pbalentine

^^^ great list of good habits.
 
If your working on cars with rubber gaskets, roll down the windows first and spray them with SprayAway glass cleaner. Use a triangle card of some kind wrapped with a microfiber towel to scrub the dirt out and give it a couple squirts of water to flush it. Use the towel and triangle again when you're prepping the glass.
 
Don't forget to scrub the top edge of the glass.

Technique is everything.
Your side window preparation should go something like this:
Spray the glass with soap solution.
Razor blade the window to loosen contaminants.
Spray the glass again.
Scrub the window with a scouring sponge.
Spray the glass again.
WIPE THE WINDOW EDGES INCLUDING THE TOP OF THE GLASS with a clean rag or paper towel.
Carefully squeegee the soapy water off the window in a pattern that zig zags sending the contaminated water downwards and overlaps by an inch to ensure correct coverage, and make sure your squeegee blade is leaning forwards at an angle so you don't leave a trail behind.
Flush the vertical sides and bottom of the window to expel any residual dirty water.
 
If you do this EXACTLY AS I SAY you will reduce the risk of getting crap under the film by 98%
You can thank me later.
 

I stopped in a couple of days ago to post this warning...I don’t do a lot of Nissan’s so am a bit late to the ballgame.  If you do want to remove the brake light, here is the underside of it...just so you know how it releases...approach it from the back side of the light.
 
 

I just did a 24’ Toyota Venza. It turns out that it only had the UV coating on the front 1/4s. I just flushed to clean those. If the glass stamp says, “UVS” on it then no blades or scrub pads!!! If you don’t see it, then you are good to go. 

Especially on something like an Audi/Acura, Hyundai or VW with super tight seals.  
Don't think that will work with anything rigid or thick.   

Makes sure you wipe the leading  edge/ side you squeegee from or that can happen. Also, when reverse rolling, don’t put film all the way in the edge you roll from until it completely rolled out. Doing so will pull contamination out of the side edge. You can spray some foaming glass cleaner along all edges and hard card with towel to help. Lots other good info posted. 

Makes sure you wipe the leading  edge/ side you squeegee from or that can happen. Also, when reverse rolling, don’t put film all the way in the edge you roll from until it completely rolled out. Doing so will pull contamination out of the side edge. You can spray some foaming glass cleaner along all edges and hard card with towel to help. Lots other good info posted. 

Welcome back!!

One thing with cheap customers is they are looking for the lowest price. I would get customers asking for a discount, so I would offer $10-$20 only to have it rejected. Yeah, I never go down in price now. Also, Ive noticed a high rate of cancellations with customers that are mostly concerned with price.

There are plenty of awesome mobile tinting installers out there. Obviously, this person is not one of them. If your garage is clean and your car is clean it shouldn't be a problem. Most tinter's with shops always demonize mobile guys because their overhead is much higher. If the guy sucks at tinting, being in a shop won't help that.

Ding Ding Ding...we have a winner🏆
 
....that is unless steveo wants to hit the meth pipe again and feed himself to a crocodile🐊🐊🌴
 
Unfortunately mobile work is very difficult to get correct, as previously stated, and most guys offering mobile services are otherwise unemployable, like the clown that keeps showing up in this thread. 

Put some soap on the back of the dozer, push down on the light/deck and try to exit the side instead of coming back up.
 
Or use some slip tape instead of soap if you have it.
 
Reach tool or a Titan might be helpful also.

One thing with cheap customers is they are looking for the lowest price. I would get customers asking for a discount, so I would offer $10-$20 only to have it rejected. Yeah, I never go down in price now. Also, Ive noticed a high rate of cancellations with customers that are mostly concerned with price.

yup and even then I always ask if they're paying cash or card.  in which I would take off Tax off if they pay cash.

Correct. I only discount for volume, paid in full at the first scheduled appointment. During the 07 to 09 period I raised my prices to shake out bad customers and spend my time finding better.
 
Today I tell people that I'm not going to be the cheapest, but I will stand behind every piece of film I lay and offer to provide client references. Fortunately 9/10 customers today are referrals and the vetting, for me and them is already done.

Thanks for the kind words.
 
Lots of good advice in this thread. Years ago I did direct marketing mailers, 4x6 postcards to targeted zip codes. They worked pretty good but needed to be sent out every six weeks, three times total per season starting mid March.
 
One of the best bits of advice was from a long time industry guy who told me to lower my price on fulls by $10 and offer with no warranty, at the same time raising my price by $25 for a lifetime warranty. At the time, 20yrs ago, I was at $150. You wouldn't believe how many people took the job at $175 because they were thinking past the sale.
 
For those that wanted the warranty and a discount I would tell them I would package three similar cars for $500 and add in a visir strip for the first car. The customer then became my salesman. I proceeded to offer upgraded film and visors to the remaining two people that he brought in. 
 
Used car lots were a good place to run the three car discount as well.
 
Another good trick up my sleeve was to go in to a buisness while the sun was blazing in the glass either early or late day and ask if they wanted to cool it off. That worked pretty good. 
 
There are so many good hustles if you can get into the mind of what someone actually needs. Radical Service was a good book related to the idea of sourcing and retaining good customers.

The only way I ever get all three is with volume. Of course a good salesman will make you think you're always getting all three. 

Tickled a memory of something I learned when I was at a mfg'ing sales seminar.
 
These three things comprise the law of sales/selling and not necessarily in the numerical order listed here:
 
1. (Low) Price
2. (Excellent) Service ... Service includes warranty or follow through, not necessarily the big smile at intro.
3. (Product) Quality
 
A customer can only receive two. Some will say it's possible to get all three.

You want to be competitive with the prices in your area and price close to or at the highest prices around town. Raising prices can lose past customers, but at some point you need to do it and leave those custys behind for the ones that’ll pay more.  Thats what I did when I first raised prices. The past customers that said I was too muchwere some of my cheapest customers that I didnt mind losing. As for pricing I would charge about half the cost of a full vehicle for the two fronts. I actually just raised my two front price now. I did it because of the rise in tinting only the two fronts. The higher price will push people more to tint the entire vehicle. 

You want to be competitive with the prices in your area and price close to or at the highest prices around town. Raising prices can lose past customers, but at some point you need to do it and leave those custys behind for the ones that’ll pay more.  Thats what I did when I first raised prices. The past customers that said I was too muchwere some of my cheapest customers that I didnt mind losing. As for pricing I would charge about half the cost of a full vehicle for the two fronts. I actually just raised my two front price now. I did it because of the rise in tinting only the two fronts. The higher price will push people more to tint the entire vehicle. 

The attached picture should be enlarged, framed and hung on a wall where you discuss the cost with your clients.

Merry Christmas to all on TD.

Merry Christmas to all on TD.

It's a braided microfiber rope that I probably paid too much for, but has saved my tail many times, so definitely worth the cost. I usually break the melted knots on the ends to stuff 'em deeper and have them not snag the film as I pull them out. I also press on the dash when pulling so they don't drain out when pulling.
 
The other tool is a "must have" for my style of installation. I found them both on 44tools.

I use Rayno and the Charcoal color for the S7 and S9 is due to the higher levels of ceramic vs carbon. I sell mainly S5 which is the deep black color, still has great heat rejection though. The S7 I typically only order if they are out of s5, the s9 I order for some higher end customers who prefer higher heat rejection.  I wouldn't say the s9 is higher quality its just different film. If you message me I can send you some pictures