Direct Mail Diva

Merry Christmas!

2009-12-25T09:30:00.000-05:00

From the Diva Family to yours, here's wishing you a very Merry Christmas & Happy New Year!

We bought a Truck!

2009-12-21T09:30:00.000-05:00

Yes, this isn't extremely noteworthy to most of you, but it is to us. Previous to the recent purchase we were a two small car family. Andy's Altima really could only fit two people, so we were more like a car and a half family. 18 mos ago we bought our dream house on a large lot, at the time it was basically .75 acres of poison ivy, weeds and buried treasure. 18 mos ago Andy was using a cooler with wheels on it to haul dirt and we were calling my parents weekly to make the hour long drive so we could use their truck to haul all the crap away. So to me, buying this truck was a bit of a turning point for us...well the truck and the wheelbarrow! We are becoming grown ups, we're now favoring function over image and common sense over everything that comes before it :) That's not to say my husband didn't end up with a bad ass truck (it even has remote start!), but I did see the 17 year old in him die a little bit that day as he traded in his sporty ride. Ok, now on to the post that actually has some content...how we bought the truck.

What I loved about our experience:

Our salesperson was friendly. Even though I work with car dealers every day I'm still a bit nervous walking into a dealership.
He assessed quickly and found a specific vehicle for us. He got the basics and then selected the vehicle for us, instead of us meandering around the lot. This is the first time I've had that type of experience and it was quick & easy. Nice.
The test drive wasn't scary. He didn't talk the whole time, he didn't say things like "this baby would be great for bringing home a Christmas Tree next weekend," we talked about our dogs and I asked if a car seat would fit in the back (don't get any ideas-I'm just a planner!).
When we got back to the lot he stayed in the vehicle with us and pointed out all the features and how they work. I've now purchased 5 vehicles in my life and never has anyone done this. Sounds so simple, but wow, it had me asking what else my car can do that I don't know about!
We sat down to talk numbers and it was laid back. We weren't ready that night (we were hungry & it was late), so the saleperson suggested we take the truck home for the weekend to make sure it fit in our garage (a concern we brought up on the test drive). I realize this is a "tactic" in the car industry but it worked well on us. I was concerned it wouldn't fit in our 1950s garage, but it did. And lucky for the dealership, our neighbors had to come by and tell Andy how nice looking his new truck was.
We kept our appointment Monday evening and bought the vehicle.
Tuesday morning my insurance agent called to let me know our salesperson had already contacted him about our trade ins and the new vehicle. He had already written our new policy. THIS WAS SO HUGE! If dealers aren't doing this they should be. I know it's only one phone call but it's one I would have put off forever and dreaded dealing with.

What could have gone better:

Financing. Not the F&I guy, I freaking loved him, just the process. I had offered earlier in the day to get info to them to get everything started and he had me wait until we got there. Customers with good credit would so much prefer to just walk in, sign and drive off. Instead we were there for an hour and a half waiting for our turn...
Collecting info for the dealer. Before the demo he got Andy's license and logged us in, didn't ask for email or PHONE! Asked what brought us in, and then said "I'll just click newspaper" you can imagine how that made me feel! We were compeletly willing to go through the steps, if he only would have asked.

Email Marketing & Email Campaigns

2009-12-15T09:30:00.003-05:00

As email marketing becomes more and more popular it's becoming clear there is a lot of confusion regarding this medium. Many companies offer email campaigns of one kind or another, here are the breakdown on the most popular - and the two kinds we offer here at Tri Auto.

Database Email Marketing
I'm calling this part "marketing" because it's not just a single advertising campaign, it should be a long term marketing effort aimed at continuing name recognition & goodwill to your client base.

The email list is provided by the dealership, it can be pulled out of your DMS, CRM or from Marketvision data from previous sales.
The email comes directly from your dealership.

The message of the email can vary based on who the customer is. For example, you could segment your list into recent buyers, buyers 3+ years or older & service customers. The recent buyers could receive new vehicle tips, accessory info & an incentive for the service or detailing department. The buyers from several years ago would likely receive sales info, special incentives on vehicles similar to what they own, or a buyback offer. ...you get the picture.

