As a mobile detailer, you’re always on the go or spending hours on your client’s car. So, marketing falls by the wayside. (Totally understandable!) If you want a consistent stream of clients for your mobile car detailing business, it’s time to put some elbow grease into your marketing strategy.
But how?
Here’s everything you need to know about marketing your mobile car detailing business to attract more clients.
How Do Mobile Detailers Get Customers?
So, you’re all geared up but haven’t got any bookings for your mobile detailing business? Don’t worry. It takes time to build a loyal client list and earn a consistent income. You can speed up the process by leveling up your marketing strategy. Mobile detailers get customers through a mix of excellent service and clever marketing techniques.
Here are eight marketing tips to make more money for your mobile car detailing business.
#1 Build a Unique Brand
You won’t be the only mobile detailing van on the street. Make sure your business stands out with a unique brand and specific message.
Branding is way more than fonts and color schemes. It’s the story of your business. So, make it a good one! Find out what sets you apart from your competitors and lean into it. Maybe you only use sustainable products or specialize in vintage cars.
For example, Diamond Pro Detailing specializes in luxury cars. So, they emphasize wealth and luxury in their branding. You’ll find pictures of mansions and high-end cars across their website and social media pages. And they even offer a “V.I.P. membership” to clients.
Storytelling in branding helps you reach and connect with your target audience. If you’re not sure who your target market is, take a survey of your current customers. Figure out their ages, interests, and even income. Use this data to create a profile of your ideal customer. And talk to that customer in your marketing materials.
#2 Take Advantage of Automation
Marketing automation makes it easy for you to connect with clients over and over again. You can schedule texts to let clients know when they’re due for a cleaning or email reminders with discounts and other special offers. Automation is a quick way to get repeat bookings for your mobile car detailing business.
To get your marketing automation strategy off the ground, you’ll need a dedicated CRM like PocketSuite. PocketSuite allows you to send customized invoices, contracts and text campaigns to your entire client list in just a few clicks.
#3 Curate Your Social Media
Your mobile car detailing business needs an online presence. It’s good to have a dedicated, professional website. But your social media pages can fill in.
Social platforms give clients an easy point of contact and act as a portfolio of your work. Clients might be put off if they can’t find a social media presence when they look you up. You can start by creating a Facebook or Instagram page and listing your business on Google.
The good news: car businesses do great on social media. You can take before and after pictures or videos of your services. Car detailing videos are especially satisfying to watch. People love deep-cleaning content, so your audience will be hooked. It doesn’t have to be a feature-length production. All you really need is your phone and your client’s permission.
Remember to add a link to your custom booking site on all your social media pages.
#4 Ask for Referrals
Referral programs are a great way to find mobile car detailing clients. You offer incentives like cash, service discounts, or merchandise to current clients. They get rewarded for every new client sent your way. And you get to watch the business roll in.
You can also get referrals from other car professionals, like body shops or car dealerships. They send you clients and vice versa. This is called a referral partnership. It also helps you build a community in the mobile detailing space.
#5 Boost Your Paid Promotion (with caution)
You can also give paid ads a chance. Most social media platforms have the option to send out paid advertising. Be practical about paid marketing strategies. If you have the budget to push $5k worth of Facebook ads per month, amazing. But if your business is smaller, set a reasonable budget. It’s okay to dip your toes in the water.
And make sure to track the results of your paid marketing efforts so you don’t repeat mistakes. Over time, you find out which ads perform best with a certain audience. Then you can retarget the audience that interacted with your ads.
Important: As a local business, you will also want to make sure you limit your advertising campaign to the zip codes in which you do business.
#6 Create Click-worthy Content
Good content pays off. (Literally!) You can attract more clients by creating useful content for blogs, email, and social media. It’s an opportunity to show off your services and your expertise. To get eyes on your content, you have to optimize for search, i.e., use keywords, hashtags, and SEO best practices to drive traffic to your page.
Remember to repurpose content for your mobile car detailing business. One podcast episode can be a blog post, Tiktok video, and Pinterest pin.
#7 Don’t Forget About Local Advertising
These days, everything is online. But local advertising is still alive and well. As a mobile detailer, you mostly work with clients in your neighborhood or city. So, radio and billboard ads can be effective at bringing in new business (as long as it’s at a reasonable price).
You can also market your mobile detailing business by showing up in your community. Attend local festivals and car expos, or set up a booth at a mobile detailing conference. At community events, you can chat with potential clients and even show off your skills in front of competitors.
#8 Price Yourself Fairly
Do your research on mobile car detailing rates in your area. And resist the temptation to charge below your market value. Clients are willing to pay more for a job well done, especially if you’re handling an expensive car.
Here’s a tip: use factor-based pricing to make more money for your mobile car detailing business. Cars with pet stains and old paint are harder to clean than others. So, it’s okay to charge a bit more. This way, you earn the full value of your services.
Is Starting a Mobile Car Detailing Business Worth It?
Absolutely! Mobile car detailing is a lot of hard work with endless rewards. Sometimes, you’ll spend over four hours working on a single car. But mobile car detailers can make six figures running their own business. So, it’s well worth it!
The Bottom Line
You put a lot of time and effort into your mobile car detailing business. Why not go the extra mile on an effective marketing strategy? You can attract new clients with unique branding, a solid online presence, and strategic ad placements.
PocketSuite will help you hold on to those clients. We have all the tools you need to run your business, including booking, payments, and contracts!
