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Digg it UP - Site Selection - Slice of Life, A Car Wash and Detail Center DownTown
Maximizing Your Advertising Budget nd to hit all the red buttons. With the Tax cut and $100,000 immediate expensing it is a worthy endeavor, but risky too.Trying to communicate your company’s message can be quite difficult if you’re working with a limited advertising budget. One of the biggest problems with having a small budget is that reaching your audience becomes more challenging since you may have fewer opportunities to put your message out. In order to effectively get your message out you need to make creative choices when deciding which types of media to use.Buying ad space for TV, radio and magazines can add up quickly giving you a hefty bill to foot each month. To avoid high monthly costs for ad space consider using any space that your company may already own. For instance, if your company is already using vehicles for its everyday business, think about taking advantage of that space for advertising. Fleet graphics are a great way to maximize the use of your company vehicle and make the most out of your advertising budget. Everywhere your company vehicle travels it will take your message along for the ride.Targeting a specific audience can be complicated at times. You must consider the audience’s demographics before placing a single ad. And then you still have to take a chance and hope that they will see or hear the ad when it airs. Fleet graphics can offer a solution to this common dilemma. Since they are a mobile form of advertising they are constantly coming in contact with different audiences at various times of the day and week in multiple locations.For some companies the main concern with advertising is whether or not it is working. They want to advertise and then see business increase quickly. The use of fleet graphics can create the fast turnaround that is craved by many business owners. You do not have to wait for your ad to be aired or published for customers to see it. Once it is on the company vehicle it can begin http://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-mssp/carwash.pdf Having been in the industry 27 years washing stuff, I have to agree with much of the thinkin gof this gentleman with regards to downtown areas and possible car wash locations. http://www.carwashinstitute.com/management.html Steve is also good people and will take care of your needs. Investing in a car wash especially in CA with the real-estate prices is a difficult match to the intended ROI. But if planned properly with the proper location, it is a good business, once all the delays are done and the city approves it. The city planner of this particular city went to Chico State and is probably laid back so he maybe easier to deal with than the ultimate planning commission or all the yuppie liberal cream cake granolas which come out of the woodwork in their 1969 Volvos with leaky rings spewing Carbon Monoxide smoke and proclaiming themselves the environments last chance, all the while spreading the Redwood tree pathogen all around the forest each day as they go for nature walks and chain themselves to trees when the forest service is attempting to allow thinning as to not burn down the entire forest with 120 tons of debris and dead wood fuel per acre. Heck I could go on all night. Once opened toe the line and stay totally politically and non-profit group active, but keeping piece near paradise is not easy. They will claim noise pollution, water pollution, air pollution, toxic chemicals, none of which is true. The demographics are right provided there are less than two other car washes which are full service within 7-8 miles of your wash, having a more convenient location will net you the soccer moms if you choose full serve. If you are self serve probably across the freeway where land is cheaper since those self serve bays are only good for $1300 per month gross or so? With that explanation told on this subject of location based businesses, you have to ask yourself which business models are viable for a down town sector to really thrive and attract even more people. This example goes into depth of the kind of thinking that needs to be thought of when setting up a downtown revitalization project, but with each type of business mod Now It's The Employee (not the Customer) Who's Always Right! There is a continual trend we are seeing which I can remember participating in over a decade ago, when cities were trying to figure out how to increase sales tax revenues when the large box stores outside of town came into nearby or surrounding areas. For instance a big and easy example would be Wal-Mart. Sam was smart and built his stores just outside of town near towns, which drew from neighboring towns of 5,000 or more from three to five directions. If you look at an over lay of Wal-Mart stores to an atlas of that state you will see the rural America can get anything they need at the best price without driving all that far.It’s such a time-honored maxim it seems all but ordained by God. The customer is always right! Yes, a company’s most desirable objective must always be to keep its customers both loyal and happy. Certainly, it’s the secret to business success.And how does one achieve this? By paying attention to your customers, i.e., serving them, listening, adjusting, responding. You do whatever they say, making sure your employees do the same. The customer pays the freight, after all… they must forever be number one.So that makes a lot of sense, n’est-ce pas? “Good Business 101. Then again, hell, hmmm… maybe not! One major US airline company may be an indication that this long-held truism should be shipped out to relic-dom. At this company, you see, it seems the customer ain't always right at all—it’s the employee!Let’s try a little quiz: Name the most successful major airline in America today, American, you say? Nah. United? Uh-uh. Delta? TWA? US Air? Wrong, wrong, wrong again! The very best airline today is a relative upstart called Southwest, based in Phoenix of all places. In fact, it’s the ONLY major airline to turn a profit in each of the last 25 years.Southwest leads its industry in quite a few categories: It’s tops in price per earnings, for example (with a 27 rating it compares pretty well to American and Delta who each scored a pitiful 5), and it leads the pack too in on-time performance and in customer