When it comes to car detailing, there are many different ways to advertise your business. From traditional methods like direct mail and leaflet distribution to more modern approaches like SEO and Google Ads, this page draws a winning advertising strategy to start and grow your car detailing business successfully.
We’ll look at 10 different car detailing advertising ideas and offer top tips shared by an expert in marketing, DigiVisi. So whether you’re just starting out or you’ve been in the business for a while, be sure to read to the end because it’s jam-packed with goodies.
Website
Your website should be the heart of your digital marketing.
It’s a 24/7 marketing tool allowing potential customers to learn about your car detailing business on their own terms. In addition, it enables you to show your personality, which can help build trust and relationships with potential customers.
However, a website for your car detailing business without due care and thought is simply a website for the sake of it. This is unlikely to be effective, so it’s pointless creating unless you take onboard some of these top tips that have stood the test of time for converting visitors into customers.
Pricing Packages for Each Service
Consumers like to feel empowered to make their own buying decisions, but little do they know you can influence it.
You should offer three pricing options for each service, from car detailing to paint correction. The first option is the cheapest, and the last option is the most expensive, but the middle option offers the most perceived value in terms of price and quality but has the largest profit margin.
Nearly all your potential customers will choose the middle option because it’s easy. It’s not the best; it’s not the worst; it’s just right.
Under each package, you should have a button with a call to action like “Book Now” that takes them to an online booking form or at least a contact page when clicked.
Turn the Features into Benefits
Most car detailers believe their car detailing equipment sets them apart from their competition, and while that may be the case, it’s not why car enthusiasts and car owners will buy your services.
Your potential customers want to know why they should choose your service over your competitors. You can help them by explaining how each feature leads to a specific benefit. Let’s look at an example.
You own the Ryobi 1,600-PSI 1.2-GPM Electric Pressure Washer (Model RY141612). You might say: Our pressure washer is super powerful with 1,600 PSI (feature) which removes even the toughest dirt and grime (benefit), so your car is cleaner than clean (value).
Highlighting the benefits of your equipment and products is more likely to persuade website visitors to use you over a competitor. If you add the value it offers, then it’s a no-brainer.
Reviews
Every business needs reviews, including car detailers.
There are three sides to reviews.
Firstly, gaining positive reviews and sharing them on your service pages near your pricing packages will increase the chances someone will book then and there.
Secondly, a positive online reputation allows your website to rank higher for keywords your potential customers are typing into Google (more on later).
Lastly, focusing on gaining reviews for your Google Business Profile (formerly Google My Business) will significantly help you feature in the map pack results.
Share Before & After Photos
Taking before and after photos of each customer’s car fully complements the reviews, which help with converting web visitors into paying customers.
You can even encourage users to spend more time on your website by adding an element of interactivity. Using a before and after plugin or feature, users can drag the tool to see the before and after results.
Search Engine Optimisation
A great website that incorporates the above tactics is ineffective without traffic; Search Engine Optimisation (SEO) is a brilliant way to generate free traffic to your website. But, with search engines, it does take time to kick off, so Google Ads is often implemented simultaneously to gain new customers and build a customer base.
With SEO, you need to make your website as friendly as possible from a technical perspective, so fast loading times and easy navigation around the website, to name a few.
In addition to the technical aspect, your website should have a web page for each service. Each web page targets a different keyword, such as “Car Detailer Miami” or “Paint Correction Miami”.
Furthermore, your website needs links from local business directories to show Google that you’re a genuine business and should be ranked for the keywords you’re targeting in your area. And, if you partner with car dealerships, ask them to link to your website too.
Many companies can help, but one, in particular, offers cheap SEO packages that work for car detailers.
Google Business Profile
Your Google Business Profile ties in with SEO.
If your Google Business Profile and your website rank 1st in the map pack and the organic search results, you’ll receive up to 65% of the clicks. And these clicks are free.
There aren’t any unique hacks that YouTubers claim. It’s straightforward, but it involves your time.
First of all, if you’ve not started your business, think about branding it with “car detailer” somewhere in the name. This has the most significant impact on your rankings in the map pack.
