Business expectations
- Thread starter newy
- Start date
pitzerwm
Active member
I would think that it could only get better 
Depends on how much advertising/promotions/location that you do/have.
Depends on how much advertising/promotions/location that you do/have.Well I think it will be fine but our township has strict advertising limits because we are in a historic area but it is very commercialize. Our sign had to be less the 10 ft high we can not have a lighted promotion board and no stick signs so we have some challenges.
Waxman
Super Moderator
This is your opportunity to get creative! There's a great book called "Guerilla Marketing" I read some years ago. It had alot of low-cost ideas about getting your business exposed for short money.
The beginning stages of opening any new venture are tricky. My wash is 2 years old and nothing helps build volume like the site being used. When people see dirty cars in line and clean cars emerging from the wash, it's the best promotion. So get some free wash coupons out there. Try the chamber of commerce, schools, car dealerships, police and fire, banks, restaurants. Go to the places you normally do business and hand out free washes.
Many people (myself included) will wait a while to visit a new business; sometimes years. Give people a reason to try it right away. Hopefully they'll like it and become repeat customers. Good luck.
The beginning stages of opening any new venture are tricky. My wash is 2 years old and nothing helps build volume like the site being used. When people see dirty cars in line and clean cars emerging from the wash, it's the best promotion. So get some free wash coupons out there. Try the chamber of commerce, schools, car dealerships, police and fire, banks, restaurants. Go to the places you normally do business and hand out free washes.
Many people (myself included) will wait a while to visit a new business; sometimes years. Give people a reason to try it right away. Hopefully they'll like it and become repeat customers. Good luck.
smokun
Consultant - Rainmaker
Overlooking The Obvious
Newy...
A basic recommendation I offer all my clients with location identity challenges is to install a time & temp because it creates an instant landmark... and everyone passing uses it as a frame of reference. After a while, everyone knows where the clock is located.
Many operators with stringent sign restrictions often overlook the obvious way of identifying their site that avoids the risk of municipal oversight. Each zoning code has a definition of what constitutes a "sign". Get the definition and use it as a guide to innovate other ways of landmarking your business location.
A very familiar way is to use an illuminated flagpole with the stars & stripes conspicuously flying 24/7.
Or, simply use your building as your identifying landmark. Upgrade the landscaping... or give the structure a fresh new tastefully unique paint design. Wash the building at night with architectural lighting that highlights the facility.
Choose a picture of your carwash and include it on everything you print. Business cards, advertising, letters, tee shirts ? you're only limited by your imagination. Let everyone draw a connection with your business name... and your visual identity from the street.
There are hundreds of ways to increase your consumers' awareness of who you are and where you're located. Make a list of at least a dozen... and make it happen!
Newy...
A basic recommendation I offer all my clients with location identity challenges is to install a time & temp because it creates an instant landmark... and everyone passing uses it as a frame of reference. After a while, everyone knows where the clock is located.
Many operators with stringent sign restrictions often overlook the obvious way of identifying their site that avoids the risk of municipal oversight. Each zoning code has a definition of what constitutes a "sign". Get the definition and use it as a guide to innovate other ways of landmarking your business location.
A very familiar way is to use an illuminated flagpole with the stars & stripes conspicuously flying 24/7.
Or, simply use your building as your identifying landmark. Upgrade the landscaping... or give the structure a fresh new tastefully unique paint design. Wash the building at night with architectural lighting that highlights the facility.
Choose a picture of your carwash and include it on everything you print. Business cards, advertising, letters, tee shirts ? you're only limited by your imagination. Let everyone draw a connection with your business name... and your visual identity from the street.
There are hundreds of ways to increase your consumers' awareness of who you are and where you're located. Make a list of at least a dozen... and make it happen!
Ben's Car Wash
Conveyor & self service
newy,
Business have a basic "life cycle" that vary... some in predictable pattern, some not and some can be expanded. There are 3 basic components to the cycle.
1. Growth.
2. Maturation
3. Decline
Growth initally happen in double digits as a percentage and usuall continues for the first 5 years. This will be high in the first few years, 25-50%..... then tapper off to 20% or so. Most banks say that 8-12% growth is good and stable growth per year. The problem becomes when you run out of room, maximze your price structure (ceiling) or can not cut expenses.... this becomes what is called the LAW OF DEMINISHING RETURNS. Growth in volume exceeds (gross sales) the net revenue growth meaning the percentage decreases of net. This leads to Maturation.
