Marketingtipps 60-145

Successful with advertising and marketing

Alongside your workers, advertising and marketing are the central points in your business concept, and actually cover all the other areas, in the broadest sense. With the way you appear, you can create a brand that attracts attention and wins over and retains customers. You should see car wash marketing as a sound investment in future revenues, rather than a pointless outlay or a waste of time.

General Measures and Strategies

60.	Keep a record of ideas and experiments that proved to be successful. Your wash facility can be made even more efficient when good ideas are fully exploited and by not repeating earlier mistakes.
61.	Let friends and relatives test your facility or engage test washers equipped with checklists. You'll get valuable tips doing this which will only cost you a couple of complimentary car washes.
62.	Ensure that your advertising doesn't depict your service as being cheap, hut Rather as being of high quality. Customers value quality and the additional profit you earn can be used for further improvements.
63.	Set up a customer file to track the preferences of your key customers (e.g. managers of company car fleets) and use these for targeted advertising campaigns. This way customers will notice that they are valued and will stay faithful to you.
64.	Now days, every internet provider (e.g. AOL...) offers its customers the opportunity to create their own home page. Use this medium. An internet address is an economical means to inform your customers of your location and service offerings.
65.	According to scientific studies, the colour red increases blood pressure and causes nervousness, whereas blue and pink have a relaxing effect. Keep these factors in mind when you design signs or fashion your site.
66.	When you as entrepreneur need a product or service, try to procure it from one of your best customers.
67.	As car care and maintenance specialist, you should accept all major credit cards. This might cost you some money, but will help you to sell customers more extensive car care programs.
68.	Marketing experts recommend that car wash operators spend five to ten percent of their revenues for PR and advertising.
69.	Ask every customer how he learned of your facility. This will help you to accurately gauge which advertising was most effective and if you've selected the proper medium.
70.	If your advertising has not paid off you should not hesitate to temporarily stop the advertising. lt could be that everyone is already familiar with your facility or that you've since reached your maximum market share. Maybe you've got problems with your image or service. If that's the case you should try to resolve these issues first.
71.	There are two things a media expert should be able to provide you immediately: Ideas on how you can best reach your target audience(s) and detailed knowledge about these target audience(s).lf he's not in a position to do this, don't waste your money. Look for someone else instead.
72.	If you've contracted with an advertising agency you should share in a discussion of budget issues. You should also give your approval for all ideas and concepts. Don't, however, get involved in day-today activities. Experts need enough freedom of action to do their work. No one works well with someone constantly looking over their shoulder.
73.	Always make sure to draw up a plan for your business goals. Include in it advertising, employee training and other business related processes.
74.	Take a look at marketing ideas used in other similar companies. Don 't hesitate to copy them to a certain extent. Learn from the successes and failures of your competitors.
75.	Never concentrate your advertising in one medium alone. A combination of different media enhances the effectiveness and thus the return on each »advertising investment«.

How You Can Use Special Events to Boost Your Business

76.	Set up a »gold customer club« whose members receive special services and offers.
77.	Promotional events which appeal to both adults and children improve your image and will win you new customers.
78.	During Christmas time, time a stand in a shopping centre where you can sell gift certificates.
79.	Sell packs of 10 cards for the cost of nine single washes or give out a complimentary car wash with the purchase of each 10-pack.
80.	Offer volume discounts to companies with car fleets, car rental agencies or car dealers in order to will them over as customers. Customers like these are especially desirable since they'll use your service on a regular basis and are not influenced by the seasons or the weather.
81.	In designing events and advertising, be sure to keep in mind that announcements such as »gifts«, »rewards«,»promotional gift« or »gift for coupon« are [sometimes] prohibited in accordance with statutes covering free gifts and bonuses.
82.	Provide your customers with a rebate in kind (e.g. free undercarriage wash) or a complimentary car wash on their birthdays. Be sure to discuss the exact wording of such an event with your solicitor ahead of time.
83.	Give people who have just bought a new car either a complimentary car wash or at least a discount as a means of testing your services. Most car dealers would jump at the chance to hand out such a promotional gift and the proud new car owners will quickly get used to washing their cars at your station. Here as well you need to ensure the legality of this type activity.

How You can Optimise Your Print Advertising

84.	Advertisements in church or club newspapers can be an effective and economical war of advertising.
85.	Sponsor an advertisement on a city bus or some other means of public transportation if such is offered by your community transportation agency. An approach such as this is more a demonstration of community support than a clever advertising tactic. Nonetheless it does reflect a favourable image of your company.
86.	Devise a saying or slogan to describe an important difference between you and the competition. Slogans such as the »car wash pro« or »perfection in car care« can draw customer attention to your car wash. The slogan should contain no more than seven words so that customers can remember it better.

