Starting the New Year Right

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!

Now that the year has ended, it's time to start the New Year. I'm sure most of you are happy 2009 is over and looking forward to a better 2010. Hopefully we all have our health and remain healthY for the year. It sounds trite, but its true: If you have your health, everthing else is gravy.

How do you keep the momentum going for 2010? Yoiu need to come to realize that you need to start advertising again. You can't "save" your way to prosperity; You need to advertise and get traffic through the doors. So far nothing new. But hang around you'll be surprised how much you will learn and how it will result in more sales.

For the remainder of the year I'm going to take it slow and work on only a few ideas each week. This post covers the overall reason that direct mail works or does not work. Here goes: The theree (3) reasons why your Direct Mail works or does not work is as follows:

1) Your Piece Sucks!!

2) Your offer Sucks!!!

3) Your mailing list Sucks!!!!

That's it!! Nothing more; nothing less. If youR Direct Mail does not work, the above is why. I'm serious and if you allow it to continue to Suck then you Suck!!!!

Let's talk. See You next week. Go Bills!! Now they suck; but I still Love them:)

Happy Holidays

Wow! Hard to believe that the year is drawing to a close. It flew by. I had great intentions of writing this blog to make the world a better place for direct mail. More work than I ever thought! Eyes were bigger than my stomach.

Now that the year is over: I feel confident that I can revive my blog for 2010. I learned so much this past year from my customers. Learned their perspective on direct mail. Learned what makes your customers buy, and learned a lot about why direct mail sucks!!! It's amazing how bad most direct mail is but we keep buying!! Sign me up for that deal.

This year what I shope to do is help you develop effective direct mail campaigns; learn what other dealers are doing; learn how to tap into the famous 'social media" and lastly have some fun (and I plan to be a little rude; but only to certain folks).

Sit back, have fun close out the year strong and we will start fresh on January 1, 2010!!!

Thanks to all of my customers in 2009. Thank you to all of the great folks that I meet. I know I was almost in "stalking mode: with some of you; and I appreciate your patience and understanding. Special Thanks to the Professional Closer and he Profesor (You both know who you are).

The Doctor

Rantings and Raves

Again, sorry for the delay in writing/posting; life gets in the way. Anyway back again; instead of boring budget speak; let's have some fun. In my travels the past week all I hear is how lousy business is; no inventory; can't sell cars boo hoo Mr. Bluebird. Get a life.
What can you do? Well first of all stop crying and get to work. Go figure out how to sell cars. Not used to this environment where you have to work? There are numerous opportunities for you to sell cars, increase service and capture customers for the long term. You need to sit back and take stock of the business.
How can you do it differently? Think outside of the box. I know easier said then done. For example are you using all of the internet options available? Does your internet department know how to sell; very different than face-to-face selling. Are they responsive. Remember if you don't answer within 24 hours the business is lost. It's usually the simple, easy things that are not done and cost you the sale. Review your procedures what is redundant vs. what makes money.
I tell you the dealership that refines there plans and process to deal with this economy beyond the simple task of costing cutting will be poised to profit in the future. Sitting on the sidelines and doing nothing will result in nothing.
Start Sell and Stop Whining!!!! Use more Direct Mail. Are you serious? In this economy direct mail is your best friend. Targeted and cost effective and quantifiable. Are you kidding me; this solution is staring you in the face; NO EXCUSES THAT I DON'T HAVE MONEY FOR DIRECT MAIL. YES YOU DO!! HOW CAN YOU NOT DO IT? YOU MUST LIKE LOSING MONEY.
Get on the ball!!

First Step In the Budgeting Process (How Boring)

The first step in the marketing process is to develop your budget. Do you have a budget; how much do you want to spend on radio, paper, tv, direct mail, etc. You should have a monthly breakdown. Secondly, do you have a method for tracking your results? Do you use an ad agency? Does your wife, sister, brother, husband, or dog handle your marketing and advertising. How do you like using TV? Are you pretty; are you getting the hot girls (or boys)? Sorry I got carried away. These will be further topics.

The most important steps are: 1) Develop a budget; 2) Track the results of your marketing/advertising program; 3) Stay committed to the program for at least 6 months; 4) Continue to track your results. Remember what gets measured gets done. Truer words were never spoken.

Enough for today. Good luck selling!!

YOUR MARKETING SUCKS!!!

WOW!! Did I get your attention? Now that's the way to win friends and influence clients. Just insult everyone. I am reading the book "Your Marketing Sucks" by Mark Stevens. I never heard of it until yesterday. Run out tonight buy the book and kick your competition's a*s. Are you kidding me this book is great!!
More importantly it hits the real issue regarding Marketing/advertising/direct mail. That is? Most or all of you don't have a plan. The usual comment, Plan to succeed or Plan to Fail". Without a plan you fail!
Before we talk about direct mail lets talk about a very important issue. Which is that most dealers don't have a marketing plan. They have no idea what they want to achieve with there marketing and or advertising programs. As such they also do not have a budget specifically defined nor do they have an established method for measuring success. Your budget and plan are your road map to success. If you don't have either of these in place it is very difficult, costly and frustrating to use direct mail and not understand why it is not successful. Or any type of advertising for that matter.
In my next post I'm going to talk about the budgeting process as well as a system to track results. Have a great night!!

Cash For Klunkers (Cont'd)

Correction: The NHTSA is writing the rules for the program. Below please find several links which will help you to better understand the program. Both are great sites. Thanks Chapman Automotive Group! Nice job!!

If you use direct mail to advertise this program; which you should, as this is a perfect application for direct mail. Make sure the company you use understands the regulations. The list/data base is the key to the success of your program. Also, very important: The theme of the mailer should be that you are here to help the customer; NOT take advantage of the program or them. Don't make your piece look like a newspaper ad. Use some imagination; make it fun and make it respectful. Remember it's always about the customer; NOT YOU.

http://cars.gov/; http://www.cashforclunkersdealers.com/

Cash ($) for Klunkers

Cash for Klunkers: Don't forget about this program. Not signed into law yet; but FDOT working on regulations. Check out website: CARS.gov. Set up by the Feds gives details of the program. You definitely need to be planning your mail piece and your list. Make sure your mail company knows who should be on your list. That would force them to know the regulations. A direct mail company that knows something, what a novel approach. More to follow on this.

P.S. Congress anticipates that this program should sell 250,000 new cars. Don't be left out.