Winning with Marketing.

Turn right after 100m.42, Sample Street

Accident repair • Scratch removal • Retouching/buffing • Vintage car service • Pick-up and delivery •Tel. 0202 12 34 56 •

TheMüllerbodyshop

�

Introduction.

Marketing. It’s not a buzzword,but a business tool. 4

Marketing means looking ahead. And taking a long, hard look at your business. 6 I have a lot of customers. But whichcustomers are the most profitable ones? 7 The right mix makes the difference:Define the most effective messages. 8 Strategy as the key to success. 9 Market observation:Keeping your eyes open. 10 Where are you headed?And how will you get there? 12

Spreading the message. 13- Appearance. 14- Printadvertisements. 16- Commercialsonlocalradio. 18- Photos. 19- Folders,flyersandleaflets. �0- Directmailingandphonemarketing. ��- Phonemarketing. �4- ColorforLife-theultimatewarranty. �5- Pressrelations. �8- OpenDay/specialevent. 30- Relationshipmanagement. 31 Activity plan. 32 Controlling your success. 34

Inthisbrochureyouwillfrequentlycomeacrossthename“Müller”.Thisnamehasbeenchosendeliberately.ItisaverycommonnameandyouarewellfamiliarwithMrMüller’slineofbusiness.ThefictitiousMüllerbodyshopisjustoneexampleofmanysimilarbusinesseswhicharealltryingtostandoutfromthecompetition.

ThisbrochurepresentssomeoftheresultsoftheMüllerbodyshop’sventuresintotheworldofmarketing.Youmaypossiblyarriveatdifferentresultsbecauseyourownbodyshopispositioneddifferentlyinthemarketplaceorbecauseyoupreferadifferentdesignforyourstationeryandpromotionalmaterials.Thisisjustthewayitshouldbe-afterall,yourgoalistomakeyourbodyshopstandoutasbeinguniqueintheeyesofyourcustomers.Marketingwillhelpyouachievejustthat!

3

Analysis- Marketsituation- Customerstructure- Competitivesituation

Controlpossiblyadjustmentof:- Analysis- Objectives- Strategy- Measures

Marketing. It’s not a buzzword, but a business tool.

Marketingisnotjustanotherwordforadvertising.Marketingisthefullpak-kageofmeasuresandactivitieswhichensureyourbusiness’ssuccessinthemar-ketplace.Thisnotonlyincludesvisiblemeasuresbutalsoplanning,coordinationandcontrol.

Marketinginstrumentsallowyoutoidentifyexistingandpotentialcustomerneedswhichcanthenbeconvertedintoactualdemandforyourproductsandservices.Sowhatwearetalkingaboutisnotashort-termeffortbutratheramanagementtooltokeepyourcompanyontherightcourseinthelongterm.

Ofcourse,youknowyourcustomersbetterthananybodyelse.Butthen,youknowonlythosecustomerswhoarealreadyinyourcustomerfile.Forexample,youmayhavemadeagoodnameforyourselfamongthecardea-lershipsinyourareabasedonyour

precisework,yourprofessionalexpertiseandyourcompliancewithdeadlines.Allthesefactorsspeakforyourbodyshop-butwhyaretheynotknowntoallthosemotoristswhocontinuetotaketheircarstothedealershipforbodyrepairsinsteadofcomingstraighttoyou?

Thequestionwhichwewanttoanswerjointlywithyouonthefollowingpagesis:Whattoolsandinstrumentscanyouusetosecureandimproveyourrevenuesandprofitsoverthemediumandlongterm?Theanswerswhichyouwillfindwillhelpyouwinnewcustomersandstructureyourbusinessvolumeforhighermarginsandprofits.

•Marketingmakesbodyshopsfit forthemarket.•Marketinghelpsyoutapintonew customergroups.•Marketingsecuresyourfuturereve- nuesandprofits.

4

Strategy- Product- Price- Communication- Image- Staff

Measuresexamples:- Advertisements- Businessstationery- Pressrelease- Website- Directmailing

Marketing. It’s not a buzzword, but a business tool.

• What revenue volume do I need to keep my capacity fully utilised?• How can I generate more sales?• More profit through higher quality?

• What is my sales/profit ratio?• How important is public awareness of my name?• What kind of marketing budget should I spend?

• How should I measure the success of my advertising activities?• Have I reached my objectives?• Do my employees support my marketing concept?

