Promotional Items

[CAautogroup]

I would like some input from other shop / quick lube owners as to what kind of promotional/marketing products they offer and if it truly does help as a form of advertisement.

 

We are currently in the process of ordering pens, notepads, bags, etc with our name and phone number on it and hope to obtain future business down the road. Have any of you had good outcomes or would recommend another form of promotional/marketing material? We already have a website and various social media accounts.

 

Thanks in advance for your thoughts and opinions.

[JustTheBest]

Hi CAautogroup,

the most disturbing thing I read in your post was "...hope to obtain future business down the road". That's hope marketing. Do it... and hope. (Sorry). It would be far better to have a plan (novel idea). The biggest problem with the promotional stuff is the salesman makes money - and you can't track it. Just give it away, right?

Now... instead of buying a bunch of things... buy one or two... and spend more on them. Make them of value. (another novel concept). Then, create an offer and GWP (Gift With Purchase). As an example... when you said bags, I am thinking you're talking about the re-usable grocery type ones. If so, consider getting the 'Cadillac' version. Maybe cost of $3-$4 - Retail value of $8? $9? Look, I'm not in the bag business - and I don't know what your market is doing - but I think you'll get the drift here.

So promote the service - add the 'environmental' side of re-using to it, create a value... stuff the bag with OTHER coupons to come back - and if you're really on top of your game, associate the entire promo with a charity. We'll donate $X to "Y" for every one we give away. (Uh... just in case you don't know... stats show that 68% of woman would rather do business with a company that supports something - womans charity could (I think) increase that.

 

So...what happens? You spend the same amount. You can track it - because if you can't track it - don't do it - makes no sense. It's just HOPE marketing. You create a campaign that nobody else in your market is doing and you promote the charity side.

 

Even if it's bust - and you'd really have to mess up to make it a bust - the charity gets something.

Uh.. then of course, whatever the check is... make that a photo opp as you donate it - and get that picture HUGE in your waiting room instead of 4 month old magazines and a stupid coffee maker that nobody uses.

 

Hope this helps!

Good luck!