1. Pick one type of detailer first
Start with solo or two-van mobile detailers doing 10 to 40 jobs a week. They feel the pain of double bookings and no-shows the most and decide on the spot. Skip big shops with front desks and fleet contracts for now.
2. Find them on Google Maps and Instagram
Search Google Maps for "mobile detailing" in 3 or 4 mid-size cities and list 50 businesses with a phone number. On Instagram, search hashtags like #mobiledetailing and #[yourcity]detailing and note accounts whose bio says "DM to book" or links to a plain phone number. Those are your best leads because they have no booking system.
3. Join the communities where they talk shop
Read r/AutoDetailing and r/sweatystartup, plus Facebook groups like "Mobile Detailing Business Owners" and local detailer groups. Search inside them for "booking app", "no-show", "Square appointments" and "Urable" to find people already unhappy with their setup. Answer their questions honestly before you ever mention your product.
4. Send a short, specific message
DM or text the owner directly, since they are the one who decides. Example: "Hey Mike, saw you take bookings through DMs. I'm building a simple booking tool for mobile detailers that handles deposits and travel zones. Could I set it up for you free for a month and get your honest feedback?" Send 15 to 20 a day and follow up once after three days.
5. Do the setup for them
Detailers are busy and will not read docs. Get on a 15-minute call, add their services, prices, service area and deposit rule yourself, and send them their booking link. Ask them to put it in their Instagram bio and Google Business Profile while you are on the call.
6. Charge early and tie it to money saved
After two weeks, ask them to pay. Frame it around one prevented no-show: "If the deposit feature saved you one cancelled $200 ceramic job this month, it paid for itself." A founding price like $19 a month locked for life gets a fast yes without discounting forever.
7. Ask every customer for two names
Detailers know other detailers from supply shops, trainings and local groups. Ask: "Who else do you know running mobile who still books by text?" A warm intro from a peer closes far faster than any cold DM.
8. Keep a daily routine
Track every lead in a simple sheet: name, city, channel, last message, next step. Spend one hour a day on new outreach and one on follow-ups until you hit 10 paying customers. Hulby, an AI cofounder, can find these leads and draft the outreach for you each day.
People asking this right now
Real, public posts from the last few weeks. Each one is somebody you could help today.
Mistakes to skip
- Posting about your app in groups instead of messaging owners one by one.
- Building features like fleet management before 10 solo detailers pay.
- Giving free access with no end date, so nobody ever converts.
- Selling software features instead of fewer no-shows and less time texting.
Want this done for your booking software for mobile car detailers, every day?
Hulby finds the people asking for what you built, writes every reply and email, and keeps you on it until they pay. Free to start.
Find my first customersQuestions
Should I offer it free at first?
Offer a short free setup period, like 30 days, with a clear paid price after. Open-ended free trials rarely convert.
Cold calling or DMs?
Both work. DM those active on Instagram, call those on Google Maps with only a phone number, ideally early morning or evening.
What if they already use Square or Urable?
Ask what annoys them about it. Pitch only if you solve that specific gap, such as travel fees or service areas.
How long should 10 customers take?
With 15 to 20 messages a day and quick setups, many founders get there in a few weeks. Consistency matters more than the pitch.