Nick Vacco's Bio
I started detailing cars as a side hustle for profit when I was only 14 years old. Had my first detail shop when I was only 25. Before I knew it, I had 13 employees and my business was generating $60,000 a month providing car detailing and restyling services at my shop in Pittsburgh.
My Bio lesson talks more about the challenges and successes I had and how I eventually sold my business for a large sum of money. Then I started DetailKing.com and my car detailing school.
Mobile or Shop Location?
When starting your own car detailing business, you face many decisions to make especially in the very beginning. In this lesson of the course, I discuss the pros and cons of working from your home, operating as a mobile detailer, and conducting your business from an automotive shop.
I also discuss operating from a carwash and a stand-alone location. You will need this critical information to make the right decisions from the beginning.
Name Your Business, Logo, Website Domain
Choosing a great name for your business that stands out and can be effectively branded will quickly help build customer acquisition from the start. Having a professionally designed logo and creative tag line will also help brand your business and separate your business from the competitors.
I will also discuss about reserving a website domain name and why you will want to incorporate your business. Most new small businesses today incorporate as an LLC and I will provide you the information needed.
Know Your Costs & How to Price Jobs
I receive calls all the time from new entrepreneurs asking what they should charge for their services. My response is “what does it cost you to operate your business per hour?” Unless they have gone through my training, they don’t have a clue!
In this lesson I teach you how to establish what your hourly break-even cost is so you can then determine how profit you want to make per hour on top of that. This will enormously help when setting up your service menu pricing and providing estimates on unusual and over-sized vehicles.
Permits, Licenses, Business Bank Account
There are various permits and licenses you will need to operate your business legally in your city and state. The permit and license costs are usually less costly than the fines for not being compliant. In this lesson I discuss how to determine the permits and licenses you may need and how to go about getting them.
I will also explain why it is critical to you have a business checking and savings account to keep your business expenses separate from your personal expenses.
Accounting & Accepting Credit Cards
Having an accounting software system like QuickBooks for small business is imperative for the health of your detailing business. You need to always know the financial fitness of your business.
Most professional detailers are very good craftsman but lack a basic business accounting skill set. In this lesson of the course, I will discuss the benefits of having an accounting software system. Credit card payment transactions will be the majority of how your customers pay you. It is a MUST to accept credit card payments.! There are many ways to do this, and I will explain them in detail
Deciding What Services to Offer
From a basic hand car wash to a full-blown paint correction, ceramic coating application, clear protection film and even window tinting installations are services you may want to consider offering. It is difficult to offer all of them when you first start out.
I will talk about what profitable detailing services you should consider offering from Day #1 and how to add other profitable appearance services and lucrative maintenance packages as your customer base grows. Very popular lesson of this course.
Upselling & Cross Selling
In this lesson I will teach you how important it is for your success to be able to upsell and cross sell your services to every customer. This is how you really make money in this business, build your brand and create customer satisfaction. Customer satisfaction leads to repeat business and more referrals.
Business Cards, Service Menu, Flyers
Your business card is your “calling card” in this lesson I will discuss what to have on both the front and the back of your business card. I will also talk about Digital Business Cards and the benefits to help with customer acquisition.
Your business should also have a service menu and promotional flyers that you can hand out at car shows and networking events. Many detailers make the mistake of sending the wrong message in their flyers and cram too much information in their service menu. I will tell you about the content that is needed and what content to avoid.
Having Insurance for Your Auto Detailing Business
Having insurance when operating a small business is critical especially when working on and moving around customer’s cars. You will need three or four different insurance coverages for your car detailing business.
I will discuss all four types of insurance coverages and why you need them and how to get the best premium rates. You can never have too much insurance.
Social Media Marketing
For a small business, having a social media strategy is essential for increasing brand awareness, reaching your target audience, and driving sales. It can easily create familiarity with your company's web presence and leaves an imprint on the minds of customers, prospects, and patrons.
In this lesson I will discuss how to effectively use Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, TikTok and LinkedIn. Keeping your social media platforms updated with fresh content is important for your brand’s identity.
Why Have a Website?
A great website is the best way to showcase your car detailing business. A professional website isn’t an expensive luxury or a frivolous endeavor - it’s an affordable, fundamental tool that every detailing business needs.
Your website acts as an anchor for your marketing and builds credibility in your marketplace. In this lesson I will go over what you should publish on your website and how to get prospects to your website. Most importantly I will teach you how to get these website visitors to call you or submit a request information form. Very important lesson.