complaints, where it earns the fewest. Yet its President Herb Kelleher credits the company’s success NOT to an overarching concern for customers, as is usually a CEO’s boast. Herb e would surely be the first to brag about Southwest’s happy customers and how they do indeed count, but his primary kudos instead target the company’s mad, passionate commitment to fully support and nurtu Unfortunately that awesome distribution system that Sam designed which accounts for nearly 12% of all retail sales in America today also made it tough for less efficient small town business owners on Main Street USA to compete. Since then many small towns have found a way to bring back and revitalize there towns. It is estimated that with 5-10 million most towns can totally revitalize their down town sectors and that maybe about the same amount of fees and permits to build the Wal-Mart in the first place. Since 1980 an estimated 19 billion dollars has been spent on such revitalization of down towns and made them a place to meet, shop, hang out and go. Just like the song "Down Town, everything's great when you're downtown" great song and that is the goal. It is a feeling, a place to be, a destination location. And it has just about everything you could want, that is everything you cannot find at the mall or at Wal-Mart. Sure many of the typical stores have gone out. Such as the stationary stores, photo developing, pharmacy, video rentals, sports equipment, auto parts, grocery, pet stores, etc. But you can shop for antiques, something to eat, a movie, used books, lots of items that work well in that setting and many types of businesses, which cater towards those types of atmospheres. Such as Starbucks, certain food places and small mom and pop shops, florists, gifts, specialty, entertainment/liquor establishments, restaurants. If you look at cities like Pittsburgh for example you will see a well-served and thriving downtown area. In other cities you see a combo mix and made up facade downtown of tilt-ups prefab buildings, I can think of many like the Limited Groups Downtown area in North Columbus OH and it is hopping with people and spending. A place to go, and it works. But many so many smaller towns have done well to rebuild the downtown areas where for lease and out of business signs abound. Why? Well all money made in town leaves town, it does not stay to re circulate. Just like those who get a paycheck in the big city have moved to the suburbs and therefore the subs get the first use of that flow of money. Why? Well city planners in the subs attract through incentives car dealerships and other such businesses and put them on the main roads surrounding the residential areas of single family dwellings and then allow multi-family town homes, apartments, etc on the same main thoroughfares, one city I recently reviewed in CA had done exactly that. These areas of businesses surrounding the residential areas serve as a net to trap the money from leaving their area. Well the downtown revitalization tries to do the same thing, attract people into the area to hang out and enjoy themselves and thus have time to spend their money. If you look at this city Windsor CA you can see some of our observations: Now then some might think people in CA are all a bunch of Hippie Dippies. Such as the Cheech and Chong Comedy team, but as a whole People in CA are generally smarter than most due to oxygen level as most live near or around sea level. Better weather makes year round activities and human interaction easier and therefore more is learned both academically, physically, observationally and literally. So it is not much different than a city in Mass, NJ, VA, but with more ideal weather. The town of Windsor is an okay town. We have no problem with it. Some of everything there. Protectionism and good ole boy networking alive and well, this can be to your advantage by working the system a little and being in the right non-profit groups. It is doable. But it is not worth the headaches for our company to participate in anyway due to the CA mentality on business. These good ole boy networks want to make money in their downtown businesses but do not often allow the progress to revitalization until which time they get off their butts and visit a town which has revitalized their down town, then they immediately go and join the Main Street Program which currently has nearly 1800 communities which participate in it and they are really learning a lot from each other, as to what works and what does not. I recently visited Franklin TN where the downtown was cooking along as a matter of fact you could smell the aroma from nearby restaurants, see a movie, get a beer or your favorite rendition of a Latte. If this is your dream to put in a car wash near downtown go for it. But watch out for the traps. Environmentalists who do not understand the cleanliness of the industry or water usage. Underground tank rules with regards to fuel or reclaim tanks. Labor issues if you do more than coin-op, automatic. Full serves are loved by customers if excellent quality prevails there, but a crew that has part time drug users can ruin your business quickly. Labor will be an issue. Regarding a location in the town of Windsor as this study samples example: http://www.ci.windsor.ca.us/LandUseMap.pdf Notice the orange areas which would mean that it is zoned service area, least amount of issues with planning commission and easiest to get passed easily. Also near the mid center off ramp. Near the Retail Center, looks like a regional mall, near there is best on main road, but have to find an open location with no center medians. Looks like traffic issues there, notice the FWY interchange signaled intersections. It is not near downtown at all but would serve a small business owner better than a downtown revitalized area. A detail shop would be a better use of a closed down town area gas station, fixed up real nice. I have seen plenty in FL, GA, SC, AL, TN but also in Gold Rush Towns of CA, in the rural towns of north Washington state. Also your volume will come from a 10-mile radius, and you would be better served in the Suburban area near box stores, QSRs and strip malls. The demographics are good where in Windsor, lots of Bay Area rich refugees who bought right and modified their town. Took an existing town and developed the hell out of it, driving up property values and still a revitalized down town would draw them in and with their