It is also common to keep in touch with all past leads & customers through a monthly newsletter that works in all departments of the dealership along with some warm & fuzzy content like recipes, automotive tips, local news, etc.

Saturation Email Campaigns

The email list is provided by us. We let you know how many emails are available & legally opted in around your dealership and you choose what zip codes to email.

The email comes from a third party, but has whatever you like in the subject line.

The email message has to be the same for all recipients.

Typically dealers use this type of campaign in one of two ways: in collaboration with a specific direct mail sale or promotion or monthly as an inexpensive way to keep their name out there.

Email marketing doesn't typically draw huge responses immediately to the dealership. It's just one more tool that can be added to a well rounded marketing campaign.

Bulk Mail Delivery Info from Ashley

2009-12-10T09:00:00.002-05:00

Ashley Beck is guest blogging today. She's the Diva on our team responsible for chasing down ALL the mail and letting you know when to expect it in homes. Here are just some tips and things she's learned over the past couple of months.

Be in the know, email us to recieve your very own 2010 Postal Holiday Calendar so you're able to plan your mailers around these days.

As the Diva in charge of Mailplus, I could write volumes on what I have learned about mail delivery. Mailplus is a very important system that we have put in place here at Tri-Auto to make sure that your mail is where it should be throughout the delivery process and getting in homes on time for your sale.

To give you a better understanding, here is my basic process:

First, on the day that the mail is scheduled to reach the SCF, which I have learned to call “the plant,” I have a tracking number that I enter to see when the shipment has been delivered. I then call that central mail hub, ask for the manager on duty, describe to them the mail piece and how it was shipped, and have them confirm for me that our shipment did actually arrive.

Two days later, I call the DDUs (or local post offices), which I now refer to as “the delivery units” to make sure that they are receiving the mail from the plant and getting it out in a timely fashion.

From new post office lingo to my buddy Pete at the Fox Chase post office, the things I have learned over this last month will help me most in the future when tracking clients’ direct mail investment if dealers can help me by:

· Condensing rather than feathering. The more mail pieces I have to call on in each zip code, the better. If there are 3,000 pieces vs. 300 pieces, the carriers are more likely to see them, and more importantly remember seeing it and carrying them out to homes.

· Don’t push the timeline. I do everything I can to make sure that mail gets in homes 2 days after it was delivered to the central hub, but please understand that if the plant doesn’t receive the shipment until Tuesday the chances are most the mail won’t be in homes until Thursday.

· Previous late mail? Let us know!! Tell Steph when you’re picking sale dates or Katy while you’re picking the mailing list. They will give me the heads-up so we can be even more proactive helping your mail through the system.

2010 Marketing Strategy Planning Part 3

2009-12-08T09:30:00.000-05:00

You are not alone when it comes to this! Here are a few areas I can help with as you do your own 2010 Marketing Planning, let me know if you'd like to hear more.

Market Analysis-We have a ton of data & market info at our finger tips. Give us a call and we can put together an analysis of your market to arm you as you head into your strategy meeting.

Custom Marketing Plan-This starts with a phone call I'll ask you some questions about what you have in mind and the Diva team will come back to you with a customized annual plan. We do all the work and you can pick and choose what you like.

Marketvision 2.0-That's right, coming in January 2010 we're rolling out a whole new version of our extremely popular Marketvision software. The kiosk will now be able to sit at your dealership year round and track what marketing messages are being heard/seen, who is coming in, and what zip codes produce your most traffic & sales. On top of that customer contact data is easily uploaded from our system to your CRM for future follow up. Don't miss another lead's contact info again.

ROI & Response analysis throughout the year to keep your strategy on track.

The quickest ways to contact us are direct at 317-644-5729, or by email at divateam@triauto.com.

2010 Marketing Strategy Planning Part 2

2009-12-03T09:30:00.000-05:00

3. Decide how you will track response & ROI. These are two different things. In easy terms-response is the amount of action you see off of a type of marketing, ROI is the actual return on investment. If a piece of advertising brings in 400 people and you sell 0 cars, you have $0 ROI.

