Promoting With A Difference

When people find out that our company, GreenRides (www.greenridesasia.com) has already been featured in several TV shows they ask me how much did we pay?

With Mr. Paulo Abrera during the taping of Green Living.

One of the biggest issues an entrepreneur is faced with is how to promote his new venture. Often it takes time to for people to accept your product or even create a buzz. That is why, the first six months of the business is very crucial. Within those months, you must be able to develop and/or strengthen your brand identity.

If you miss this opportunity, another entrepreneur might be able seize the opportunity you have presented the market. With our company, we harped on the fact that we are the first waterless car wash company that uses 100% environment-friendly products which protects your car from the harmful elements present in Metro Manila.

This is the reason why we have been featured in several TV shows such as GMA7's Unang Hirit and ANC's Green Living. We have also taped an episode with Solar Sports' Auto-Extreme. Manila Bulletin's men's magazine has also written about our company.

How were we able to do that without spending anything?

First of all, GreenRides did not copy any business. We just focused on a waterless car wash and wax. This is a huge gamble on our part since there a lot of traditional car washes. It seems that every corner has at least one.

One of our client's cars.

Second, we offer our customer a guarantee. We guarantee that whenever we clean your car, it will be protected from dirt, dust and other harmful elements in our country. Furthermore, when our customers get that GreenRides service, the showroom shine and luster of their vehicle will be maintained and retained.

Third, we are aggressively expanding. Currently, we are set to open in several locations within just three months of operations. We want to share the GreenRides experience to everyone. We have also expanding through franchising.

Fourth, the owners of the company are always available to our customers. If they have any questions about our products or services, or if they have any issues they can always talk to us. We want to take care of our customers and make them feel that they are really important to us.

Explaining how the service works to Mr. Joey Lina

We could have chosen to hire a receptionist or a secretary to answer calls or talk to clients but we have chosen not to. We want to become our own marketing specialists.

How Did You Choose Your Business?

Whenever I am interviewed, I am inevitably asked this question... How did you choose your business?

It is understandable since a lot of Filipinos would want to put up their own business but don't know where to get into. Sometimes, they just go into franchising a food cart because someone they know is in it. Or they join multi-level marketing companies because of the so-called training and support group.

However, like most people who want to go into business without any passion or technical knowledge, they end up confused and bitter. Quite a handful have even lost their savings because of it.

So why or how did I come up with this business?

I must give credit where credit is due. I was talking to my partner about the possibility of putting up a car wash business that will cater to condominium tenants and village residents. Of course the first hurdle that we thought of was where to get the water needed to clean the cars and how will we transport it.

From that statement alone, you can see that there is a problem that presents itself with a profitable opportunity. If you must know, condominium rules and regulations strongly discourage the washing of cars inside the parking premises because it dirties the area and might become a breeding ground for mosquitoes.

Furthermore, village residents (especially in exclusive villages) need to go out to have their cars washed while they are waiting in an open area, normally beside smoke-filled roads and water being sprayed a few feet away from them. This is the reason why the customers of car washes are guys. The fairer sex would normally go to mobile car washes found inside malls.

Demo with Mr. Joey Lina

She was the one who searched for this new concept in the Internet and found a very viable business opportunity from NoWet Waterless Car Clean in Australia.

Going back, how did I choose my business? Because we, my partner and I, can see that there is a need for it. As for the demand? Well, that will be the subject of my future blogs. But it will be a very practical and real world lesson for budding entrepreneurs and management students.

The first thing to ask yourself when thinking of putting up a new venture, who will be your target market? Or is there a need for your product or service?

In our case, yes we found out that there is a need. And we are happy to note that our venture is slowly being recognized by different organizations. We have been featured in GMA7's Unang Hirit and ANC's Green Living. In the next few days, Manila Bulletin will come out with a magazine wherein there will be a write-up about our company. Solar Sports has also scheduled a taping in our first shop.

Let me ask you a question; what business do you want to get into? And is there a need for your product or service?