moving business

[tjimmyv]

Over the last few years, I have established a detailing business in the town I live in. Unfortunately I am hoping to move to a new state.
Does any body here have experience moving an established business to a new state.

The new place is actually only about an hour and a half from where I currently live, so one idea would be to start up my business there before I even move. And just make the drive, that way I keep keep working here to fill the gaps. And when business picks up in the new location then I would make the move.

My biggest concern would be not having enough work right away.

Any advice from anyone, especially those who have experienced this would be greatly appreciated.

[jarred767]

Re: moving business

Unfortunately I am hoping to move to a new state.

Sounded kinda funny, but I know exactly what you are talking about. I'm actually in a very similar situation myself. I started my mobile detailing business almost 8 years ago with just a vacuum, couple cleaners, a bucket, and some wax in my trunk doing it on the weekends. Now I've got the whole set-up bringing in close to 6 figures a year (although still just myself cause its the best way to operate it in my mind), but my wife and I are seriously considering (if not already decided) to move out of state to central Oregon sometime in the next year or two. I don't have any "experience" but I've put a lot of hard thought into what the process might look like over the last few months. One question for you first though, do you have a shop that you're moving, or is it a strictly mobile business as some things might be a little different depending on which you've got? And any employees, or just yourself?

My biggest fear is just like you mentioned, not having the business once you get there, or it taking a while to get back up to where you're at now. Lucky for you, you're still within driving range (albeit a long drive), and it probably makes sense to do like you mentioned and try the longer commute at least for a bit until you get some business coming in. Once you get a little, and decide to make the switch, you have to just go for it 100%

Since I'll be moving about 6 hours away, I'll be starting from ground zero, and I figure that I'm gonna have to go all out as much as I can both leading up to the move and once I get there. Leading up to it, try to do as much business as possible and sock away as much extra cash as you can to help you through the transition, that's probably one of the biggest keys in my mind. Tell all your customers that you'll be leaving and this is their last chance to get the car detailed by you, also use this opportunity to upsell as much as you can (convince people to get a wax this time around, or if you offer something like Opti-Coat, upsell them to that so that they don't have to look for a new detailer as quickly - you both win with these upsells).

Once it gets close to the time you'll be moving, start getting you're online presence moved to the new city, update your website, Google maps, YahooLocal, Yelp, and anywhere else that you're address or location is online, some of these take a few weeks to a month go live, and you want them all live by the time you're in the new place. Also, before you move, make sure to stock up on a ton of business cards and brochures, or whatever you use, so you can really get after it once you get to the new city. Last thing you want is to be handing promo stuff out and run out.

Once you get there, you have to find any way to make a presence in the new city. Go into neighborhoods and talk with people, hand out brochures, try to meet with businesses like real estate agencies or insurance companies and see if you can leave brochures or cards with them. Find a window tinter, body shop, mechanic, PDR guy, and whatever else that you can work with and exchange leads. You need to have a plan so that when you get there, you're still working every day, even if it's not detailing someone's car, you need to be trying to spread the word about your new business in town.

Once you do start to get some jobs, you need to do everything you can to have those customers come back and tell their friends. Offer referral discounts if they get someone to come, offer a discount if they come back within a given period of time, follow-up with them a couple days after the appointment to make sure they're happy and know that you care about them. Whatever else you would do to impress them, make sure to do it. And of course blow their socks off with your detailing abilities so that they can't help but tell their friends.

Pretty much, whatever you have done to get customers, impress customers, and retain customers through your years so far as a detailer (just the things that have worked), you need to be doing them all simultaneously and better than you've ever done them. You've got the experience and knowledge of what it takes to run your business, you just need to apply it to a new market in blitzkrieg mode!!

Good luck man, and keep us posted on how things go. Hopefully some others will chime in with more knowledge and tips too! I'm all ears for anything else that might be helpful, even in the slightest amount.

[tjimmyv]

Thanks for the long thought out reply. It's full of a lot of good advice.

Currently I work mostly out of my shop. I do have one customer, a local funeral home with 10 black vehicles that I provide mobile services for. Mostly just maintenance stuff. I clean there service vehicles before every funeral service. (Anywhere from 0 services a week to 7, depending how busy they are) as well as clean there personally vehicles weekly, and paint correction once a year.

Through this experience I have found that I enjoy mobile detailing for simple things like maintenance washing and basic interior stuff, but as far as the more thorough stuff I prefer to work out of a shop

So I definately plan to mov in to a new shop, but I would like to have a few mobile services that I also offer. Haven't decicided if that's a good idea or not.

Currently it's just me, so I won't need to worry about any employees

[Jarhead0754]

Not sure if u moved yet but I am not a professional but just thought IDE throw this out there. Maybe before u go that way u try and get a couple accounts like ur funeral home per say. It b something steady rather than ur 1 timer. And they can referr u to other business accounts to. Work with the commercial accounts before u settle with the residential customers who ur not sure of if they will b repeat customers. Not sure if I explained what I was saying right but would love a follow up to hear how things went for u. Good luck if u still need it.

[tjimmyv]

I have not. I'm planning on going 100% mobile to start out and then eventually moving towards a shop again. That way I will hopefully have enough steady business to pay for the shop as apposed to depleting a good chunk of my savings. Unfortunately I don't live in an area warm enough to do mobile year round, so I'm waiting until spring.

That is good advice, and I am already hoping to do that. If anyone has some input as to which types of businesses seem to be more interested in detailing services my ears are open. Currently i don't do a lot of commercial and am not exactly sure who to target (preferably not dealerships)

On another note, in curious to know if there is any detailers here that do 100% Eco friendly washes.
I here of detailers saying they do this every now and then but I'm curious to how they handle the really dirty cars.

I already do waterless, or rinseless whenever possible because I don't have floor drains in my shop. But I still usually pull out the power washer for the wheels and tires and occasionally a pre rinse outside before I pull it in my shop.

I'm just thinking if I could ;do everything rinse less all the time it would be a lot less gear to carry around going mobile, and I wouldn't have to worry about water run off.
Any thoughts?