Learn Automotive Direct Mail Essentials

Here it is... the reason you came! You can't mention automotive direct marketing without automotive direct mail springing first to mind. It's not the whole meal, but it is an excellent first course.

To get to the meat though, we first have to cut away the grisle. Forget what you've heard from people hocking thier "killer marketing systems" or trying to sell you overpriced leads and prospect lists. You don't need a list of addresses. Everyone is a prospect. Every house with a driveway is a potential customer's address. Why would you waste your money on a list like that? Here's what the "experts" dont want you to know... are you ready?

Unsolicited direct mail marketing is notoriously ineffective and can even harm the reputation of your business. You might as well print 1,000 fliers and throw them out your car window on the way home from Kinko's. Either way, it will be a nuisance and a waste of time and money.

Unsolicited mail is for amateurs. Don't use it. Learn to use automotive direct mail the right way and it will be one of the most powerful tools you have. What about leads, you ask? You already have the most valuable prospect list you could ever want - your existing customer database. You could never buy that kind of effectiveness from a direct mail company.

Don't worry about bringing in new customers with direct mail - there are plenty of other techniques on this site that will help you do that.

There are several avenues to explore. First I'll tell you about one you've probably not thought of yet...Technical Service Bulletins. You can use TSBs to bring customers back on demand! You already have a warm list of receptive customers. You have a list of which model vehicles they drive. And you have lists of common problems associated with all those vehicles. Just match and mail!

Many people would never have noticed a TSB problem if you hadn't warned them about it. But now they do know, and it's got to go! There will be plenty of people who won't have the problem at all but they'll bring it in anyway, just in case. Once this easy, automotive direct mail strategy gets them through the door, half the battte is already won. Learn how to make the most of this powerful strategy.

As innovative as TSB marketing is, it really takes a backseat to this classic automotive direct mail marketing strategy...Newsletter Marketing.

Your business needs a newsletter...

What do people do when they need to hire a professional? Do they flip through the phone book and randomly pick an ad? Sometimes, but not often. Most people will ask a trusted friend for a recommendation. No one likes getting burned and no one trusts a stranger (especially a stranger who wants into their wallet).

Imagine having total control of that “trusted friend.” Imagine him being so magnetic that everyone likes and trusts him as soon as they meet him. Everybody immediately recognizes him as an expert. And he always recommends you.

That’s the power of newsletter marketing. It’s not an ad. There’s no “hard sell.” Just interesting, useful information delivered in a professional, friendly style.

So what’s wrong with the hard sell?

1.) It doesn’t inspire trust and 2.) People see way too many of them. The average person sees between 400 and 600 ads a day, all competing for the few bucks in their pocket. Of course people have become cynical!

And because of a few bad apples in a few shady mechanic shops, the auto repair industry has suffered the most from this basic lack of trust. You can see how important it is to get that trust back.

Here’s how you can do just that: Don’t bother with the same tired, ineffective ads other businesses throw money at. Instead, start by distributing your own personalized newsletter. It's automotive direct mail marketing in disguise.

A well written, well designed newsletter will:

• Win Your Clients’ Trust

• Have an enthusiastic salesman that’s always on duty and sends your message to everyone he meets.

• Establish professionalism and credibility that no other business can hope to match.

• Inspire client loyalty. They’ll identify with your business over all others

• Have an ideal place to feature your coupons or promote your sales.

Haven't checked it out yet? Click to see how to create a slick, professional newsletter!

Now that we've gone to the outer edges, let's bring it back to the middle. Let's say you want to do an automotive direct mail marketing campaign that's broader than TSB marketing, but more focused and immediate than newsletter marketing. And of course it needs to be aimed at your "sure thing" prospect list.

Try a Fuel Efficiency Drive! Gas prices may be up and down but the long range projection is always up, up and up. It's a problem that's on your customers' minds anyway. Why shouldn't you be the solution? Everyone knows that a good tune up increases fuel efficiency. So do good tires, properly inflated. And if your customers don't know that, or they don't remember, you'll remind them!

You can do a Fuel Efficiency Drive anytime you want. This next one however, is time sensitive. When the seasons change, so do the cars on the road. Give your customers timely reminders to "winterize" or "summerize" thier vehicles. It gives them peace of mind and it gives you an opportunity to check and upgrade a laundry list of things like tires, antifreeze, AC, heater, etc.

Here we have a similar concept that you may be using already.

Deferred Service Reminders

And if you haven't seen a customer in a while, you might try a Miss You postcard. You can increase the liklihood of a response by spicing it up with some attractive incentives. A customer who's grown cold is still a much warmer prospect for an automotive direct mail marketing campagn than someone who's never been in before.

Speaking of which, when you do get a brand new customer, always send them a Welcome postcard. It increases rapport between you and further establishes your relationship. You can fight battles on many fronts using automotive direct mail, but making the customer feel comfortable and appreciated is what will win the war.