When was the last time you were in the airport?

Did you have a lot of personal communication? Did you see people speaking with one another, laughing, conversing and seemingly having a great time? 

Our guess is probably not.

Instead, you probably saw people glued to their laptops, iPhones® or smartphones.  Today’s consumers are glued to their electronic devices, constantly seeking information in an age where they must have it and have it now.

Because of the diverse demand of consumers’ time, their attention span can be very limited.

In order to participate in this quick game, you need to be invited to communicate with the customer.  It is important that you are personally invited to their home arena; the consumers’ door must be open to communication with you.   The only way that can be done effectively is through a Personal Communications Invitation.  When the consumer opts in for you to “Touch Base,” you are being invited to communicate by any number of means: direct mail, e-mails or other correspondences.

When given this opportunity, do not take this invitation lightly: be courteous as to avoid having them opt out.  Once invited, utilize that “golden ticket” as an excellent opportunity for ROI potential.  When you can get that opportunity to speak to the consumer on a personal level, it’s like they’re saying “I like you and I want to talk to with you about what you can offer me.”   When in this position, your Marketing Communications must have:

• Strategy
• Target
• Theme
• Message
• Call to Action
• Urgency
• Consistency

In my next blog, we’ll delve into the topic of The Art of Acquiring New Automotive Customers.

Happy planning…

~ Paul Ryan, Field Account Manager @ DMEautomotive

Bio: Paul Ryan brings over 25 years of experience in sales, sales management, marketing, and client services. He joined DMEautomotive in February of 2008, as a Regional Territory Manager. With proven success as an inside sales representative selling the FullCircle Solutions’ Bullseye program, he was recognized frequently as Sales Person of the Month and received the highest honor of Sales Person of the Year for 2008. In August of 2009, Paul managed, “Direct-To-Dealer” – Mail Division, responsible for overseeing the sales for the “Direct-To-Dealer” Mail Division. Currently he is traveling in the Midwest as Field Account Manager. Paul graduated with a B.B.A, in Business Administration from Iowa State University in 1982.

When was the last time you were in the airport?

Did you have a lot of personal communication? Did you see people speaking with one another, laughing, conversing and seemingly having a great time? 

Our guess is probably not.

Instead, you probably saw people glued to their laptops, iPhones® or smartphones.  Today’s consumers are glued to their electronic devices, constantly seeking information in an age where they must have it and have it now.

Because of the diverse demand of consumers’ time, their attention span can be very limited.

In order to participate in this quick game, you need to be invited to communicate with the customer.  It is important that you are personally invited to their home arena; the consumers’ door must be open to communication with you.   The only way that can be done effectively is through a Personal Communications Invitation.  When the consumer opts in for you to “Touch Base,” you are being invited to communicate by any number of means: direct mail, e-mails or other correspondences.

When given this opportunity, do not take this invitation lightly: be courteous as to avoid having them opt out.  Once invited, utilize that “golden ticket” as an excellent opportunity for ROI potential.  When you can get that opportunity to speak to the consumer on a personal level, it’s like they’re saying “I like you and I want to talk to with you about what you can offer me.”   When in this position, your Marketing Communications must have:

• Strategy
• Target
• Theme
• Message
• Call to Action
• Urgency
• Consistency

In my next blog, we’ll delve into the topic of The Art of Acquiring New Automotive Customers.

Happy planning…

~ Paul Ryan, Field Account Manager @ DMEautomotive

Bio: Paul Ryan brings over 25 years of experience in sales, sales management, marketing, and client services. He joined DMEautomotive in February of 2008, as a Regional Territory Manager. With proven success as an inside sales representative selling the FullCircle Solutions’ Bullseye program, he was recognized frequently as Sales Person of the Month and received the highest honor of Sales Person of the Year for 2008. In August of 2009, Paul managed, “Direct-To-Dealer” – Mail Division, responsible for overseeing the sales for the “Direct-To-Dealer” Mail Division. Currently he is traveling in the Midwest as Field Account Manager. Paul graduated with a B.B.A, in Business Administration from Iowa State University in 1982.

