Need a Herts body shop who need a good online marketing company for swap

[slicksps]

Hi All,

The paintwork on my 5dr Mk3 isn't fantastic where I've cleaned up rust spots etc, I've discovered that painting really isn't my thing.

I have a dent in the passenger side door which spans down to the rear wing. It's not too deep but very present. Also a couple of minor dings but can live with these. Finally, spraying a small spot didn't work so I've resprayed entire doors... in dim light, it looks beautiful, in the sun, it looks like it was done by a 3 year old.

To cut things short, after looking at the whole car covered in swirls from previous owners, I'm interested in getting the whole thing resprayed and re-coloured with the main dent removed. I don't want to spend that kind of money on a 14 yr old car but I do have something else I can offer:

I run a small web design/internet marketing business here in Watford, we've worked with Syed Ahmed, Mecca Bingo, Borders Bookshop as well as nearly 100 small businesses on their websites and online marketing. I would like to offer an overhaul for overhaul service swap, both would come out at roughly the same costs so I think it's fair

If you know anyone who may be interested, perhaps a new body shop in need of the marketing, let me know.

[Guy]

if you're going to get your car resprayed then you should get the small dents pulled/filled at the same time... part of the idea of doing a complete panel respray is to straighten the panels at the same time... the prep and sanding should consist of the majority of the work as your panels will have lots and lots of little dings that would show up like a b@stard after a respray

wrt your offer... I have been in marketing for over a decade and have a digital marketing diploma, I tried this tactic with everyone I met in the industry when I first started modifying and no garages I have found are interested in spending any money/doing an exchange. what I did find though was the the decent companies that were worth marketing already had a decent website, fred in a shed who doesn't, either isn't interested or I wouldn't let near my car with a paint gun/wrench. Most have the opinion that a website should be essentially free anyway and if not they have a mate/sister/brother/uncle/son/foetus that could do it for them.

i now exchange detailing work for mechanical know-how/help with people on the forum and that seems to work 

you are probably better off making the extra bucks from your mainstream clients by putting the effort in there and popping that into your respray fund 

good luck though, would be interested to see if this works.

ps. gizza job? 

[slicksps]

Hi Guy

Thanks for the advice, not everyone worth working with has a website, they're just harder to find. In a former life I set up Dentrix.ltd.uk for the same deal, then it was to completely de-dent a 200SX for a friend.

I've had a couple of leads,
one is just a recommended bodyshop without a website, and one is an avid networker friend who will probably even close the deal if he finds someone interested. The lazy marketing key is to tell as many people as possible in the right areas and hope for the best Going one at a time is too much work, plus, how did you find them in the first place? Usually online.

[Guy]

Hi Guy

Thanks for the advice, not everyone worth working with has a website, they're just harder to find. In a former life I set up Dentrix.ltd.uk for the same deal, then it was to completely de-dent a 200SX for a friend.

I've had a couple of leads,
one is just a recommended bodyshop without a website, and one is an avid networker friend who will probably even close the deal if he finds someone interested. The lazy marketing key is to tell as many people as possible in the right areas and hope for the best Going one at a time is too much work, plus, how did you find them in the first place? Usually online.

no - i would only use a bodyshop that I had been recommended to by a friend... someone who had work done by them previously and was 100% satisfied... there are so many sh!tty paintshops out there - i learnt the hard way

[slicksps]

Ah then it also comes down to 'They have an amazing website, but is it doing anything for them?'

I have a client who sells hair straighteners, dryers and other products. He had a great site which they ran more as a hobby than a real income and made £1-200 per month. Now they do less work on the site (as more is automated) and make £1-2000 per month

The 'recommended by a friend' I would normally go down, but I don't know enough people with the right connections. Instead I've opted for getting a potential and as they would want to vet me first, I would do the same with them.

Car parked under a tree covered in masking tape and wet paint... a no go.
All the right equipment, virtually sterile studio, expensive cars outside all looking pristine and shrink wrapped with a bow and a bottle of champagne... as good as a recommendation in my books. I know the latter would have an amazing marketing plan already in place, but there are thousands of small business who are good enough, they've just not hit the big time yet. If they are serious about their business, they will do the best job known to man to try and impress. We'll see where my enquiries end up.

[Guy]

Ah then it also comes down to 'They have an amazing website, but is it doing anything for them?'

I have a client who sells hair straighteners, dryers and other products. He had a great site which they ran more as a hobby than a real income and made £1-200 per month. Now they do less work on the site (as more is automated) and make £1-2000 per month

The 'recommended by a friend' I would normally go down, but I don't know enough people with the right connections. Instead I've opted for getting a potential and as they would want to vet me first, I would do the same with them.

Car parked under a tree covered in masking tape and wet paint... a no go.
All the right equipment, virtually sterile studio, expensive cars outside all looking pristine and shrink wrapped with a bow and a bottle of champagne... as good as a recommendation in my books. I know the latter would have an amazing marketing plan already in place, but there are thousands of small business who are good enough, they've just not hit the big time yet. If they are serious about their business, they will do the best job known to man to try and impress. We'll see where my enquiries end up.

you're teaching granny to suck eggs here about digital marketing...

I am trying to help you with the paintshop... the latter in your example would be charging an arm and a leg and probably turning over a high quantity of work looking only at the bottom line instead of the finish.

The 'good' paint shops I have found and used have been busy enough with jobs coming in from insurance work or word of mouth not to need a website. Some don't want to expand as they are only a 2 man band and are happy doing what they are good at... producing top quality paint jobs.

good luck with your lazy marketing