The Best Direct Mail Strategy...Is to have one!

When I first started in this business almost exactly six years ago I was handed a somewhat up to date list of most of the dealerships in the state of Ohio and a phone. Sure, we had a little training - but a few hours in a conference room surrounded by glossy pieces of paper and some pricing sheets can't prepare anyone for what we do...but little can.


Those first few dealers I worked with probably signed up for different reasons...I caught them on the day they were planning to seek out a direct mail vendor, or they thought I sounded young, dumb & blonde on the phone (I was only 2 of the 3), whatever the reason they didn't agree to do a mailer with me because of my experience or knowledge. I like to think a lot has changed since then. But I know there are still those dealers out there that hop from one mail company to the next based on one piece, a short skirt or a low price. If it works for them - great, if not how about creating a strategy behind direct mail dance!?

Here in Divaland just this morning we were talking about how it feels like it takes working with a client for an entire year before they see the value in putting together a strategy for their mailers. They get their feet wet, realize we aren't idiots, eventually come around to taking suggestions and finally one of us says 'I think it's time we plan this thing out.' This post is really for anyone doing mail, but especially for those of you that know Marketvision and don't yet use a strategy.

So here it is - don't get too excited because it's simple. It's taking the time to do it that is hard.

1. Determine what zip codes respond to your mail and which don't. This typically takes 2-3 sales of just real data collection (which is easy using Marketvision, but can also be done by hand).

2. Take "good zips" and look for others that look like those demographically and add them to your master list.


3. Figure out how many homes there are and how often you want to do sales. Then divide the list evenly across all zips by the number of campaigns you are looking to do in the quarter. This makes certain you aren't blowing up your market and it keeps response consistent.


4. Find a good piece and stick with it. Look, I'm going to be blunt, if I'm telling you something is working then why change it? You can then use the same piece all quarter because no one is seeing it twice, easy right?


5. Put the plan in motion and continue tracking. The beauty of this is especially nice for dealers that do mail campaigns monthly or even weekly. You set it up at the beginning of the quarter once and then all you have to do is update dates throughout the quarter. Your piece & zips are already selected!


6. The result - mail with a strategy. You know who is getting your mail and when, and you know you're message is out there consistently. Every month a different group of people are in the market and are getting ready to be in the market - with a strategy you know they are seeing your message in that timeframe.

Obviously this is a simple list of things that actually require a lot of upfront work. The hard work pays off when you can just sit back and let your strategy plan out your mail. For Diva clients Katy does most of it anyway - give us a call today if you want to hear more.

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!!

The Current State of Automotive Direct Mail

We just released our Marketvision stats from the last year, along with updated numbers from the past three months. I just wanted to share some of the data as you plan for your Fall mail campaigns. Top Performers (and this one has recently changed so take note regular clients!)

• 9.5x14 postcard with key- avg response: 2.12%, highest response: 7.72%
• 11x17 half fold with key- avg response: 1.67%, highest response: 8.39%
• 8 page magazine-avg response 2.11%, highest response: 2.94%

Slipping Performers

• 11x17 tri fold-avg response: .52%
• 8.5x11 in 9x12 envelope-avg response: .59%

Other items to note

• 100# high gloss paper out performs any other stock on event mailers 3 to 1
• Personal websites or PURLS are producing buyers-50% say they are in the market to buy in the next 90 days, 89% are in the market to buy in the next year

New products to watch

• Personalized Credit Card Mailers
• Jumbo Dealership Newsletters
• Text Messaging
• Saturation Email Campaigns
• Special Finance Mailers-the new generation

Hope this helps regardless of your mail vendor. The ability to help us and dealers see what's working and what not is only half the power of Marketvision-the other half is realized when we analyze data from your individual sales and put it to work for you as well.

Reputable Mail Companies-How to Find Them

Many of the dealers I work with have told me lately that they've received more sales calls regarding direct mail lately than ever before. Automotive Direct Marketing providers are directly linked to the Automotive Industry, so we, like you have seen the impact on our businesses.