Email & Text Messaging Customers
You know you need to attract new customers and keep your existing clients coming back, but you can’t afford to invest time or resources into something that isn’t going to deliver the results you expect. Email marketing and text message marketing is so important when it comes to small business marketing.
Not only does it help you to keep in touch with those that want to hear from you — keeping you top of mind — but it also allows you to educate your readers, drive traffic, conduct surveys, share updates and show off your work. This is another critical lesson to read and remember.
Why Have a CRM Tool?
Real-time dashboards and reports help you better understand what’s happening with your business. Track profitability, technician efficiency, customer aging, fleet performance and more.
Use built-in tools to communicate with customers via text and email. Send automated appointment confirmations & reminders, share invoices, inspection sheets, collect payments or answer questions with just a few clicks. I will discuss how critical it is to have this tool and all the benefits.
Customer Acquisition & Prospecting
Simply put, customer acquisition refers to gaining new consumers. Acquiring new customers involves persuading consumers to purchase your detailing and auto appearance services.
I will teach you about content marketing, mobile marketing, networking, pay per click marketing, target marketing and how to make cold calls and book appointments with a solid prospecting plan.
Hiring Employees, Compensation, Sub Contractors
When employees are adequately compensated, they feel motivated to come to work. Their morale remains high, and their job satisfaction levels increase. High morale ensures that employees are motivated enough to come to work every day and deliver work to the best of their abilities.
In this lesson I will teach you how to seek out quality talent, compensate them and provide them the opportunity to grow with your business. Hiring Sub Contractors for services that your detailing business does not provide can be very profitable and promote your brand. I will discuss why you may consider using sub-contractors and when not to use them.
Equipment & Supplies Needed
There are certain equipment and detailing supply products you will need to provide professional car detailing services for profit to your customers. Many detailing start ups are on a show string budget and that’s OK. I will advise which tools you should consider getting first to generate profitable revenues right away.
Having the right products to get the job done efficiently and on a timely basis so there is enough profit, and the customer is thrilled about how their vehicle looks is the goal. I will review the essential polishers, extractors, ozone generators, cleaners, dressings, polishes, coatings, towels, brushes and other accessories you will want to consider having for your detailing arsenal.
How to Get Reviews and Referrals
Getting great reviews from past customers will bring you new customers. I will teach you how to get these reviews and where to publish them.
Having the customer continue to do business with you and providing you referrals will put your detailing business in the fast lane. This is another critical lesson, be sure to read it 2 or 3 times.
Training & Certification
You and your employees will be providing cleaning, detailing, and coating services to your customers vehicles. Knowing how to use the equipment, products and supplies is vital. Just as important is knowing the “business side” of running your detailing business.
You will learn the business training with my manual and I will also discuss your options for hands on training and why you should consider it.
Offering Paint Protection Film
Paint Protection Film (PPF) also known as “Clear Bra” is becoming a popular upsell for growing car detailing businesses. Many of today’s new vehicles are more aerodynamically designed than ever before and their front ends are more vulnerable for chipping.
Detail shops that have been professionally trained and are providing PPF are charging anywhere from a few hundred dollars to several thousand dollars and are profiting from it. This 4 page lesson gives you a background on PPF and discusses some of the more important components that you should be aware of.
Create a Business Plan
Having a business plan is critical for your business’s growth and success. Without a business plan it will be like navigating through a dark cave without any lighting. In this lesson I review the most important components of a business plan for a new car detailing business.
Keep in mind a business plan is a “living document” and will need to be edited, and updated as your business matures. The weather, pandemics, and the economy will play a role with regards to editing your business plan as needed.
Detail Business Start-Up Checklist
In this course I have provided you many tasks that you will need to do to start, operate and grow your car detailing business. I have created a 28-task checklist that is an excellent reference of what you need to do to get your business going. It includes legal, accounting, marketing, advertising, administrative, and many other items that are of a critical nature.
I listed these task items in the order of which you should proceed, although there will be times when you will have to go out of this order based on your individual circumstances
How To Use Ai & ChatGPT
Learn how to use AI-powered chatbots to provide instant responses to customer inquiries, schedule appointments, and manage bookings. Discover how to leverage AI for targeted marketing campaigns. Analyze customer data, create personalized marketing messages and emails, and optimize your advertising efforts for maximum impact. Watch your customer base grow with precision!
Wrap Up!
By this time, you have read a lot of great information on how to start, operate and grow a profitable car detailing business. In this lesson I will reveal some of the secrets that I have used to be successful in this industry over the years. These secrets are just another weapon for your arsenal to crush your competition and help make your business more profitable.