In the earlier days of direct email marketing, the line of thinking by many car dealers was to send as many messages as possible to get the consumer’s attention.  It wasn’t about the message’s relevancy, it was simply an effort to grab the consumer’s attention and say, “Hey, we’re here! Click me for more information!”   It wasn’t unprecedented, however – its predecessor direct mail marketing was often used in the exact same way.

Over time, marketers using direct mail and email have made adjustments to make their efforts and objectives more pointed and relevant to their targeted clients.  By narrowing down selected targets through initiatives like database cleansing, direct marketers are finding that it’s not the amount of mailing pieces being distributed to intended targets; it’s the relevancy and quality of the message that’s important.

What other considerations are there in having more relevant, targeted campaigns?

The simple answer as to why car dealers should opt for quality over quantity in their marketing efforts is “it saves money.” The more elaborate explanation is that by using an updated client database, the campaign is more likely to benefit from a better return on investment because the right message is being delivered to the right people – at the right time.

DMEautomotive’s Paul Ryan recently noted that using themes for automotive direct marketing campaigns can make the sales doors swing.  Opting for themes in your customer retention campaigns can be highly effective in producing revenue for car dealerships due to the timeliness of the message.  Companies such as DMEautomotive offer customer retention programs that offer thematic campaigns that dealers can choose, implement and send with a click of a button and only a few pieces of information.

The pitch of the targeted direct marketing should have effective content.  The content needs to draw the prospect in and get them to act on the offer.  Offers of discounted oil changes, reduced services on a next visit or even car washes on every visit can be effective tools to getting in the consciousness of the consumer when it comes time to make car decisions.

When it comes to the actual “hook or pain” of your automotive service marketing campaigns, it’s how the message is delivered to your target that grabs their attention. When you’re thinking about your direct marketing materials, you should consider:

• Is it pointed?
• Should I use direct mail or email?
• Is it professional?
• Would a postcard or a tri-fold mailer be more effective?
• How is the pitch delivered?

In automotive marketing, it is true what the old adage says: quality rules quantity.

~ Missy Jensen, Social Media Manager at DMEautomotive

Bio:
Missy designs, deploys and maintains the social media initiatives for DMEautomotive in an effort to increase brand awareness, distribute company and industry news, provide updates on products and services and promote consumer engagement. Missy enjoys the process of learning; researching and watching projects come to fruition!

Prior to her transformation into a web specialist and work with DMEautomotive, she has 10 years of experience in the marketing and communications industry. Missy served as the Director, Handicapping & Communications for a regional golf association and helped successfully launch and maintain a cutting edge technology-based ticket resale program on behalf of the St. Louis Cardinals.

Missy attended St. Lawrence University where she graduated Magna Cum Laude with a BS in Psychology. She also holds a Master’s Degree from Miami University in Oxford, OH. She can be reached at missy.jensen@dmeautomotive.com and check her out on LinkedIn.

In the earlier days of direct email marketing, the line of thinking by many car dealers was to send as many messages as possible to get the consumer’s attention.  It wasn’t about the message’s relevancy, it was simply an effort to grab the consumer’s attention and say, “Hey, we’re here! Click me for more information!”   It wasn’t unprecedented, however – its predecessor direct mail marketing was often used in the exact same way.

Over time, marketers using direct mail and email have made adjustments to make their efforts and objectives more pointed and relevant to their targeted clients.  By narrowing down selected targets through initiatives like database cleansing, direct marketers are finding that it’s not the amount of mailing pieces being distributed to intended targets; it’s the relevancy and quality of the message that’s important.

What other considerations are there in having more relevant, targeted campaigns?

The simple answer as to why car dealers should opt for quality over quantity in their marketing efforts is “it saves money.” The more elaborate explanation is that by using an updated client database, the campaign is more likely to benefit from a better return on investment because the right message is being delivered to the right people – at the right time.

