The Lawn & Garden Center in Gulfport, Miss., displays its Briggs & Stratton pressure washers equally part of a tractor/trailer combination.

Rural lifestylers can use pressure washers in many ways, including cleaning cars, equipment, driveways, siding, gutters, animal pens, decks, patios, trash bins — and just about anything else that gets dirty. Some rural lifestyle dealers serve the market with low-end models, simply other dealers have found opportunities by selling higher quality models and backing upwardly those sales with service expertise.

More Good Brands than Good Dealers

J & S Equipment serves customers from three locations covering Northern California (Agree, Stockton and Sacramento). They carry several lines of pressure washers including Alkota, AaLadin, HydroTek, Karcher and Force per unit area Pro.

Howie Ditkof of J & South knows the risks and rewards that come up with entering the pressure washer market. He bought J & S Equipment in 2001 later on losing his chore in another industry due to economic turmoil.

"The pressure washer industry is all the same immature with dealership owners now retiring. The second and third generation may non desire to have over which, forth with the economy over the past vii years, is starting to drive a consolidation of the dealers," says Ditkof. "Information technology seems like there were many dealers in the '70s and '80s when the industry was forming. Nevertheless, many of these companies have disappeared or changed directions. There aren't as many outlets as there once were for good manufacturers, with fewer and fewer dealers roofing very large geographies."

Fewer dealers may mean less competition and better opportunity to expand in the pressure washer market or enter new markets. Ditkof offers this advice to dealers considering taking on the product: "There are lots of opportunities just lots of risks if yous don't know what you lot are doing." He adds "if yous can't service something, you probably shouldn't be selling it, at to the lowest degree with this type of equipment."

J & S Equipment has a large and various client base with industrial companies driving the business concern in the Bay Area and agricultural related companies driving the business in California'southward central valley.

Howie Ditkof of J & Southward Equipment in Northern California entered the pressure washer marketplace from another manufacture considering he believed in its potential. He's had success selling several lines of washers and his dealership is expanding, thanks to a solid product lineup and not bad customer service.

"We serve small-scale and big farms and vineyards along with many companies who back up the farming industry," he says.

Relationships Dominion

Ditkof'south advice for success lies not in some industry trade cloak-and-dagger just in good, old-fashioned customer service.

"One of the reasons we sell a lot of Alkota is because it has world grade components, it's put together well and they rarely interruption. And if they do? They're easy to fix," Ditkof says. "We pride ourselves on our service response time. The customer never notices you until they need you lot and they call back how fast you tin help them. It's all about relationships, not merchandise secrets. Information technology'southward still the people. Equipment is important, simply information technology really boils down to client service," he says.

Ditkof credits the positive attributes virtually each of the product lines he carries and says relationships also cistron into which manufacturer's product he sells.

"Our bang-up human relationship with Alkota helps when there is a rare quality problem. We are able to give them quick feedback and they can help figure out what acquired the problem and make certain it does not happen again. This has happened with a component they were buying, which turned out to be defective," he says.

Ditkof also says that just because a piece of equipment may seem easy to apply and gear up, that isn't e'er the case. "Make sure you can repair what you sell. The stupidest things tin happen — and they will. Nosotros sold a car ii weeks ago to a large retail store. It was a 13 horsepower Alkota unit. We got a phone call a calendar week and a half later and they said information technology wasn't working. It turns out someone had put diesel in the gasoline engine, then nosotros had to go pick it up and make clean it out. Now, it'due south running fine. We're well equipped to handle whatsoever repair that may come up, merely non anybody is. For example, I one time received a call from an electrician who was trying to ready ane of our units. He spent a day and a half and didn't know what he was doing. We could have done it in a few hours. That'due south why I circumspection people against selling something they can't service. You'll upset major customers and they'll go elsewhere," Ditkof says.

Promote the many uses of power washers to rural lifestylers, including cleaning equipment, fences, homes, sheds and more. Shown is the Briggs & Stratton Professional person Series OHV Gas Model.

And then what does Ditkof suggest if y'all'd like to enter or expand in the pressure washer marketplace, just you're non certain if y'all take the proper repair resources? "Find someone to bargain with as a 'sub dealer.' Make sure you partner with the right person. Check out their reputation and product lines. Nosotros've got several sub dealers who sell for us, which helps us cover a huge geography. Ideally, we put displays in dealerships where they're already selling tractors, etc. Nosotros can be a great partner because nosotros know how to set them and we'll keep their customers happy," he says.

Service Over Sales

Roy Schwartz at Swiss Perfection in Syracuse, Ind., echoes Ditkof's sentiments about the importance of beingness able to service what you sell. Swiss Perfection is a manufacturer and equipment dealer and carries H2o Cannon pressure washers.

"We're generally a welder/steel fabricator and manufacturer. We make livestock containment equipment. When our customers need a way to keep those containment systems clean, we're here to assistance," says Schwartz. "A lot of residential units, or direct drive units, are sold through large box stores. Nosotros carry the Water Cannon line, the belt bulldoze kind with a serviceable pump. It's more of a commercial grade unit of measurement. And so many hog and duck producers around here were trying to buy the cheap ones and they don't last. They needed a better product line to get the task washed.

"Information technology's not fair to the consumer if you don't provide service. We actually used to make our own model, but information technology was more economical to sell ane made by a big manufacturer. Over the past 5 years, our business has been steady. We sell 30-50 a year," he says.

Swiss Perfection relies on client retention and relationships to grow its company. "To be honest, nosotros don't spend much fourth dimension promoting. Nosotros sell to people we deal with already. We just focus on taking care of them," Schwartz says.

