Calling upon your advice/opinions

[BigWig]

I'm not one to share my daily doings over forums, but this is one for you lot to comment upon as it's car related

As some of you may know, I got my a-levels last year and now I'm doing work experience for Autocar mag when they can fit me in.

In between those times I'm going to need to do something to get some spondooli's.

My old man has just said I can use his van to start a valeting service because he won't have the time to do it his self. Obviously it's been done before, so I want to offer some sort of unique service. Something that my customers will remember me by. I'm well into my cleaning so I know how to make a car look the db's.

Can anyone give me any tips? It would be good to give a free air freshener when I do each valet and next to it leave a small thankyou card in the centre console with a tick sheet on whats been done.

Thats another reason why I said about a retro van in a previous thread, to be different.

Cheers,

Adam.

[BenzBoy]

Well, I'm absolutely cr@p at cleaning stuff! ;D So if I'm in your neck of the woods I'll call you for a valet!
What about contacting some local businesses, such as garages and the like, to see if they'd be interested in some advertising for a small fee - you could leave a little brochure with the businesses details in each car you valet. I don't mean fill the poor sods cars up with junk mail as that'd kind of undo all your nice cleaning work , but maybe a small information book on where they can get their cars serviced, tyres fitted, that kind of thing? Just an idea

[BigWig]

BenzBoy,

I'm going to cover the Kent area if you're around there!Thats a great shout. I'm pretty involved with all the local garages! top idea.

[nickb]

So how would this work then?

Would your dad pay you a salary and then how many motors you do is largely irrelevant? While this would be good, as you could really just do some when you felt like it, I don't think it would be ultimately very rewarding...

Or would you be responsible for the business as a whole...in which case you could end up working all the hours god sends to keep on top of the valeting plus the accounts, stock control, bookings, advertising etc... this way you could come unstuck when you should really be concentrating on your journalistic career...

You may find that the valeting becomes quite successful and thus you might drop your journo tendencies, only to regret it later...

It's a double-edged sword really...

Another thing... is this a smart career move?
It may be that your journalism never really takes off (it's a very cut throat industry from what I can make out...). Would valeting be a viable way to make money long-term.

It'd be OK while your young with few outgoings...but there's hardly a career path there. Think about if in 10 years you could be paying a mortgage and supporting a wife and three kids on the money made off mobile valeting...

If journalism is where you future lies, why not plug away at that... try getting a job on a local paper or within the PR department of a big company writing trade press releases etc. I know that it's maybe a bit dull and you don't get the bonuses of working for yourself rather than the MAN, but you do get more journalistic experience, plus a steady (if not massive) income. And if your writing is could, you may bet picked up by other media types and you never know where that may lead...

You may think I'm taking curse word though. If this is the case, feel free to shoot me down in flames...

[BigWig]

Nick,

Basically the van is mine to 'use', whether I start up a mobile sperm bank or painting and decorating.

He won't get any of the takings, the van is just redundant on the drive, its surplus.

Yeah I would have to do all that side too, accounts etc. I've got a GNVQ in business studies so that should come in handy

I've grown up around the motor trade and I know it's not what I want to be doing in 10 years time. The motoring journalism is an ambition, I'm already building up a pretty substantial portfolio. It's not something I can palm off.

The whole point of me doing this is so I can plug away at my journalism, because I'll be my own boss, obviously I wouldn't be able to have days off here and there to write stories if I was working for a firm.

I've been offered a job in an estate agents but I'd have to work every hour and weekend ehich would most definately side track me from my writing.

Getting a job in media is a complete joke. I'm just going to write articles on a freelance basis for different mags to hopefully get a name for myself, then hopefully a job, thus knocking the valeting on the head.

I'm going to offer a Renovo soft top service too, which restores the hood and the rear plastic window. I'm not going to be a run of the mill mobile valeter, I'd like to set my self apart from the rest if I can.

I fully understand your point of view though!

[Benmarina16v]

Speaking from experience:

You want to aim for the body shops (no not the ones that sell funny girlie oils!) When a car is in for repair most body shops won't have the time to make the work look its best i.e. a good polish and valet. If you can get in with a small to medium sized body shop and say you will do so many cars for a set amount they will most likely give you a try.

Another idea is the prestige second hand car show rooms, these guys can be slimy but they want to get the most ££ from a sale. If it looks the dog's doolies then all the better in their opinion!

In both instances you will have to lean to clean and valet a car to a high standard in a small amount of time! That's if you want maximum ££ and recognition.

Hope that helps!

[Panda Matt]

I'd say if you are doing the valeting and for private individuals, the best thing would be to leave a small packet of nice sweets behind after the car is clean.

I'd like it anyway...

(edit- good luck with it whatever you do. You seem pretty clued up and focused on where you're going anyway)

[hairnet]

treat it as a sideline from yer journo thing for some extra $$

the writing is better paid ultimately

[Revolution 9]

I agree, definately keep up the journalism, but the valeting should be a practical sideline since you'd be working whatever hours suited so you could make some money when you weren't busy writing. Which is nice.