money they would spend. In Windsor, CA, if you end up North West side where all the orange is there could be issues with visibility and you could be cut off by C-Stores with rollovers, car wash for $3.99 with fill up. But the middle to upper middle will not take their SUVs through there thus you advantage. Buying an existing car wash might be a better play, but car washes go out of business for a reason, it is not always poor service. It could be location issues. Generally a combination. Towns tend to grow North and West higher end your city has interesting trends not normally seen with the middle class center, probably due to the East Windsor area thus it is growing North West while the west side of freeway has remained the older area. But I cannot tell for sure without spending much time. Typically an area with a regional type mall if it has thee Old Navy Type stores which go in next to each other are trendy places of spending consumers that is good, but also need to be cognizant of the need to be by or near Happy Meal Station, or other QSRs. This is well documented in the annals of car washing guru's best advice and written articles. By putting the car wash near that off ramp you will not cut yourself off from your 10-mile radius sphere of influence where 80% of your customers will be coming from. now realize that those town homes or multi-family units, apartments that were built for the city to take advantage of matching Federal funds for low income housing years past will be a significant base not to mention the up the street Golf Course crowd. Like the Viking customers you will be paying through the nose for property, sewer hook-ups and hidden fees (taxes) and you will feel like Popeye the sailor by the time your all through and want to through some tea into your reclaim pit. So before you decide to put in a car wash in a town like Windsor or buy a piece of property, you should look at the layout of the town, determine where they filters or nets of wealth or money flow is going. If the down town is going to be revitalized a car wash some where between both or a detail shop in the down town with a hand wash valet parking or just good old fashion look will put your business at the top of the food chain with the local founding families of the town and the powers to be of that fiefdom. Whatever you do it is important to do it right and to do well, or just don't do it. Regarding the question of car washes as a business in CA. Yes it is viable, but more money is made building up car washes and selling them in CA than in running them. The IRS likes to audit them a lot. Car Washes being a cash business by nature tend to hit all the red buttons. With the Tax cut and $100,000 immediate expensing it is a worthy endeavor, but risky too. http://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-mssp/carwash.pdf Having been in the industry 27 years washing stuff, I have to agree with much of the thinkin gof this gentleman with regards to downtown areas and possible car wash locations. http://www.carwashinstitute.com/management.html Steve is also good people and will take care of your needs. Investing in a car wash especially in CA with the real-estate prices is a difficult match to the intended ROI. But if planned properly with the proper location, it is a good business, once all the delays are done and the city approves it. The city planner of this particular city went to Chico State and is probably laid back so he maybe easier to deal with than the ultimate planning commission or all the yuppie liberal cream cake granolas which come out of the woodwork in their 1969 Volvos with leaky rings spewing Carbon Monoxide smoke and proclaiming themselves the environments last chance, all the while spreading the Redwood tree pathogen all around the forest each day as they go for nature walks and chain themselves to trees when the forest service is attempting to allow thinning as to not burn down the entire forest with 120 tons of debris and dead wood fuel per acre. Heck I could go on all night. Once opened toe the line and stay totally politically and non-profit group active, but keeping piece near paradise is not easy. They will claim noise pollution, water pollution, air pollution, toxic chemicals, none of which is true. The demographics are right provided there are less than two other car washes which are full service within 7-8 miles of your wash, having a more convenient location will net you the soccer moms if you choose full serve. If you are self serve probably across the freeway where land is cheaper since those self serve bays are only good for $1300 per month gross or so? With that explanation told on this subject of location based businesses, you have to ask yourself which business models are viable for a down town sector to really thrive and attract even more people. This example goes into depth of the kind of thinking that needs to be thought of when setting up a downtown revitalization project, but with each type of business mode Are You Helping Yourself or Hurting Yourself When You Network? h Columbus OH and it is hopping with people and spending. A place to go, and it works.We all talk about networking. We all seem to know that networking has something to do with meeting enough folks to continue to build our referral network, which in turn will continue to build our businesses.Referrals come when someone you’ve met likes you and believes you can offer the solution to someone else’s problem. So, if the goal in networking is to have someone like us, and possibly offer us a referral, then why do people make the mistake of engaging in conversations that do not promote relationships?My mother attended a party last week. She met a radio personality who immediately began talking politics with my mother. As often happens, the two did not agree and a strong debate developed. Both parties walked away very unhappy with the other. Neither is going to receive a referral as a result of this meeting.I personally do not discuss politics with those whose opinions are strongly different than mine. It’s also not a topic I would introduce to a total stranger. No good can come of it.Another mistake I see folks make is talking negatively about other people. It does not matter if the person is a famous movie star or the neighbor around the corner, when we speak poorly of others, it does not endear others to us.I am constantly surprised when I meet people and I later