Re: Value-added Valet Service -- Small Businesses Discussion Forum

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Subject: Re: Value-added Valet Service

Author:
mark w

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Date Posted: 15:01:14 07/27/09 Mon
In reply to: Dennis S. Vogel 's message, "Value-added Valet Service" on 22:53:31 02/03/08 Sun

This was all good stuff. I am trying to build a profile of a typical valet parking customer- age, income, buying habits, etc to tagret my marketing efforts properly. Where do I start?
Thanks!

Hi Philip,
>Thanks for using my forum.
>Your question is general. I don�t know if you want
>marketing guidance or more information about business
>structure, insurance & other legalities. Since I�m
>not licensed as a lawyer or insurance agent, my
>knowledge & qualifications to advise you about
>liability & laws is very limited.
>
>I�ll focus on mainly marketing, since it�s my
>field. These are somewhat random thoughts.
>
>Here�s a basic template/questionnaire:
>Figure out whom you want to serve & why they�d want
>your service. When would they want your service? How
>often?
>Would you be competing with other valets or against
>�nonconsumption�?
>If your prospects don�t use valet services now, why
>don�t they?
>Why do you think they should?
>
>After you get solid answer for these, you can develop
>your marketing program.
>
>Based on how many prospects there are; you need to
>determine the number or percentage of them you could
>realistically serve. Factors are: How often they�d
>want your service. How many valets you�d need to
>hire to serve them well. How much service they�d
>expect each time. (Examples: How many vehicles would
>they want parked? How far apart are the
>events/building & parking lot? How much time would
>elapse between customers? Would you have long-term
>arrangements? How much time would elapse between
>drivers? Would they�d be lined up or be sporadic?
>Would they arrive & leave at set times?)
>
>Can you afford to pay other valets to wait for
>drivers, even if the valets aren�t working while
>they wait?
>
>In some cases, would you offer extra services�oil
>changes & lube, repairs & maintenance, cleaning &
>detailing? These could add more income & differentiate
>your business from others. But these extra services
>would only be appropriate if people will be out of
>their vehicles for an hour or more. There are machines
>available for portable oil change businesses &
>windshield repair. These services could keep valets
>busy & bring you money between times drivers arrive &
>leave.
>
>Would chauffeuring be a good extra service? This may
>be more important, & raises more liability factors, if
>you�ll provide valet service for parties or any
>event after which people may not drive safely. At
>least have a policy about dealing with situations when
>a driver isn�t ready to drive. Should the valet
>refuse to give back the keys? Could your business be
>sued if a vehicle is turned over to a drunk or
>exhausted owner who causes an accident?
>
>A party host or staff of a business (hotel,
>restaurant, etc.) may not notice how incapacitated a
>person is. How a person is when s/he leaves a building
>can be different from how s/he is by the time her/his
>vehicle is brought up.
>
>Competing against �nonconsumption� means prospects
>aren�t using a valet service now & you�d be
>explaining why they should use a valet service.
>Sometimes this is harder than competing with other
>valets.
>
>Hotels & restaurants, with valet service, may want to
>outsource or have you available temporarily in case of
>employee absence or higher demand.
>
>If this isn�t the information you want or if you
>want me to clarify or expand on anything, please let
>me know.
>
>Dennis S. Vogel
>thrivingbusiness0@lycos.com
>How long is "too long" to wait for sales from your
>marketing efforts?
>It depends -- when do you need the results?
>When will you need the profit?
>If you need it now, let's get started.
>http://www.lakefield.net/~thrivingbusiness/
>http://www.voy.com/31049/

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Replies:

Subject	Author	Date
Starting a Valet Business	Dennis S. Vogel	16:16:49 07/28/09 Tue

Information Sources For Starting a Valet Business	Dennis S. Vogel	16:33:03 07/28/09 Tue