Auto Detailing Training Seminar – 3 Day Craftsman Class

Nick Vacco’s Auto Detailing Certification – Diploma Course, Pittsburgh, PA

If you are looking to start your own auto detailing business or want to take your current detailing business to the next level, now is the time to enroll in Detail King’s Auto Detailing Certification Classes.  We only enroll 12-15 students per Craftsman program so enroll early to guarantee a seat in one of the weekend classes. Detail King is the only private licensed exclusive auto detailing technical training, in which their programs are exclusively for auto detailing. We are a Pennsylvania private licensed technical training school and all graduates will be awarded a framed diploma. Our students come to our detailing school from all over the world and many have gone on to be very successful in operating their own auto detailing businesses. See what recent graduates are saying by checking out our Student Testimonials. View the 2022 Craftsman Seminar Dates. If you are located on the West Coast we offer a 2 Day Certification Technician Seminar. Nick Vacco’s Detail King Auto Detailing Training Institute now accepts educational benefits for approved Veterans for our Craftsman program in Pittsburgh. Learn More.

It is recommended before you attend any advanced paint correction or Ceramic Coating classes that you get the foundation built for both the Business Side and Hands On. It takes months or even longer to build up enough credibility in your market place to acquire customers that will pay $1000 – $2000 for a ceramic coating. Being trained and certified by the Detail King Auto Detailing Training Institute first will build a great foundation for your business and later the next logical step would be to get more paint correction training so you can offer coatings in your marketplace.

Auto Detailing Training for our Craftsman Program is a Three Day Marketing & Hands-On Training Seminar Class. Enrollment is limited to only 12 to 15 students and this training program is considered to be more of a “private auto detailing training class”. The First Day the student will be introduced to how to start, operate and grow his or her new auto detailing or mobile auto detailing business. It is basically the same course that we teach for the Technician Program except it is more “customized” based on these particular students’ individualized needs. Because the Craftsman Program enrolls between only 12 to 15 students the instructor can focus more on each student’s business objectives. Knowing the “business side” of operating and managing your auto detailing and reconditioning business is just as important as the actual hands-on methods and procedures. The first day is held on a Friday at our beautiful Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania campus. We now have a bigger and better Detail King Classroom to better serve our students for Day One of our seminars, please be sure to check out this video.

The student will receive more in-depth additional hands-on auto detailing training instruction and also be introduced to other profitable auto reconditioning services that they can provide once they have started their auto detailing business. Completely reconditioned pre-owned automobiles are becoming the norm for the typical car consumer today. New car prices are high, and payments on a brand new vehicle can be very high. A fully reconditioned pre-owned vehicle is the way to go. You will be able to provide auto reconditioning and paint correction services to the auto dealerships to make their vehicles more appealing. Besides having these vehicles cleaned and detailed the car dealers will want you to provide headlight restoration, plastic trim restoration, paint chip repair, carpet dying, cigarette burn repair, and odor removal. Our Craftsman Program will prepare you for this and teach you how to obtain auto dealership accounts. The Craftsman Program is the perfect auto detail training class for new business start-ups for individuals and small groups. As an added bonus for 2022 Craftsman Seminars, we will be conducting a Ceramic Coating demonstration to give the students an opportunity to learn more about ceramic coatings and how they are applied to the paint.

Why Choose Detail King for Auto Detailing Training?

Auto Detailing Training with the Craftsman’s Program is designed for students who want more individualized instruction. We spend an entire day on exterior detail training (Day 2) and an entire day on interior detail training (Day 3). The student to trainer ratio is about 3:1. The student will also be introduced to the additional profitable exterior and interior reconditioning services that are not part of the Technician Program curriculum. This auto detail training seminar is held monthly usually Friday through Sunday at our campus in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. All students that complete the course and graduate will receive a framed “Diploma”. Detail King Auto Detailing Training Institute is a private licensed school and all of our programs and curriculum have been approved by the Pennsylvania Dept. of Education. When considering attending an auto detailing training program make sure to ask if the institution is a private licensed school approved by their state and that you will be rewarded a Diploma and not just a certificate of completion. You are investing in your future and only deserve the very best and nothing less. This short video provides a perfect example of what you will see, learn, and hopefully do after training! 10 Tips For Starting a Car Detailing Business.