find out they know someone that I know. What if I had spoken poorly of this person? What if I had said unkind things?When I meet new people, I ask about them. I truly want to know about them. My views on politics are not relevant, nor are my views on the folks next door. What is important is my genuine interest in the person I’m speaking to.If you truly want to network, in an effort to build your referral network, then be careful about the topics and people you choose to talk about. But many so many smaller towns have done well to rebuild the downtown areas where for lease and out of business signs abound. Why? Well all money made in town leaves town, it does not stay to re circulate. Just like those who get a paycheck in the big city have moved to the suburbs and therefore the subs get the first use of that flow of money. Why? Well city planners in the subs attract through incentives car dealerships and other such businesses and put them on the main roads surrounding the residential areas of single family dwellings and then allow multi-family town homes, apartments, etc on the same main thoroughfares, one city I recently reviewed in CA had done exactly that. These areas of businesses surrounding the residential areas serve as a net to trap the money from leaving their area. Well the downtown revitalization tries to do the same thing, attract people into the area to hang out and enjoy themselves and thus have time to spend their money. If you look at this city Windsor CA you can see some of our observations: Now then some might think people in CA are all a bunch of Hippie Dippies. Such as the Cheech and Chong Comedy team, but as a whole People in CA are generally smarter than most due to oxygen level as most live near or around sea level. Better weather makes year round activities and human interaction easier and therefore more is learned both academically, physically, observationally and literally. So it is not much different than a city in Mass, NJ, VA, but with more ideal weather. The town of Windsor is an okay town. We have no problem with it. Some of everything there. Protectionism and good ole boy networking alive and well, this can be to your advantage by working the system a little and being in the right non-profit groups. It is doable. But it is not worth the headaches for our company to participate in anyway due to the CA mentality on business. These good ole boy networks want to make money in their downtown businesses but do not often allow the progress to revitalization until which time they get off their butts and visit a town which has revitalized their down town, then they immediately go and join the Main Street Program which currently has nearly 1800 communities which participate in it and they are really learning a lot from each other, as to what works and what does not. I recently visited Franklin TN where the downtown was cooking along as a matter of fact you could smell the aroma from nearby restaurants, see a movie, get a beer or your favorite rendition of a Latte. If this is your dream to put in a car wash near downtown go for it. But watch out for the traps. Environmentalists who do not understand the cleanliness of the industry or water usage. Underground tank rules with regards to fuel or reclaim tanks. Labor issues if you do more than coin-op, automatic. Full serves are loved by customers if excellent quality prevails there, but a crew that has part time drug users can ruin your business quickly. Labor will be an issue. Regarding a location in the town of Windsor as this study samples example: http://www.ci.windsor.ca.us/LandUseMap.pdf Notice the orange areas which would mean that it is zoned service area, least amount of issues with planning commission and easiest to get passed easily. Also near the mid center off ramp. Near the Retail Center, looks like a regional mall, near there is best on main road, but have to find an open location with no center medians. Looks like traffic issues there, notice the FWY interchange signaled intersections. It is not near downtown at all but would serve a small business owner better than a downtown revitalized area. A detail shop would be a better use of a closed down town area gas station, fixed up real nice. I have seen plenty in FL, GA, SC, AL, TN but also in Gold Rush Towns of CA, in the rural towns of north Washington state. Also your volume will come from a 10-mile radius, and you would be better served in the Suburban area near box stores, QSRs and strip malls. The demographics are good where in Windsor, lots of Bay Area rich refugees who bought right and modified their town. Took an existing town and developed the hell out of it, driving up property values and still a revitalized down town would draw them in and with their money they would spend. In Windsor, CA, if you end up North West side where all the orange is there could be issues with visibility and you could be cut off by C-Stores with rollovers, car wash for $3.99 with fill up. But the middle to upper middle will not take their SUVs through there thus you advantage. Buying an existing car wash might be a better play, but car washes go out of business for a reason, it is not always poor service. It could be location issues. Generally a combination. Towns tend to grow North and West higher end your city has interesting trends not normally seen with the middle class center, probably due to the East Windsor area thus it is growing North West while the west side of freeway has remained the older area. But I cannot tell for sure without spending much time. Typically an area with a regional type mall if it has thee Old Navy Type stores which go in next to each other are trendy places of spending consumers that is good, but also need to be cognizant of the need to be by or near Happy Meal Station, or other QSRs. This is well documented in the annals of car washing guru's best advice and written articles. By putting the car wash near that off ramp you will not cut yourself off from your 10-mile radius sphere of influence where 80% of your customers will be coming from. now realize that those town homes or multi-family units, apartments that were built for the city to take advantage of matching Federal funds for low income housing years past will be a significant base not to mention the up the street Golf Course crowd. Like the Viking customers you will be paying through the nose for property, sewer hook-ups and hidden fees (taxes) and