• What short-term, medium-term and long-term objectives do I have for my business?• What are my competitors doing?• Am I being recommended by my customers?

• What do my customers want?• How can I recruit additional/different customers?

• What form of advertising should I choose?• What can be improved about my bodyshop’s appearance and image?• How do I implement suitable advertising measures?

Objectives- Expandmarketshare- Raisenameawareness- Increasesales

5

Marketing means looking ahead. And taking a long, hard look at your business.

Marketingmeansmappingouttheroadaheadforyourbusiness.However,tobeabletodothatyouneedtobeverysureaboutyourstartingposition.Thismeansyouhavetotakestockofyourcurrentpositioninthemarketplaceandyourpresentlevelofcompetitiveness.Andyouneedtobeawareofhowyourbusi-nessisperceivedbyothersinthismarketenvironment.

Tobeabletoformulateargumentswhichpeoplecanreallyappreciate,youneedtobefullyfamiliarwithyourbusinessandknowaboutyourstrengthsandyourposition:

“Ourbodyshoptrainsyoungpeople.Overthepast10yearsatotalofeighttraineeshavecompletedanapprenti-ceshipwithus-bothintheofficeandintheshop.Todayweemphasisethisfactinouradvertising,whichhashelpedusattractmanycustomers.”

Investinginmarketingasabusinesstoolismorethanapurelyfinancialconside-ration.Itshouldalsobeaninspirationtothinkbeyondyourday-to-daybusinessroutines.Suchinvestmentsareclearlyofalong-termnature,giventhattheacci-dentrepairmarketisgoingthroughaphaseofprofoundchanges.

Concentrationandconsolidationinthemarketplacearetheorderoftheday,drivenbyeverhighertechnicalstan-dardswhichcanonlybemetbyspen-dingmoremoneyonequipmentandhumanresources.Whilethenumberofvehiclesontheroadisrising,thenumberofdamagerepairspaidbyinsurancecompaniesisstagnatingordeclining.Thereforeitisimportanttobuildaprofitablecustomerbasewhichisnotconfinedtoasinglegroupofcustomers.Themorepillarsyourbusinessrestson,thebetter.

Possible advantages* Possible disadvantages*

--numerousrepairjobs--fastpayments

Insurers

Fleet operators andleasing companies

Motorists

Dealerships

-lowerhourlyrate-highstandardsofquality-networks

-specialisation-fastservice-majorrepairs

-higherhourlyrate-riskdiversification

-numerousrepairjobs-specialisation

-higherrisk-highercostofmaterials-costpressure

- greaterinsecurity

-higherrisk-lowerhourlyrates-commissionpayments

*Advantagesanddisadvantagesmaydifferbetweenbodyshops6

I have a lot of customers.But which customers are the most profitable ones?

Ifyouwanttocatertoyourcustomers’needs,youneedtobefamiliarwithyourcustomers.Whatdoesyourbodyshop’scustomerstructurelooklikeatpresent?Doyouworkforinsurersordealerships,forfleetsorleasingcompanies,orformotorists?

Eachofthesecustomergroupshasdifferentneeds.Whilecorporateandbusinesscustomersvaluesmoothandreliablehandlingandafavourablepak-kageprice,retailcustomerstendtopaymoreattentiontoqualityandpersonalattention.Fromyourbusinessperspec-tive,thesedifferentgroupspredomi-nantlymeandifferentlevelsofrevenuesandmargins.

Whatdothedifferentcustomergroupsmeanforyourbodyshop?• Managingcapacityutilisationatyour bodyshop•Short-termorlong-termcustomer relationships•Differentlevelsofadministrative efforts.

Forexample,insurancecompanies’damagemanagementprogrammesmaydeliverinterestingmarginsbuttheymayalsoresultinyourbodyshopbecomingeconomicallydependentonthesecusto-mers.Ifsuchcontractsaccountforathirdofyourbusiness,yourviabilitymaybe

jeopardisedifandwhenthesecontractsarediscontinued.Theimportantthingistobuildasustainablecustomerstructurewhichisolatesyouagainstchangingmarketsituations.Thishealthymixshouldincludemotoristswhoshould,however,notaccountforallofyourbusiness.

Importancefor revenues

Importancefor profits

What importance does this customer group have for your bodyshop’s sales revenues and profits?