Besides having the advantage of attending a smaller class the student will be given the opportunity to learn “added value” auto reconditioning services. In addition to teaching the student the proper methods and procedures for professionally detailing a vehicle the student will be educated how to perform rock paint chip and scratch repair, headlight restoration, plastic trim restoration, carpet dying, interior odor removal, cigarette burn repair and see a step-by-step vinyl repair demonstration. What car today does not have rock paint chips? How many vehicles on the road have unsafe foggy headlights? Many used cars that are being prepared to be resold need these services performed and car dealers are seeking professionally trained individuals to provide these services for their pre-owned inventory. Most people can’t afford to buy a new car as often as they used to. Purchasing a great, professionally reconditioned pre-owned automobile is becoming a smart choice by intelligent buyers. Don’t let someone else reap the profits. Sign up for our program today and learn what it takes to be an auto reconditioning professional and reap the rewards!

Jimmy Williams, while a freshman in college enrolled and graduated from our training program a few years back. Jump forward 2 years later, Jimmy has been operating a part-time auto detailing business while majoring in Entrepreneurship and innovation at Butler University in Indiana. Detail King recently offered Jimmy a paid internship for the summer to work with our CEO Nick Vacco and the DK Marketing Team. To learn more about Jimmy’s journey since he graduated from our training course be sure to watch this video!

Be sure to check out the 3 videos below of “The Impossible Detail” that our previous classes accomplished with what we call “detailing one of the dirtiest cars in history.” In the first video a few our Detail King Team members removed the algae and moss. Then two recent training classes go to work on this 1982 190E Mercedes, Watch: Impossible Detail Exterior TrainingImpossible Detail Interior Training.

All Detail King Graduates will receive a special Detail King Certified eLogo that you can place on your web site. When your customers click on it, it will connect to a special landing page on our web site that explains that you have been Certified by Detail King! This will help you book more appointments.

Graduates will also receive a 6″ “Certified Car Detailer” sticker that can be proudly placed and displayed on your mobile rig or your shop door. This will show your customers and prospects that you have been certified at the Detail King Auto Detailing Training Institute which is actually a Big deal! This will help separate your business from your competitors as it will add credibility to what you do.

Certified Car Detailer

Seminar Details:

  • Presented by: Nick Vacco, Director of Detail King Auto Detailing Training Institute LLC
  • When: View Upcoming Seminar dates below.
  • Where: Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania – All 3 days of the Craftsman Program Seminar take place at the Detail King world headquarters at 947A Old Frankstown Rd. Pittsburgh, PA 15239. For lodging accommodations, we recommend the Hampton Inn in Monroeville PA, 15146. We have special lodging rates for students choosing to stay at the Hampton Inn Monroeville. The student will have access to all the amenities to make your stay memorable. Enjoy a FREE hot breakfast buffet available every morning, free high-speed WIFI internet in every room, and free parking for the length of your stay. The discounted rate for our students is $119 plus tax per night. You can call the Hampton to reserve your room 412-380-4000 or make room reservations online. The corporate account number you need is 0003141664, no other number is needed.
  • The Hampton Inn Monroeville is conveniently located right off of PA Turn Pike 376 and only about 7 minutes from the Detail King Campus. From the Pittsburgh International Airport, the Hampton Inn is approx. 33 miles via 376 East. Multiple delicious restaurants and entertainment attractions are also located within 5 minutes of Hampton Inn Monroeville, including Outback Steakhouse, Primanti Brothers, The Rivertown Pourhouse, Monroeville Mall, and much more! Come to the Hampton Inn Monroeville for the royal treatment and enjoy your stay like a King! For transportation from the Pittsburgh International Airport to the hotel, contact our sister company; Elite Coach Limousine at 724-325-2626. Their rates are better than a taxicab and they are more reliable.
  • Cost: 2022 Craftsman Seminar program the tuition cost is $1795. We also include a continental breakfast, catered lunch, and refreshments each day. All training materials and supplies needed are provided for all three days of the class including a PowerPoint presentation binder for the first day. Upon completion of the curriculum, the student will be awarded a framed diploma on Sunday at the end of the class. Class enrollment fills up quickly, it is best to enroll well before the seminar dates you choose to attend. Detail King Auto Detailing Training Institute is officially 14 years old in 2022 and we strive to exceed our student’s expectations with all of our training and educational components of these seminars.