you will feel like Popeye the sailor by the time your all through and want to through some tea into your reclaim pit. So before you decide to put in a car wash in a town like Windsor or buy a piece of property, you should look at the layout of the town, determine where they filters or nets of wealth or money flow is going. If the down town is going to be revitalized a car wash some where between both or a detail shop in the down town with a hand wash valet parking or just good old fashion look will put your business at the top of the food chain with the local founding families of the town and the powers to be of that fiefdom. Whatever you do it is important to do it right and to do well, or just don't do it. Regarding the question of car washes as a business in CA. Yes it is viable, but more money is made building up car washes and selling them in CA than in running them. The IRS likes to audit them a lot. Car Washes being a cash business by nature tend to hit all the red buttons. With the Tax cut and $100,000 immediate expensing it is a worthy endeavor, but risky too. http://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-mssp/carwash.pdf Having been in the industry 27 years washing stuff, I have to agree with much of the thinkin gof this gentleman with regards to downtown areas and possible car wash locations. http://www.carwashinstitute.com/management.html Steve is also good people and will take care of your needs. Investing in a car wash especially in CA with the real-estate prices is a difficult match to the intended ROI. But if planned properly with the proper location, it is a good business, once all the delays are done and the city approves it. The city planner of this particular city went to Chico State and is probably laid back so he maybe easier to deal with than the ultimate planning commission or all the yuppie liberal cream cake granolas which come out of the woodwork in their 1969 Volvos with leaky rings spewing Carbon Monoxide smoke and proclaiming themselves the environments last chance, all the while spreading the Redwood tree pathogen all around the forest each day as they go for nature walks and chain themselves to trees when the forest service is attempting to allow thinning as to not burn down the entire forest with 120 tons of debris and dead wood fuel per acre. Heck I could go on all night. Once opened toe the line and stay totally politically and non-profit group active, but keeping piece near paradise is not easy. They will claim noise pollution, water pollution, air pollution, toxic chemicals, none of which is true. The demographics are right provided there are less than two other car washes which are full service within 7-8 miles of your wash, having a more convenient location will net you the soccer moms if you choose full serve. If you are self serve probably across the freeway where land is cheaper since those self serve bays are only good for $1300 per month gross or so? With that explanation told on this subject of location based businesses, you have to ask yourself which business models are viable for a down town sector to really thrive and attract even more people. This example goes into depth of the kind of thinking that needs to be thought of when setting up a downtown revitalization project, but with each type of business mod International Business Etiquette and they are really learning a lot from each other, as to what works and what does not."To have respect for ourselves guides our morals; and to have a deference for others governs our manners." Lawrence Sterne, Irish novelist & satirist (1713 - 1768)Etiquette, or good manners, is an important part of our day to day lives. Whether we realise it or not we are always subconsciously adhering to rules of etiquette. Much of the time these are unwritten; for example giving up your seat to a lady or elderly person, queuing for a bus in an orderly fashion according to who arrived first or simply saying “please” or “thank you”. All are examples of etiquette; complex unwritten rules that reflect a culture’s values.Etiquette accomplishes many tasks. However, the one noteworthy function that etiquette does perform is that it shows respect and deference to another. By doing so it maintains good interpersonal relationships. Ultimately, it could be argued, etiquette is about making sure that when people mix together there are rules of interaction in place that ensure their communication, transaction or whatever it may be goes smoothly.We all now how we or others feel when a lack of etiquette is shown. If someone jumps the queue, does not thank you for holding the door open for them or forgets to shake your hand, we naturally feel disrespected and perturbed.International Business EtiquetteKeeping the above points in mind, now consider the complexities of working on the international stage. Modern business is global and demands people travel to foreign countries and mix with foreign clients, colleagues or customers. Each one of those cultures will also have their own etiquette rules, many of them unwritten. When two or more different cultures mix, it is easy for small etiquette mistakes to be made that could have negative consequences. Just as you may have felt annoyed w I recently visited Franklin TN where the downtown was cooking along as a matter of fact you could smell the aroma from nearby restaurants, see a movie, get a beer or your favorite rendition of a Latte. If this is your dream to put in a car wash near downtown go for it. But watch out for the traps. Environmentalists who do not understand the cleanliness of the industry or water usage. Underground tank rules with regards to fuel or reclaim tanks. Labor issues if you do more than coin-op, automatic. Full serves are loved by customers if excellent quality prevails there, but a crew that has part time drug users can ruin your business quickly. Labor will be an issue. Regarding a location in the town of Windsor as this study samples example: http://www.ci.windsor.ca.us/LandUseMap.pdf Notice the orange areas which would mean that it is zoned service area, least amount of issues with planning commission and easiest to get passed easily. Also near the mid center off ramp. Near the Retail Center, looks like a regional mall, near there is best on main road, but have to find an open location with no center medians. Looks like traffic issues there, notice the FWY interchange signaled intersections. It is not near