Rateonascalefrom1=veryhighto6=verylow

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The right mix makes the difference:Define the most effective messages.

Fromtimetotimeyourbusinessiscon-frontedwithfactorsoutsideyourdirectcontrol-competitors,lawsandregula-tionsaswellassocialstructuresinyourenvironment.Buttherearealsoanum-berofessentialfactorswhichyouhavefullcontrolover:

Products and services

Productofferingsandrepairmethods:- Glassandplasticrepairs-SMARTrepairs-MICROrepairs-Paintlessdentremoval-Wheelmountingandalignment-Bodyrepairs

Customerservices:-“ColorforLife”guarantee-Salvageandtowingservice-“Mobile”costestimates-Freecarpick-upanddelivery-Informationdayforschool-leavers-Carcleaning

Marketadditionalbenefitsforcustomershavingtheircarrepaired:-Freebeverages-Toycars/surprisesforkids-Customernewsletters-After-salesservice

•Youdecidewhatproductsand servicesyouoffer.•Youcanpriceyourproductsand serviceswithincertainlimits.•Youcanshapeyourbodyshop’s appearanceandimage.•Youcantrainyourstafftocontribute toafavourableperceptionofyour business.

Thesefourfactorsneedtobereflectedinyouradvertisingmessages.Takentogether,theyrepresenttheso-calledmarketingmixwhichneedstobeopti-mallytunedbothinqualitativeandinquantitativeterms.

Pricing strategies

Low-pricestrategiesareaimedat:- Marketpenetration-Salesgrowth-Expansionofmarketshare

-Cansupportaqualityimage-Makesenseforbodyshopswhich arewellpositionedinthemarket-Canbeappliedforspecialservices

Otherpossibilities-Variableorstableprices-Seasonalrebates-Specialactions/offers

8

The right mix makes the difference:Define the most effective messages.

Appearance of your business- appealingexteriorlook- interiordesign- cleanliness- appropriatefurnitureandfittings- customerparking- clearsignage- masterrefinishercertificateon display

Strategy as the key to success.

Marketingis30percentgoodideasand�0percentgoodplanning.Sonowyouknowwhichcustomersgeneratethehighestrevenuesandthehighestmar-gins.Youcurrentlydomostworkforcardealershipsandothercommercialcusto-mersandnowyouwanttoincreasinglyattractmotorists?Becausetheysupporthighermargins?

Needlesstosay,youwouldliketoenjoyalladvantagesofferedbythedifferentcustomergroupsatonce-asteadysupplyofwork,highsalesrevenuesandattractivemargins.Thisiswheretheplanninghastostart.Winningmoto-ristsascustomersrequiresadifferentapproach,differentargumentsanddifferentinstrumentscomparedtothefleetoperators,leasingcompaniesandcommercialcustomerswhoyouusuallydealwith.

Youdecidewhatisimportantforyourbodyshopandwhichcustomergroupyouwanttoaddressprimarily.Thesedecisionsarethebasisforyourfuturecustomerportfolioandforthedefinitionofyourmarketingactivities.

Insurers

Fleetoperatorsandleasingcompanies

Motorists

Dealerships

What are your objectives?Higher sales?Greater profits?

Employees

- goodcommunicators- friendlybehaviour- competentprofessionals- helpfulandaccommodatingpersons

9

Market observation:Keeping your eyes open.

Tosucceedincompetition,youhavetobehavelikeacompetitor.Thisincludeswatchingtheothercompetitorsastheylineupatthestartingline.Whattypeofrunningshoesaretheywearing?Howwell-trainedarethey?WhatstrategydoIneedtokeepupwiththemoroutdi-stancethem?

Appliedtoyourbusiness,suchquestionsare:Whataremystrengths?WhatdoIneedtoimprove?Wherearetheoppor-tunities?Whatrisksarethere?Takeacriticallookatyourownbodyshopandatyourcompetitors’offerings.Thiswill

Itisworthtakingalookatyourselffromthecustomer’spointofview-thisistheperspectivewhichcountswhenplanningmarketingactivities.Everythingshouldbescrutinised-fromyourproductofferingtotheassessmentofyourownqualitystandardstoyouremployees’jobsatisfaction.Nowyoumaywonderwhatonearth“jobsatisfaction”hadtodowithyourbodyshop’simageamongthepublic.Well,alot.Foronething,youremployeesactasmultipliersofyourbodyshop’simageandforanother,theirsatisfactionwiththeirjobswillalsobeperceivedbyallcustomersandprospectsvisitingyourbodyshop.Thismeansthatjobsatisfactionactuallyhelpstokeepyourcustomerssatisfied.

allowyoutoconductaclearanalysisandtoidentifyyourpresentcompetitiveposition.