Who Should Attend the Detail King 3-Day Craftsman Auto Detailing Training Seminar?

Future Auto Detailing Business Entrepreneurs and Current Auto Detail Business Owners, Managers and Sales Personnel from anywhere in the country. This course is for both Mobile & Fixed Auto Detail Shop Operators. If you are in the Auto Detailing Business or are thinking about starting your own business – Part Time or Full Time, You Should Not Miss this Educational Detail Training Event!

Car Wash owners and operators are also urged to attend if you are thinking about adding auto detailing or express car detailing to your operation. For individuals who are interested in changing careers and seeking gainful employment in this field, our course will serve to be extremely helpful.

Described below are the main differences between the 2 Day Technician Seminar in California and the 3 Day Craftsman Seminar in Pittsburgh:
1)    The Craftsman class costs more than the Technician program – $1795 Tuition cost per student for the 2022 seminar program. You are awarded a diploma upon graduation for the Craftsman Seminar in Pittsburgh.
2)    In addition to teaching the auto detailing training that is included with the Technician seminar we teach auto reconditioning services as listed below in Lab 1 & Lab 2
3)  We only take up to 15 students for our auto detailing seminars, so there is more individualized instruction with a 3:1 Student To Trainer Ratio.
4)    The first day for both seminar programs is very much the same. We teach the “business side” for operating your detailing business.

Craftsman Auto Detailing Course
Day 1 – Friday

Craftsman Auto Detailing Course
Day 2 & 3 – Saturday & Sunday

Laying Out The Groundwork

  • Develop a business plan
  • Determine if there is a demand in your area
  • Investigate local environmental laws with EPA
  • Check out the competition
  • Permits and licenses needed
  • Business structure
  • Business bank account
  • Determine the types of vehicles you will detail

Setting Up Shop/Mobile Operation

  • Choose a location
  • Determine type of vehicle & mobile equipment
  • Purchase adequate insurance
  • Communication system
  • Acquire a business credit card
  • Set up merchant credit card acceptance
  • Investigate state, city and county laws
  • Environmental issues requiring compliance

Advertising & Promotion

  • Choose a business name
  • Develop an advertising budget
  • Create a company logo for branding
  • Design professional-looking business cards
  • Design a service menu
  • Create specialty flyers
  • Display your company name
  • Dress for success
  • Promote your new venture
  • Promote your expertise
  • Website & Internet promotion
  • Yellow page advertising
  • Direct mail & email campaigns
  • Print media advertising
  • Cold calling – face to face campaigns

Operational Issues – Exterior

  • Determine what type of reconditioning a vehicle needs
  • Determine paint condition
  • Check for environmental fallout
  • Check for paint overspray
  • Check for scratches and micro marring
  • Check for paint over-spray, tree sap, excessive tar
  • Check for rock paint chips
  • Check for faded plastic trim
  • Check for foggy headlights
  • Excessively soiled convertible roof
  • Loose emblems and trim
  • Excessively dirty wheels
  • Paint in wheel wells
  • Condition of glass – water mark etching

Operational Issues – Interior

  • Customer’s personal items
  • Vacuuming and air purging process
  • Pet hair removal
  • Seating surfaces condition
  • Excessively dirty carpets/mats
  • Faded carpets
  • Vinyl and leather condition
  • Red stains/coffee stain removal
  • Headliner cleaning/condition
  • Foul odor removal process
  • Vacuuming and air purging

History of Base/Coat/Clear Coat Paints

  • EPA and auto paint companies involvement
  • base coat/clear coat process
  • Pros and cons of base coat/clear coat paint
  • How to protect base coat/clear coat paint
  • How to sell paint protection to prospects

Auto Detailing Clay

  • Benefits of using clay
  • Different clay grades and their use
  • How to sell clay detailing services

Service Menu Review – Features/Benefits

  • Review engine compartment services and precautions
  • Review exterior detailing services
  • Review interior detailing services
  • Review added-value services
  • Review detailing packages
  • Review new vehicle protection packages
  • Review VIP plans/cosmetic maintenance
  • Review the spectrum of services

Equipment & Supplies Needed

  • Mobile wash equipment and trailers
  • Vacuums and extractors
  • Exterior detailing chemicals
  • Interior detailing chemicals
  • Supplies, products and tools
  • Towels, applicators and brushes
  • Detailing terms glossary

