Free Car Wash

[rentzelos]

6/2 and 4/2 - Illinois

I was thinking about putting together a new marketing campaign incorporating a free wash or free bay time. Does anybody have any lessons learned they can share about a free wash campaign?

Thanks

 

[Bubbles Galore]

I don't do a free wash campaign due in large part to the fact that I don't have an automatic. I do have a dollar tuesday that has done really well for me. I don't know what aspect you are trying to promote, so it is hard to say exactly. If you want to do the whole wash, why not have free vacs for an hour or two on the weekends?

 

[easywash]

Free Carwash - It's a Great Promo

We've used the FREE Carwash hook on numerous occasions. Here is our latest rendition.

www.freecarwash.ca

We use Google Adwords to drive NEW customers to the website.

I use the Geographic selection tool in Adwords to limit where and when the ads are displayed. It's generated 357 new customers this month and costs me about $2.14 per lead which is VERY cheap for new customer acquisition.

A word of caution... check your placements and keywords daily. I've had a couple where the traffic has spiked an it cost me about $14 per lead because you also pay per 1000 impressions.

The great thing is now have all their details and I can email and mail to my hearts content.

Cheers,

Geoff

 

[Earl Weiss]

When I took over an ailing location I did a free promo by distributing coupons. You would need to have someone on site to redeem them unless you have some bar code system available. My local Chamber of commerce has a member mailing list with 600 members in Labelized format. I had my daugher stuff envelopes with 6 coupons each and an intro letter asking that they use them and share them with employees and customers. I also stopped in local business with large parking lots, and dropped off as many as 100 coupons with the personnel office after asking how many employees they had and giving enough for each one. (Home depot was the only one who refused to distribute them to their employees and I am across the parking lot from the store) I included the library, post office and schools.

Distributed about 18000 in all and got about 3000 back. If I made 300 regular cutomers it was well worth it.

 

[Chiefs]

We've tried the Moving Target program off and on in the past and since October have been doing our own in-house new mover program. With Moving Target we were getting a 16% return on their direct mailing. Our program which was patterned on Moving Target and inlcuded apratments as well as homes has gotten just an 8% response. The only difference between the two was that Moving Target was color while ours was black and white. It included a free wash and was customized with the customer's name and on the outside of the envelope as well as the coupon inside; We let them know who it was from (return address); We told them on the outside of the envelope as well as that there was a free wash enclosed just so they would know what it was without even having to open it; And, they had an expiration date of 2 months in which to redeem it. The cost with Moving Target was $1.39 each (more now with the increase in printing and postage). Our cost for our in-house program was 70 cents with postage and the cost of the mailing list which we purchased through a company called Angie's List which I believe is in most major cities. We chose the lists by zip code and they would arrive via e-mail each month in an Excel format with we would merge into the coupon when we printed them.

The $64 question is was it worth the cost? Did it serve to expand our customer base or were we just giving away a handful of free washes? I'd like to think it did but cannot tell you I have any evidence to back it up. Given the fact that people knew exactly what was inside and that we did not achieve a return rate of 20-30% or more, I'd be less than honest to say I am disappointed at the response. I simply don't get it.

Now we've been here for 48 years so maybe that has something to do with it. If you're a new wash, you might have a better response.

I don't know if this helps or not, but there it is.

Bill Consolo
Chief's Auto Wash

 

[bigleo48]

6/2 and 4/2 - Illinois

I was thinking about putting together a new marketing campaign incorporating a free wash or free bay time. Does anybody have any lessons learned they can share about a free wash campaign?

Thanks

Free brings out the wrong people...the cheap ones that are always looking for something for nothing, not the regular car washers.

I suggest you offer a substantial discount on your washes for a preset period of time. That has worked very well for me.

BigLeo

 

[raisetheprice]

$2 off your top wash will line them up and maybe double time on the SSs.

Free I think is only a good idea on the first few days of operation for a brand new wash while you're there. That way you have a chance to monitor the brand new equipment, meet some future customers and work the bugs out...

 

[Earl Weiss]

>>>Free brings out the wrong people...the cheap ones that are always looking for something for nothing, not the regular car washers.

I suggest you offer a substantial discount on your washes for a preset period of time. That has worked very well for me.

BigLeo<<

You have a point but I beg to disagree. A new location or one that was run down needs to attract new people quickly .

The one I referred to washed 40,000 cars a year annualy from 2000-2003. In 2004 they washed 2000 in January, 3000 in Feb. closed March-May,Grand re opening in June and washed 1000 per month June -August, closed again and I came in end of Sept. In October I had most everything working right and sent the coupons good thru the end of the year. As I said, 3000 of 18,000 redeemed. In 2005 the location did 80,000 cars with bad street exposure, one of the two major anchors in the shopping center still being closed (re opened in 2007) and limited signage (village regulations).

I believe some of those 3000 redemptions were happy repeat customers.

 

[JustClean]

We are pretty new here and we are going to run a letter box drop:

FREE CARWASH*
*Buy one Top Wash and get another Top Wash absolutely FREE!

for a limited time. At least you are not loosing money. We'll see how that works.
Cheers JustClean

 

[Mr.Aap]

Sell sevice not a discount......

 

[JustClean]

Sell sevice not a discount......

If the goal is normal advertising you may be right.
If the goal is to get heaps of new customers in and trying to make a habit to wash the car at your place I believe "buy one - get one free" is the way.

Since we all are most dependent on customer numbers the goal is to get them in: The more the better. And if this helps why not?

 

[Earl Weiss]

If the goal is normal advertising you may be right.
If the goal is to get heaps of new customers in and trying to make a habit to wash the car at your place I believe "buy one - get one free" is the way.

Since we all are most dependent on customer numbers the goal is to get them in: The more the better. And if this helps why not?

IF it's BOGO then they already have decided to be your customer by buying one. Certainly it helps build loyalty and can enhance revenue if it is for a top package.


It is not unlike many bulk purchase discounts. There are may permutations for this.

We offer 2 such programs. A 5 day clean car gaurantee on the top package. And bulk purchase discounts. No outright BOGO though.

 

[easywash]

FREE FREE and more FREE

Free brings out the wrong people...the cheap ones that are always looking for something for nothing, not the regular car washers.

I suggest you offer a substantial discount on your washes for a preset period of time. That has worked very well for me.

BigLeo

I totally disagree. MANY of my best customers came to me through a FREE carwash promotion. Rich people love to get free stuff too.

A FREE promotion would outperform a BOGO any day of the week rain or shine.

For me there is absolutely no argument... IF you want to build your business and build your customer base run a FREE carwash promotion. Get all their contact details, ask for permission to market to them and start making MORE money.

Why do you think many of the best marketers in the world use FREE promotions??? BECAUSE THEY WORK

Just my two bits for the day.

 

[Earl Weiss]

Aother Freepromo I use is to give coupons for a free wash to people at local businesses I frequent. Could be the waitress, Cashier haircutter or any salesperson who helps me.

If I leave it with a tip, I make sure it is a good tip plus the wash.