As much as I would love it if everyone who read this blog contacted me for their mail needs, I also realize some of you are just trying to figure out who is legit in this game and who isn't. Here are just a few red flags and questions to ask to separate the quality from the...not.

How long have they been in business? and How long have they been in business under their current name?

There are a lot of businesses that have "closed" under AG scrutiny & lawsuits and have reopened under new names. The names have changed but the people haven't.

What's the level of professionalism with this company?

If they don't have a website, or any marketing material, or even a solid address--any or all of these could be a red flag. Professional companies have marketing collateral, samples, desks and a website. That's not to say that some professional companies aren't smaller and may have fewer resources than some of the big boys--but taking the time to do a little research in this area is time well spent.

How do they feel about providing you with postal verification?

Some companies try to get around sending postal documentation to their customers. These are your basic documents from the post office that says how much mail was sent and how much money was paid in postage. If they are strange about providing these up front-that's probably not good.

Where do they fall on the price line?

I know you don't want to hear this but cheaper isn't always better. If they are considerably less expensive than anyone else you've spoken to, ask more questions. With the economy like it is some companies are truly just trying to stay in business--for some that could mean selling their product at cost to keep people & machines working, for others that could mean telling you 30,000 pieces of mail are being sent out and sending out 10,000.

Have they challenged any of your ideas?

You know cars. I know mail, and so do some other mail professionals. Those of us that do this to help dealers are not afraid to tell you when we feel something is a bad idea or to suggest something different to help increase your results. We don't do this to be know it alls-we do it to assist you. It's your choice if you want to listen to us :) Beware the mail company that doesn't have any insights to share. They may only be in it for one sale and one pay day.

What does your gut tell you? Intuition is our best friend when it comes to things like this. If you don't trust the person on the other end of the phone (or on the other side of your desk), why would you hand them a check? If something doesn't feel quite right it probably isn't.

There are many, reputable, quality mail providers out there. Go with someone that has a proven track record, industry knowledge and plenty of references for you to contact.

This post is intended to educate. By no means am I implying a company that falls into one or more of these categories is practicing illegal or immoral business. This isn't directed at any particular company-please don't send me hate mail :) Thank you!

R.I.P. 11x17 tri folds

I wore black today in honor of our old friend, the 11x17 self mailer, tri-fold.

People, I'm just going to be blunt--this thing is DEAD.

This is more of a public service announcement than advice to our current clients as most of them have known this for quite some time.
Here's the deal-we have this very cool, fresh technology that tracks all the traffic at mail sales. Over 90% of our sales have this tracking tool now so we know exactly how much traffic is walking through the doors off of different mailers.
.49% of people that receive an 11x17 tri fold (with a scratch off and a prizes, etc) will show up
2% will show up for a jumbo postcard with a key - that's an average not a "best sale" or the average of the good sales
So you have to do almost ONE HUNDRED THOUSAND 11x17 tri folds to get the same traffic you would off of 20,000 jumbo key mailers.
Don't skimp and think you are getting more because you are getting a higher quantity--with times as they are I know you all need to be spending as wisely as possible. The data speaks for itself

Future of Automotive Marketing-Make it Personal

In the five years I've been in the mail business there have been huge new opportunities when it comes to personalizing your message. Here are just a few: 1. Putting names on a saturation mailer! Yes, now you can send out your big saturation mailer but instead of it saying "current resident" or "future satisfied customer" it will have the person's name on it. 2. Adding "variable data"--even just a little. Variable Data is when you speak directly to the person, by name. You can now add "Value Variable Data" extremely inexpensively to any mailer. 3. Personal Websites. Ask the person to go to a website that has their name in the web address. Something like: www.Reveal.MyNextVehicle.com/JohnSample. For additional questions on PURLS please check out my Frequently Asked Questions post. 4. Mail to people that drive your brand...but don't buy from you! There have been exciting developments in these new lists. You can send a customized letter to homes in your market that already own your brand. Talk about gaining market share!

Does it Pay to Advertise in a Down Economy?

This was just released today from Ad-Ology: Does it really pay to advertise during a recession? Historical data says yes, but times and perceptions change, so what do TODAY'S consumers think?