Evenasabusinessowner,youarealsoacustomeronaday-to-daybasis.Besuretokeepyoureyesopenwhenyougoshoppingforproductsandservices.Whydoyoufeelwellservedinsomeplacesanddisappointedinothers?Whathasmadeyoualoyalcustomeratyourfavo-uritesupermarketorbakery?

How are your competitors positioned vis-à-vis the different customers groups? What recipes are successful?

Insurers

Fleetoperatorsandleasingcompanies

Motorists

Dealerships

10

Yourstrengthsandweaknessesarefactorswhichyoucancontrol.Thisiswhythistypeofanalysisisalsocalled“businessanalysis”.Incontrast,youhaveonlylimitedcontroloverexternaloppor-tunitiesandthreats.Thistypeofanalysisisalsoreferredtoasan“environmentalanalysis”.Allfactorsneedtobeviewedintheirentirety.Thisapproachallowstoderivedifferentstrategies:

• Youlookforopportunitiestocomple mentyourpresentsuccess.• Thestrengthsofyourbusinesspoint thewaytonewpotentials.• Possiblerisksareminimisedthrough theexpansionofexistingpotentials.• Specificstrengthsarepositionedina waywhichpreventspotentialrisks frombecomingproblems.

Itisnotalwayspossibletosaywhichstrategymatchesyourbusinessonehundredpercent.However,itispossibletoidentifyafocalareawhichcanandshouldbesupportedbyselectivemeasu-resinotherareas.

External factors

Opportunities Threats

Str

engt

hsW

eakn

esse

s

Inte

rnal

fac

tors

What are your weaknesses?

What are your strengths?-legislation-changesinmarket potential-changingcustomerneeds

-innovativecompetitor products-newcompetitors

- highnameawareness-goodreputation-goodprice/performance ratio-high-qualitywork

-lowmarketshare-poorservice-lowcustomerloyalty

11

Where are you headed?And how will you get there?

Winningnewcustomersalsoalwaysaworthwhilegoal.Butasyouhaveseenonthepreviouspages,thisisnottheonlymarketingobjective.Otherpossibleobjectivesinclude:• improvingcustomersatisfactionand customerloyalty• boostvehiclethroughput• gainmoreprofitablecustomers• raiseyourmarketshare• offerbetterservice• achievestronger/betterpublic visibility.

Andwhateverobjectiveyouarepursuing-youalsowanttoraiseyourprofits.

Howcanthisbeachieved?Well,byadju-stingthosefactorswhichareunderyourcontrol,i.e.yourproductsandservices,yourpricesandyourservice.Ineachoftheseareasyoualreadyofferyourcusto-merssomethingwhichmakesyouattrac-tiveincomparisonwithyourcompetitors.Sonowthetaskistofindargumentsandsolutionstoalignyourbusinessevenmoreeffectivelywiththeneedsofthemarket.

Thenextstepconsistsintailoringthesemessagestothespecificexpectationsofyourchosentargetgroup.

How do you want to accomplishthese objectives?

What objectives do you want toaccomplish for your business? 1stobjective:

�ndobjective:

3rdobjective:

4thobjective:

1�

Spreading the message.

Advertisingmeansdrawingattentiontoyourbusiness,highlightingyourbodyshopaswellasitsproductsandservicesandleavingafavourableimpressiononyourtargetaudience.Thiscaneasilybeachievedwithyourexistingcustomerswhoarefamiliarwiththequalityofyourwork,yourserviceandyourreliability.Buthowcanyoureachnewprospects?

Actually,thereisawholevarietyofmeasureswhichcanbetaken.Eachmeasureisgearedtoaspecificpartialobjectiveandsustainedsuccessrequiresanappropriatecombinationofmeasures.Investinginadvertisingpaysoff.Whatpercentageofsalesrevenuesshouldbespentonadvertising?Between1and3percentarecustomaryinthisindustry,eventhoughanyadvertisingbudgetshouldreflectthesizeandstructureofthebusiness.

