Market Windshield Repair
Because of its low cost of entry and high mark-up, windshield repair can be a lucrative business. You can learn the skill fairly quickly and can charge $50-$100 for a repair that costs you only a couple of dollars' worth of materials, and customers may save hundreds of dollars by not having to replace their windshields. But building a windshield-repair business takes more than a Yellow Pages ad. By marketing your business to other area professionals, you can build the steady stream of customers you need to be successful.
Instructions
1. Get listed with insurance carriers. Locate the largest automobile-insurance providers in your market and find out what you need to do to become listed as a preferred provider of windshield-repair services. When your potential customers develop cracks in their windshields, they often call their insurance companies first. If the crack is not in the driver's line of sight, insurance companies would always rather repair the windshield than replace it, because a repair is usually hundreds of dollars cheaper. Insurance companies will refer their customers to local providers of windshield-repair services. In some cases, insurance companies will pay the entire cost of a repair, with no deductible for the customer. To locate the largest insurance companies in your market, talk to a local car dealer-every time dealers sell a car, they see which insurance provider their customers are using.
2. Network with auto dealers. It's tough to sell a car with a cracked windshield. Auto dealers often look to correct any imperfections in used cars that could prevent a sale. Dealers regularly hire windshield-repair providers to help get pre-owned cars ready for sale. Talk to the dealers in your market and find out what it would take to earn their business. Dealers tend to be margin-conscious, so expect a lower rate than for a retail job. On the positive side, dealers can provide a steady stream of business.
3. Seek referrals from other car-care businesses. Talk with operators of car washes, oil-change facilities and detailing businesses in your market. Most automotive businesses do not have the equipment or expertise on site to repair windshields, but they all deal with customers who need the service. Ask these businesses to refer customers to you, and, in exchange, discount your services for these customers. This will provide you with extra work and will help other local automotive businesses build good will with their customers.
Tags: insurance companies, your market, their customers, automotive businesses, companies will