"More than 48% of U.S. adults believe that a lack of advertising by a retail store, bank or auto dealership during a recession indicates the business must be struggling."

Ad-ology Research surveyed consumers in late April 2009 about their perceptions of advertising in this economy. The report, Advertising's Impact in a Soft Economy, shows just how crucial advertising is right now for success today and in the future. Regardless of how you spend your ad budget, I hope you are still keeping your name out in your community and letting your past and future customers know that you are still here and plan to be for a long time to come. If you have stopped advertising because you don't know what is working (if anything). Call me. Let's talk-no pressure on direct mail-no pressure on anything, let's just set up some tools on all your marketing to see where your money is being spent wisely, and where it could be reinvested for a bigger impact.

Recent Successful Sales

In the midst of everything that's going on in the automotive industry and the country in general--I feel very positive right now. Now, more than ever, I feel like Direct Mail & one to one marketing (emails, purls, etc) is helping car dealers bring in more traffic and sell more cars. We have a higher response rate now (actually double from 1.5 years ago) than we've ever had-an average of 1% across all mailers and an average of up to 2% on several specific products. The national average for mail is .5%. Here are just a few stories from sales in the past few weeks...

• In Elizabeth City, NC one dealer sent out 30,000 mailers at the end of April and had 866 people in-that's 2.9% foot traffic.
• In Kansas City, MO a large Metro Chevy dealer sent out 43,000 pieces and had 599 people in the last week of April.
• In the Dayton, OH market a Dodge store had 492 ups off of 20,000 mailers.
• Cincinnati, OH a Ford dealer experienced a 3.3% response the end of April-having 660 people come in off of 20,000 pieces.

All of these stats are not guesses or estimates, they are the number of people that scanned in to MarketVision-these dealers are able to see exactly how many people have scanned in, where they are coming from and what sales person spoke to them...along with all their contact info--whenever they want on our website. PS: Yes, I know my posts are typically not "salesy" in nature...with results like this I'm getting to the point where I feel guilty for not sharing the huge successes that are happening out there. If you want more info on our mail contact me so we can help you with traffic at your store.

Marketing to your Database

People call and ask me for the most effective mailing lists we can get our hands on. ...and we don't have it--you do! Your own, in house, sales & service database is really the very best list you can market to. If all you are doing is having the sales people put together some personal letters to a handful of people every month there is a huge opportunity for you! We recommend hitting your database once a quarter with some kind of sales offer and keeping up with them that often or more with service mailers. In addition to sending them mail via the Post Office--it's also a great idea to email them on a monthly basis. Email newsletters with info about vehicle maintenance, recipes & specials at the dealership are a great way to stay in touch and offer relevant information. Database mailers produce a higher ROI than any other type, if you haven't contacted yours, as a group, in the past 3 months--it's time.

Make the most of YOUR Direct Mail Week-Day 5

It's Friday, and "Make the Most of your Direct Mail Week 2009" is drawing to a close. I tried to keep these tips short & sweet, and things you can incorporate into any mailer with any company. Below is the most important thing of all.

Day #5 Tip

Set the tone for your team.

One of my first managers in this business used to say "speed of the leader, speed of the team." I love that. I talked to a dealer today that had 200 people in over the course of 2 weeks off of 10,000 pieces of mail. They sold "a couple" cars a week. He was complaining about how everyone coming in just wanted a gift and the mail just "didn't work." That was the leader of this group. If the leader accepts that 200 people through the door is a failure what kind of a response will he get from his team? These are not the glory days friends, things take a little work. If you don't think your team is able to turn some gift grabbers into buyers, than DO SOMETHING. Change the team, hire some outside help, but don't give up. As you go into your next mail sale make sure your attitude is positive about the possibilities for your sale, and you're able to relay that to your team. Happy selling!

Make the most of YOUR Direct Mail Week-Day 4

Day #4 Tip

Offer a gift, and make sure it's the right one.