[BenzBoy]

It's a bit like what I'm doing - I do a delivery driving job to keep money coming in for bills and Merc bits , whilst building my own business as a designer. As long as the bread-and-butter thing (in your case the valeting) doesn't take over, you should be fine!
A lot of my friends started part-time jobs whilst trying to build their careers, and ended up just doing the part time work more and more until their dream was a distant memory... staying focused is hard to do but if you want it bad enough and work hard enough you'll get the breaks you need.
Hope it goes well for you mate!

[wagoneer]

I'm with everyone else on the aim high with the valeting bit. Prestige work has to be best.
The most important thing to do is present yourself well so that you are remembered as much as the work you do.

I like the air freshener and sweetie idea.
www.4imprint.co.uk (amongst others) does fresheners with your branding on them from as little as £340 for 500. Worth considering.

I'll bet you may even get some journo material whilst cleaning cars.

[KpMrJ]

ALso the likes of www.vistaprint.com will do you business cards for near nowt ( mine were 500 for £7.40 delivered !! ) Although that line of work didn't work out

Either way all the best, and you've had some sound advice given.

[Unimexsol]

My advice:

Always do a first class job. (It only takes one bad job and you lose a customer forever)

Get as many contracts from local businesses that you can. Local Taxi firms, Bodyshops, Car Sales, etc.

To win these contracts you will have to compete on price, not little extras. You will also have to offer credit terms (usually 30 days.)

Keep your accounts up to date and in order. It is very easy just to let these build up and up. It's a part of the job that noone likes, however when you get to the end of the year you will be so grateful if you have kept on top of this. I used to work in a firm of accountants and each year we would get businessmen who would walk in with bags of invoices and receipts and expect us to construct their accounts for them - we used to charge them the earth to do it. For the sake of a couple of hours each week they would have saved themselves thousands of pounds.

Always have a "happy" face on. Even when you are feeling like Sh**. Being customer friendly will earn you a lot of return business.

Remember to give yourself time for your private life. All work and no play not only makes Jack a dull boy but also is likely to backfire on the business.

Enjoy it.

[Shortcut]

Work harder and do a bettter job than the other person. Tha's the key. Most people (even self employed) are happy to do a 60% job. Do 90 or more and you will get repeat business.

Get in with some contracts. New business is easiest from existing sources, hardest to generate from scratch

Stand out. Get some good looking leaflets, don't come over as half prepared, the other guys will.

Be creative. Look for opportunities, people love to help a winner, so keep positive.

Enough platitudes for ya?

best advice of all, get out of the hands on ASAP. most business men spend too much time working for their business rather than on their business.

Give em heck!

[BigWig]

Lots of useful advice being dished out here, cheers.

BenMarina16v: Yeah thats a good idea, but all bodyshops and garages want everything done for the pricely sum of curse word all. I used to work in an insurance approved place, absoloute nightmare!

But don't get me wrong, I will try the different local ones. Got nothing to loose.

Panda: didn't think along those lines. Good idea, I know someone that buys bulk sweets/crisps etc on the cheap, the sell by date won't exactly be months away but there you go!

Hairnet: Yeah this is it, it will have to be a sideline, it can't take over the writing. I'm in the process of working for PGTi magazine on a freelance basis, he's set me a task thats has to be done by next week to see if I've 'got the minerals'...

Benzboy & revo: Cheers, hopefully it will work out some how! I'm not going to let me 'dream' slip away, it's gotta be lived!

Wagoneer & KPmrJ: Thats a right touch, those 2 websites, when you used them, did you design the card yourself and sent it to them as e.g. jpeg format?

Unimexsol: Yeah thats what I'll have to do, with accounts etc, I will admit, I'm not the best with paperwork, but I'll push my self to keep on top.

104ZS: Yeah this is it, I'll have to give a top service each time. I know I will. Because like you said, its the key to repeat business.

I don't think it would be beneficial aiming at enthusiasts like us lot, as most of you probably like to do it your self? Or am I wrong??

I'm only going to use the top brands too. Autoglym, Meguiars, Mothers, Zymol + Poorboy's. No Halfords own brand

[Shortcut]

For business cards and flyers have a look at Aubergine print, www.aubergineprint.net

We use them all the time for client cards and flyers when we need a bang up job for toot all money!

Qualities pretty good, hardly spot it's digital unless you look v.hard, plus the cards come full colour front and back with a spiffy varnish, which gives an impression of quality right off teh bat.

[Unimexsol]

Tait, Don't write off the bodyshops etc. Ok, they want everything for nothing BUT they are the customers who will earn you your "bread and butter" money. They will be regular users and the (IMHO) the ones you should target to build up the work you are getting.

It's good to remember that 10% profit on a £5000 contract is better than a 90% profit on 20 £25 jobs.

The key to it is that these contracts will bring you regular income, the "one off" jobs for Mrs Miggins at the bottom of the road are likely to be once a month (if you are lucky) and should be looked at as Jam.

I'd also look into doing the taxis and limo firms in your area, again perhaps you won't make as much profit but if you are any good then they will become regular customers.

I don't know what it's like where you are but in London you can get a wash, wax and hoover for £10. The East Europeans have got the market here. Quality isn't great but hey, what do you expect for £10!

[BigWig]

104z, I'll check that card website out, I'd like some where that does small a5'ish flyers, to put under my windscreen wiper at shows/rallies in the summer.

Unim, Yeah thats true, I'll just target all the local firms.

Cheers.