downtown at all but would serve a small business owner better than a downtown revitalized area. A detail shop would be a better use of a closed down town area gas station, fixed up real nice. I have seen plenty in FL, GA, SC, AL, TN but also in Gold Rush Towns of CA, in the rural towns of north Washington state. Also your volume will come from a 10-mile radius, and you would be better served in the Suburban area near box stores, QSRs and strip malls. The demographics are good where in Windsor, lots of Bay Area rich refugees who bought right and modified their town. Took an existing town and developed the hell out of it, driving up property values and still a revitalized down town would draw them in and with their money they would spend. In Windsor, CA, if you end up North West side where all the orange is there could be issues with visibility and you could be cut off by C-Stores with rollovers, car wash for $3.99 with fill up. But the middle to upper middle will not take their SUVs through there thus you advantage. Buying an existing car wash might be a better play, but car washes go out of business for a reason, it is not always poor service. It could be location issues. Generally a combination. Towns tend to grow North and West higher end your city has interesting trends not normally seen with the middle class center, probably due to the East Windsor area thus it is growing North West while the west side of freeway has remained the older area. But I cannot tell for sure without spending much time. Typically an area with a regional type mall if it has thee Old Navy Type stores which go in next to each other are trendy places of spending consumers that is good, but also need to be cognizant of the need to be by or near Happy Meal Station, or other QSRs. This is well documented in the annals of car washing guru's best advice and written articles. By putting the car wash near that off ramp you will not cut yourself off from your 10-mile radius sphere of influence where 80% of your customers will be coming from. now realize that those town homes or multi-family units, apartments that were built for the city to take advantage of matching Federal funds for low income housing years past will be a significant base not to mention the up the street Golf Course crowd. Like the Viking customers you will be paying through the nose for property, sewer hook-ups and hidden fees (taxes) and you will feel like Popeye the sailor by the time your all through and want to through some tea into your reclaim pit. So before you decide to put in a car wash in a town like Windsor or buy a piece of property, you should look at the layout of the town, determine where they filters or nets of wealth or money flow is going. If the down town is going to be revitalized a car wash some where between both or a detail shop in the down town with a hand wash valet parking or just good old fashion look will put your business at the top of the food chain with the local founding families of the town and the powers to be of that fiefdom. Whatever you do it is important to do it right and to do well, or just don't do it. Regarding the question of car washes as a business in CA. Yes it is viable, but more money is made building up car washes and selling them in CA than in running them. The IRS likes to audit them a lot. Car Washes being a cash business by nature tend to hit all the red buttons. With the Tax cut and $100,000 immediate expensing it is a worthy endeavor, but risky too. http://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-mssp/carwash.pdf Having been in the industry 27 years washing stuff, I have to agree with much of the thinkin gof this gentleman with regards to downtown areas and possible car wash locations. http://www.carwashinstitute.com/management.html Steve is also good people and will take care of your needs. Investing in a car wash especially in CA with the real-estate prices is a difficult match to the intended ROI. But if planned properly with the proper location, it is a good business, once all the delays are done and the city approves it. The city planner of this particular city went to Chico State and is probably laid back so he maybe easier to deal with than the ultimate planning commission or all the yuppie liberal cream cake granolas which come out of the woodwork in their 1969 Volvos with leaky rings spewing Carbon Monoxide smoke and proclaiming themselves the environments last chance, all the while spreading the Redwood tree pathogen all around the forest each day as they go for nature walks and chain themselves to trees when the forest service is attempting to allow thinning as to not burn down the entire forest with 120 tons of debris and dead wood fuel per acre. Heck I could go on all night. Once opened toe the line and stay totally politically and non-profit group active, but keeping piece near paradise is not easy. They will claim noise pollution, water pollution, air pollution, toxic chemicals, none of which is true. The demographics are right provided there are less than two other car washes which are full service within 7-8 miles of your wash, having a more convenient location will net you the soccer moms if you choose full serve. If you are self serve probably across the freeway where land is cheaper since those self serve bays are only good for $1300 per month gross or so? With that explanation told on this subject of location based businesses, you have to ask yourself which business models are viable for a down town sector to really thrive and attract even more people. This example goes into depth of the kind of thinking that needs to be thought of when setting up a downtown revitalization project, but with each type of business mod Business New Entrant Forces e. Buying an existing car wash might be a better play, but car washes go out of business for a reason, it is not always poor service. It could be location issues. Generally a combination. Towns tend to grow North and West higher end your city has interesting trends not normally seen with the middle class center, probably due to the East Windsor area thus it is growing North West while the west side of freeway has remained the older area. But I cannot tell for sure without spending much time. Typically an area with a regional type mall if it has thee Old Navy Type stores which go in next to each other are trendy places of spending consumers that is good, but also need to be cognizant of