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>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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