Yes, life would be wonderful if you didn't have to offer a non-car related incentive to get people in. It's not happening right now, at least not on saturation mail. Bite the bullet and offer a gift, just make sure it's not janky. Exuberant gas rebates, 3 day/2 night vacation and $1,000 shopping sprees should no longer have a place on your mail. Try lotto cards, gold coins, blue tooth head sets or choose a certificate that is at least straight forward enough to work.

Make the most of YOUR Direct Mail Week-Day 3

Day #3Tip

Take as much time on zip code selection as you do your art work.

It never fails, a dealer will be meticulous for days about getting the message just right, then scribble out a few zip codes 10 minutes before deadline to send the "perfect" piece to. The message is just as important as who will be reading it. Take the time to talk through your zips with Katy (or whoever you work with on it), thinking about this for 20-30 minutes can make a real impact on the success of your campaign.

Make the most of YOUR Direct Mail Week-Day 2

Day #2 Tip

Do NOT waste money on 11x17 tri-fold mailers with a scratch off

The dream is over, they do not work. We're talking about .041% response rate on average vs. some products that average over 2%. Bite the bullet, pay double on the per piece costs and get 4 times the amount of people in the door.

That means for the same budget you spend on tri-folds you should be able to double your traffic by doing half as much mail. Want to talk to someone who is doing this? Let me know--I'll hook you up with a few.

Make the most of YOUR Direct Mail Week-Day 1

Happy Monday & happy Daylight Savings Time day! Getting up to get to the gym wasn't bad today, but boy...on my commute to the office (which is about 3.5 minutes), my head was bobbing. It's been all I can do to stay awake today! I hope you're all feeling more alert than I am.

Today we are kicking off "Make the Most of YOUR Direct Mail Week!" Next year I promise to get T-shirts made-haha. These will be very quick, easy posts with ideas to get the most out of your mail investment. I'd love to also here from you, what small changes have you made to make a BIG impact??

Day #1 Tip

Add Value Variable Data to every mailer you do!

Value variable data is personalization in one place close to the address panel. The total increased cost is typically $200-$500 depending on the company you work with, and most should have the capability. Just adding the person's name and directing a sentence right at them really helps response rates. If something had your name on it you'd probably look at it a little more too, right? Email me (sthompson@triauto.com) if you'd like to see an example of it.

Until tomorrow...

Post-It's add Pizzaz!

Here's a sticky idea! A Post-It. Adding a Post-It isn't a new idea, after all the "J letter" has been making its rounds for years, but now you can add them to the already popular oversized mailers!

Add a Post-It to our Oversized 9x12 inch envelopes or Jumbo 9.5x14 inch postcards and you've got a real winning combo. Just wanted to pass along this new idea as you think about March.

Check back monthly for our Hot Seller of the Month!

Top Ten Reasons to Continue Advertising in 2009

After my last post on how "scary" direct mail can be, I thought it was time for a Top 10 on why now is a better time than ever to continue investing in the branding and marketing of your dealership.

10. There is so much less noise! Be aware of the messages you are receiving. There are fewer ads on TV, Radio, in the paper and in your mailbox. Take advantage of others being too afraid to spend money. Get your message out now and it's much more likely to be heard.

9. Increase your market share. Following off of #10, a lot of dealers in your area are probably not advertising--why not tell their customers what you can offer them if they drive a few extra minutes?

8. It's working. I know with great certainty that direct mail is working, and from what I'm hearing for dealers out there so is Internet and social media marketing. If you aren't sure what I'm talking about, it's time to learn. (email me if you want help with any of the above)

7. Your sales people need it. I know the job market isn't booming right now, but there are other jobs to be had. Invest in your people by bringing leads in the door for them.

6. The dealership's image is depending on it. I watch the Today Show every morning. I don't know why at this point-if I listened & bought in to all the negative crap on there daily I might as well go find the highest cliff in Indiana. But, perception is reality. People are hearing that domestic brands are begging for money and on the brink of BK. If you pull all or most of your advertising-what is that saying to your local community? Common sense tells me the perception might be that ABC Dealer has fallen on hard times and can no longer advertise...which may directly impact your traffic. A lot of people don't want to buy a vehicle somewhere if they don't think they'll be in business in 6 months.

