The auto detailing industry went through a growth period during 2020. Many people lost their livelihood and turned to the artisan craft of detailing. Why is this a good thing? Car dealerships had record-breaking numbers in 2020. More people have more time on their hands to invest in their vehicles, which means more business for detailers. While most people don’t know what auto detailing entails, or they have a vague understanding of it, this increase of new car-owners will translate to more car care services needed.
If you’re involved in the detailing industry, you’ll realize much of the marketing is comprised of word of mouth. You don’t see detailing ads on TV or really anywhere on the web. The only ads you see are products which are ads aimed at detailers, or businesses promoting their services.
How to use social media to create sales
Tiktok, Instagram, and the ASMR genre on Youtube, are steadily increasing in popularity. The more content, the more education, the more people will inquire about detailing services. Just look at the numbers. Companies are innovating tools and products that help make our jobs easier at an unprecedented rate. One great example is Aqua Pro’s brand-new steamer. Their steamer is geared specifically for car detailing. Ceramic coatings are now becoming a commonly sold add-on at dealerships as well. Despite the economic setbacks, detailing is trending towards growth.
Don't fear competition
But the influx of new detailers are eating up our customer base! Dealership conglomerates are stealing potential high ticket ceramic coating jobs! Fear not. How many of you have had to correct someone’s work? While a coating hack job may leave a bad taste in a consumer’s mouth, the opposite is true as well.
Look at this as an opportunity to earn and retain more customers. Take the time to educate your demographic and provide them the service they were initially searching for. These entry-level sales allow people to get their foot into the door-even if it entails complete removal of the coating job that the dealership upsold them for $800. In every tragedy, there is an opportunity to grow.
learn to stand out
My advice to everyone is to look at the metrics. Where can you improve and innovate? Which new products allow you to provide more value to your customers? Is it the new graphene headlight coating? Should you invest in a CRM (HouseCallPro for example)? Perhaps record a video on the benefits of a clay bar treatment and send it to your email list. Try to figure out how to stand out and adapt.