4. Draw up a calendar. Get an actual 2010 calendar out and look through the year. Plot tentative dates for your annual events, or for campaigns you tend to have good luck with or want to try. Think about holidays and how they will affect your efforts.

5. Call in the experts. Once you have a general idea of your annual spend & a basic calendar start planning with your consultants now. Giving a heads up to people like me, your TV/Radio rep, agency account exec and anyone else who helps design, place and execute your marketing can only be a good thing. Many of us work under such tight deadlines there is no time for custom creative ideas based on a complete marketing picture. Cluing us in early on will allow thought and planning to go into the ideas we bring you.

6. Finally, set up your plan. This 2010 strategy is flexible. Hold yourself & your team accountable to tracking all your marketing. Set realistic expectations as to what outcomes you are looking for. Be ready to change things that aren't working. Keep notes for next year's planning. There is no better time than December for getting these plans in place.

2010 Marketing Strategy Planning Part 1

2009-12-01T09:30:00.000-05:00

Many dealerships, I'm sure not yours, but many never really sit down and strategize regarding their annual marketing. Budgets, ideas, campaigns, medias, markets and everything else change month to month depending on whims, gut feels and how the current month is shaping up. This leads to inconsistent messages to your market and gaping holes in your marketing, along with last minute planning and execution.

WHY!? We're talking about tens of thousands if not hundreds of thousands of dollars of mismanaged funds being spent willy nilly. So how do we change that? Here's a very simple list of getting started-it may seem very basic to the marketing masters out there but it is just a quick plan to get started for those looking to do more strategy based planning this year

1. Set a meeting of the minds date. Put it on your calendar and make it mandatory. Pull in your management team and any other decision makers-it's probably not a bad idea to also invite a person or two outside the inner circle. Maybe the text crazed college student that helps detail cars on the weekend, or the owner's daughter that promotes the local UFC fights. Bringing someone with a fresh perspective in helps to challenge current ideas and bring new ones to the table.

2. Determine an estimated budget for the year. This doesn't have to be exact. Marketing goes in waves, many dealerships slow down in January and February for weather reasons and ramp up in the spring, others have 4-6 large events a year. The monthly budgets don't have to be the same--just get an idea of the annual figure.

Keep tuning into the Diva Blog this week to see the rest of the steps!

Happy Thanksgiving from The Divas!

2009-11-26T09:00:00.000-05:00

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

2009-11-16T10:57:00.009-05:00

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!

2009-11-13T09:30:00.000-05:00

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?

2009-11-10T09:30:00.001-05:00

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.
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

2009-11-06T09:30:00.000-05:00

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?

It's CHEAPER-much cheaper
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.
I trust Bulk Mail through our MailPlus system to be more reliable than First Class.

2009 Holiday Mail Schedule

2009-11-04T09:30:00.000-05:00

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!!

"Bulk Mail" confusion

2009-10-28T09:30:00.000-04:00

In the last 10 years mail delivery has changed drastically. I started at Tri-Auto in 2004. At that time we were one of the very few automotive mail providers in the country using bulk mail postage. Most of the 'big guys' were still using First Class because bulk was unreliable and required maximum effort to even figure out the system.

Fast forward to 2009 and my guesstimate is 90% of anyone using saturation automotive mail is mailing in this way (you can obviously also use it for non saturation mail as well). Among this camp there are two ways of getting the mail into homes. They are most commonly referred to as "SCF Delivery" and "DDU Delivery." So just what do those acronyms mean!?

SCF - Sectional Center Facility. Mail comes in to these large postal hubs and is the dispersed to the...
DDU - Destination Delivery Unit. ...or your local post office. Postmen and Postwomen deliver the mail from this location.

The difference in the two types of delivery is where the mail is being dropped off. Companies choose which location they "drop" the mail to for different reasons. After numerous conversations with the Post Office we've found dropping at the SCF level to be the most reliable. We were just given stats that 85-90% of DDU's now no longer have the sorting equipment necessary for our type of mail, so if the mail is delivered to them they are just sending it back to the SCF to be sorted anyway. We figure we'll cut out the middle business and just send straight to the SCF where it can be sorted and sent out correctly the first time.

