Happy Thanksgiving from The Divas!

We wish you all a very Happy Thanksgiving! May today be full of wonderful times with close family and friends as we reflect on the many things to be thankful for!

Enter His gates with thanksgiving, and His courts with praise! Give thanks to Him and bless His name! —Psalm 100:4

2009 Holiday Mail Season Kit

Thanksgiving is next week!? Already! Soon we'll be gathering with our friends and family to celebrate the holiday season--we may be taking a little extra time off work or beginning to think of what we'd like to accomplish in 2010. I know all be doing all of the above. However...2009 isn't over yet!

Many dealers claim December is the best month of the year, and our stats from the last few Nov/Dec time frames prove it. Here's everything you need to know about successful events during this holiday season:

1. Give yourself plenty of time. An advertising investment should be a thought out process, not one that is rushed through in 12 hours. Click here to see the holiday press schedule so you can be ahead of the game!

2. Choose the right message. This time of year you don't have to wait on manufacturer's incentives-you can offer plenty of timely hooks on your own. Click here to see some ideas.

3. Demand a proven product. I can finally say that and know I can offer it. Because of the over 1,000 sales we've logged through Marketvision the past year we know what pieces were the best of '09. We then simply based our Holiday Mailers on those pieces--voila! Proven winners. Email us here to receive our December newsletter with these great products.

4. ...and finally-be Merry!! 2009 has been a volatile year for us all, and now it's nearing it's completion. Be sure to do something nice for your staff and keep people motivated with positivity instead of fear. Happy employees = happy customers.

We're Paying you $1,000!

Did you know we pay for referrals? You refer someone, they do business with me, you get a Visa Card (spends just like cash) with up to $1,000 on it. There is no limit! One client has already received $6,500 from me this year! Look through your rolodex, Facebook friends & people you know from the auction, your 20 group or local dealer association. Determine who you think I might be able to help and contact me with their info--I'll do the rest!

Direct at 317-644-5729

Email at divateam@triauto.com

What can we learn from Hyundai?

Yesterday Advertising Age Magazine announced Hyundai as the Marketer of the Year. The automotive company beat out the likes of Wal-Mart, McDonald's & LEGO for the 2009 award. If you haven't checked out the article on/in Advertising Age (Same article can be found on Automotive News), definitely take the time to read how Hyundai turned the current economic situation into a moment of redefinition and increased market share. This year Hyundai has increased market share from 3.1% to 4.3% while other auto makers have struggled. In 2009 Hyundai has staged a deliberate, edgy marketing coup that has capitalized on the "Big Three" giving up high visibility sponsorships and ad space. Combining these pivotal ad buys with a few key concepts they were able to turn consumer opinion and increase sales. Hyundai used a few key ideas to pull off this marketing campaign-all of which can be used scaled down at your local level.

1. Know your consumer. During the Superbowl & Oscars Hyundai rolled out their Assurance program. It spoke directly to the fears consumers had right then regarding job security & an unstable economy, and showed them they could help.
2. Create a plan and stick to it. I'm sure Hyundai didn't see an immediate spike in sales the Monday after the 'big game.' It's also been noted that on their new launch of the Luxury Genesis nothing happened over night-it took months of positioning and reinforcement to move the market.
3. Blaze your own trail. When everyone else ran out of the market and quit advertising they stepped in to fill the void. In addition to that Hyundai was able to secure long term contracts on high profile events for the future.
4. Take risks & Be forward thinking. When all the other manufacturers twiddled their thumbs waiting on bureaucratic red tape to clear Hyundai stepped up, backed their dealers, and started accepting Cash for Clunkers deals weeks earlier than everyone else.
5. Make your message different. Every car company has a website. Hyundai is the only one that also has a website completely devoted to what others are saying about them. What shows more credibility than a marketing campaign revolving around industry expert's opinions of products vs. the marketing department's opinions. Brilliant.

Congratulations to Hyundai and their ad firm Omnicom's Goodby, Silverstein & Partners.

Bulk Mail vs. First Class

Future clients often ask me "do you use bulk mail?" My answer is..."sort of..." Here's the low down on bulk mail and how it can mean very different things to different industries and companies. The best way to describe is - yes we take advantage of bulk postage pricing, however we do what we can to control the delivery window. If you ask the post office they will tell you it takes 12-15 days for bulk mail to be delivered from the day you send it. If you ask me it takes 2-3 days on average from the day we deliver it. We go to great lengths to ensure this time frame and on average 90% of our mail hits within it. Check out some of the things we do and a few you can control to help your mail delivery here in my MailPlus post from this summer. So, to the real match up today-First Class vs. Bulk Mail. Which is it? It does depend on what and who you are mailing. As long as you are doing at least 3,000 pieces in a realistic area around your dealership I'm going to say Bulk Mail all the way. Why?

1. It's CHEAPER-much cheaper
2. It's trackable-after we drop First Class mail there is no finding it-it floats around in post office la la land until it reaches its destination.
3. I trust Bulk Mail through our MailPlus system to be more reliable than First Class.

2009 Holiday Mail Schedule

Welcome to Holiday Mail Delivery! November & December can be great times to utilize mail. Many dealers have large events in the weeks leading up to Christmas as consumers are already in "shopping mode." Others find the beginning of Winter to be a fantastic opportunity to send out service offers as people look to get their vehicles ready for snow and icy conditions. Here are some things to keep in mind as you plan your 4th Quarter mail campaigns. With all the interruptions in mail delivery press dates can come much earlier than expected! Upcoming Postal Holidays ("Drop Date" = SCF date, or the day we deliver mail to the regional post office for delivery)

• Please keep in mind that Nov-Dec are the two busiest months in the Postal Facilities because of Holiday cards & packages. Expect all mail to run slightly slower than usual.
• Wednesday, Nov 11--Veteran's Day. Post office closed.
• Wednesday, Nov 25--Day before Thanksgiving. This is not an official postal holiday but over the past couple of years we've noticed individual postal facilities being closed or closing early.
• Thursday, Nov 26--Thanksgiving. Post office closed.
• Friday, Nov 27--Day after Thanksgiving. Not an official Postal Holiday. Some mail could move this day if delivered prior to Thanksgiving. Because every other vendor on the planet is closed this day (FedEx, UPS, etc) we will not be able to drop mail for any jobs on this day.
• Thursday, Dec 24--Christmas Eve. No mail drops. Typically not a whole lot of mail is delivered this day but it varies by area.
• Friday, Dec 25--Christmas Day. Post offices closed.
• Thursday Dec 31-New Year's Eve. Mail drops available in some areas, slow mail delivery is typical.
• Friday Jan 1--New Year's Day. Post offices closed.

Upcoming Press Timelines (Varies based on how many days ship and product, this is a general rule of thumb-call for exact press dates)

11/16-11/21 Sales, to press by 11/5 11/23-11/28 Sales, to press by 11/11 11/30-12/5 Sales, to press by 11/17 12/7-12/12 Sales, to press by 11/23 12/14-12/19 Sale, to press by 12/2 12/21-12/26 week of Christmas, press by 12/9 12/28-1/2 Sale, to press by 12/14.

I know that's a lot of info. The bottom line is, if you're planning to do sales Nov-early January please let us know. We can then let you know what press dates would be applicable for different scenarios. Katy Peat is the Diva that specializes in deadlines and turn times. Feel free to contact her directly to discuss options: kpeat@triauto.com, direct: 317-644-5779.

Happy Holidays!!