Contemplating Tent/Canopy setup at Business Parking Lot!?!

[MadMike]

Looking for input on the average prices/percentage you need to give a business in order to set up on there property?

Looking to maybe try this one day out of the week.

Thanks for any input.

[Mikedoby]

MadMike, I purchased a 10x10 Pop-up tent from Bass Pro Shops for under $200.00. This has worked well for me. The salesman at the store told me that it would take two people to set this tent up. I proved him wrong. Since I work alone as most of us WSR folks do, I quickly learned to tie one side of the pop up to the hitch on my truck, and pull the other side out and up. I suggest that you set up on the out skirts of a large lot such as a Lowes or Home Depot lot. I have never paid or have been asked to pay a percentage for setting up out of everyones way. I set up my card table and put plenty of my advertisement flyers along with my framed "Factory Trained" certificate and local license. I also have my truck parked next to the tent which has magnetic signes on both sides and on the tail gate, along with a 2'x3' sign setting on a tri-pod that says in large red letters " WINDSHIELD REPAIR". This usually starts up a lot of curiosity fast.

[MadMike]

I have too admit, I like your gumption! So how long have you been doing this, and you've not been run off so far???

I'd be interested in taking this approach. Just not sure what the repercussions would be. I think Talbert was fined pretty heavy for this approach.

[glazman]

Mikedoby
Any photos of your set up ?

[StarQuest]

Mikedoby,

Did you just set up camp at Home Depot and Lowes without prior consent or did you have to go through some authorization process with them. I might be able to understand them not asking for money but can't believe they'd just let you park your stuff on their property and do business without some type of signed waivers for liabilty purposes. Wouldn't fly in my area but people aren't as friendly here in Michigan as they are in North Carolina either Ever consider putting together a Tony Stewart show car next to your tent to drum up more business?

Good luck and hope you do well

[Rock-It]

Mikedoby,
I am having no luck finding a tent set up in my area. I even went to Lowe's and they said corportate will not allow it. Did you talk to the Lowe's manager or just set up on the outskirts of their lot? My neighbor is a Home Depot employee and said that vendors weren't allowed there either I have heard the" corporate won't allow it " B.S. from just about every other business. Even with liability insurance and professional attitude and attire.
Today I went to a major food chain and asked the manager who told me to contact the land owner for approval. When asking the land owner who owns lots of business property around here I was told to send them a proposal and that he would pass it around. I suppose I will send them a proposal for now as it is my only lead so far.
Any ideas?
Tomas

[scratchy]

My advice is this. Watch like a hawk for someone setting up in a place like a gas station, K-Mart or whatever. Ask them who they talked to so you can set up later in the future. Off the wall question?? Why don't people set up in front of privately owned auto repair facilities?
This is my personal advice- FWIW. Get you vehicle all decked out snazzy with decals. Get one of you friends with a nice car to go with you to a high profile spot with lots of people looking. Spend you good old time fixing their window taking care to do a nice job. Within minutes someone will pull up and ask you to do theirs... then the next one and the next one. No rent, no contract no hassles. Work brings work. Kind of like the wooden ducks floating in a pond to attract more ducks. It is amazing. I can't tell you how many times I have landed multiple jobs this way.
Setting up in a location with a tent can be done but it is a royal pain. The thing is this. No one is going to spring one you to run you off until you are doing great business with lots of people coming by. Business envy.

[Rock-It]

I like your idea of decoys! I will first need to find a friend with a nice car and time to meet and of course a damage. Or maybe we wouldn't need a damage just stand there with my U.V. bubble on his glass and shoot the bull until someone comes up and then wash his glass Have em fake signing your invoice and send him on his way. It might work!

[screenman]

Rock-it

Not might work it will work be positive and go for it.

I make this idea work and I have no singwriting on my car at all. I know it would work better if I did have some though. It is just that I am as busy as I want to be and do not have the time to explain screen repair to the public all day long. If I ever get quiet I will certainly go back to having my vehicle sign written again.

[PerfAuto]

I do windshield repair from a tent/trailer combo in Montana. I have a nice red, white and blue 10' x 10' ez-up canopy attached to a 6' x 10' cargo trailer all decked out with graphics. Works very well and have regular return customers. The nice thing about having the trailer is 1. you have a mobile office 2. protection for yourself and customers from the weather 3. Virtually no down-time due to wind, rain, etc.

Some word of warning though. What I have found here is the "brick and mortar" glass shops complaining to the City to adopt no-vendor ordinances. I have had to fight the city on signs, zoning, and all kinds of things. After hiring an attorney,the city backed off - so far. So check with your local building department on your vendor and sign ordinances to save some big headaches.

Personally, I have not had any problem finding places to set up. I offer a $3.00 per windshield repaired commission to the business, and offer to distribute advertising media (supplied by them) or coupons for their business at my site. At convenience stores, in lieu of the commission, I give out a $5.00 Free Fuel coupon to each customer. The c-stores love it because the customer has to come in the store to redeem the coupon.

From 8-11 in the morning I catch up on mobile calls, then set up the tent at about Noon until around 6 pm.