What You Need to Watch out for With Coupons and Flyers.

87.	Use coupons only to offer free services, never price advantages. In case of doubt, discuss the exact wording of such coupons with your solicitor.
88.	Include an expiration date on all coupons in order to limit your financial commitments. Of course you can always gladly accept coupons which have passed their expiration dates.
89.	Count and retain all coupons used. Doing this allows you to evaluate your marketing success.
90.	80 % of the revenues from the car wash business originate from a customer base radius of five to a maximum of 3-5 miles. Keep this in mind when you distribute coupons or flyers. If you're unsure, try to determine your catchment area by doing a focused survey of your customers.
91.	Distribute coupons for complimentary car washes to local sports teams. The teams can use the coupons as prizes for drawings or hand them out to others.
92.	The coupon header should always be appealing. Your name and what is being offered should always be printed in capital letters.
93.	The actual offer should be placed inside a box with dashed lines or highlighted in colour. The reader needs only ten seconds to decide if he's going to keep the coupon or not. This method ensures that attention is immediately drawn to the most important part of the coupon.
94.	You can make flyers yourself in copy shops. Flyers are an economical alternative to traditional advertising.
95.	Co-ordinate with a restaurant or other business in the neighbourhood to distribute each other's flyers, coupons or business cards.
96.	Don't hesitate to accept expired coupons. Many customers will visit just because of the coupon and it would be nice to will them over as steady customers.
97.	Coupons can be printed on the reverse side of grocery store register receipts or parking tickets. This is inexpensive and effective.
98.	Design and publish a customer brochure that explains the various environmental factors their vehicles are exposed to. Also explain to them how your wash programs counteract these effects. A customer who knows this will be happy to spend a bit more.

Count and retain all coupons used.

99.	By offering an additional free service, such as giving away litter bags and window cloths, you can give your customers one more reason to visit your car wash. To ensure that this service doesn't cost more than it brings in, you should first ask the customer if he wishes to have the items.
100.	Promotional gifts with your company printed on them are a great form of advertising and are usually items kept and used by both your employees and your customers.
101.	Advertise and guarantee your customers total satisfaction. Your customers will be more trusting and confident when they come to your car wash.
102.	Initiate a customer survey and take your customers' suggestions to heart.
103.	Put aside one afternoon every three months to call your best (corporate) customers to thank them for their loyalty and solicit their feedback.
104.	Your service performance should be designed for the convenience of your customer, not you.
105.	Place promotional materials and customer club application forms next to the cash register or hand them out when the customer pars.
106.	If customers don't need a particular service, then tell them so. You '11 be making yourself more trustworthy and honest in their eyes.
107.	Place mints and thank you notes - perhaps with a coupon inside - on the dashboard of all the cars you service. Your customers take note of such small gestures.
108.	Co-operate with a chemist or perfumery and distribute fragrance and cosmetic samples to your customers. This will allow you to easily and effectively bring across the concept of good care.
109.	Offer to drive the customers vehicle into the car wash for them. This will avoid accidents caused by unsure drivers and also offers them a value-added service.

Business Success through Mailings

110.	In mailings, make sure you address the person you wish to contact directly. The name and address of the recipient must always be totally correct.
111.	Limit the size of the mailing to one letter size (A4) page and make sure that the offer you're making stands out. The KISS principle applies (Keep It Simple & Stupid). Keep your mailing simple and easy to read. The greatest effect will be generated by doing it this way. Each paragraph should contain no more than six or seven lines.
112.	The AIDA formula has proven itself effective in practice. It states that you first have to get Attention, then raise Interest and Desire for the offering, which finally leads to an Action by the person being addressed. Bear in mind: If the reader cannot identify any advantage within the first 20 seconds, he'll lose interest in your mailing.
113.	For a small amount of money you can get pocketbooks in any bookstore with tips for mailing campaigns. Use these valuable ideas in your direct marketing effort. Let your purchase decision be based on how well the book is geared toward practical application.
114.	When you send your customers an advertisement by post, make sure that the envelope is designed to pique the customers curiosity so that they'll open and lead it. When corresponding with your customers in writing, make sure all your letters are signed. If the correspondence is all pre-printed, then your signature should be in a different colour than the body of the letter. If the letter is so unimportant that you don't need to sign it, then it will certainly be of no importance to your customers.
115.	You can also use postcards when writing directly to your customers. They're more likely to be read than letters.

