park whilst they are working.

Im sure if you offered a small kick back to a company for letting them target their staff, they would be happy to let you tout for work. They can leave the keys and cash with the security guys and you will drop them back off when you are done.

Other places i would try is

• B&Q, DIY and garden centers (appears to work for burger vans)
• Student Accommodation (a small percentage of students have a lot of other peoples money)
• Shopping centres
• Garages with no car wash facility (even offer to use their branding)
• Hotels with valet parking
• Restaurants "Cleaned whilst you eat"
• B&Bs
• Nice apartments/homes, leaflet drop the flats/houses not the car park
• Haulage companies
• Van hire
• Car hire
• Dealerships Car and commercial

I owned a haulage company for many years, the biggest ball ache we had was cleaning curtain sided 40 foot trailers. They are hard work and labour intensive. But needed to be done as the truck looks terrible if not done, so we used to pay a valet company to come and do it if the YTS guy had other things to do

I would try everywhere

But honestly the difference of you turning up -

• In a tidy ironed clean uniform with your logo on your back and a nice tidy good as new perfectly organized waxed van with a well designed corp ID all over it like a road side assistance type of thing.

or

• In your work jeans and a H reg escort with a roof rack and tools all piled in the back from the last job

Is incredible.

People want to see precision and perfection with your kind of industry, i know you have probably already thought about all this, but i bet your in a position now where you cant see the wood for the trees.

Good Luck mate
Ian

 

[EcoMobileValeting]

Thanks guys,
I'm honestly grateful for all the input and advice I have received from you. I have an idea of what to do now and hope this works. I have done quite a lot interms of developing my company's brand image as I know image is everything when it comes to marketing your business. I think the most important thing for me here is to go out there and be more proactive and stick my neck out a bit. But when you've not done something like this before its a bit of a struggle to start with but if done correctly it should be worth the effort. But please dont stop and if you anymore suggestions let me know.

 

[An Oasis]

You may find that your potential customers tell you who they are. I assume that you have created G alerts for all your key phrases?

 

[EcoMobileValeting]

You may find that your potential customers tell you who they are. I assume that you have created G alerts for all your key phrases?

Sorry "An Oasis" but I havent done this, and this is only because I dont know what it is and how it works. Kindly elaborate for me.

 

[An Oasis]

Go to https://www.google.com/accounts/ create an account, load up alerts with all your key phrases and watch the info that is emailed. With a bit of thought you will find it easy to target potential clients.

 

[Janeeb]

Other places i would try is

• B&Q, DIY and garden centers (appears to work for burger vans)
• Student Accommodation (a small percentage of students have a lot of other peoples money)
• Shopping centres
• Garages with no car wash facility (even offer to use their branding)
• Hotels with valet parking
• Restaurants "Cleaned whilst you eat"
• B&Bs
• Nice apartments/homes, leaflet drop the flats/houses not the car park
• Haulage companies
• Van hire
• Car hire
• Dealerships Car and commercial

Schools are also another area to try.

Many schools are keen to promote eco awareness to pupils as part of the curriculum - you could perhaps also offer to explain your products and how they help the environment to the children whilst you clean their teacher's car!

 

[da8iwr]

Schools are also another area to try.

Many schools are keen to promote eco awareness to pupils as part of the curriculum - you could perhaps also offer to explain your products and how they help the environment to the children whilst you clean their teacher's car!

Also they may tell their parents about you, so a secondary level of sales there for you.

Not sure if you have tried this or not, but i would try first a small one sided leaflet in A5. Just a few thousand, pushed through doors in your spare time, with a price list and very basic quick info about who you are and what you do with a website address in areas away from the Tube stations, where people use cars. Ive noticed that nobody in London uses cars, as public transport is so good, compared to the rest of the UK.

Quick edit
http://www.printing.com/prices/group/LR
I'm sure there will be cheaper people, but here is 2000 full colour one side on recycled 160gsm for £170, that's 8.5p each.

 

[lockie]

The problem you have got is you are entering a saturated market which has pushed prices down. My friend has been valeting over 10 years and even he is starting to get affected by all the new start ups. Everyone ha jumped on it as a quick buck thing and along the way watered down the work available. Also its a time where people are starting to cut back on those luxury items due to dwindling spare cash.
Also add to it the various car park car washes in supermarkets and the drive through ones are you sure you have the right product to compete ?

My friend used to do work at £70 with one big client and has just been dropped because some one else is doing the same job for £45. The competitor is a part timer who doesn't need to live off of it so is coming in at silly prices.

Thats what your up against im afraid to say.

 

[da8iwr]

Alan just like web-design I'm afraid

People set up as they don't know what else to do and are usually semi retired middle aged men messing around from a bedroom.

How can people build websites for £150 including design, hosting, and support, i know i released an offer a couple of weeks ago for £300, but i didn't include design, as that can take weeks or even months to do it properly.

There are also people (including a member of this forum i noticed a couple of days ago) who advertise a web-design service, but don't do web-design, they just farm it out to India and then call them selves a consultant!!!

Disgrace.... a BS job made up by an unqualified, unskilled person to make them selves tiny money which in turn destroys a whole market here in the UK, including people who went to Uni studying for many years to do this job. By the time that "consultant/middleman" realises they are making no money and also become tired of the industry, they move on, leaving a wake of destruction in their path.

I have seen this time and time again, but it is starting to get to a stage where people have been ripped of that many times on "budget" sites, that they are willing to look around for a true pro, that may charge more, but will get the service they expect from somebody who knows what they are doing and doesn't answer a question, "2 Min's ill call India and find out the answer".

And breath