On the flip side, I know there are many companies who deliver to the DDU-and all of our systems are different so they may have just discovered another work around. Hopefully this helped to clear up the difference in mail delivery-it's all "bulk" in the end but the additional follow up and attention to detail is what makes all the difference on whether or not your mail is in homes on time.

Check here for more info on how we attempt to control our mail AND things YOU can do to ensure your mail is delivering as reliably as possible.

Diva Photo Shoot

2009-10-26T09:30:00.002-04:00

Happy Monday! For those of you that aren't Facebook friends with us I just wanted to post a couple of pics of the team so you'll have a face with a name. And if you aren't our Facebook friend--why not!?! Find us here: Stephanie At TriAuto

Ashley, Stephanie & Katy

Tri Auto adds TV & Radio to the Mix!

2009-10-22T09:30:00.000-04:00

That's right-we're adding a couple of more products to our marketing arsenol here at Tri Auto. Many of our clients have tried to create syngery with their mailers buy utilizing additional media with the same message. We're just taking a little of the leg work out of it for you by offering TV & Radio spots that match the mailers we provide. Just let us know if you'd like to add one to your next mailer. Check out our You Tube channel for samples of each.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QPa-DEvpcyE

Consumers Willing to Spend More on Autos

2009-10-19T09:30:00.000-04:00

Some good news is starting to leak out as we head into the Fall selling season. Kelley Blue Book (www.kbb.com) released a Market Intelligence Study earlier this month on the automotive market post clunkers.

In the study they found the amount consumers are willing to spend on new vehicles actually increased after the national incentive program funded by the government. In August 2009 consumers reported they would spend $25,600 on a new vehicle, a number that has increased $1,671 to $27,271 in late September.

The report also noted that customers are saying they are not waiting on incentives to purchase. This may be good news as many dealers feared Clunkers would have a similar consequences to the initial 0% offerings early in the 2000's or Employee Pricing later on. After these programs ended it seemed the public just started waiting until the next big discount from car manufacturers.

I can report on the Diva front that new car mailers are up. Currently the best sales results are coming from Buyback letters sent to dealer databases or year/make owner lists we supply. Let us know if you'd like info on these. 317.644.5729, sthompson@triauto.com.

A Tune Up for your Service Department Interview with Jim Troiola

2009-10-15T09:00:00.001-04:00

After the letters went out early this summer to many GM & Chrysler dealers, and as sales hit their worst slump earlier this year it seems a real emphasis was placed back on the Service Department in many dealerships. Around that time I connected with Jim Troiola of Automotive Training International on LinkedIn. He's shared with me how he's helped many dealers drastically increase their service revenue and agreed to sit down for an interview with me. Hopefully some of the tips he shared with me may help you as you are taking a closer look at your own Service Department.

A Tune Up for your Service Department: Interview with Jim Troiola

Jim, tell us a little about yourself.

I've been in the automotive industry about my entire life, starting as a driver for a parts department in a Chevy dealer long ago. After serving time in the military I became a Parts Manager, 5 years later I was the Parts Director doing over $30M in parts a year. In 1987 Roger Penske took over the dealership and I was fortunate to directly report to him for 9 years as Service Director for the largest Cadillac dealership in the country at the time. In '91 I left there and worked for several smaller dealers and later got back together with Penske and ended up as the Fixed Ops Director for the entire group of 46 stores. Throughout my career I've worked with just about every franchise and have now partnered with Rich to help dealers all over the country with Automotive Training International.

Where did the concept of Automotive Training International come from and how did you form the company?

My partners Rich Gilardi and Tyler Robbins realized we could really make a difference for dealers. We can go into a store with a Service Manager that is so busy he may not have time to really do a lot of teaching. We have a lot of real world, hands on experience and that's how we teach as well. A lot of consultant companies come in, sit behind a desk all week and come up with an action plan. We really are different in that we come in and hold instructional workshops with all the employees--we hear, from them, what needs improvements, how they feel about management and engage with them to discover what could change. We have found if the employee is taking part in the solution there is automatic buy in and the changes are actually implemented.

