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Jan 03 2010 12:14 PM | ohsnapitseric in Featured Articles 10

Marketing tips/ideas

whaddup tho everyone!

As some of you may already know, i am relatively new to the world of tinting (about 7 months in...part time weekends only.) However, for the past month, i havent really got any people that are too interested in the service (maybe the weather? i tell myself....) Anywho....my question is:

What would you say is the best single form of marketing? What do some of you guys do when its the "offseason" for tinting? What sort of tips would you have for a newbie in the biz?

I was thinking of having a little "Your car for $______" printed on my business cards and fill them in accordingly to EVERY single naked window'd car at the mall(which is about 2 mins from my house) and other heavy traffic parking lots in my area.

What do you guys think?




12 Comments


MobileTintInc
Jan 03 2010 05:57 AM
Im not sure if I would drop cards in windows, people might not get a good impression of you from that.

Get to know as many people as you can in the automotive industry. Network as much as possible. Thats where most of my business comes from and how it got new customers in the first year. Body shops, repair shops, parts stores, car lots, detail shops, vinyl/sign stores, and glass shops

parasole
Jan 03 2010 06:42 AM
If you are in a small place, the best is oral recommendations, ie. to be a someone's recommendation. It will be needed time to pass in order that you have a continuous job. Each ad was necessary, but not on price. You look cheap, and thou would notsurely attract more cars and some serious work to you. take care

scottydosnntkno
Jan 03 2010 09:30 AM
I agree with both the above posts. When your just starting, and even once established word of mouth is your best for of advertisement. It almost always results in a guaranteed job, and its FREE.

Shops are another great way to network. Dealers also, but you generally have to be a little more established to get in with them(insurance, license, EIN, etc) n/o if you already have those. But if you get a good one, they give you a lot of business, just ask TintJunkie :twocents

Basically, the worst that could happen is a shop will tell you no, which isn't a big deal. If you can get one shop to say yes, then that could easily be several thousand dollars a year, at only a car every other week.

ohsnapitseric
Jan 03 2010 08:51 PM
Thanks for the tips guys....I think im still going to do the business card thing. I'll let you guys know how it turns out!

the tint pimp
Jan 03 2010 08:55 PM
I'd be pissed if I came out from shopping and someone had put something on my car.

scottydosnntkno
Jan 03 2010 09:34 PM

View Postthe tint pimp, on Jan 3 2010, 09:55 PM, said:

I'd be pissed if I came out from shopping and someone had put something on my car.
:nope that, and many stores will send you a bill or you can get a littering ticket when all those cards end up on the ground with your name/number on them.

ohsnapitseric
Jan 03 2010 11:04 PM
hmm....good point tintpimp. I gotta keep brainstorming....

TintJunkie
Jan 04 2010 08:06 AM
Dealership work blows. Im here today and it took me 45min to search for keys that havent been entered into the key track. The good news? They will be getting about 60-80 cars in this month, so it looks like I'll survive January even if no flat glass jobs sign a contract (waiting on 3 to say lets do it).

Right now Im being lazy. Ive got two Altima coupes pulled in, but Im having a smoke and drinking coffee.

As far as my advice...I dont really have any for automotive tinting. In my area it is a bastardized industry. Like others have pointed out, network with other shops in the auto field. Go to some collision places and drop off cards, as well as repair shops. Ive got an account with a collision place (4 locations)...but its really just a pain in the arse for me. Reputation and word of mouth is the best form of advertisement, which is where most of our biz comes from.

scottydosnntkno
Jan 04 2010 09:39 AM

View PostTintJunkie, on Jan 4 2010, 09:06 AM, said:

Dealership work blows. Im here today and it took me 45min to search for keys that havent been entered into the key track. The good news? They will be getting about 60-80 cars in this month, so it looks like I'll survive January even if no flat glass jobs sign a contract (waiting on 3 to say lets do it).

Right now Im being lazy. Ive got two Altima coupes pulled in, but Im having a smoke and drinking coffee.

As far as my advice...I dont really have any for automotive tinting. In my area it is a bastardized industry. Like others have pointed out, network with other shops in the auto field. Go to some collision places and drop off cards, as well as repair shops. Ive got an account with a collision place (4 locations)...but its really just a pain in the arse for me. Reputation and word of mouth is the best form of advertisement, which is where most of our biz comes from.
I guess it would be a pain for you with the volume you do to have to get your own keys. I suppose since your there like all day every day they basically treat you like an employee and make you do it :cold

I only do 2-3 cars for my dealers at a time, and now that its cooler when I get there their pulled into the service bays prep area with the keys on the seats and the back decks pulled(acura TSXs) ready to go. I try and take care of them by offering same/next day service, and they take care of me :bingo

Booms
Jan 04 2010 09:43 AM

View Postthe tint pimp, on Jan 3 2010, 10:55 PM, said:

I'd be pissed if I came out from shopping and someone had put something on my car.
Pimp.....loving the quotes in Your signature! :bingo

TintJunkie
Jan 04 2010 10:28 AM

View Postscottydosnntkno, on Jan 4 2010, 10:39 AM, said:

I guess it would be a pain for you with the volume you do to have to get your own keys. I suppose since your there like all day every day they basically treat you like an employee and make you do it :cold

I only do 2-3 cars for my dealers at a time, and now that its cooler when I get there their pulled into the service bays prep area with the keys on the seats and the back decks pulled(acura TSXs) ready to go. I try and take care of them by offering same/next day service, and they take care of me :bingo


Here everyday!? :err Hells naw! I come here once, MAYBE twice a week. In the summer I am here a less, which means when I do come its from 7am-9pm. I havent been here in two weeks so I have to play catch up right now. I still do flat glass, but now my wife is working for me so she is handling everything at the office so now I have more time. She can run all the sales calls. Thats my big change for 2010, losing my wife income to hopefully make more for the biz.

scottydosnntkno
Jan 04 2010 10:38 AM

View PostTintJunkie, on Jan 4 2010, 10:28 AM, said:

View Postscottydosnntkno, on Jan 4 2010, 10:39 AM, said:

I guess it would be a pain for you with the volume you do to have to get your own keys. I suppose since your there like all day every day they basically treat you like an employee and make you do it :cold

I only do 2-3 cars for my dealers at a time, and now that its cooler when I get there their pulled into the service bays prep area with the keys on the seats and the back decks pulled(acura TSXs) ready to go. I try and take care of them by offering same/next day service, and they take care of me :bingo


Here everyday!? :err Hells naw! I come here once, MAYBE twice a week. In the summer I am here a less, which means when I do come its from 7am-9pm. I havent been here in two weeks so I have to play catch up right now. I still do flat glass, but now my wife is working for me so she is handling everything at the office so now I have more time. She can run all the sales calls. Thats my big change for 2010, losing my wife income to hopefully make more for the biz.
I hope it all works out for you then :lol I'm sure that she will help you get a lot more jobs you never could have before, since all you have to worry about is installing now, you can slang more papers