AppearancePrintadvertisementsRadiocommercialsFlyersFoldersPosters/billboardsDirectmailingPhonemarketingColorforLifeOwnwebsitePressrelationsOpendayRelationshipmanagement

=suitable =partiallysuitable

This chart shows which measure is suited to which target group.

13

Appearance.

Helpful hints for implementation.-Recruitinganadvertisingagencyordesignfirmisan importantdecisionwhichshouldnotbetakenlightly. Besuretoaskforreferencesandsamplesofwork doneforclientswithsimilarbusinesses.Lookforan agencywhich“speaksyourlanguage”.-Asktheagenciesforadviceonhowtospendthe definedbudget.-Besurethattheagencyorthedesignersgiveyouan unlimitedrighttousethedesignsandthattheyagree tosurrenderthedatafiles.Thiswillenableyouto switchtoadifferentagencyifandwhenrequired.

Check the external appearance of your business. Thefollowingquestionsshouldbeansweredwithaclearyes:-Doesmybusinesscomeacrossaslikeableand competent?-Doesitsexternalappearancefollowaclearline-from vehicleletteringtostationerytothewebsite?-Ismycorecompetenceconveyedinanunderstandable mannerthroughallmedia?

14

• Accident repair• Scratch removal • Retouching/buffing• Vintage car service• Pick-up and delivery Tel. 0202 12 34 56

• Accident repair• Scratch removal • Retouching/buffing• Vintage car service• Pick-up and delivery Tel. 0202 12 34 56

Reception

Accident repair •Scratch removal •

Retouching/buffing • Vintage car service •

Pick-up and delivery • 4�,SampleStreet4�11�MusterstadtTel.0�0�1�3456�Fax0�0�1�34568www.lackiererei-mueller.de

First impressions. Oneoftenspeaksof“impressivepersons”whoseappearanceleavesastrongeffectonthosewhomeetthem.Alwaysrememberthatyourbodyshop,too,lea-vesanimpressiononpeople.Manydifferentdetailsadduptodefineyour“appearance”.Customersshouldreceivepositivemessagesaboutyouevenbeforetheystepthroughthedoor.Aconsistentandunifiedlookmakesyourbusinessmorememorableandrecog-nisable.

People remember what they like.Thisiswhyyoushouldmakesurethatyourstationeryaswellasyourfacadeandvehicleletteringarealldesignedalongaclearcline.Theadvertisingmaterialsdescribedonthefollowingpagesshouldalsosharethisdesign.

Appearance.

Andwhataboutyourworkshop?Makesurethattheinteriordesignencouragespeopletostay-cleanlinessandtidinessareimportantfactors.Also,don’tbeshyaboutdemonstratingyourexpertiseanddisplayyourmaster’scertificateaswellasanyothercertificationsinawellvisiblespot.

Arethereenoughcustomerparkingslots?Isthereenoughsignagepointingfirst-timevisitorstoyouroffice?Andlastbutnotleast,nothingismoreeffec-tiveinleavingapositiveimpressionthanfriendlyandaccommodatingstaff.Ifnecessary,alertyouremploy-eestotheneedforcustomer-orientedbehaviour.

Accident repair • Scratch removal •

Retouching/buffing • Vintage car service •

Pick-up and delivery •

42,Sample Street 42117 MusterstadtTel. 0202 12 34 56 Fax 0202 12 34 56 8www.lackiererei-mueller.de info@lackiererei-mueller.de

TheMüllerbodyshop

TheMüllerbodyshop

TheMüllerbodyshop

TheMüllerbodyshop

15

Advertisements.

Advertisements get the message out.Thebiggestadvantageofadvertisementsliesinthelargecirculationofnewspapers,freepapers,theYellowPagesandtheInternet.Advertisementsletyoureachouttoyourtargetgroupsinprivatehouseholdsandsmallbusinesses.

Thecostsofprintadvertisementsalwaysdependonthecirculationofthenewspaperorpublicationandthesizeoftheadvertisements.Eventhoughthesecostscanbeconsiderable,advertisementscanbesuitableforyourbusinessifyoucansetasideanappropriatebudgetandspaceoutthepublicationintervals.