Marketing & Prospecting

  • Definition of marketing and prospecting
  • Chamber of Commerce program and benefits
  • Promote at car clubs and show
  • Automotive business networking
  • Opportunities at dealerships
  • Opportunities at on-site locations
  • Target market niches
  • Insurance companies
  • Affluent health clubs
  • Real estate agencies
  • Transportation companies
  • Stand-alone car washes
  • Office building blitzes
  • Doctors/hospitals
  • Flea markets
  • On-site promotions
  • Welcome wagon
  • Referral program
  • Overspray removal accounts
  • Car rental agencies
  • Police and county vehicles
  • Food delivery services
  • Pet mobiles
  • Kid mobiles
  • Collector cars
  • Tractor trailer cabs

Reoccurring Revenue

  • Doing the job is only half the job
  • 2 to 8 Rule
  • Customer retention
  • Marketing/sales funnel
  • Success and failure
  • Learn to listen to customer needs
  • Propose a solution
  • Understand the “buying signs”
  • Understand the “right to fail”
  • Understand the “opportunity to win”

Costs and Profit Margins

  • Understand your costs
  • Determine your margins
  • Look for ways to increase margins
  • Always maintain quality of service
  • Review hourly overhead formula
  • Determine what you should charge

Questions & Answers

  • The students are able to ask any questions to the instructors before the class ends.

Chemical and Equipment Overview

  • Polishes – glazes – compounds – waxes – sealants
  • Exterior soaps, degreasers, cleaners
  • Interior soaps and aerosols
  • Dress products for exterior and interior
  • Plastic trim dyes
  • Carpet dyes
  • Non-silicone products

Auto Detailing Tools and Accessories

  • Brushes
  • Chamois and wash mitts
  • Applicators and dressing pads
  • Towels and micro-fiber products
  • Detailing tools and accessories
  • Bottles & chemical storage

Equipment Being Used For The Day

  • High-speed rotary buffers (3)
  • Orbital polishers (4)
  • Hot water extractors
  • Air movers/interior dyes
  • Vapor steamers
  • High-pressure washers
  • Low-pressure washers
  • Air compressors
  • Generators
  • Mobile trailers

Exterior Wash, Prep and Engine

  • Check for any existing damage and document
  • Review washing steps
  • Tips to avoid scratching vehicle
  • Check for loose accessories
  • Select proper brushes
  • Select proper cleaners, degreasers
  • Wheels and wheel well cleaning
  • Door jamb degreasing
  • Bug removal
  • Engine compartment prep and cleaning
  • Moldings and trim cleaning
  • Prep rinse
  • Handwash and rinse
  • Plastic bag test for contaminants
  • Claying of vehicle
  • Chamois drying and water blade use
  • Tar removal
  • Tape uneven body panels
  • Tape plastic trim, cracks, crevices

Exterior Detailing Training: Paint Condition and Inspection

  • Oxidized and faded paint
  • Clear coat environmentally polluted paints
  • Tree sap overspray
  • Micro scratch removal (micro marring)
  • Water spots and acid rain removal
  • Road paint overspray removal
  • Surface scratches

Exterior Buffing, Polishing and Sealing

  • Deep scratch removal through wet sanding
  • Various paint blemish issues
  • Rotary buffer techniques
  • Compounding and glazing techniques
  • Orbital polisher techniques
  • Wax and sealant application
  • Dressing of tires, wheel wells and trim
  • Smear-free cleaning of windows and mirrors
  • Tips for the perfect detail
  • Final hand polishing and buffing
  • Removal of fine swirls
  • How to create a showroom finish even if paint was severely damaged
  • Ongoing paint cosmetic maintenance
  • Use of extra light-duty clay bar well after detail
  • Spray painting of exposed frame rails
  • Acid rain removal from glass
  • Final inspection of exterior
  • Presentation to customer

Interior Detailing Training: Inspection Of Interior

  • Check for damage components, missing buttons, levers, etc.
  • Check for and bag customer’s loose items
  • Check for unusual or potent odors
  • Look for red stains/coffee stains
  • Determine condition of leather and vinyl
  • Determine condition of upholstery

Vacuuming and Air Purging

  • Safety glasses • floorboards • under seats
  • Rear shelf • console • cracks and crevices

