looking for new ideas

[Guest Tinter24]

hey guys just trying to get new ideas on how some of you stir up business at slow times. I've only been in business about a year and a half. after a year I moved to a prime location on a major road in my town. business was great since ive moved but since the middle of august things have come to a crawl. ive offered discounts to try and get people in the door, hasnt worked. passed out flyers with $20 off window tinting and detailing packages with 20%-30% savings. nothing, phone is dead. I do great work, im no hack. my top priority is getting the job done as clean as possible and dont worry about how long it takes me. I have happy customers and they leave great reviews on my website. so I know its not because of quality. any advice or anything you guys have done during the slow times to get people in would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.

[coast2coasttinting]

learn how to do sign flipping. Very catchy and you can do it in your free time. Plus you can have a sign made up pretty cheap. Just an idea.

[Guest VaTinterPMan]

The Economy is ruff right now, And this is the slow time for Tint, where are you located at?? I know its not something people like but 99$ tint jobs is a way to see if that will make people bite. But I would say only if you are getting no business...

But like C2C said a fancy Sign with art work and what not would be a way to go...But remember there are always going to be slow times than it will just pick up out of no where...Like I have heard people say all my life, " Take the Bitter with the Sweet "

[coast2coasttinting]

paying for an add. To advertise a discounted price has never worked out for me. You hardly see any return on advertising automotive tint anyway. If you couple that expense with a lower price you will just be doing more work, not making more money. And people looking for a deal on tint usually drive chit boxes.

[Guest Tinter24]

Thanks guys, im in new jersey. ive tried some signs out front, cant really say they did or didnt work. the flyer was just something I did to try. had 1,000 printed up for tint and detailing and handed them out myself. actually just got a call from one that scheduled for tomorrow so ill at least get my money back. im not a fan of the $99 tint job as im usually warning people about them myself. guess I just need to take the good with the bad and hope it picks back up.

[Iron Duck Designs]

I think most are slow right now with kids returning to school, college etc.

[coast2coasttinting]

pretty much from school going back until first of december any tint shop I have worked in or owned will be slow. All the adds in the world won't bring you more biz, and what little biz it does bring will hardly cover what your spent in advertising.

[Tintguy1980]

I think most are slow right now with kids returning to school, college etc.

Not to mention election year; the economy tends to slow as voting day approaches.

Wearing out soles always works to increase sales.

[Tint Wife]

If only there was a tried and true sales technique that worked for all...

There are so many variables that affect peoples spending habits, several have been mentioned in earlier posts already. Eighteen months makes you a pretty young business, you need to focus on branding yourself. Don't advertise discounts, just advertise. Get your name out there, get people to recognise you, so that when they think tint they think of you.

You also need to learn your market. Where does the majority of your work come from? Who is your target market? Who would you like to entice into using your business? When you learn that, you learn how to market to them. Which means you can do effective marketing instead of wasting dollars advertising discounts.

And above all else, learn to put away for the rainy day. Our business is always going to have a high season, if you're going to survive it long term, you need to set aside some of your high season income to carry you through your low season.

[Ryker]

famine or feast.....it is sad but true that most small businesses have this to deal with. As was said, put some shoe rubber down on the road and get to talking. You have done that with the flyers, but have you done it with every glass shop, stereo shop, car dealer, body shop, detailing shop, and anyone you can find to talk to?