Speed is of the essence.Dailypapersarethemostuptodatemediums,enablingyoutoplaceadsatshortnoticeandforclearlydefinedregionsandareas.Thiswayyoucanrunspecificadsforindividualservicesandspecialoffers.Also,theadformatcanbevariedfromoneissuetothenext.Yourimagecanbestrengthenedinthelongtermthroughregularadshighlightingyourbodyshop,yourexcellentservice,specialoffersorareasofspecialisation.Asktheadsalesdepartmentaboutdiscountsgrantedonmul-tipleadplacements!Localfreepapersarealsoeffectiveinraisingyourpro-file.Thesepapersarestudiedextensivelybypeopleinyourneighbourhoodlookingforspecialoffers,skilledtradesmenandspecialistservices.

Advertisements plus editorial coveragedoubles the effect. Youmayevensucceedingettingthelocalnewspaperoradpaperinterestedinpublishinganeditorialpieceonyourbodyshop.Yourapprenticeshipprogrammeforschool-leaverscouldpossiblyprovideaninterestingtopic.IfyouareplanningacompanyanniversaryoranOpenDay,telltheadsalesexecutiveaboutit.Ifyouareavaluedcustomer,heorshewillcertainlypasstheinformationontothelocaleditorialdepartment.

Look sharp - even in print.Itisimportantforyouradtostandout.Thisiswhyitshouldnotbedesignedinahurry.Makeitstandoutbyincludingaphoto,anillustrationorawittyheadlinewhichgrabreaders’attention.Totheextentpossible,colorshouldalsobeusedbecausecoloriswhatyourbusinessisallaboutafterall.

Pageplacementisankeyfactorintheeffectivenessofyourad.Researchhasshownthatadsonright-handpagesgetnotedmorefrequently.Donotforgettoincludeyourphonenumberandaddressinyourad.

16

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Machen Sie „Unfallreparaturen mit

Garantie“, schon haben

Sie ein besonderes Angebot,

If all your competitors offer “accident

repairs”, all you need to do is advertise

“accident repairs with life-long guarantee”

and your offer will stand out from crowd.

Helpful hints for implementation.-Contacttheadsalesdepartmentorthepublisher (lookforthephonenumbersinthemastheadofthe paper).-Askfortheiradvertisementratecard.-Selectthepublicationdateswhichareidealforyou.-Lookforanagencyordesignertoproduceyour layout,textandtheready-to-printcopy.-One-offadplacementsarenotreallyeffective. Itisbettertodefineregularpublicationintervalsand tosticktothem.

Check your ad. Allquestionsshouldbeansweredwitha“yes”.-Doesthispaper’sreadershipincludemytargetgroup?-Doesmyadstandout?-Aremyillustrationsand/ortextinterestingformy targetgroup?-Doestheadmakeclearwhatservicemybodyshop offers?-Doestheadmakeclearwhat“special”servicemy bodyshopoffers?-Doestheadmakeclearwhothereadershould contactandhow?-Doestheadmatchthelookofmybodyshop?

Unfallschaden?Wir helfen.Abholung, Ersatzwagen, Fullservice.Anrufen: 0202 12 34 56

42 Sample Street • 42117 Musterstadt • www.lackiererei-mueller.de

Lebenslaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaange Garantie.

Unfallreparatur mit lebenslanger Lackgarantie.Abholung, Ersatzwagen, Fullservice.Anrufen: 0202 1234-5678

Peter MusterKarosserie- & Lackierzentrum

Wir feiern.

30 Jahre Lackqualität fürunsere Kunden. Feiern Sie mitam 12.4. von 12. bis 16.00 Uhr.Tombola, Tanz und Trinken.

Peter MusterMusterstraße454��85MusterstadtTel.01�3456�890www.musterbetrieb.de

Peter MusterKarosserie- & Lackierzentrum

1�

Commercials on local radio.

> Screeching brakes > loud bang > A traffic accident

> Voice 1: Oops. I need a bodyshop.> Voice 2: Call the Müller Bodyshop. They offer a full service.

> Voice 1: A full service?> Voice 2: Yes, the will pick up your car and bring you a rental car.

> Voice 1: And what about the repair?> Voice 2: They repair everything to the car maker’s specifications. And then they clean the entire car. In addition you get a life-long guarantee on the new paintwork - free of charge. So if you are in an accident, call the Müller Bodyshop on 0202 12 34 56.

> Voice 1: What was that number again?> Voice 2: 0202 12 34 56. The Müller Bodyshop.

> Sound of car starting and driving off.