Paths to Sales Success

Lawn & Garden Center in Gulfport, Miss., carries a full line of outdoor power equipment, including chainsaws, mowers, blowers, pressure washers and more than. Butch Richmond founded the company in 1974 and assumes many roles at the dealership, including being a Briggs & Stratton master technician.

"Nosotros serve a lot of weekend warriors, people who own 15-20 acres. We've also got a lot of customers who take boats they demand to clean off. Those of us in the lawn and garden business are similar farmers. We purchase products and if we have rain and sunshine, our crops grow. Nosotros make sales. If we have drought, we fail," Richmond says.

Business has been good for Richmond and Briggs & Stratton pressure washer sales are steady. "Pressure washers are the side by side greatest invention since running h2o. It's a heck of a way to clean equipment. Our top selling models are anything that's three,000 psi and above," he says.

Butch Richmond, owner of Backyard & Garden Centre in Gulfport, Miss., isn't concerned about contest from large box stores because he says the lesser quality models they generally sell fail to hold up. Customers then come to his dealership for a better product and his service expertise.

Richmond says the Briggs & Stratton product line is one of the reasons he'southward had such success and another is his power to find opportunities where others might meet challenges.

"Let the big box stores sell the small-scale finish stuff. It'due south not competition. Information technology's a stepping rock. People have an interest in force per unit area washers, buy ane from there and then discover out they're not going to last. They'll have it maybe half dozen months to a year and then the repair costs are more than it's worth. They'll come to usa looking for expertise," he says. "In that location aren't a lot of commercial pressure level washer dealers. Y'all've got to have population to support the sales, only more importantly, yous've got to service what y'all sell. Customer retentivity is the 'domestic dog wagging the tail.' After you've captured their business, you lot've got to go on them. Service is the well-nigh intricate piece of the puzzle," Richmond says.

Ability in Presentation

Then how does Richmond make the auction once he gets an unsatisfied large box customer in his store? It's all about presentation, both of the production and its benefits. "We display our Snapper tractor with a wagon attached and a pressure washer in the railroad vehicle. Customers encounter that and say, 'Wow, I can put a railroad vehicle on the back of the lawnmower' and 'Hey, I can put a force per unit area washer in there.' It'due south a great way to showcase how it can operate and be efficient for the homeowner," he says.

Some other way Richmond presents his force per unit area washers is through logic. "Our biggest challenge is converting people from a cost mentality to a quality mentality. In order to start that off, I remind them that while they can become buy i cheaper, and maybe they already accept, it's not going to be efficient. It takes longer to go the chore done and yous apply more h2o, fuel and time. You could be out line-fishing or golfing with all that extra time. And here on the declension, water is billed equally sewage for every gallon used. Then if you use xxx gallons to wash your home, it'southward charged every bit 30 gallons of sewage. You've got to know your community. That bit of information right there is plenty to seal many deals. I tell them to get big and get it washed," he says.

Don't dominion out commercial-grade pressure washers, like this Alkota model. They may be more expensive, just necessary for certain types of cleaning jobs.

Visit the Customer

Rod Wertz of M&M Pump in Clinton, Ill., takes his dealership to his customers. His concern sells and services Alkota force per unit area washer products. While the dealership does have a exhibit, Wertz prefers to demonstrate pressure washers right in his customers' backyards.

"We sell from 150-170 units per twelvemonth. Ideally, we like to demo the product on site, so customers can get a feel for what they're trying to accomplish. I find out how much equipment they have, ask about what kind of water resources are bachelor and prove them their options from low to mid to high cease. Once people run across it in activity, once their tractor is cleaned apace and efficiently right before their optics, information technology's hard for them to turn it down," Wertz says.

For some dealers, hands-on equipment demonstrations may not be feasible, merely Wertz feels information technology's worth the time investment. "It used to be that everyone was cost shopping, but we accept a reputation of servicing what nosotros sell. That factors in big with these customers. I go to encounter but near everyone who buys the unit and nosotros form a human relationship. I take pride in my units and if I have care of everyone I sell to, it'll mean more than sales down the road. That's something that we strive to do all the fourth dimension. We accept repeat customers. I've seen customers' kids grow up and purchase them when they have their own farm," he says.

Don't Dominion Out Hot H2o

Wertz says that some dealers may take difficulties selling the more expensive hot water models, just that blazon is the bulk of what he sells.

"I've noticed over the years that people practice a lot of research on the Internet before contacting us. Our average sale is $three,500-$four,500, but information technology'southward a 'drib in the bucket' compared to the investment they've fabricated in all of their property and equipment. If this motorcar tin continue it all make clean and help remove oil, grease and other harmful contaminants, it's well worth it," says Wertz. "With grain prices where they've been the past few years, people are investing. Fifty-fifty smaller farmers are looking to upgrade to smaller hot water pressure units, like a 110 volt, iii gallons at 1,100 psi," he says.

Wertz increases sales by taking trade-ins and selling refurbished units. "Nosotros're one of the few that volition take trade-ins. Some we will tear apart completely and rebuild. People actually want the hot water units and if this is something we tin practice to assistance them get one in their budget, nosotros will. I had a hobby farmer sell out and semi-retire. He sold his pressure washer and came back to me a year later and said 'I tin't believe I sold my washer. Now I'm collecting antiquarian tractors and I demand something to get the grease, pigment and oil off.' We knew he didn't desire to sacrifice quality, and so we hooked him up with a used unit," Wertz says.