Starting a Car Wash Business

A car wash can be a very lucrative business if handled in the right way. After all, everyone who drives a vehicle will need to wash it at some point! If you're considering starting a car wash business, there are some things you should know.

The first is the importance of location. Search your region for a populated area that doesn't already have a car wash. If you find that impossible, then choose an area whose car wash needs major improvement. If you come in with a better car wash, customers are sure to go to yours. The right location is a major factor in the success of any car wash business.

Next, make sure you get all the proper licenses. Different areas have different requirements, so visit your municipal building to learn what they are and file all the paperwork. This is absolutely required -- without the right licenses, a business you poured money and work into could be shut down. One license that is optional but can save you tons of money is a wholesale license. This can be obtained from the Franchise Tax Board and allows you to purchase tax-free supplies at wholesale value.

Then, you'll want to decide if you'll be starting a business from scratch or purchasing a franchise. Franchises are great for a new business owner because they offer a lot of support. You'll get a business that bears an established name, that's set up and ready to go without a lot of planning on your part.

Regardless of which option you choose, you'll need financing. Visit your local credit union, bank, or lending facility to obtain funding. You can also try obtaining a business credit card, or getting a loan from the Small Business Administration.

Advertising is crucial for any business, including a car wash. Sure, a high-profile location will bring in customers from the street, but you'll still need to advertise. For the best results, try a radio spot or television ad. Your local paper can also be a great low-cost way to get the word out about your car wash.

After setting up your business and advertising, all that's left to do is wait for customers! Provide them with quality service, and they'll come back again and again!

Copyright 2006 Jim Sterling - All Rights Reserved

Home Business News:
Bud Kennedy: Is Fair Park the next home of the Armed Forces Bowl? (Fort Worth Star-Telegram)
BUD KENNEDY Today, Fort Worth is the home of a bowl game. Tomorrow EUR” maybe not. Dallas business leaders want to lure or start a new bowl game in the historic Cotton Bowl stadium, which will be freed up Friday when the AT&T Cotton Bowl Classic leaves for Arlington. Two leaders described proposals for a $1 million bowl game on New Years Eve, drawing a Big 12 team and either displacing or even ...

Billboard Home Artist Interviews and Features Photo Gallery - Billboard
Billboard offers full coverage of breaking music news and music chart toppers to music executives and fans alike. Billboard is the best print and online music magazine for in-depth music business news and access to an array of digital music, business ...

The Year In Business - Hartford Courant
First, investment bank Bear Stearns teetered near collapse, then was sold in a shotgun deal to JPMorgan Chase Co. in a deal that valued each of Bears shares at $10 -- roughly the same price as a New York movie ticket. The shares had traded at $154 ...

Vanita Kohli-Khandekar: Home shopping comes of age (Business Standard India)
It is not just about tummy trimmers and dodgy gemstones. Home Shopping, it seems, is serious business EUR” not just on TV but across media. That is what Sundeep Malhotra, CEO, TV 18 Home Shopping Network would have us believe...

Home improvement chains weather tough storm (AP via Yahoo! News)
A year that started poorly got worse for the nation's home improvement retailers, as the housing market meltdown pushed the economy toward recession and financial institutions sparked a global economic disaster...

ICICI cuts home, auto loan rates 50 bps - Business Standard
The banks decision came after rate cuts by public sector banks and some of its major private sector rivals like HDFC and HDFC Bank earlier this month. ICICI Bank said it has reduced its floating reference rate (FRR) for home loans and auto loans ...

Business: 2008 a look back (The Cincinnati Enquirer)
It's been a tumultous year in the world of business. Look back on the year 2008 to sky-rocketing gas prices, airline mergers, dropping home sales and more...