Wash Ideas Weekly

Call to Action – Support Grace for Vets

ryan@washcard.com (Ryan Carlson) — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 21:38:17 +0000

Veteran’s Day is fast approaching. It is a national holiday established to honor those who have fought and continue to fight for our freedoms. We have so many to thank. Won’t you join carwash owners and operators across the country in honoring our veterans by offering them a free wash?

On November 11th, Help Honor our Veterans by providing them with a Free Carwash.

It’s not too late to do your part! Please log on to the following website http://www.graceforvets.org/ or phone Jim directly at 717.629.5494 for details on how you can get involved.

There are FREE promotional materials that you can print off and post at your wash and also use in your local newspaper to help promote your event honoring our veterans. Many before you have paid for these promotional materials.

Wash Ideas Weekly #30 – “Why You Need Social Media”

ryan@washcard.com (Ryan Carlson) — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 20:39:48 +0000

This week we discuss the value of marketing your carwash with Twitter and Facebook with several successful wash operators and a PR specialist.

Featuring Ryan Carlson (Your Host), Kevin Wood (Owner, Snappy Express Wash), Andrew Jaffa (Owner, Carbux Carwash), Martin Johncox (Consultant, Alexander and Associates Public Relations Marketing)

Show Sponsors: Modern Car Care, WashCard Systems

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[Click here to download the episode to your computer]

Wash Ideas Weekly #29 – “What Would Mickey Do?”

ryan@washcard.com (Ryan Carlson) — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 21:17:47 +0000

This week we follow up from the WCA Expo, discuss take-aways from the much anticipated Disney Institute, and takeaways from the show.

Featuring Ryan Carlson (Your Host), Holly Macriss (Executive Director of the WCA)

Show Sponsors: Modern Car Care, WashCard Systems

[Click here to subscribe to this podcast via iTunes]

[Click here to download the episode to your computer]

Wash Ideas Weekly #28 – Southern Fried Wash Marketing

ryan@washcard.com (Ryan Carlson) — Fri, 25 Sep 2009 18:19:20 +0000

This week we follow up from the SECWA Expo that was in New Orleans this past September. We have with us two attendees of the show to talk about the Expo, their region, and what they are doing to marketing their carwash locations.

Featuring Ryan Carlson (Your Host), Robert Greene (Carwash Express Inc.), Kevin Wood (Snappy Express)

Show Sponsors: Modern Car Care

Thanks Again program: To learn more about offering reward miles for YOUR customers when they use your wash visit the Thanks Again ‘More Information’ page and be sure to mention where you heard about their company.

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[Click here to download the episode to your computer]

Tradeshow Madness

ryan@washcard.com (Ryan Carlson) — Fri, 18 Sep 2009 16:18:07 +0000

Yes – the stride was broken 26 straight weeks of shows! I’ve been incredibly busy, spending the first half of this week in New Orleans at the SECWA Expo and the second half of my week at the BDS Laundry Systems Open House event in Saint Paul, MN.

There will be a handful of shows between now and the Western Carwash Association tradeshow in about 4 weeks.

Stay tuned!

Wash Ideas Weekly #27 – “The Silent Killer of the Wash Industry”

ryan@washcard.com (Ryan Carlson) — Tue, 01 Sep 2009 21:46:41 +0000

This weeks show features individuals involved in raising awareness of prostate cancer and how the leaders within the carwash industry are at risk. We discuss how we as an industry can help build awareness of a disease that targets men in an industry primarily made up of men.

Featuring Ryan Carlson (Your Host), George Spelius (Modern Car Care), Dan Zenka (VP Communications, Prostate Cancer Foundation), Fred Grauer (Wash Owner, Prostate Cancer Survivor)

Show Sponsors: Modern Car Care

[Click here to subscribe to this podcast via iTunes]

[Click here to download the episode to your computer]

Wash Ideas Weekly #26 – “Don’t Forget Tiny Town”

ryan@washcard.com (Ryan Carlson) — Tue, 25 Aug 2009 14:40:35 +0000

In today’s episode of Wash Ideas Weekly, we discuss how we can better utilize our time at a trade show and follow through with plans, how media is forgetting about professional car washing as an alternative to driveway washing, and discuss new technology that makes marketing our business better.

Featuring Ryan Carlson (Your Host), Kate Carr (Editor, PD&D Magazine), Perry Powell (Wash Consultant), Holly Macriss (Executive Director, Western Carwash Association)

Show Sponsors: Modern Car Care

[Click here to subscribe to this podcast via iTunes]

[Click here to download the episode to your computer]

Wash Ideas Weekly #25 – “Keeping Customers You Don’t Have”

ryan@washcard.com (Ryan Carlson) — Tue, 18 Aug 2009 18:46:56 +0000

In today’s episode of Wash Ideas Weekly, we are talking about customer loyalty, fundraiser carwash ammunition, and lessons we can learn from Jiffy Lube.

Featuring Ryan Carlson (Your Host), Kate Carr (Editor, PD&D Magazine), and Mike Perry (Wash Consultant).