5. You have to market to create sales. I'm in sales too. I mostly market by picking up the phone 10-50 times a day and personally talking to people. What do you do? I'm business to business, you are business to consumer--how are you "talking to people?" And please don't say you have a sign on the building and an ad in Yellow Pages. If you aren't talking to people, why do would you expect them to come in and listen?

4. People are still buying cars. ...why would they come to you if they've heard about a better offer elsewhere? Now, more than ever, people are looking for a deal--show them how you can help.

3. Henry Ford said to. "A man who stops advertising to save money is like a man who stops a clock to save time."

2. You can afford it. It seems many dealers are just sticking to "what they know" right now...print, radio & TV. Is it working? If you cannot put an actual number on the ROI or you know it isn't working--why are you still sticking with it? Shrink what you are doing with the untrackables and reallocate some of it toward something new, something trackable, and something that has been shown to work in the past few months. You can't continue doing what you've done the past five years, and expect to get the same results you got five years ago.

1. Depends on you and your answer to this question: Are you giving in or fighting back? How much good has come from "waiting it out?" some dealers are actually going after the market and prospering in these times. Manufacturers are coming up with great incentives, and used car sales are up! Fighting takes a daily decision to have the attitude and the behaviors of a fighter. People do have money and people are spending it. Be the one in the ring telling them why they should spend it with you--or sit in the crowd and watch the ones in front of you win the fight.

What do you think? Are you investing in advertising? Why or why not? Am I way off here and deserve to be set straight? Leave a comment! I know over 50 computers a day log on to this blog-I'd love to hear from some of you!

5 Reasons Direct Mail is SCARY!

As mentioned in a previous post, below are 5 reasons that seem to be somewhat common among dealers for not doing Direct Mail. I'm a firm believer that Direct Marketing isn't for every dealer, but it can help a lot of them. Below I'll try to shine a night light through the scary truths of Direct Mail. 1. It's trackable-extremely trackable. You know if it works and you know if it doesn't. Which is only scary because you truly know the ROI. In most cases mail is the only marketing that dealers can actually track. Other medias get a large benefit of the doubt-you happen to be busy one weekend and had run a TV ad = TV worked. Although most would have no idea if the people coming in were from the TV or if they are the same people that drive by your lot every day and just happen to be in the market. I'd wager even "bad" direct mail events still create better traffic than "normal media" in a lot of cases.

2. Most mail company's don't work on year long contracts like radio & TV, so it has to be a conscious decision every month to do it.

Radio & TV Stations make it very easy to continue doing what you've been doing. It becomes mindless and easy to just continue with a program you signed up for 6 mos earlier. Set up something with your mail rep or company. Commit to using them as your sole provider and work together to come up with a flexible program. It's just as easy to get on a schedule with a mail professional as any other advertising pro. And you can bet your mail results will be more consistent and it will be a lot easier to set up your regular events.

3. Typically it causes work. More people in the door, gift getters, bad credit, etc etc. Some dealers and sales people just don't like to deal with it.

Like I said in my intro, mail isn't for every dealer. You do need a talented sales team that is hungry to get out there and get to work. There will be bad credit. There will be "gray hairs" coming in for the free gifts. Especially if you're looking for a big event with a lot of traffic. However, there will be buyers that didn't intend to be when they walked in, there will be good credit, there will be OPPORTUNITY. If the sales staff can't see this then mail is probably a drain on your ad budget. If you can't see this then you could be the reason your team has blinders on as well.

4. Dealers see it as a "shot in the arm" and not sustainable traffic.

This can be 100% true...if it's allowed to be. Without a good pulse on how often you are mailing to the same people, what messages are working and what aren't, and some kind of a plan or continuity to your mail these "one and done" deals will likely be your result. If you have a good mail provider STICK WITH THEM! I'm not just talking about me here, there are a lot of good companies out there. If you switch monthly from place to place--looking for a penny off here, or a free gift card to take your wife to dinner you are completely missing the boat with mail. Sticking in one spot allows that professional to develop a plan for where your mail hits, making sure you don't overuse or under utilize messages, and if you do work with Tri-Auto we can start working on zeroing in on the specific zips that work well for you. Loyalty isn't just a warm and fuzzy feeling in this business--it's imperative to your success.

