Can’t afford traditionaladvertising? Here are some inexpensive ways to promote your dealership:
• Network: Attend meetings,conferences or other get-togethers at which you can meet other business people.This can put you in touch with potential customers and with people who canrefer customers to you.
• Referrals: Every personyou speak with – whether a customer, potential customer or supplier – may beable to refer you to new customers. When you get a referral, follow upimmediately.
• Call potential customers:Many businesses have been built through cold calling. The success of thismarketing method depends almost entirely on speaking with the decision-maker.
• Circulate your businesscard: Business cards are miniature billboards – and your least expensive formof advertising. Leave them on counters in neighborhood stores and check back toreplenish them when they are gone. You can even create a cross-marketingprogram by helping promote nearby businesses – and having them promote you.
• Give talks to localgroups: Offer a brief educational session at your dealership or at a locallibrary on topics like tire pressure maintenance, uneven tread wear, propervehicle care, tire selection tips, or any other issue you think would interestconsumers. Present yourself as an expert but don’t oversell. Announce yoursession by sending a press release to the local newspaper.
• Publish articles: Contactlocal newspapers or magazines and offer to write articles about tires and/orvehicles. This will position you as an expert. Be sure to ask the editor toinclude your name, company and phone number at the bottom of the article.
• Offer services to othercompanies: Other businesses may need a reliable tire and vehicle servicevendor.
• Barter services/productsfor ads: This technique will allow you to start advertising in newspapers andmagazines without any actual money changing hands. However, be mindful ofpotential tax liabilities.
• Leverage your Web site: Ifyou have a Web site, trade links with industry associations, wholesalers ormanufactures. And certainly look to trade links with other businesses in yourarea.
• Send press releases: Anytimeyour dealership has a new development – new staff member, a large contract orcharitable work – write a press release and send it to newspapers, magazines,radio stations and industry journals.
– Source: Tire ReviewBusiness Toolbox
