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- Symach Invents Game-Changing Technology to Create the Shops of Tomorrow
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- Shops Stuck in the Middle in Battle Over OEM Vehicle Safety Inspections
- Benefits of In-Process Quality Control Technology Discussed by Lee Rush, Sherwin-Williams
- Electric Vehicle Repair: No Room for Error
Tough times require a five-prong marketing attack
I have often been surprised by the creative approaches used by some shop owners to increase business. While just about everyone says they want more insurance work, I still find shop after shop that relies strictly on previous customers, word-of-mouth, and a good sign out front to bring in a few additional drive-by customers. Nevertheless, many of these tell me their business is continually dwindling and ask, what should they be doing?
Re-channel mis-directed energy to de-stress for success!
Are you stressed out? It could be said that stress is simply mis-directed energy. One shop owner struggles to shape-up a poorly performing body man instead of directing his full energy to getting a really competent worker and paying him well.
Use sales brochures and websites to inform and sell
There's a new buzzword among marketing professionals these days: "integrated marketing." Like most "new" ideas, it's been around for a long time but the focus has often been elsewhere. McDonald's is probably the best known for completely "integrated marketing." Their "golden arches" identity, along with the Ronald McDonald character give them an instant focal point of identity. Advertisements, stationery, website and all of the rest of their P.R. efforts capitalize on these recognizable characteristics to arrive at an integrated marketing strategy.
Marketing strategies for an economic downturn
Economic indicators were already falling and a recession was looming when the catastrophe with the planes hitting New York's World Trade Center added to our economic pain. I'm already seeing a major slow-down in many shops in my area. "Business-as-usual" can be deadly at a time like this. What should a shop owner be doing to counteract the impact of these world events on his or her business profits?
Two rules for successful marketing
Marketing is a full time job
There's an old saying: "When everyone is responsible for it, no one is." If everyone is responsible for seeing the door is locked at the end of the day and no one person is designated to do it, there's a fair chance it won't be done at all. The same thing is true of marketing. There must be a specific person designated to do the job and to follow each initiative all the way through to a satisfactory conclusion.
The power of repetition in marketing
It's been said that one of the most effective tortures of all time was the Chinese Water Torture. Supposedly interrogation using this technique was always effective. The person being interrogated was placed under dripping water that slowly drove the man mad while it gradually dripped a hole in his head.
Around the holidays, I hear a common refrain in many body shops, and it's not a Christmas carol. You ask "How's business?" and the shop owner says, "It' s slow, but I hear everyone's slow." It's been said that "misery loves company." I could just hear this shop owner calling his buddy who owns a shop across town: "Yeah, it's slow over here, but I hear everyone's slow."
Build a powerful database
Internal information vital to problem solving
How's this for a wild claim -- a consultant with whom I'm acquainted would guarantee to solve any company's problems if they would allow him unlimited access to question every employee without revealing or reporting to management who said what during his interviews. Well, maybe it isn't such a wild claim.
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Exercise your creativity muscle
"Failure to flex our imaginative muscles is as deplorable as breaking down our physical strength through lack of proper exercise." -- Walt E. Disney
If you’ve been in business a while, it’s likely you have been hit up for contributions by every organization and charity in your vicinity. When you first started out, you probably just sent a few bucks to those that struck you as desirable enough to support. But once you contribute to one, you get on the list and soon you’re swamped by requests for donations.
Seven Opponents of Highly Effective Marketing
I have recently finished re-reading Stephen Covey's excellent book, "The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People" (Simon & Schuster Fireside Book, 1990). As I read through Covey's basic principles of personal vision, leadership, management, communication, cooperation, renewal and interdependence, it occurred to me that for every positive trait, there is an equal and opposite negative trait.
Delay: the road to ruin
It's been said "the road to hell is paved with good intentions." I would add, "The road to ruin is paved with good intentions."