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What to Put On Letter board

bigleo48

bigleo48

Active member
All,

I have a three line letter board on my pylon sign facing the street. I usually have something to put up there that is either car wash or community related. But not much is going on and so I'm at a loss as to what to put up this month. Perhaps just something like "Your non-profit group need exposure...call us to use this sign"

Any better ideas?

Big
 
'is your car so dirty it's scary? wash today'

your car called. she said she needs a bath today.

veterans wash free on veterans day

don't ignore a sandy floor; our vacs really suck!

hot water. high pressure. fruity scents. we give you MORE.
 
I try to do a lot of local and self promotion using ours. I try to drive people to our facebook and twitter accounts. We just gave away an ipod touch for one of our contests and I had that up on the sign. I have found that if I can lure them in with the free stuff, the quality and customer service keeps them coming back.
 
Cleanliness Is Next To Godliness
A Clean Car Runs Better
We Take Pride In Your Ride

Our Car Wash Is Calgon For Your Car

When It Rains It Stains - Wash It Off Today

Spend Your Dollar Here - While Its Still Worth Something

Euros Accepted Here!

America After Obama R.I.P
 
we can't make the sun shine, but we will make your car shine.

the way the weather has been lately, you think it is being run by the gov't.

eat fish, make some cow happy!!!
 
On 9/11 last month I put: Let's Roll

Others I've done:

* Caution, shiny cars entering highway.
* Right turn, Clyde. Our Air Shamee works great on motorcycles.
* I hate waking up to find my co-pilot asleep.
* Credit cards accepted in all bays.
* Ready, set, wash. Go Wildcats!
* Cleanliness is next to Godliness, the car wash is next to the fitness center.
* Guys, girls like shiny trucks.
 
Signs

If you have Touch free:

"No Brushes...no scratches"

If you have friction competitors:

"Damage your car wash up the street...Touch free Here"

Halloween:

"Make your car look Boooootiful"

Generic:

"All credit accepted"
"Great suckin vacuums!" (this got a big response)
 
wisheewashee said:
If you have Touch free:

"No Brushes...no scratches"
If you have friction competitors:
"Damage your car wash up the street...Touch free Here"
Click to expand...

I don't like this kind of advertising. We shouldn't be fighting within the industry. Or do you like: "More than just the water hose up the street...at least our car wash gets your car clean!"

And yes....we do have a brush machine and will get a touchless soon (for other reasons).
 
That's a good way to annoy just about any level headed person driving by. Sign messages to are only effective if it makes them, smile, or makes them think about the positiive effects of using your car wash. A negative and accusatory message about competitors says nothing abiout your wash or the benefits of washing with you.

Also, payback can be a bitch. If I were your competitor, I'd hammer away at the fact your touchfree only gets vehicles kind of clean. But when you want your car really clean? Who do you want to spend your precious car care dollars with? One who claims to be a carwash but can't get cars clean or one that does, both gentkly and safely.

This message hits people with a claim they can actually evaluate on its merits. When I spend $10 at ______ Car Wash, does my car come clean? If majority of your customers say, "Hey, he's right, my car doesn't come out as clean at the touchfree automatic as it does at the tunnel down the street." You are going to be in trouble.

There's enough negativity in the world. People don't need it when they go a car wash. Compete on your merits and stay positive at all times. In the words of my father, "You attract more flies with honey than with vinegar."
 
Negativity has worked in politics for years.

Is the sign negative? You bet. However the competitor should have thought of that before building a car wash 4 blocks down the street. That is the BIGGEST attack within the car wash industry.
 
Whenever I am shopping for whatever, it's a huge put-off to me when the merchant bashes his competitor. It makes me more likely to shop with the competitor. Justify it any way you want, but use your negative advertizing at your own peril.
 
A message like that just puts a negative idea in the customer's mind about car washing. It will make them more aware of the possible problems using an automatic and will come back to bite you in the a$$ when they closely examine the results they get from your wash. Negativity may work in politics because we all know it is a dirty game but not in car washing. Cheap shots are an easy way out. If you are upset about the proximity of the new wash why not take a look at what you are doing to see what you can do to do a better job and offer stiffer competition.
 
Let me share an experience I had with signs recently:

I went into a nightclub where I know the owner and managers. They are struggling. They are new. They are above Dunkin D's.

Sign #1 I hated: "Support xyz nightclub, NOT DD's. We sell coffee"

Sign #2 I hated:" We can no longer afford to give away free water. Water is $1.50 and refills are free."

Here's what these signs say to customers: We're struggling here. Your convenience and enjoyment are 2nd; our profit is 1st. You should feel guilty about buying drinks anywhere but here. We're cheapskates.

I offered my advice to my friends. The signs remain unchanged.:confused:

For pete's sake: Keep it POSITIVE. :o There are plenty of ways to tout your services w/out bashing others or relying on negative tactics. Who the F cares if negativity is successful in politics??? Shut down or sell your carwash and run for office then.

I'll go even further and say that it's lazy and a copout to use negativity in any ads whatsoever. It takes more brains and chutzpah to create catchy, fun, enjoyable and informative ads. I dare you to try, you negative sign makers!!!:eek:
 
I almost never put anything on my reader board about car washing. I put funny one liners, people would tell me that they drove out of the way to see what I had up that week.

One time I put up "Who says that a man is just a vibrator with a wallet.

Needless to say, it didn't last all week.
 
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