Show Sponsors: Modern Car Care

[Click here to subscribe to this podcast via iTunes]

[Click here to download the episode to your computer]

Wash Ideas Weekly #24 – “Facebooking up the Twitterverse”

ryan@washcard.com (Ryan Carlson) — Mon, 10 Aug 2009 22:11:21 +0000

In today’s episode of Wash Ideas Weekly, we explore the new emerging advertising and marketing opportunities of Facebook and the use of Twitter by small businesses such as car washes. We are joined by Kate Carr of PC&D and Victor Macias of Car Wash Profits.

Featuring Ryan Carlson, Kate Carr, and Victor Macias.

Show Sponsors: Modern Car Care

[Click here to subscribe to this podcast via iTunes]

[Click here to download the episode to your computer]

Wash Ideas Weekly #23 – “Wash Trends and Road Shows”

ryan@washcard.com (Ryan Carlson) — Wed, 05 Aug 2009 02:08:07 +0000

Had a wonderful time at the first Heartland Carwash Assocation Road Show that was held here in the twin cities of Minnesota! This was the first time I’ve actually been able to go to a carwash event in my own back yard… sleep in my own bed at night… no airplanes, no long travel, crossing timezones, or loads of restaurant food. Those were just the minor reasons that made this a great event! I have with me one of the organizers from the HCA board and one of the attendees of the show to discuss what they learned, what to improve on, and discuss some of the trends in our industry that were ‘hot topics’ during the event.

Show Sponsors: Modern Car Care

[Click here to download the episode to your computer]

Attending the Heartland Road Show!

ryan@washcard.com (Ryan Carlson) — Mon, 03 Aug 2009 18:24:27 +0000

Followup on the event will be posted tommorrow!

Wash Ideas Weekly #22 – “Format Wars and Eco Friendly Carwashes”

ryan@washcard.com (Ryan Carlson) — Mon, 27 Jul 2009 20:58:27 +0000

This is the first week that Wash Ideas went LIVE on camera. Like all new technological wonders, all the “test trials” in the world could not have kept at least a few things from going wrong… like my bumping an audio feed cable loose. The first 1:45 minutes of the show was lost (this was just the first part of introductions)… HANG IN THERE! This was a great show, I just wish the audio recording that I did made everybody sound like a robot due to strange feedback issues… I will post the audio only of the show but with the warning of baaaad audio quality.

Ryan Carlson – Host

Our Panelists:
Geoff Baker – Owner of Easy Wash (Vancouver, Canada) , Perry Powell (Signs for Profit), Kate Carr (Lead Editor, Professional Carwashing & Detailing), Fred Grauer (Owner, Whistle Clean Carwash)

Show Sponsors: Modern Car Care

NOTE: No Audio for the first 1:45 minutes

Wash Week Marketing Presentation – Now Available!

ryan@washcard.com (Ryan Carlson) — Thu, 23 Jul 2009 21:28:55 +0000

The International Carwash Association has made available all of the webinars that were from WashWeek

If you want to hear the presentation I did on market click here to listen or download!

Wash Ideas Weekly – New Live Format!

ryan@washcard.com (Ryan Carlson) — Thu, 23 Jul 2009 21:02:51 +0000

Every Monday at 1pm Central (11am Pacific, 12pm Mountain, 2pm Eastern) we will be recording Wash Ideas Weekly. If you would like to listen to the taping LIVE and participate in the chat room or the twitter feed, stop on by and you can be part of the conversation!

Wash Ideas Weekly #21 – “Wash Event Roundup”

ryan@washcard.com (Ryan Carlson) — Mon, 20 Jul 2009 21:47:57 +0000

This week we talk again with Holly Marcriss, the Executive Director of the WCA and all around rock star. We talk about the Wash Week events that were put on by the International Carwash Association, industry news, and get some updates on whats going on in the wild wild western carwash association.

Featuring Ryan Carlson and Holly Macriss of the Western Carwash Association

Show Sponsors: Modern Car Care

[Click here to subscribe to this podcast via iTunes]

[Click here to download the episode to your computer]

Wash Ideas Weekly #20 – “Vacation!?”

ryan@washcard.com (Ryan Carlson) — Mon, 06 Jul 2009 15:00:34 +0000

Twenty straight weeks of Wash Ideas Weekly! This 20th week just so happens to fall on my summer vacation AND the 4th of July Holiday for those of us that have the privilege of living in this amazing country. This is perhaps a quick reflection on were the podcast got it’s start and some behind the scenes discussion. I have HUGE plans moving forward for the podcast – did somebody say live video and audience participation in the pipeline? I can’t wait!

Featuring Ryan Carlson

Show Sponsors: Modern Car Care and Carwash Profits

[Click here to subscribe to this podcast via iTunes]

[Click here to download the episode to your computer]

Wash Ideas Weekly #19 – “The Wash Week Blog”

ryan@washcard.com (Ryan Carlson) — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 15:45:04 +0000

This week we have Eric Wulf Executive Director of the International Carwash Association and Frank Lash , a past ICA president, author of the Wash Week blog (which is very exciting), and owner of the Car Robics carwashes. We discuss the upcoming Wash Week event, what operators and distributors can get out of this event and discuss some insights on successful business ownership.