DMEautomotive’s Paul Ryan recently noted that using themes for automotive direct marketing campaigns can make the sales doors swing.  Opting for themes in your customer retention campaigns can be highly effective in producing revenue for car dealerships due to the timeliness of the message.  Companies such as DMEautomotive offer customer retention programs that offer thematic campaigns that dealers can choose, implement and send with a click of a button and only a few pieces of information.

The pitch of the targeted direct marketing should have effective content.  The content needs to draw the prospect in and get them to act on the offer.  Offers of discounted oil changes, reduced services on a next visit or even car washes on every visit can be effective tools to getting in the consciousness of the consumer when it comes time to make car decisions.

When it comes to the actual “hook or pain” of your automotive service marketing campaigns, it’s how the message is delivered to your target that grabs their attention. When you’re thinking about your direct marketing materials, you should consider:

• Is it pointed?
• Should I use direct mail or email?
• Is it professional?
• Would a postcard or a tri-fold mailer be more effective?
• How is the pitch delivered?

In automotive marketing, it is true what the old adage says: quality rules quantity.

~ Missy Jensen, Social Media Manager at DMEautomotive

Bio:
Missy designs, deploys and maintains the social media initiatives for DMEautomotive in an effort to increase brand awareness, distribute company and industry news, provide updates on products and services and promote consumer engagement. Missy enjoys the process of learning; researching and watching projects come to fruition!

Prior to her transformation into a web specialist and work with DMEautomotive, she has 10 years of experience in the marketing and communications industry. Missy served as the Director, Handicapping & Communications for a regional golf association and helped successfully launch and maintain a cutting edge technology-based ticket resale program on behalf of the St. Louis Cardinals.

Missy attended St. Lawrence University where she graduated Magna Cum Laude with a BS in Psychology. She also holds a Master’s Degree from Miami University in Oxford, OH. She can be reached at missy.jensen@dmeautomotive.com and check her out on LinkedIn.

With the global economy slowly bouncing back from the depths of a recession, automotive manufacturers are expecting to see a similar bounce back in vehicle sales and leases.  Assuming that both trends go hand in hand that people are more willing to spend on cars thanks to an increase in consumer confidence – automotive direct marketers may be emboldened to try and capture these newly-interested customers with new vehicle marketing campaigns. 

But will new vehicle purchases really rule the day for automotive marketing?  In actuality, customer retention and automotive service marketers may be the ones benefitting the most from the economic upswing.

Why?

In research conducted by R.L. Polk & Co., a premier provider of automotive information and marketing solutions, the trend appears to be heading in another direction – a growing number of vehicle owners are holding onto their vehicles longer than expected.

The study notes that in 2001, vehicle owners held onto their automobiles for 47.5 months.  Fast forward to 2010’s second quarter, and the data shows that rate has climbed to 52.2 months.  Some factors that contribute to this rising number may include the economic climate, tighter financing rules by lenders, warranties/extended warranties, and the increase in vehicle durability ratings.

So how can automotive customer retention and service marketing campaigns capitalize on the trend of owners keeping their vehicles for longer than expected?  DMEautomotive recommends developing proactive, multi-channel communications that talk to your customers about your retention and service programs. Broadcast your customer loyalty initiatives, or create seasonal service campaigns.

When these initiatives are successful, you not only build your service base and reach customers who hold onto their cars – you’ll also create relationships for when customers are in the market to make a purchase.  And with the economy starting to trend towards the black, that time may be fast approaching.

With the global economy slowly bouncing back from the depths of a recession, automotive manufacturers are expecting to see a similar bounce back in vehicle sales and leases.  Assuming that both trends go hand in hand that people are more willing to spend on cars thanks to an increase in consumer confidence – automotive direct marketers may be emboldened to try and capture these newly-interested customers with new vehicle marketing campaigns. 

But will new vehicle purchases really rule the day for automotive marketing?  In actuality, customer retention and automotive service marketers may be the ones benefitting the most from the economic upswing.

Why?

In research conducted by R.L. Polk & Co., a premier provider of automotive information and marketing solutions, the trend appears to be heading in another direction – a growing number of vehicle owners are holding onto their vehicles longer than expected.