What are the top two ways you are helping dealers with your training?

#1 Our Reservation System-One of the first things we do is look at how the customer is handled on the phone. Typically, we find, customers don't listen and reservations start to pile up as everyone calling is tells the person on the other end they'll be there around 7:30am to drop off. Dealers need to be the ones in control of the call. Give them a specific time to come in and let them know why--"We want to make sure we have time to take a look at your vehicle and listen to your needs. We'll put aside 10-15 minutes to spend one on one with you and your vehicle." The second part of the reservation system includes putting a "welcome board" on the service drive with easy appointments name and time. This does two things, first, it gives recognition to those you do have coming in and second it's a bit psychological-the guy that shows up whenever he wants, instead of at his appointed time will see there are people there that have an appointment. Hopefully next time he'll be more respectful of the system.

The reservation system is in place so that we can help Service Departments give better service to those that are there instead of rushing through each appointment. Using this system they can be ready for each customer and take the time to address questions and any additional service that might need to be performed.

In your opinion where are dealers missing the most amount of revenue in the service department?

Most dealerships are missing out on consistent vehicle walk arounds with the customer and courtesy inspections. The very best opportunities lie in the service drive. Instead of checking in the customer at a desk walk the vehicle with them. The service advisor can then point out anything he or she sees-"hey I could probably fix that dent for $150 or clean that up for $50, your tires are looking a little worn, etc." It's impossible to see these things if you're sitting at a desk. The other thing is doing courtesy inspections--really taking a look at the entire vehicle and itemizing the maintenance and service that needs to be done. There are a lot of tricks to the trade that come with both of these ideas so we work with dealers on the practical application of them.

Walk me through a dealership you’ve helped in the past?

This particular dealership had a lot of great processes put in place, but many they started and never saw to completion. One of the areas we helped to identify and correct was realizing what happened when they had to let go their service "Booker" because of the economy (The service Booker is the person that books the hours of labor per job for the technicians). To replace the Booker the dealership came up with pricing grids and distributed them to the service technicians, but because they were so busy everyone just started using the standard hourly rate instead of the actual price grid rate. This practice really started eating into the labor charges. We installed the pricing grids on the computers and made an instant impact on the bottom line.

Jim Troiola is Co-Partner of Automotive Training International. He can be reached by email Jim@ATi360.com or phone (646) 712-2197.

Gaining Exposure for your Service Department

2009-10-12T09:30:00.000-04:00

We've all learned a lot the past year or so. As an eternal optimist (and a Recession Virgin so to speak), I've been looking back personally and professionally and determining what can be learned from the recent history. It seems many dealerships are doing the same. Some are finding that somewhere during the era of the fast cash and quick deals the sub prime market granted--some fundamentals were lost. One such fundamental is that of marketing and promoting the Service Department.

First off, does your Service Department have an advertising budget? I'm aware there are different ways of book keeping and accountability when it comes to how budgets are dispersed but there should at least be an amount earmarked for every area you want to promote. If not, it's inevitable something will be pushed to the wayside.
Secondly, how are you using this budget? In my opinion there should be a part designated for retention and one part set aside for new customers. Either way take a look at what you're current doing and how well it is working.
Thirdly, begin thinking more strategically. Who are you hitting with your messages? Who is missing the message? How are you layering the service message throughout all the dealership's marketing? What are you doing to turn your sales customers into service customers?

This week the Diva Blog is all about the Service Department! Stay tuned for some marketing ideas and an interview with a service expert. I'd love to hear from you--what changes have you made to increase revenue on this side of the dealership in the past 18 months!?

Key Giveaway in the News

2009-09-29T10:54:00.007-04:00

Many of the mailers doing the best right now feature keys. As most of you know they are for attention getting purposes and don't actually do anything at the sale as the Marketvision kiosk tells customers what they've won.

Just wanted to share this story of a man who tried the key in the winning vehicles engine and actually STARTED the car. Check out the story and use it as a reminder to let the kiosk notify the winner, not the KEY :)

Click here to read the news story.