Featuring Ryan Carlson, Eric Wulf, and Frank Lash

Show Sponsors: Modern Car Care and Carwash Profits

New Sponsor: To learn more about offering reward miles for YOUR customers when they use your wash visit the Thanks Again ‘More Information’ page and be sure to mention where you heard about their company.

[Click here to subscribe to this podcast via iTunes]

[Click here to download the episode to your computer]

Wash Ideas Weekly #18 – “The Old Guy Wandering Around”

ryan@washcard.com (Ryan Carlson) — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 01:30:52 +0000

This week we have Fred Grauer of Whistle Clean Carwash and the author of “25 Questions you should ask your equipment supplier“, Robert Greene of Carwash Express, and Bobby Willis of Cool Wave Carwash. We talk about equipment suppliers and their role in making or breaking your business, how to choose them, and what questions to ask them before giving them your business.

Featuring Ryan Carlson, Fred Grauer of Whistle Clean Carwash, Robert Greene of Carwash Express, and Bobby Willis of Cool Wave Carwash.

Show Sponsors: Modern Car Care and Carwash Profits

[Click here to subscribe to this podcast via iTunes]

[Click here to download the episode to your computer]

Wash Ideas Weekly #17 – “Staying Trendy with WashTrends”

ryan@washcard.com (Ryan Carlson) — Mon, 15 Jun 2009 19:43:10 +0000

I have with us this week Sandy Travis Bildahl, the editor of WashTrends Magazine. We discuss the joint efforts between Bay Media and the Mid-atlantic Carwash association and what they are doing with their quarterly publication to follow relevant trend-based topics and recognize “trend setters” each year.

Featuring Ryan Carlson and Sandy Travis Bildahl of WashTrends

Show Sponsors: Modern Car Care and Carwash Profits

[Click here to subscribe to this podcast via iTunes]

[Click here to download the episode to your computer]

Rant: Why your carwash is failing

ryan@washcard.com (Ryan Carlson) — Fri, 12 Jun 2009 16:27:47 +0000

You must come to terms with an ever-changing business climate as your customer base becomes inoculated against your marketing messages, pricing structures, menu signs, and relevance of your products or services. Change can be seen as an opportunity to finally reinvent your business or as a frightening abyss of inaction. You can certainly just stick your head in the ground like an ostrich and ignore the writing on the wall and ride things out while pointing your finger at gas prices, competitors, rising energy costs, local politicians, city councils, or the weather. Business owners that are willing to accept that they are perhaps losing touch with their customers and that their business needs a tune-up are those that will make the necessary changes and adapt. Those that would rather suck dirt and stick their heads in the ground are those that will be selling off their businesses or join the ranks of the foreclosed in the coming years.

I guess I’m a bit tired of hearing wash owners say, “I know I need to do something but…” which is followed by some excuse that is used to justify not making a change.

The changes in consumer buying trends has not only effected carwash businesses, it’s just that other industries have more successfully adapted to the current market environment. As stated earlier, consumers are becoming immune to the old way of doing business. We are now fighting for discretionary income against some of the biggest marketing machines in history. McDonalds, Walmart, Starbucks, iTunes, Amazon.com, and eBay see that people don’t have as much money in their pockets as they used to.

Here are some of the common places carwash businesses are losing touch with their customers and could look to reinvent or retool aspects of their business to be more relevant with today’s consumer. We will use the above businesses as examples of what to do right.

Be known for something, stay relevant! - You can no longer just be a ‘CAR WASH’ in your community, you need to be known for something. Whether you are the charity carwash, the eco-friendly carwash, the fastest carwash, or the carwash with the convenient club program… You fall from the publics eye when you fail to stand out.

Failure to offer payment options – I feel like a complete broken record here, but look at how consumers purchase goods and services these days. Customers do not want to be held hostage by changers, tokens, or trips to the ATM. They buy value meal hamburgers, rent .99 cent DVD’s from Redbox, order a $2.00 coffee, and purchase songs for .99 cents each with (drumroll) their bank card or credit card every day, all day, all the time. If you do not have a credit card acceptance device next to every coin slot or bill validator you can’t see the giant neon sign in the sky proclaiming that they purchase their everyday services with a credit card – this is an easy issue to tackle, it only takes money.

Ask for repeat business – Customer Data Collection – Have you ever purchased something from Amazon, Apple, Best Buy, or signed up for a ‘Customer Rewards Program’? I’m certain you or somebody close to you has – all of the businesses that are thriving and are not pointing fingers at anybody right now are those that realize it’s FAR less expensive to market to the customers they already have. If you do not have a way to capture your customers contact information (name, email address, mailing address, etc) you are missing out on perhaps the most effective and least expensive way to increase your bottom line. Just don’t go out and build a website with a “give me your information” page without having a plan… You need to create incentives, promotions, or build programs around gathering this information as an end goal. If your collecting the data from your customers good for you! If you are not doing anything with that data shame on you.

I’ve only scratched the surface… So if you feel overwhelmed and know you need to do something perhaps it’s time to find somebody you know that can help, attend an association education event, or seek the assistance of a professional.