The study notes that in 2001, vehicle owners held onto their automobiles for 47.5 months.  Fast forward to 2010’s second quarter, and the data shows that rate has climbed to 52.2 months.  Some factors that contribute to this rising number may include the economic climate, tighter financing rules by lenders, warranties/extended warranties, and the increase in vehicle durability ratings.

So how can automotive customer retention and service marketing campaigns capitalize on the trend of owners keeping their vehicles for longer than expected?  DMEautomotive recommends developing proactive, multi-channel communications that talk to your customers about your retention and service programs. Broadcast your customer loyalty initiatives, or create seasonal service campaigns.

When these initiatives are successful, you not only build your service base and reach customers who hold onto their cars – you’ll also create relationships for when customers are in the market to make a purchase.  And with the economy starting to trend towards the black, that time may be fast approaching.

When it comes to direct marketing campaigns, it’s human nature to think big.  Whether it’s rolling out an email blast for an upcoming customer appreciation day or sending out a holiday themed Sales or Service postcard, we all have a tendency to want to “wow” the recipient with bright colors, killer graphics and an awesome call to action.

In reality, you’re re-inventing the wheel and over-thinking the whole initiative.

It’s always a good time to remind yourself that the mantra of “Keep It Simple, Stupid” is still a best practice in your direct marketing campaigns.

While keeping that in mind, it should also be noted to remember these other simple aspects when brainstorming for that upcoming program.

Grab their attention. Let’s face it:  your mailbox – and email box – is filled with quite a bit of sales collateral, ranging from discounted lawn service to an incentive to change your high-speed wireless plans.  In order to cut through that clutter, compose an appealing headline (direct mail) or captivating subject line (direct e-mail) to grab their attention.  Furthermore, these headlines are the first step in a process that creates initial contact with your prospects and can lead to a call to action.

Keep your eye on the ball. Putting together a strategy involves knowing who you’re targeting.  By utilizing an updated and accurate marketing database as well as a good social media-monitoring program, you should have a pretty solid idea of what your target is looking for, whether it is a vehicle or service.

The devil is in the details. When putting together the copy for your promotional mailer, give the consumer all the details to assist them in making a decision.  The more details you can give them – features, benefits, you name it – the more improved your chances of getting customers into your doors.   However, it’s critical to balance it with a clear call to action.  Do you want your customers to call you to schedule a Service appointment?  Do you want them to visit your showroom?  Whatever it is you want from them, tell them!

Emails are meant to brief. In sending out your direct mailers, you have a bit of extra time to capture your recipient’s attention.  However, with your direct emails you have a few scant moments to entice them.  How scant?  One study puts the timeframe at less than 7 seconds.  Compose great teaser copy in your subject line and direct them with links to garner more information about your product/service.

By keeping things simple and remembering the “little things” in putting together your direct marketing strategies, you’re not re-inventing the wheel… you’re giving it traction.

~ Missy Jensen, Social Media Manager at DMEautomotive

Bio:
Missy designs, deploys and maintains the social media initiatives for DMEautomotive in an effort to increase brand awareness, distribute company and industry news, provide updates on products and services and promote consumer engagement. Missy enjoys the process of learning; researching and watching projects come to fruition!

Prior to her transformation into a web specialist and work with DMEautomotive, she has 10 years of experience in the marketing and communications industry. Missy served as the Director, Handicapping & Communications for a regional golf association and helped successfully launch and maintain a cutting edge technology-based ticket resale program on behalf of the St. Louis Cardinals.

Missy attended St. Lawrence University where she graduated Magna Cum Laude with a BS in Psychology. She also holds a Master’s Degree from Miami University in Oxford, OH. She can be reached at missy.jensen@dmeautomotive.com and check her out on LinkedIn.

When it comes to direct marketing campaigns, it’s human nature to think big.  Whether it’s rolling out an email blast for an upcoming customer appreciation day or sending out a holiday themed Sales or Service postcard, we all have a tendency to want to “wow” the recipient with bright colors, killer graphics and an awesome call to action.

