I'm a hands on learner, and I read and read and can do it. Are there any other web sites or pictures I can look at to get a visual?

Sorry but I cant remember the brand to use, can someone else help her out with the brand?

Also, ask them directly what they've been paying, and stick to your quanity of 20.

The business is tricky. Car dogs are notorious control artists which is how they got the jobs in the first place. Still, they want it now and they want it perfect. They will have you come in to do one car that takes an hour to find, with only a stock number and expect you to wait an hour afterwards for a PO. You are treading on very dangerous ice, thinking it is easy. You simply have to be firm. Take pictures of your finished rows and use them to sell with. Tell them you control the messages and you only do rows, not individual cars, unless they want to pay your hourly rate. I do 26 an hour, so do the math.

Get some bigger dealers in your area to give you a pile each week or two. Give them absolutely perfect service, showing up on time and do not take POs. Don't block their parking and forget making friends with the salepeople who will be down the road before you get back there. Just bill them and never cheat on the count. They always pay their bills. Always! Never been cheated yet. POs are a pain and some will want you to write down all the individual stock numbers to bill each to 'cost of sale'. A billing method goes to the ad budget, instead, making your life easier. When you see a can or a piece of paper on the lot, pick it up. Someone is watching and your concern for their details will get you the account.

One Shot is fine. Poster is better. No water based sissy paint. I use a 50/50 poster/lettering white base and coat out with fluoro, cut a bit with poister white. You will play around with what works best for you and in no time will have a system. The brushes are a large part of the deal. Got to keep them clean and never let paint stand in them. Clean the brush! Leave them soak only clean and flat, never standing up in a jar of paint. I tried several dozen different ones before I found the Russian Chantucky Squirrels work the best, but no one here sells them. Originally, I ran into these in Santa Fe at a primo art supply place. I imported a gross several years back and love them at $15 each. Unfortunately, the company is no longer around and I have not been able to find anymore. I believe the name was 'Boro'? No names on the handles. Ukraine? They hand-letter more in Russia still. I found them once in LA, five years ago or so. They have about an inch of bristles and are very fine. 3/4 inch and one inch flats. I use five or six a year.

The expensive French quills work fine, as well. Get them as big as you can go. Lucos? Blue handles and big is better. $60-75. You can use the #24's at $25 each or so, but fatter is better for speed. I do not like the Scharffs or the Grey Strokers...too coarse and they slow me down. Not enough whip and snap.

Back to the business. Many make the mistake of trying to get everyone on the block to do windshields, but it only causes problems. Pick out one dealer in the mall you like and stick with him. Only if he says its ok, do his neighbors. It is just common courtesy. Do not get too many customers requiring frequent repeat service. Bad weather and vacation time can cause major problems. Once they get used to using you, they remain fairly loyal. I have some who have been with me since '90. At one point, windshields were almost all I did.

Messages? No cute stuff. Keep it simple and you control the messages. Put the year at the top and lay in a two or three line message. Some messages not to use: Two Stage Brakes, Mechanic's Nightmare, Bent Frame, No Key Needed!, Lost Title, Ole' Smokey!, Drips a'lil, Easily Towed. Save these for the guys who run you around!

Three rules: no stress, have fun, make money!
Windshields are fun and mindless, most of the time. You will figure it out. Move in on someone else's territory and under cut his or her price and you will be asking for very serious trouble! Very bad vibes followed with a death of paint drips onto the inventory. Do not negotiate a lower price. Set it and live with it. There is enough musical chairs in the car biz that one guy will tell another how you deal. Success is all service. Act like a pro and you will be treated like one. No chatty cathy routine and flirt with no one. The car dogs just finished up a record all time ever biggest month on record last month with all the zero percent stuff and they are ripe for the pickings! If you believe that a deal is a deal is a deal, you will get along fine. Car dogs are professional negotiators by training and they can seem like real cheap chislers, unless you know to stay tough as nails on price. They respect that and will use you because you are reliable and consistent.

[ November 14, 2001: Message edited by: Judy Pate ]

When I started out in '89 doing this, I drove to LA, and went door to door. Sometimes I would have to call on ten dealers before one would even let me do three cars for free, just to show them how it works. It was hard as heck to go after it that way day after day, but in the first month out there, I did $2200 worth. The advantage out there was that it was warm there and sub-freezing back here. Interestingly, I saw very little competition. Most dealers had seen or used windshields painting, but everyone complained that the service was inconsistent. After getting my chops down, I returned to the KC area and called on the many dealers I already knew here. My two competitors in this market died! One of a motorcycle accident and the other of throat cancer. Neither one of them really hit it very hard and picking up all the regulars was not that hard. In only a few months, I was doing the deal very respectfully. I now have 180 regulars who call me at least once a year to either do windshields or showrooms.

It is not hard work and there is always room for more to enter the market. I actually find competition very helpful as once the dealers see more using it, they all want it. They are alot like sheep. Baaaaa...

Stickers? I have removed enough stickers over the years to have roofed my house, I guess. Hate stickers! I have even tried handpainting on cling vinyl, thinking it would be a hit. NOT. They just do not use them. They get thrown in the back seat when someone testdrives. Nothing looks as good as a well painted w/s.

Another angle is to sell showroom windows at the same time. The money is alot better, but it is harder work. Ladders, more difficult design challenges. but get 50 regulars doing both and you will have a great business.