the need to be by or near Happy Meal Station, or other QSRs. This is well documented in the annals of car washing guru's best advice and written articles. By putting the car wash near that off ramp you will not cut yourself off from your 10-mile radius sphere of influence where 80% of your customers will be coming from. now realize that those town homes or multi-family units, apartments that were built for the city to take advantage of matching Federal funds for low income housing years past will be a significant base not to mention the up the street Golf Course crowd. Like the Viking customers you will be paying through the nose for property, sewer hook-ups and hidden fees (taxes) and you will feel like Popeye the sailor by the time your all through and want to through some tea into your reclaim pit. So before you decide to put in a car wash in a town like Windsor or buy a piece of property, you should look at the layout of the town, determine where they filters or nets of wealth or money flow is going.It is an extremely useful tool when determining the potential profitability for a new entrant in a particular industry. It works by analyzing five essential factors that influence a new entrant in any industry. These factors are classified as follows:Bargaining Power of Suppliers: This is the ease with which suppliers in an industry can influence the price of required inputs. It is determined by analyzing how many suppliers are there in the industry; how unique the product or service they offer is; the cost involved in switching from one supplier to the other etc. The fewer the number of suppliers are in an industry the more powerful they become in terms of exercising influence over the price paid their goods or services.Bargaining Power of Buyers: This is the influence that buyers exercise in driving down prices for the goods and services in an industry. It is determined by the number of buyers for the goods and services in an industry and the ease with which they can switch from one provider to the other. The fewer the buyers in an industry the greater is the power that they exercise in determining prices of goods and services produced in the industry.The intensity of Competitive Rivalry. Competition among suppliers in an industry also dictates profitability and how attractive the industry is for new entrants. The greater the numbers of competitors offering similar products or services at a similar price the harder it is for a new entrant to make a place in the industry. However if there are only a few competitors offering a comparative product or service a new entrant has greater power to exercise in the industry.The Threat of Substitute Products: Before entering an industry it is very important to analyze the extent to which the goods and services produced by the indu If the down town is going to be revitalized a car wash some where between both or a detail shop in the down town with a hand wash valet parking or just good old fashion look will put your business at the top of the food chain with the local founding families of the town and the powers to be of that fiefdom. Whatever you do it is important to do it right and to do well, or just don't do it. Regarding the question of car washes as a business in CA. Yes it is viable, but more money is made building up car washes and selling them in CA than in running them. The IRS likes to audit them a lot. Car Washes being a cash business by nature tend to hit all the red buttons. With the Tax cut and $100,000 immediate expensing it is a worthy endeavor, but risky too. http://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-mssp/carwash.pdf Having been in the industry 27 years washing stuff, I have to agree with much of the thinkin gof this gentleman with regards to downtown areas and possible car wash locations. http://www.carwashinstitute.com/management.html Steve is also good people and will take care of your needs. Investing in a car wash especially in CA with the real-estate prices is a difficult match to the intended ROI. But if planned properly with the proper location, it is a good business, once all the delays are done and the city approves it. The city planner of this particular city went to Chico State and is probably laid back so he maybe easier to deal with than the ultimate planning commission or all the yuppie liberal cream cake granolas which come out of the woodwork in their 1969 Volvos with leaky rings spewing Carbon Monoxide smoke and proclaiming themselves the environments last chance, all the while spreading the Redwood tree pathogen all around the forest each day as they go for nature walks and chain themselves to trees when the forest service is attempting to allow thinning as to not burn down the entire forest with 120 tons of debris and dead wood fuel per acre. Heck I could go on all night. Once opened toe the line and stay totally politically and non-profit group active, but keeping piece near paradise is not easy. They will claim noise pollution, water pollution, air pollution, toxic chemicals, none of which is true. The demographics are right provided there are less than two other car washes which are full service within 7-8 miles of your wash, having a more convenient location will net you the soccer moms if you choose full serve. If you are self serve probably across the freeway where land is cheaper since those self serve bays are only good for $1300 per month gross or so? With that explanation told on this subject of location based businesses, you have to ask yourself which business models are viable for a down town sector to really thrive and attract even more people. This example goes into depth of the kind of thinking that needs to be thought of when setting up a downtown revitalization project, but with each type of business mod Strategy and Tactics in Marketing nd to hit all the red buttons. With the Tax cut and $100,000 immediate expensing it is a worthy endeavor, but risky too.Most companies only operate on a tactical level. This amounts to the boss going to the staff and saying “Go get more business.” It’s been said that more sales will cure almost any business problem. While this is true, the strategic business will be set up in such a way that every tactic implemented will drive sales and gain ground on achieving the over-all strategic goals. When a sale is made it’s a great moment! However as soon as the deal is done you are OUT OF BUSINESS. You now have