Be the Expert — or Get Left Behind.

You know what drives me nuts? When people in any industry turn down the opportunity to be the expert.

If I’m going to be a barista, I’m going to learn everything there is to know about coffee.

If I’m going to be a bartender, I’m going to learn all about alcohol.

If you’re a server at a restaurant and someone asks what’s good, you should have an informed opinion—tailored to that customer.

I had the exact opposite happen to me with a hat order. I know exactly what shirts I like, but I wanted a professional-looking hat.

I asked the person what I should get, and her reply was, “I’m not a hat person, I don’t know.”

That’s the problem.

If you’re going to be in the detailing industry, what separates you from your competition—among other things—is your ability to listen to your customer’s pain points, speak directly to them, and, where appropriate, introduce ideas that show your expertise and experience.

I can’t tell you how many times I’ve had potential customers on the fence about which shop to use—but my questions and my answers gave them no alternative.

A great example was a King Ranch owner I worked with years back.

I didn’t just throw a price at him. I knew he had a King Ranch. I knew he worked construction. I knew he loved his truck. But for some reason, he wasn’t booking.

So I pointed out that he had old-school open-pore leather seats, and they needed to be cleaned and conditioned properly. I explained that we used a specific product for King Ranch leather—and why.

He said, “Okay, let’s get it done.”

We finished the job, he left a three-figure tip, and I asked why he finally decided to use us.

His answer: “You were the only ones who knew what you were doing.”

Now, that wasn’t entirely true. What was true is we were the only ones who explained what his problem was—and exactly how we were going to fix it.

I’ve had that same experience with ceramic coatings and Tesla owners with white interiors.

Chevy owners with Alcantara.

This world is full of people who claim to be experts on social media. But ironically, where being the expert actually pays dividends—they don’t do it.

Whatever segment of this industry you want to be in, be the expert.

And get over that fear of rejection.