5. You don't usually see the owner or general manager's face on a direct mail piece.

OK most of you read somewhat regularly (yes I can see how many times the same computers are logging on--I just can't see who you are--darn it!), and you know I'm not trying to tick anyone off here. But really...honestly, are the TV commercials we see about selling cars, or iare some of thems--about the Owner/General Manager/Car God getting to be a local celebrity? On mail these guys can't be the center of attention (well I've had some try I guess-but it's harder), the store & the offers to buy take center stage. If you want to be famous, I'm sure Real World is casting go check it out--if you want to sell cars make all your advertising about selling cars.*

*Disclaimer-Having a public face of the company that appears in commercials & advertising is not a bad thing. Having a public face that does it solely to be recognized at the mall is.

Automotive Direct Mail-The Afterthought

Attention: All you dealers I've talked to this month that have said "we're just doing our usual advertising this month, no room for something special like Direct Mail."

What?

Why is it that radio, TV and print in many cases are the "usual stuff" while Direct Mail is an afterthought? If you can tell me with a straight face that you are truly getting more traffic, more sales and more action off of your big media buys, then by all means-yes that's what the usual stuff should be. I have a feeling it's something else though--the same things that make Direct Mail a great monthly addition to a dealership's advertising plan are the same things that makes it scary.

1. It's trackable-extremely trackable. You know if it works and you know if it doesn't.
2. Most mail company's don't work on year long contracts like radio & TV, so it has to be a conscious decision every month to do it.
3. Typically it causes work. More people in the door, gift getters, bad credit, etc etc. Some dealers and sales people just don't like to deal with it.
4. Dealers see it as a "shot in the arm" and not sustainable traffic.
5. You don't usually see the owner or general manager's face on a direct mail piece.

These seem to be the reasons that Mail becomes a luxury reserved for only the best months, or a life saver thrown out to help rescue those that are drowning. But what if mail could become part of your monthly plan? What if you could sit down and plan it out by quarter so you aren't hammering the same people over and over until they stop responding? Just think-it could be a shot in the arm every month!

This week I'll post on tracking all your advertising-and reallocating to what's working, and you may even get a post on debunking the Top 5 above. Stay tuned!

PS: Yes, in regards to #5, I said it! I'm a fan of personalizing your dealership and sales people-however, I don't think personal ego has a place in dealership marketing.

Automotive Event Sale Tips #3

After Your Sale

• Calculate your traffic. This should be true of any advertising. If your ran your process during the sale, you should know what media brought in each person. MarketVision will do this for you on the mail--but if you ran TV or Radio spots, or some print to support the mailer hopefully those ups were tracked via registration forms & you can see what kind of traffic each media produced.
• Calculate your ROI. If given access to your database, we can take a look at your recent sales and compare them to your sale data quickly to see how many units you sold off the mailer. I can even help you take a look at the other media outlets as well, or it's easy to do this on your own if you've kept good track of the traffic.
• Do your homework for next time. Now that you have your traffic and ROI calculated, figure out what worked and what didn't. Just imagine if every dealership did this every month for all their advertising. Naturally they'd quit doing what wasn't working, and invest more in what was--and be able to keep improving the ROI of their marketing. Right now, while this sale is fresh in your mind start thinking about what you'd do different next time.
• Follow up, Follow up, Follow up! You just had a lot of new traffic to your store. Why not add them to your database so they'll receive future emails & mailers from you? Many dealers also put together final lead lists and pass them out to their sales team. Have a contest to see who can close the most residual business off the event. Make the most out of your initial investment--these are YOUR leads--you paid for them!
• Be on the look out for come backs. The week after every MarketVision sale we send out follow up letters to every person that came in during the event. Be on the look out for these letters to pop up the week after the sale.