Going Live: Use the Virtual World to Drive Traffic to Your Real Business
If you aren’t doing it already or want to do it better, here’s how smart tire dealers can leverage the Internet. But, first, a preface. The number of new Internet users has slowed, while the number of disconnected Americans – those who have never used the Internet and do not have Internet connections – has
Build a Pipeline and Keep the Leads Flowing
Earlier this year, two customerswere telling me how good business was for them, so they were going to cut backon their advertising. Today, those same customers tellme business is slow and layoffs are expected. What happened? Simple: They stopped advertising,and the pipeline ran dry! If you advertise even you’re busy, the pipeline staysfull, and leads
Simple Strategies For Successful Advertising
Let’s start with the simple stuff.If you are running advertising that is not working, please stop! I know it sounds obvious, buthere’s what happens: People run advertising because they feel they ought to.They are not really sure it it’s working, but they hesitate to stop because itmay be one of their main forms of marketing.
Slowing Economy – All the More Reason to Advertise
Are you finding that many of yourbest prospects are already working with your competitors? When you pursue a newmarket or opportunity, is someone else capturing the prize? Maybe it’s time tore-evaluate your positioning. Your market position is the placeyou occupy in the mind of your prospective customers. It is how they think of you compared
Eye on Possibility: Out-of-the-Box Thinking Can Transform Your Image, Sell the Experience
Buying new tires has been called one of the most negative purchases a consumer can make. Did you ever invite the neighbors over to see your new washer-dryer combo? Unlikely. Same holds true for tires. While independent tire dealers can do little to polish the image of tires, they can do an awful lot to
Keeping Your Store Full of Customers
Business is great for a period oftime, so what do you do? You stop or slow down your advertising! All of a sudden, you have a slowmonth, and you don’t understand the reason. Take a look at your advertising.Did it have consistency, or were there gaps where you were not advertising atall? The danger of
Combating Customer Erosion By Targeting ‘New Movers’
Customer erosion is a problem forany business, large or small. No matter how low your prices are or howprofessionally you serve your customers, a percentage of your customer basewill inevitably disappear over time due to relocation, disinterest or competition. Given that customer erosion is aninescapable reality of the business world, what can you, a small-businessowner,
Modern Marketing Methods: Cutting Through the Clutter
The essence of marketing is tounderstand your customers’ needs and develop a plan that focuses on thoseneeds. Let’s face it – anyone with a business has a desire to grow it! You can grow your business in fourdifferent ways. They include: • acquiring more customers • persuading customers to buy more products • persuading customers
Prospecting and Retention: Sure-Fire Ways to Grow Profits
How much are you spending onadvertising your business? This may sound crazy to some ofyou, but the more your business grows, the more you should be spending!According to many experts in the tire and automotive industry, 5% of grosssales should be dedicated to the advertising budget. I know many of you are nodding inagreement right
Marketing Strategies for a New Generation
John Wanamaker, considered by manyto be one of the fathers of modern advertising, once said: “Half the money Ispend on advertising is wasted; the trouble is that I don’t know which half.”Well, I hate to break it to you, Johnny, but things have gotten even worse. We live in a world saturated bymass-media coverage. Hundreds
Direct Discourse: Have a Plane Spell Out Your Company Name in Smoke
Have a plane spell out your company name in smoke. Hire someone to stand on the street corner in a monkey suit holding a sign. If you’re the conservative type, add store signage or buy an ad on TV, in the local newspaper or on radio. When it comes to advertising, independent tire dealers have
Bargain Clutter Busters
Boston was invaded in July 2003. Not by aliens or a foreign army, but by strange creatures known as “treadheads.” During that month, six young men cruised the streets of Boston sporting an unusual hair style – a tread pattern on their heads. They also wore red T-shirts bearing the question, “What’s up with my