Graphene is only a few years old. But it’s a “miracle material” in the carwash world. This Nobel Prize-winning innovation creates ultimate strength and glorious shine.
Did you know that graphene is a form of carbon, just like diamonds or graphite? Graphene is an incredible single atom thick – and 200 times stronger than steel. Graphene is also incredibly flexible, resisting chips and cracks. It’s transparent, anti-static (meaning less dust), and highly hydrophobic (encouraging more water beading).
NCS surveys show most car wash operators have already adopted graphene coatings and are offering them to customers in one way or another.
However, not everybody is a science major. A lot of people zone out quickly when you start to talk atoms and molecules. So, since graphene is more expensive than regular ceramic coating services, you need a marketing strategy.
The Rising Popularity of Graphene in Car Wash Services
Despite its growing popularity, graphene coating is often confused with its counterpart, the in-demand ceramic coating. Though both offer superior protection compared to traditional wax, they’re not quite the same.
Ceramic coating adds a protective layer on top of your car’s paint, while professional graphene coating creates a chemical bond with the paint. Ceramic coating offers very good protection, but it’s prone to water spotting and requires annual reapplication.
Graphene, by comparison, offers superior unblemished gloss, making every car shine brighter with an unmatched depth of color. Graphene lasts much longer and protects cars better, thanks to its knockout molecular structure and water beading properties.
But it doesn’t have to be an either/or. In fact, combining both coatings in the same wash offers not twice but 3x the protection. It’s a synergistic effect, like the sum is more than the parts, or one plus one equals three. Ceramic AND graphene coatings used together in tunnel applications produce all of the following benefits: 3x the durability and longevity, the deepest richness and luster, layered heat & UV protection, best water spot resistance, anti-static (anti-dust) power, and the best water beading effect.
Marketing Strategies for Car Wash Graphene Coating Services
Here are a few ideas on how to capitalize on the growing popularity of graphene coatings, so you can build your topline and attract more memberships.
1. Tailor Your Marketing Message to Different Audiences
You might be tempted to group all your customers into one category. After all, they’re all looking for the best graphene coating service for their vehicle. However, segmenting your customers and personalizing your marketing messages to suit different audiences pays off in several ways.
For example, a tech-savvy car owner might be more interested in comparing the pros and cons of graphene vs. ceramic coating. A luxury sedan owner might just want the benefit of a pristine finish communicated quickly and clearly.
Highlighting how your graphene coating service addresses the interests of pain points of different customer groups makes your marketing messages resonate with your target audience.
2. Leverage Social Media for Awareness and Engagement
In a world increasingly glued to their screens, your business needs to be where your audience is – on their social media feeds. A consistent and professional social media presence helps establish your business as a trusted graphene car coating service provider.
Another huge advantage of social media is that you don’t necessarily have to do any selling to win conversions. Social media is a two-way street and helps you interact with potential customers. You can adopt an informational tone, given the complexity of graphene. Answer customer questions, address their concerns and establish your brand as authoritative and trustworthy. Once you’ve earned customer trust, you can convert your followers into paying customers by offering special discounts and other incentives.
3. Create Informative Email Content About Graphene Coating Benefits
Unlike television or print ads, email marketing opens the direct route to reach potential customers right in their inboxes. An effective email marketing campaign lets you capitalize on leads who’ve shown interest in your services. For example, you can send newsletters to people who have filled out a form on your site or shared their emails while attending a trade fair.
Emails can be under 100 words and still explain graphene effectively in a few sentences, in a creative way. It’s a strong medium for piquing interest, while linking to greater detail.
You can highlight offers and special discounts on graphene to encourage trial. You can also use your email marketing campaigns to foster a closer connection with your target audience. Share helpful tips on car care and maintenance and answer common questions. A mix of informational and targeted content helps you nurture customer trust and loyalty over time, improving conversions and sales.
4. Simplify the Benefits Into Bite-Sized Messages
Consider the following short headlines or callouts you can use in graphene marketing. They get the benefit across fast, without molecular mumbo jumbo.
Where Science Meets Shine
So Shiny You Need Shades
Hydrophobic Hero
Ultra High Gloss? Graphene’s the Boss
Raising the Bar in Shining Your Car
Next Generation Protection
Deep Rich Shine – That’s Something to Reflect On
Ceramic Is Good. Graphene Is Better.
Take Ceramic and Turn It up to 11
Lasts 3x longer!
Collaborate With Automotive Influencers
Influencers are the celebrities of the digital era. Partnering with automotive influencers can help you tap into their audience. Here are a few tips to help you choose the right influencers to partner with for your car wash business:
- Identify niche automotive influencers with a tight-knit community of a few thousand followers. Micro and nano-influencers lend credibility and legitimacy to your brand, as they have a large following of automobile enthusiasts.