In reality, you’re re-inventing the wheel and over-thinking the whole initiative.

It’s always a good time to remind yourself that the mantra of “Keep It Simple, Stupid” is still a best practice in your direct marketing campaigns.

While keeping that in mind, it should also be noted to remember these other simple aspects when brainstorming for that upcoming program.

Grab their attention. Let’s face it:  your mailbox – and email box – is filled with quite a bit of sales collateral, ranging from discounted lawn service to an incentive to change your high-speed wireless plans.  In order to cut through that clutter, compose an appealing headline (direct mail) or captivating subject line (direct e-mail) to grab their attention.  Furthermore, these headlines are the first step in a process that creates initial contact with your prospects and can lead to a call to action.

Keep your eye on the ball. Putting together a strategy involves knowing who you’re targeting.  By utilizing an updated and accurate marketing database as well as a good social media-monitoring program, you should have a pretty solid idea of what your target is looking for, whether it is a vehicle or service.

The devil is in the details. When putting together the copy for your promotional mailer, give the consumer all the details to assist them in making a decision.  The more details you can give them – features, benefits, you name it – the more improved your chances of getting customers into your doors.   However, it’s critical to balance it with a clear call to action.  Do you want your customers to call you to schedule a Service appointment?  Do you want them to visit your showroom?  Whatever it is you want from them, tell them!

Emails are meant to brief. In sending out your direct mailers, you have a bit of extra time to capture your recipient’s attention.  However, with your direct emails you have a few scant moments to entice them.  How scant?  One study puts the timeframe at less than 7 seconds.  Compose great teaser copy in your subject line and direct them with links to garner more information about your product/service.

By keeping things simple and remembering the “little things” in putting together your direct marketing strategies, you’re not re-inventing the wheel… you’re giving it traction.

~ Missy Jensen, Social Media Manager at DMEautomotive

Bio:
Missy designs, deploys and maintains the social media initiatives for DMEautomotive in an effort to increase brand awareness, distribute company and industry news, provide updates on products and services and promote consumer engagement. Missy enjoys the process of learning; researching and watching projects come to fruition!

Prior to her transformation into a web specialist and work with DMEautomotive, she has 10 years of experience in the marketing and communications industry. Missy served as the Director, Handicapping & Communications for a regional golf association and helped successfully launch and maintain a cutting edge technology-based ticket resale program on behalf of the St. Louis Cardinals.

Missy attended St. Lawrence University where she graduated Magna Cum Laude with a BS in Psychology. She also holds a Master’s Degree from Miami University in Oxford, OH. She can be reached at missy.jensen@dmeautomotive.com and check her out on LinkedIn.

Buying a car has never been easier: pick a car that fits your price range, check out a few reliability rating sites on your selection, go to the dealership for a test drive and – should everything fall into place – you’ll drive off the lot with a new vehicle purchase.

For car dealerships and their direct marketing strategies, it’s only half the battle. 

In the online age, there are numerous pipelines for potential car buyers and automotive service customers to obtain reviews of dealerships.  Such sites as DealerRater.com offer prospects a one-stop shop for anything and everything related to a dealership: customer service, quality of work, friendliness, overall experience and price of the vehicles in their inventory.

So what can you do to get your automotive customers to share their experiences?  Try one or two of the following to get started!

Happiness is a warm review. Get your satisfied customers to spread the word that their dealership experience was a great one.  Word of mouth marketing – either by verbal or non-verbal forms – is an important way to influence others in their vehicle purchasing decisions.  Dealers should give their raving customers referral bonuses for helping to drive traffic into their dealership.

Launch a social media strategy. By installing a social media strategy for your dealership, you’ll put yourself in the driver’s seat.  It’ll give you all the tools needed to monitor conversations about your dealership and provide a chance to perform some reputation management should a negative review come careening your way.