Maturation can last a long time... eventually leading to a decline as you service is no longer useful.... like Ice houses, home milk delivery or coal delivery. Thing change, markets change, customers change. This is why you must stay modern, keep up and adapt.
To answer your question, you'll grow quickly the first year of two.... if not, and if you do not have the reserve cash, you'll be out of business.
Good luck and welcome to the car wash industry... you picked one hell of a year to get in.
Business have a basic "life cycle" that vary... some in predictable pattern, some not and some can be expanded. There are 3 basic components to the cycle.
1. Growth.
2. Maturation
3. Decline
Growth initally happen in double digits as a percentage and usuall continues for the first 5 years. This will be high in the first few years, 25-50%..... then tapper off to 20% or so. Most banks say that 8-12% growth is good and stable growth per year. The problem becomes when you run out of room, maximze your price structure (ceiling) or can not cut expenses.... this becomes what is called the LAW OF DEMINISHING RETURNS. Growth in volume exceeds (gross sales) the net revenue growth meaning the percentage decreases of net. This leads to Maturation.
Maturation can last a long time... eventually leading to a decline as you service is no longer useful.... like Ice houses, home milk delivery or coal delivery. Thing change, markets change, customers change. This is why you must stay modern, keep up and adapt.
To answer your question, you'll grow quickly the first year of two.... if not, and if you do not have the reserve cash, you'll be out of business.
Good luck and welcome to the car wash industry... you picked one hell of a year to get in.
Earl Weiss
Well-known member
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I took over a failing location an distributed 18000 coupons for free exterior washes redeemeable for 2 months. About 3000 came back. Sent bunches to all chamber of commerce members and dropped fo others at every close business and school that had a sizeable parking lot. Total cost of the promo was probably under 5000 including the actiual cost of the free washes. I figured if I made 300 customers who washed 10 times a year it paid for itself. That would not include word of mouth to anyone else who they may have told about the place.
robert roman
Bob Roman
There are several components that will have an effect on the growth curve of a new wash.
1) The seasonal variation which behaves like a sign wave - typically higher in the winter months and lower in the summer months.
2) A linear component which has an upward slope - launch towards maturity -where the slope is a function of how over or under-served the market is.
3) Advertising and promotion
4) Type of business model
If the market is under-served, a new wash would tend to ramp-up very rapidly and may exceed the initial sales volume projections. If the market is over-served, a new wash would tend to ramp-up slowly and may never reach anticipated sales volumes.
Typically, a new wash should approach about 70% of the rate expected at maturity by the end of the first year of operation.
After you have been open for three to four months, you will have enough data to make a meaningful comparison with your initial sale volume projections.
Hope this helps.
Bob Roman
www.carwashplan.com
1) The seasonal variation which behaves like a sign wave - typically higher in the winter months and lower in the summer months.
2) A linear component which has an upward slope - launch towards maturity -where the slope is a function of how over or under-served the market is.
3) Advertising and promotion
4) Type of business model
If the market is under-served, a new wash would tend to ramp-up very rapidly and may exceed the initial sales volume projections. If the market is over-served, a new wash would tend to ramp-up slowly and may never reach anticipated sales volumes.
Typically, a new wash should approach about 70% of the rate expected at maturity by the end of the first year of operation.
After you have been open for three to four months, you will have enough data to make a meaningful comparison with your initial sale volume projections.
Hope this helps.
Bob Roman
www.carwashplan.com
Duckman540i
New member
Very Helpful Information!Newy...
A basic recommendation I offer all my clients with location identity challenges is to install a time & temp because it creates an instant landmark... and everyone passing uses it as a frame of reference. After a while, everyone knows where the clock is located.
Many operators with stringent sign restrictions often overlook the obvious way of identifying their site that avoids the risk of municipal oversight. Each zoning code has a definition of what constitutes a "sign". Get the definition and use it as a guide to innovate other ways of landmarking your business location.
A very familiar way is to use an illuminated flagpole with the stars & stripes conspicuously flying 24/7.
Or, simply use your building as your identifying landmark. Upgrade the landscaping... or give the structure a fresh new tastefully unique paint design. Wash the building at night with architectural lighting that highlights the facility.
Choose a picture of your carwash and include it on everything you print. Business cards, advertising, letters, tee shirts ? you're only limited by your imagination. Let everyone draw a connection with your business name... and your visual identity from the street.
There are hundreds of ways to increase your consumers' awareness of who you are and where you're located. Make a list of at least a dozen... and make it happen!
Thanks!