to get out there and chase the next sale and the next sale and the next, ad infinitum! Let's define strategy...If a military commander decides to “disrupt the enemy’s supply line that’s strategy. When he says we’ll place mines in the enemy’s shipping lanes that’s a tactic. If however you have properly strategically positioned your company in the marketplace you will experience the joy of having your customers come to you. They will seek you out as the obvious choice to serve their needs.Strategy is the element that will allow you to get the most leverage possible out of all your efforts. It’s the power of focus upon the long term success of your operation. What’s the strategic objective of each tactical effort? What is the ultimate accomplishment or ultimate position you want in the market, and how do your tactical efforts support that?Strategy is, in effect the defining framework upon which one hangs all tactical efforts. This document is presented with it’s intent to begin to define strategic planning where it relates to marketing and business development. It is by no means considered to be complete or all encompassing. “Blessed are the flexible, for they shall not be bent out of shape” Shape strategy with the following factors……..1. What is the ultimate perception you would like your custom http://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-mssp/carwash.pdf Having been in the industry 27 years washing stuff, I have to agree with much of the thinkin gof this gentleman with regards to downtown areas and possible car wash locations. http://www.carwashinstitute.com/management.html Steve is also good people and will take care of your needs. Investing in a car wash especially in CA with the real-estate prices is a difficult match to the intended ROI. But if planned properly with the proper location, it is a good business, once all the delays are done and the city approves it. The city planner of this particular city went to Chico State and is probably laid back so he maybe easier to deal with than the ultimate planning commission or all the yuppie liberal cream cake granolas which come out of the woodwork in their 1969 Volvos with leaky rings spewing Carbon Monoxide smoke and proclaiming themselves the environments last chance, all the while spreading the Redwood tree pathogen all around the forest each day as they go for nature walks and chain themselves to trees when the forest service is attempting to allow thinning as to not burn down the entire forest with 120 tons of debris and dead wood fuel per acre. Heck I could go on all night. Once opened toe the line and stay totally politically and non-profit group active, but keeping piece near paradise is not easy. They will claim noise pollution, water pollution, air pollution, toxic chemicals, none of which is true. The demographics are right provided there are less than two other car washes which are full service within 7-8 miles of your wash, having a more convenient location will net you the soccer moms if you choose full serve. If you are self serve probably across the freeway where land is cheaper since those self serve bays are only good for $1300 per month gross or so? With that explanation told on this subject of location based businesses, you have to ask yourself which business models are viable for a down town sector to really thrive and attract even more people. This example goes into depth of the kind of thinking that needs to be thought of when setting up a downtown revitalization project, but with each type of business model. For instance ask any developer of property manager of strip malls of retail large income property and they will tell you the types of anchor tenants needed to make the center survive or strip center. What types of business and specifically which businesses, such as Kinko’s, Starbucks, Blockbuster, etc. And the types usually preferring franchise businesses such as Juice Stores, Haircut, tanning, insurance, real estate, etc. It is important to understand the mall and the traffic without going over board, recently I saw a delightful strip center in a perfect location in Red Bluff, CA, right on a busy intersection across the street from Wal-Mart, none of the businesses moving in could ever compete with Wal-Mart and they did not have to. Across from Burger King sat a Starbucks as the strip malls anchor tenant. The center was good, but probably the coffee place was too well placed and even with a drive through would drive too much traffic into that strip center for parking. Parking in downtowns is equally as important. Building downtowns is always a tough one in convincing the older thriving businesses that street improvements, construction and general obstructions are necessary to do it. Long term it is great, but short term it is an issue, construction out front will kill you. If you look at the highend areas of Naples Fl, Palm Desert CA, Scottsdale AZ, you see some great work at total revitalization. But the old funky look of Key West FL, Manhattan Beach CA, Montpellier Vt. you see they also work well. If you happen to go to GA and visit a little town 15 miles south of Statesboro, GA you will see it is the Fruit Cake Capital of the World and actually no where near San Francisco. A revitalization project must tke into consideration the natural flavor, in this case fruit. Every town is know for something. This is of value. Oxnard CA, strawberry Capital. Bozeman MT Sweet Pea Festival, heck recently we were in Sheridan WY for the Hoops Festival. But we have also been to the avocado festival, wine festival all in CA, Raspberry Festival in UT and Tamale Festival in El Centro near the Mexican Border. There is always a need for a local celebration to draw from miles. Renaissance Fairs, October fest, even the Forth of July Extravaganza. You have to make it happen with the locals and draw from everywhere, parades. I have had the good fortune of planning these events, participating in them and bringing in dollars. So far in America at last count the cities which have revitalized themselves have refurbished 90,000 buildings, sounds similar to what we are doing thanks to really great and faithful American corporations in the Open Markets of the cities of Afghanistan and streets and market areas of Baghdad. For more information on providing jobs and money flow locally in a town near you check it out. http://www.mainst.org
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