Sustainable Success for Opening a Carwash

The car wash is ready, the shop is set up, the employees are trained, the test runs were excellent – and now the big day is finally here. You are opening your car wash! For this day to be a success, there are several things that you should definitely consider.

Local advertising is essential

You should definitely announce the opening of your car wash in your town or local area in advance through local advertising. This includes daily newspapers, but also billboards. You can find more tips here. Start with the most important information first: What? Car wash. Where? Location. From when? Date. The last sentence says that everyone is cordially invited to the opening and can benefit from the welcome discount.

Discount right at the launch

Maybe you do not like giving a discount right at the start of your new business – but you have to prove yourself to the customers first. Especially if there is competition in the area, you have to prove that you are better. You can decide for yourself what form this discount takes. On the first day every wash for one euro perhaps? Or a discount of 50% for everyone, but 75% for those who immediately buy a loyalty card? The fact is that it has to be worthwhile.

Online advertising increases your reach

No company should go without a website today. A website allows you to provide your customers with a good overview of what washes you have, which detergents are used and what other benefits your car wash offers. Introduce the shop briefly and show which benefits loyal customers enjoy. News, promotions and other information help to keep your customers up to date.

Enter your car wash on Google Maps for instant viewing. Also, create a Facebook page to increase your reach. Another way to reach as many potential customers as possible is through Google ads. In fact, you should start with online marketing as well as local marketing before you celebrate your grand opening. Only then will the potential customers finally know when you are opening your car wash.

First impressions Count

Even if it's hard, make sure you get enough sleep before your big day. You should be alert and bright and cheery when the first customers arrive. Ensure your team are committed to unconditional friendliness and helpfulness. Be there at all times, ready to respond. Everything does not have to run perfectly on the first day – many things only become apparent during everyday working situations and have to be integrated.

It is important that you always remain attentive, friendly and professional even despite the odd glitch on the first day. Mishaps are much easier to smile away than you might think. However, it is still important that you do not just ignore these! Say sorry, explain that you and your team are still learning and that this mistake will not happen again. Thank the customer for letting you know and perhaps give the dissatisfied customer a voucher for a free wash.

Make sure that the usual things are in order that you otherwise tend to forget. For example, by making sure that you have enough change. It is also important that you and your staff can answer basic questions about how the car wash works. It gives a reassuringly professional impression if you know the technical details of the car wash and the correct names for the chemical cleaning products.

Small gifts are good for friendship

What would an opening ceremony be without small gifts? You are already giving a discount, you might now object. That's true, but this is slightly different. If your customers can take home a rubber maintenance pen or wheel rim cleaner on the first day, that's something tangible. Even a microfibre cloth or a small cleaner for stubborn dirt on the windscreen reminds people of their visit to this nice, new car wash.

There is also a particularly popular giveaway you should never underestimate, namely pens with the company name and address. Getting a set of cheap pens printed with your company name does not cost much, but its effect is brilliant. Customers take them back home, where they are used again and again in everyday life, here for a note, there for a shopping list. You soon barely notice the imprint, but the information has been anchored.

Summary: Advertise and then – cheese!

Before opening your car wash, make sure the information reaches as many people as possible. Entice your prospective customers in with the offer of a discount and try to retain as many of them as possible over the long term. With a combination of expertise, friendliness, professionalism and a few small gifts, you will definitely make sure that people take away pleasant memories of their visit to your car wash. And you can build on that!