Interior Scrubbing Of Components

  • Headliner cleaning and precautions
  • Dashboard cleaning and detailing
  • Steering wheel and steering column cleaning
  • Door panel cleaning and detailing
  • Gas and brake pedal cleaning and safety precautions
  • Center console/glove compartment cleaning & detailing
  • Leather seat cleaning
  • Pre spot carpet/upholstery stains
  • Red stain/coffee stain removal
  • Traffic area soap application
  • Power scrubbing of heavily soiled areas including mats

Heated Interior Soil Extractor Usage

  • Major components of extractor equipment
  • Operation of extractor
  • Hands-on techniques for use of upholstery soil extraction
  • Hands-on techniques for use of carpet/mats soil extraction
  • Maintenance & prevention review of extractor
  • Check for faded carpets that may need dye
  • Apply fabric protection to upholstery/carpets

Trunk Cleaning and Shampooing

  • Wear protective eyewear
  • Clean trunk underside lid and quick wax if needed
  • Purge compressed air onto carpet/floor to loosen debris
  • Hand scrub with shampoo, then gently extract

Dressing, Chrome, & Plastic Trim

  • High-gloss dressing of all vinyl components
  • Low-gloss optional dressing of vinyl components
  • Aerosol spray dressing of AC vents/pockets/console
  • Conditioning of leather seating surfaces
  • Plastic and chrome trim hand polishing and smear removal
  • Wood grain cleaning and conditioning
  • Windows and mirror cleaning/polishing

Interior Final Inspection & Customer Prep

  • Check for smears and smudges
  •  Check for lint deposits
  • Check overall appearance of seats and carpets
  • Place static cling reminder sticker for next detailing service
  • Move vehicle outside and cover up or make contact with customer to have vehicle picked up or delivered
  • Customer presentation and walk around
  • Complete customer paperwork/ask for referrals

Additional Exterior Reconditioning Services
Saturday – Lab 1

Additional Interior Reconditioning & Ceramic Coating Services
Sunday – Lab 2

Paint Chip Repair

  • Evaluate rock paint chips
  • Paint application methods – shoe polish method/squeegee method
  • Excess paint removal
  • Final polish process
  • Customer marketing approaches

Plastic Trim Restoration

  • Evaluate plastic components
  • Mirrors, door handles, moldings, running boards, wheel flairs
  • Masking and preparation
  • Applying dye
  • Customer marketing approaches

Headlight Restoration

  • Evaluation of headlights to be restored
  • Cleaning steps
  • Preparation methods
  • Sanding procedures
  • Hand buffing
  • Final glazing
  • Customer marketing approaches

Dying of Carpeting & Mats

  • Preparation of articles to be dyed
  • Liquid dye application
  • Aerosol dye application
  • Apply plastic sticky mats for protection

Mal Odor Elimination

  • Removal of source causing the odor
  • Cleaning and deodorization methods
  • Definition of Ozone
  • Ozone generator operation
  • Ozone treatment
  • Ozone precautions
  • Customer marketing approaches

Cigarette Burn Repair

  • Repair cigarette burn holes in fabric/carpet

Ceramic Coating Demonstrations

  • Ceramic Coating paint application demonstration
  • Ceramic Coating maintenance demonstration
  • Ceramic Coating trim demonstration
  • Ceramic Coating glass demonstration
  • Ceramic Coating express services demonstrations

As you can see we cover a ton of information during this three-day class. Many of our previous students have gone on to become very successful auto detailing entrepreneurs as mobile detailing operators, detail shop owners, professional detailers, and detail shop foreman. If you would like to register for this course please contact a Detail King Auto Detailing Training Institute representative or enroll below online!

Auto detailing is very labor intense, that is why it is so important to know all the steps and how to perform them in the right order and execute those steps properly. You can save a lot of time by knowing the proper methods and procedures to professionally detail a car, truck or van. We will teach you all of this at our seminars. Shown below are some of the components of auto detailing and auto reconditioning that we will be teaching and coaching you at our Craftsman Auto Detailing Training Seminars. Take a look at them just so you can get a good feel for what you may be doing.

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DETAIL KING AUTO DETAILING TRAINING INSTITUTE LLC

947 Old Frankstown Road • Pittsburgh, PA 15239
724-325-0008 • Fax 724 325 4506