Give incentives. It’s never easy to get your customers to offer a review of your sales or service process.  Often times, a person who buys a vehicle just wants to hit the streets and show their purchases off to their friends.  Grab their attention by offering incentives like a discounted service visit or an automotive detailing package for their vehicle.  Giving them a financial incentive should help get those reviews flowing.

As easy as it is for prospective automotive buyers to buy a new vehicle, it’s just as easy for someone to go online and offer an opinion on their car buying or automotive service experience.  By placing a priority on netting positive reviews for your dealership, it serves as a better opportunity to land more people into your showroom and make those sales doors swing.

~ Missy Jensen, Social Media Manager at DMEautomotive

Bio:
Missy designs, deploys and maintains the social media initiatives for DMEautomotive in an effort to increase brand awareness, distribute company and industry news, provide updates on products and services and promote consumer engagement. Missy enjoys the process of learning; researching and watching projects come to fruition!

Prior to her transformation into a web specialist and work with DMEautomotive, she has 10 years of experience in the marketing and communications industry. Missy served as the Director, Handicapping & Communications for a regional golf association and helped successfully launch and maintain a cutting edge technology-based ticket resale program on behalf of the St. Louis Cardinals.

Missy attended St. Lawrence University where she graduated Magna Cum Laude with a BS in Psychology. She also holds a Master’s Degree from Miami University in Oxford, OH. She can be reached at missy.jensen@dmeautomotive.com and check her out on LinkedIn.

Buying a car has never been easier: pick a car that fits your price range, check out a few reliability rating sites on your selection, go to the dealership for a test drive and – should everything fall into place – you’ll drive off the lot with a new vehicle purchase.

For car dealerships and their direct marketing strategies, it’s only half the battle. 

In the online age, there are numerous pipelines for potential car buyers and automotive service customers to obtain reviews of dealerships.  Such sites as DealerRater.com offer prospects a one-stop shop for anything and everything related to a dealership: customer service, quality of work, friendliness, overall experience and price of the vehicles in their inventory.

So what can you do to get your automotive customers to share their experiences?  Try one or two of the following to get started!

Happiness is a warm review. Get your satisfied customers to spread the word that their dealership experience was a great one.  Word of mouth marketing – either by verbal or non-verbal forms – is an important way to influence others in their vehicle purchasing decisions.  Dealers should give their raving customers referral bonuses for helping to drive traffic into their dealership.

Launch a social media strategy. By installing a social media strategy for your dealership, you’ll put yourself in the driver’s seat.  It’ll give you all the tools needed to monitor conversations about your dealership and provide a chance to perform some reputation management should a negative review come careening your way.

Give incentives. It’s never easy to get your customers to offer a review of your sales or service process.  Often times, a person who buys a vehicle just wants to hit the streets and show their purchases off to their friends.  Grab their attention by offering incentives like a discounted service visit or an automotive detailing package for their vehicle.  Giving them a financial incentive should help get those reviews flowing.

As easy as it is for prospective automotive buyers to buy a new vehicle, it’s just as easy for someone to go online and offer an opinion on their car buying or automotive service experience.  By placing a priority on netting positive reviews for your dealership, it serves as a better opportunity to land more people into your showroom and make those sales doors swing.

~ Missy Jensen, Social Media Manager at DMEautomotive

Bio:
Missy designs, deploys and maintains the social media initiatives for DMEautomotive in an effort to increase brand awareness, distribute company and industry news, provide updates on products and services and promote consumer engagement. Missy enjoys the process of learning; researching and watching projects come to fruition!

Prior to her transformation into a web specialist and work with DMEautomotive, she has 10 years of experience in the marketing and communications industry. Missy served as the Director, Handicapping & Communications for a regional golf association and helped successfully launch and maintain a cutting edge technology-based ticket resale program on behalf of the St. Louis Cardinals.

Missy attended St. Lawrence University where she graduated Magna Cum Laude with a BS in Psychology. She also holds a Master’s Degree from Miami University in Oxford, OH. She can be reached at missy.jensen@dmeautomotive.com and check her out on LinkedIn.