However, don’t risk changing your listing’s name if you’ve been going for a while. Instead, focus on uploading all the videos and pictures from over the years to your profile.
Whether you’re starting out or have been going for a while, add a list of services and complete a detailed description for each. Most car detailers skip this part, but it plays a role in your rankings.
Lastly, reviews, reviews, reviews! You need an average score of 4.2, so just aim for 5-star reviews. Plus, you need to be in the top three for the highest number of reviews. In addition to this, ask customers to include your target keyword in their review, e.g. “Car Detailer Miami”.
Google Ads (Formerly Google Adwords)
Google Ads has evolved significantly since the days of Adwords.
You can now run many different types of campaigns for instant traffic to your website, but the best are Search and Display.
Using a Search campaign with Leads as the goal (phone clicks or form submissions), carefully select keywords provided by Google and make them phrase match (use quotations). This means your ads are only displayed to more relevant searchers, and you’re less likely to waste money.
Then, simultaneously use a Display campaign to remarket to all website visitors who didn’t submit the contact form. This will follow them around the web on blogs using Google Adsense and even on YouTube. It aims to keep your car detailing business in their mind, and hopefully, visit your website again and submit the form.
Social Media Marketing
It’s almost impossible to count how many social media platforms are available today because there are many we’ve never heard of.
That aside, some are ideal for car detailing, including Facebook, Instagram and TikTok. In particular, Facebook allows you to attract a more local market than TikTok, for instance.
The best way to use these platforms for free is to share what you’re doing daily, not just before and after results. For example, record yourself using a clay bar on a rather fancy motor, then the next day cleaning the carpets.
To reach a broader audience on any social network, your posts must be engaging, so add a question or a brief description of what you’re doing rather than constantly asking people to call you. This is particularly necessary for Facebook’s algorithm.
You can take it a step further by running Facebook Ads, but it’s best to remarket to your existing website traffic or upload your customers’ data to advertise to a similar audience. This is more cost-effective.
Word-of-Mouth Marketing (Referral Program)
Word-of-mouth marketing is the best form of promotion worldwide, and some businesses get by relying on this channel, even though it’s risky.
While referrals come easy to some businesses, car detailing is not always the case, so you may need to give your customers a little nudge. This is where a referral program comes into play.
It could be as simple as asking your customers to tell their friends, family and co-workers about you. When a new customer mentions who referred them, your existing customers get a $10 credit for every new customer. Customers can save up their credits for free services or use them as regular discounts.
You could also give each of your customers several business cards with your details, which makes it easier to pass on to friends, family and co-workers.
Direct Mail (Special Offers)
It’s an old technique, but direct mail still works. Some would argue it’s even better today because everyone is focusing on digital marketing instead.
You can design some eye-catchy leaflets and drop them in the letterbox of homes in your neighbourhood. This is an excellent tactic for a new business with a low marketing budget and if you have more time on your hands.
Add a limited-time offer, usually a special discount, to make it super effective. While your profit won’t be significant initially, think about the repeat business and referrals you receive from each new customer.
Similar to this method, if you’re opening a mobile auto-detailing business (and you’re a confident person), you could drive to parking lots for local offices, walk into an office and offer group discounts to workers.
Loyalty Program
On the note of repeat business, you can encourage repeat business by giving each customer a loyalty card. You set the requirements, perhaps they could get a completely free service every six times they use your services?
Sponsor Community Events and Sports Clubs
Sponsoring community events and sports clubs are a great way to develop brand awareness in the local community. While they can be a little expensive at times, they often offer a lot of value. If you can find clubs that show their sponsors on their websites with links, then it’ll benefit your own website’s rankings too.
Network with Complementary Businesses
Joining local networking groups and attending on a regular basis may enable you to provide your auto detailing services to more than one car dealership and even at auto repair shops.
Summary
Pick and choose any of these car detailing advertising ideas, and add them to your marketing plan. Using them all together is an effective way to start a successful car detailing business as it’s a done-for-you marketing strategy that gains customers from multiple channels. Just write them down on a sheet of paper and make them your own.