Business Tips C: Networking Channels

Networking equates to marketing towards influential parties at often a minimal cost or high return on investment.  Although new business owners could do more in this area, consistency in networking is often where we really fall short.  We likely do not come close to exhausting all of our options.

Professional looking attire is not just for when you are working in the business.  It is also not just for office work.  I have a large selection of clothing for a reason.

Car Clubs

Depending on the crowd and car club community you become a part of, there is a decent chance you will be around the highest concentration of people who genuinely care about the aesthetics of their car.  This is the one environment in which being personable should reign over trying to be a salesperson.  To some extent you should convey yourself as a person who wants to be at an event regardless of whether you own a detailing business or not.  There have been a few times, I attended these events that I intentionally did not wear my business shirt.

Medical Offices And Luxury Stores

Detailing is a luxury service.  Ignoring the elusive obvious often leads us to wasting energy on people who can not budget for our services.  Handing out your business cards to people who show signs of having discretionary income is a much better plan than, sharing your page on your city’s local Word Of Mouth page.

Mechanic Shops

Where do you go to take your car to have a service performed?  That is an opportunity to promote your business.  But I would encourage you to visit multiple shops, particularly ones your ideal client would go to.  Not only can you benefit from word of mouth but they may pass out your business cards.

Dealerships/ Autobody Shops

My suggestion may surprise you.  Generally, dealerships are places I would discourage a partnership with, especially if you are on a path of acquiring clientele interested in premium services.  This is not an absolute, as you either may find a partnership with a dealership looking to treat you like a premium option or you may need some kind of income to get established.  But my suggestion is not essentially for an active partnership.  Particularly with premium shops, a understanding may be made to refer you to customers who want something more than they can offer.

Chamber Of Commerce

I personally have not had a great experience with the Chamber Of Commerce.  In hindsight, I could have approached this opportunity more constructively.  I was eager, not necessarily to book with business owner but to express what I did.  Taking a lesson from my shortcomings, approach your local chamber like an established business.  Put 90% of your energy into helping other businesses and the community.  Credit to Renny Doyle for my evolution in mindset.

Other Detailers

I have booked numerous big ticket detailing services, via direct referrals from detailers in my area.  Typically, they are for services that are beyond their comfort zone.  In some cases, our schedules do not align with our clients.  To be perfectly clear, we are still competitors and act accordingly when we are targeting our ideal clients.  But I am of the mindset that at least an amicable relationship with people in the industry is a benefit to all of us.  I am not shy about warning or protecting other detailers about potential problem clients.  The same integrity I believe that has created trust with my clients, I also practice with other detailers.  When we dig deeper, our common frustration is not necessarily a saturated market, but a consumer base lacking in knowledge and respect about professional detailing services.