It’s a messy world out there, particularly for people’s cars! Long family road trips, muddy roads, and storms are only three reasons that bring car owners in for a car wash every once in a while.
And as you might guess, with this exceedingly high demand, car wash owners are in for a treat—considerable profits in the bank. However, if you’re considering starting a car wash business, be warned that this doesn’t mean the operation’s success will come easy.
Because high demands call for a multitude of market competitors and suppose you want to be successful in your car wash business endeavor. In that case, you need to take the appropriate steps to differentiate your business from all other small businesses like yours and follow the procedures that will ensure your long-term lasting.
So, regardless of whether you have some previous experience in the industry or not, first of all, you should know that starting a prosperous car wash business comes with a unique set of standards. Luckily, if you ask yourself if there are any tricks on how to start a car wash business that will stand out and pass the test of time, here is our 5-step checklist approach to this line of business!
Location Is Everything In The Car Wash Business
Just think about it: with Burger King and Starbucks being present on almost every block and corner, how do you choose the best one to get a burger or drink a quick coffee?
Well, if you’ve been in most of them before, you will probably base your final decision on customer service and the cleanliness of the spot. On the other hand, if it’s your first visit, you’ll probably base your decision on the proximity to your location and other popular vendors nearby.
Well, it’s the same thing with starting a car wash company. Since you will have to fight hard to bring in a new clientele that already washes their cars somewhere else, location is everything and should be first on your checklist.
In that context, you should go for a location that naturally brings in traffic, one that’s conveniently positioned, and one that doesn’t have another car wash business on the same road or street leading up to your future business location.
Compose A Comprehensive Business Plan For Your Business
Once you find the perfect location for your car wash business, it’s time to put everything on paper or in a Word document and make an official business plan for your undertaking. Suppose it’s your first time drafting a business plan. In that case, you can always download some of the best free business plan templates readily available on the Internet and fill the template with the relevant information for your case.
In your business plan, outline everything from your business goals to your target customers, their demographic characteristics, and the marketing strategies you plan to utilize to reach them. Also, establish a preliminary budget for your business to ensure you’ll be profitable and understand the cash flow. This document will serve you as a guide map; if you do it correctly, you will be on course to avoid making bad business decisions.
Get Your Financing In Order
When you write down your business plan, don’t let the money-centered steps scare you away from your dream. If you don’t have the needed money in your bank account to kickstart the business of your dreams, you will have to take a business loan from your local bank or search for a co-founder.
Credit unions and banks will almost certainly be interested to hand you the money you need for your car wash business if you need a small-business loan. Your business plan will play a crucial role here, so make sure you have a bulletproof business plan by your side when asking for a loan.
Invest In Equipment For The Shop
Use the funds you will gather to be the gateway to purchasing your equipment for the car wash shop. And in order to make a list that leaves nothing to chance, monitor and pay attention the following:
- What kind of car wash do you plan to operate? Will you need the equipment for a self-serve car wash or a fully automatic one?
- Irrespective of your specific operation, you’ll definitely need hoses, nozzles, water tanks, soap dispensers, and vacuums that drivers’ will use to clean the inside of their cars.
- Last but not least, consider if the location you will rent or buy for the car wash shop requires some additional equipment.
In the end, you should always strive for quality over quantity when it comes to getting the right equipment for your shop. It will say a lot about the quality of the business that you’re trying to build, so make sure not to cut corners here.
Marketing Will Make Or Break Your Business
And finally, once you set everything else, it’s the right time to open up your business to the public and focus on your marketing efforts in order to get some clients to pay for your services. Even if marketing is not your strongest side, once you open your business to the public you also need to add a little creativity to your marketing efforts in order to be profitable and develop your business further.
To do the marketing part right, first, come up with a logo for your car wash business that you can proudly put on signs or billboards. Then consider bolstering your online presence so that your car wash shop appears when random people search for car washes in their area. Afterwards, creating a social media presence is also very important, particularly if you want to grow your business into something special. And last but not least, old-fashioned marketing techniques like business cards and flyers can also go a long way when beginning a new business from scratch.
Final Thoughts
The bottom line is that like everything else, starting a car wash business takes a lot of hard work and proper preparation! Start working on the steps mentioned above and see the quick results in all that hard work.