Four Tips for Better Public Relations Work

116.	Join groups and afflliations: Members of organisations orten help and support each other. In addition you can make contact with other entrepreneurs and leading personalities in your vicinity.
117.	Support public service activities and let non-profit organisations sell gift certificates for your car wash in order to generate funds.
118.	Prepare a step-by-step strategy to use should you for any reason be the victim of bad press coverage. In such an instance, it's a statement quickly released which may save your operation's image.
119.	Support (youth) athletic teams with printed T-shirts or training suits. This makes for good publicity and your name is always being mentioned.

Greater Profit Using Carefully Thought-Out Pricing

120.	Always raise your prices when you introduce a new service. Show your customers that improved service is worth more money. Otherwise your customers won't understand why they suddenly have to pay more.
121.	Orient your prices on the standard of living of the people from your local area. Two hundred customers from whom you earn a little less each are better than 25 who only net you a little more each.
122.	When making price increases, always post a sign ahead of time to let your customers know of the change and the reasons for it. Doing this establishes trust and avoids complaints made behind your back.
123.	Raise your prices every year at least by the same percent of rise in the cast of living. This approach ensures you a certain amount of financial latitude and will hardly be noticed by your customers. When doing this, pay attention to your threshold prices (e.g. »XX.90« or »XX.50«)!
124.	If a larger price increase is unavoidable for your existing service offerings, you should introduce them in increments. First raise the price of a service by one-half of the total planned increase and institute the second half of the increase at a later date.
125.	If you adding one to a complete package, then this additional service should not be too work-intensive. The costs for such an extra service often eat up the profit generated by a price increase.

How to Create Captivating Products and Services

126.	Perform special and additional programs, such as the preservation of the car's finish, in such a war that all the customers can observe what you're doing. Many will then decide to have the same thing done to their cars.
127.	Always offer complete cleaning and wash programs. You 'll achieve a higher profit contribution per car on these programs, even though you've got to lower the price of the individual services which make up the package deal.
128.	If you offer car care services which include car washes, make sure to itemise the list of services provided so that the customer won 't have to ask why he's paid so much money for »just« a car wash.
129.	Tailor your complete service packages to the season and climate.
130.	Good selling complete service packages cost an average of 7-12 Euro.
131.	Be sure to offer at least three different complete packages. If you only offer two, the customers tend to only take the cheapest one. With three or more being offered, the customers tend to choose one in the middle.
132.	Select fitting names for your package deals. The name should imply what the package contains and encourage the customer to buy it. An example of a good name for a car wash consisting of a wash and finish protection might be »shilling protection«.
133.	If yon don`t have enough space to offer the repair of windshields, dents or scratches, you should co-operate with a company that can provide such services. Don't let a lack of space stop you from operating a car wash that offers a comprehensive line of services.
134.	You`ll have better success selling additional services which don't cost too much more than the car wash the customer originally came in for. Do offer your customer next higher package and briefly explain its advantages.

Eight Ideas for Site Marketing

135.	The interval between letters on signs should be 20 % - 40 % of the size of the letters themselves or be approximately half as wide as the letter “O”. This improves the legibility of the letters by 25 %.
136.	Ensure that your facility can be located and recognised as easily as possible. Give your customers directions that can be easily remembered (e.g. “the car wash at the roundabout” or “the car wash with all the flags”.
137.	Liven up you site's appearance. Local schoolchildren can provide the necessary “artwork” to beautify your facility. How about same car wash graffiti?
138.	Give careful thought to the type of signs you want to have permanently installed. With a price sign, for example it should be possible to change prices without having to bur a completely new sign.
139.	Always post an “OPEN” sign when the facility is in operation. Such a sign often only confirms the obvious. Nevertheless many experienced operators are convinced that without such a sign. Many customers won't stop in if they don't see any activity going on.
140.	Use bright, visible and professional looking signs to a direct your customers' attention to your products and service. Don't assume that your customers already know what you have to offer.
141.	Change your signs after a certain period of time to avoid them becoming so familiar as to be overlooked or ignored. Use a grand or re-opening, or even an anniversary to host same effective special events. Draw the attention to yourself and lure in the curious to meet you in person. This is a great step towards recognition and customer bonding.

Successful Use of Local TV and Radio Spots

142.	Alternating advertising with local companies can increase sales. A good way to start such a project is with a local radio station.
143.	Three of four customers who have seen your local TV spot envision this same spot when they hear your similar advertisement on local radio.
144.	Local television advertising can be cheaper than you think and is capable of reaching thousands of potential customers. Ask the broadcasting company for prices and plan apart of your budget to cover this type of advertising - you 'll be surprised.
145.	Your TV and radio advertising should appeal to your target audience(s). Above all else you should gear it towards their economic and cultural backgrounds and preferences.