PS: Yes, this was a Tri Auto mailer.

Schedule This Week

2009-09-21T09:00:00.001-04:00

Just wanted to make clients and future clients aware the I'm out of the office this week.

We'll be working on events with sale dates the second full week of October early & mid week, and sales the week of the third full week of October late this week.

If you need something please contact one of the other two Divas:

Katy Peat-Account Exec
kpeat@triauto.com
317-644-5779

Ashley Beck-Account Development Spec.
abeck@triauto.com
317-644-5771

Meet me on Facebook

2009-09-15T11:58:00.005-04:00

So I've blogged on Facebook for over a year and how dealers should and could be using it for business....and guess what-I just got my own page up and running!? Now that I've taken my own advice, I'm inviting you to connect with me.

Shoot me an email or give me a call if you'd like info on how to build your friend list immediately and how to connect with your current & past clients. There are some nifty, easy little tricks on there that don't take long at all.

In the meantime-become friends with Stephanie At TriAuto here.

The Current State of Automotive Direct Mail

2009-09-10T09:30:00.000-04:00

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.

Mailing to Credit Score Lists

2009-09-04T09:30:00.004-04:00

The credit score list had become a relic around here until about a month ago. As lenders begin to (slightly) loosen up so does the subprime market. However, credit score lists don't have to be the only way to target these people, here are a few other ideas.

Credit Score Lists

Expense: $$$

Pros: targeting specific scores, weeding out too low scores, ability to make a firm offer of credit on the mailer

Cons: expense, reliability of data (lists are always 2-4 wks old by the time mail hits the home), disclaimer hell-legal fine print required with this list can sometimes take up half the mailer

Income Lists

Expense: $$

Pros: ability to target income ranges for credit purposes, more mail for your dollar, fewer legal hoops with disclaimers and piece restrictions

Cons: data is self reported so is not always highly reliable

Saturation List with Average Income

Expense: $

Pros: very inexpensive/a lot more mail for your money, the typical mail responder is in the credit bracket most dealers would target, you could get in the occasional prime customer as well,

can still address most customers by name (instead of "current resident"), no legal restrictions or disclaimers regarding the list needed

Cons: income information is an average by neighborhood (could be large variances)

In most cases I recommend sticking with the targeted saturation lists. The difference in price can be staggering and the traffic that comes in can be "filtered" by the content of the mailer. That being said, list selection is very unique to each campaign, dealership & market. Please discuss what's best for your specific mailer with your mail specialists (...and yes, the Diva is accepting new clients).

Happy Friday!

Clunkers Hangover

2009-09-02T09:53:00.004-04:00

I'm so tired of blogging on Clunkers! Here's where we are: August is over & hopefully closed out at most dealerships. Many had a heck of a ride full of long nights, lots of deals & tons of traffic. Others didn't participate much in the actual government program but took full advantage of the buzz created throughout the industry the past few weeks. Now, traffic is starting to slow and dealers are "getting back to normal."

Is "normal" still good enough for you?

A dealer told me yesterday he supposed they were "still basking in the glory of last month." I should have told him "snap out of it!" but I didn't :) The bottom line is direct mail is working right now. I don't know if it's because a lot of dealers slowed down on it the past year, or if it's just that the products have changed a lot recently, whatever it is the days of a 1-2% response are very much here again.

Don't let the momentum die in your showroom or with your sales force-it's time to restart our engines and get things going again. Here are just a few of the products that are doing it for us at Tri-Auto right now.

USED CAR Clunkers themes (or "cash for Junkers")
Jumbo Postcards with keys or credit cards
Half Fold 11x17 with keys or credit cards
Mini 8 page magazines
Buyback letters to year/make/model lists or your database
Email blasts
Service Mailers (making a comeback!)

If you're unsure of what direction to go in, give me a call and we can talk through some ideas.

PS: In case you actually had to ask...the picture of the cheeseburger is in reference to the title of the post today. In lieu of using Tri Auto direct mail to cure your hangover, head to McDonald's.