Planning your annual advertising...
Since we've spent more than a quarter century in the advertising business and lived to tell about it, we're often asked questions about advertising and marketing that go beyond our direct-mail publications. So here are some thoughts on dealership advertising that might help you as you plan your 2006 advertising.
Our basic philosophy – a two-pronged advertising strategy:
• Powersport News , Power Post Cards and Event Flyers to reach established customers and proven prospects.
• Mass media – cable TV, radio or billboards – to reach new buyers just entering the market.
The powersports business is a classic “niche market.” Less than 5% of the population buys what you sell, so mass media – TV, radio and newspaper – is 95% wasted on people who are not and never will be a customer. With direct mail, you can precisely target that precious 5% and not waste your money on the rest.
But you don't want to mail junk. Your customers already get plenty of that. To get noticed and stay out of the landfill you have to mail something your customers perceive as interesting and valuable . That's the power of The Powersport News .
Powersport News is the logical cornerstone of a well-planned advertising strategy. Published four times a year, it keeps you in touch with proven powersports customers, features a wide variety of new and used merchandise, and establishes your store as the dominant force in your market. Most importantly, it goes right to people who buy what you sell.
Power Post Cards and Event Flyers fill in the gaps between issues of Powersport News. Use them to economically and efficiently promote sales events and particular products.
Mass media tends to be most effective during peak sales times when the interest in Powersports products is at its highest. Obviously we're talking spring and summer. This is when new buyers are most likely to enter the market and enter your store. So we recommend concentrating your cable TV, radio and billboards during this time, then laying low (or laying off) the rest of the year.
It is better to shout once than whisper a thousand times -- Old Chinese Advertising Proverb
Using and buying mass media...
Repetition is the key to being noticed and remembered, so we like short, intense bursts of advertising rather than shallow, drawn out campaigns. For maximum impact, focus your advertising into three-week “flights.”
When buying television we think it's better to buy two or three cheap spots inside a “fringe” show, rather than just one expensive spot in prime time. Remember that your target market is 90% male, so look for programs that appeal strongly to men and concentrate your advertising there. By using the ratings, your media reps can pinpoint those shows. Many cable systems sell by network, not by program, but the same idea applies. Buy the networks that reach your target market. In most markets network TV is just too expensive, so stick with cable.
When using radio , concentrate your advertising into two or three days a week. When those radio salespeople line up at your door, tell them you're looking for men who make enough money to buy what you sell, then ask them to prove they can deliver. And don't spread yourself too thin. Pick just a few stations that deliver the audience you want and stick with them. You can't afford to reach every prospective buyer, but you don't need to.
Billboards may be the most under-used and under-appreciated advertising medium there is. A single board on a busy street can deliver tens of thousands, even hundreds of thousands of impressions every day. The billboard company can give you a monthly traffic count for each board location. Divide that into the monthly cost of the board and you'll see that boards are far cheaper than any other medium. But the message has to be simple and memorable. If you're looking to build what the ad biz calls “top-of-the-mind awareness,” billboards are hard to beat.
So which do you use? That depends on your individual situation. If you are a new store trying to get noticed, billboards are a good choice. If everyone already knows your name, radio or cable TV might be a better choice because they can delivery a longer message.
Newspapers? Yeach, blech, spit, pooey! There may be some exceptions somewhere on this planet, but for powersports dealers we find newspapers overpriced, ineffective and, in most cases, rude.
Getting the most for your money...
Except for newspapers, most media will negotiate. And just like you, they're most likely to deal when business is slow. Without exception, January and February are flat as day-old beer and the media is anxious to make any deal they can. Even if you don't want to run during these months, it's the best time for you to negotiate your annual contract. Tell them what you intend to spend, when you want to run and what you intend to pay. After you've agreed on a price, tell them you'll give them half the money that was intended for their competition if they'll come down by another 15-20%, or give you a bunch of bonus spots. Hey, customers try to beat you up all year; this is your chance to get in a few licks of your own.
A final thought...
The key to successful advertising is consistency and repetition. Create an advertising plan based on a budget you can afford, and then stick with it, even if the bottom falls out one month. Remember that advertising seldom produces immediate results, so your goals should be long range.
Also keep in mind that advertising is only one of four or five critical aspects of a successful business. Your location, pricing, products and customer service are all equally important and advertising should not be expected to make up a deficiency in any one of them. But when those other things are done right, excellent advertising creates the lift to make your business soar!
Powersport Communications produces the Powersport News and other high-profile marketing tools for powersport dealers, including post cards, fliers and posters. For more information call us at 877-394-2400, or e-mail us at sales@powersportcommunications.com.