- Work with influencers whose values align with your brand and target audience. For example, if you’re targeting families, you can select parenting and lifestyle influencers. Partner with them to create genuine and authentic content relevant to parents. You can highlight how family cars endure constant wear and tear on school runs, grocery trips, game outings, road trips and more. Showcase how graphene coating’s long-lasting protection minimizes the need for frequent reapplication, saving families time and money in the long run.
5. Network With Car Wash Industry Leaders To Endorse the Service
The support and trust of established car wash industry leaders lend credibility to your graphene spray coating business. Experts understand the importance of a protective coating in maintaining the vehicle’s finish and often recommend the best graphene coating for cars to their customers.
Collaborating with national car washes could expand your customer base, helping you gain brand recognition in new markets. Here are a few tips for effective networking with car wash industry leaders:
- Research and partner with businesses that cater to your target customers
- Don’t just focus on selling. Show off your expertise by providing educational workshops, sharing industry insights, or organizing joint marketing campaigns.
- Networking is about building trust and long-term partnerships. Be transparent, reliable, and focus on mutual benefit.
6. Blog About the Science and Benefits of Graphene
One of the mistakes most car wash businesses make is focusing more on selling than educating their audience. Often, car wash businesses advertise their graphene coating services without explaining the underlying technology.
Creating a business blog and consistently educating your audience about your car wash coatings is an excellent way to build loyal followers who will likely become long-term customers. Blogging about topics such as graphene helps you stand out from the crowd and demonstrate a deeper understanding of your product.
As noted above, you can also talk about the benefits of graphene when combined with wax and a ceramic coating in the wash process. In this case, more is better.
7. Showcase the Application and Results of Graphene Coating in Video Format
Videos are incredibly persuasive and the hottest marketing trend. Whether creating long-form video tutorials for YouTube or short catchy reels to share on Instagram or TikTok, adopting video marketing helps grab your viewers’ attention. Here are a few video marketing ideas:
- Demonstrate the process: Seeing the application process visually makes it easier for your audience to understand the service, building trust and confidence in your technique.
- Showcase the results: High-quality videos demonstrating the stunning shine, water repellency, durable protection, and other benefits leave a lasting impression and effectively convert viewers into customers.
- Share before and after videos: Showcase visual evidence of how graphene coating helps reduce swirl marks and water spots. This can help customers overcome their purchase hesitation and convert them into paying customers.
8. Host Workshops and Demos for Local Businesses
Organizing workshops and service demonstrations for local businesses can help connect with the local community. For example, you can conduct a live demonstration of the graphene coating application process in your country club. Witnessing the coating application process in person and seeing the stunning results can help convert club members into customers.
Partnering with local businesses like auto repair shops, car dealerships, and car washes can help you connect with a relevant audience. Additionally, these workshops provide valuable networking opportunities to establish your expertise in the local community and can lead to referrals and repeat businesses.
9. Participate in Car Wash and Auto Detailing Expos
Participating in car wash and auto detailing expos is a highly effective marketing strategy. These expos attract huge audiences, including other car industry professionals, influencers, and potential customers. Hire a booth and brand it with your car wash signs to position your business directly in front of your target audience.
Attending expos and car trade shows lets you connect directly with your target audience. You can answer their questions, explain the technology behind the process (like water contact angle and how water beads form), highlight the pros and cons of double and single-layer coating, explain the differences between flash time and extra time, etc.
When attending expos, make sure to collect contact information from interested attendees. Nurture these leads and work on converting them into paying customers by offering incentives like first-time discounts, special offers, etc.
10. Share Testimonials and Case Studies To Build Trust and Credibility
Customer testimonials and case studies are powerful in building trust. These provide real-world evidence of the benefits of your graphene coating services. Instead of just claiming you’re the best graphene spray coating service provider, you share solid proof via customer testimonials, influencing potential customers. Watching or reading about the positive experiences of previous clients builds trust in your business. It makes potential customers more likely to believe your claims and choose your services over your competitors.
Partner With the Car Wash Marketing Experts
Graphene coating is the new kid on the block. It appeals to all customer segments — from car connoisseurs to families looking for additional protection for their vehicles. Adding graphene spray coating to your menu of services is a great way to expand your customer base and improve your bottom line.
Partnering with NCS, the industry’s best graphene spray coating equipment supplier, can help you take your car wash and detailing business to the next level. Get in touch with NCS to learn more about the ROI of the graphene car coating industry and discover the best marketing strategies to build a thriving business in this competitive market.
For a deeper dive into graphene itself, go here.