“Onlymajorcompaniescanaffordtoproduceandplacesuchelaborateradiocommercials”,youmaysay.Butthisdoesnothavetobetrue.Advertisingonlocalradioisnotallthatexpensive.Moreover,manylocalradiostationsaremorepopularthanthemajorradionetworks.Manycom-muters-whoaccountforthebulkofyourtargetgroup-listentotheradiowhiledrivingtheircars.Radiocommer-cialscanvaryinduration.Asfortheproductionofyourcommercial,yourlocalradiostationwillgladlypointyoutoacapablerecordingstudioinyourarea.

Needlesstosay,aradiocommercialismoreexpen-sivethananadinaweeklypaper.However,aradiocommercialalsogivesyoudirectaccesstoalargepartofyourpotentialcustomerswhilealsoallowingyoutohighlightspecialoffersatveryshortnotice.

18

Photos.

A picture says more than a thousand words.Whateverserviceyouareoffering-agoodpicturewillbringacrossyourspecialexpertiseinaflash.Inmanycasesnotasinglewordisrequired.Yourmodernbody-shopequipmentandthefascinationofaprofessionallyrefinishedpaintworkcanbestbecommunicatedthroughgoodphotos.Thisiswhyitisrecommendabletocom-pileasmallimagedatabasecontainingphotosofyourbodyshopandofoutstandingrepairandrefinishingjobs,possiblyalsowithimpressive“before”and“after”com-parisons.

One shot, many uses.Whetheritisonyourwebsite,inaneditorialpieceinapaperorinapresentationfolder-photoscanbeusedforawidevarietyofadvertisingandsalespurposes.However,onlyahigh-qualityphotocanreallycaptureandconveythequalityofyourwork.Thereforeitmakessensetouseaprofessionalwhoseexpertiseasaphoto-grapherisonparwithyourownprofessionalexpertiseasarefinisher.

Things to remember: •You,youremployeesandyourbodyshopshouldlook yourverybestforthephotosession.•Allpersonsphotographedneedtosignaconsent beforetheirphotosmaybepublished.•Ifyouhireaprofessionalphotographer,besureto agreethatyouobtainallphotosindataformplusan unlimitedrighttousethephotosforyouradvertising andmarketingpurposesatnoextracosts.

Helpful hints for implementation.- Contacttheradiostation.-Checkwhattimeofthedayisbestsuitedforreaching yourtargetgroup(e.g.commutersontheirwayhome)-Askforaratecardshowingthepricesandthestation’s coveragevalues(mediadata).-Contactanagencytoproducethecommercials.Most radiostationswillbehappytopointyoutoacapable serviceprovider.-Researchhasshownthatrepetitionsofashortcomer cialaremoreeffectivethanlessfrequentplacements ofalongcommercial.

Check your commercial. Allsixquestionsshouldbeansweredintheaffirmative:-Doesthecommercialreachmytargetgroup?-Doesmycommercialstandoutfromtheprogramming environment?-WillIarouselisteners’attention?-Doestheadmakeclearwhatservicemybodyshop offers?-Doestheadmakeclearwhat“special”servicemy bodyshopoffers?-Aremyphonenumberandaddressclearlyaudible?

19

Folders, flyers and leaflets.

The flyer: everything you have to offer at a glance.Asthetermsuggests,aflyerismuchlighterandlessvoluminousthanabrochureorcatalogue,resultinginsimplifiedproductionandlowerproductioncosts.Simplyflyerscaninfactbeproducedatcomparativelylowcosts.Today’sdigitalprintingprocessesalsoallowforrelativelyshortprintrunswithshortleadtimes.Flyerscanbeusedforavarietyofpurposes.Theycanbehandedtocustomersandprospectsvisitingyourbodyshop,distributedatevents,attachedtomail-shotsorincludedinpresentationfolderssubmittedtoinsurers,fleetoperatorsandleasingcompanies.However,itisworthrememberingthatrecipientswilldrawconclusionsaboutthequalityofyourworkfromapoorlywordedandsloppilydesignedflyer.Boththedesignandthecontentsoftheflyershouldthereforebecarefullyplan-nedandexecuted.

More than a calling card.Ratherthansimplyprintingyourname,addressandphonenumberontheflyer,besuretointroduceyourselfproperlytothereaderandhighlightanyspecialservicesyouoffer.Theideaistodifferentiateyourselffromyourcompetitorsandtobeperceivedasunique.Ifyoualreadyuseasloganorcatchphraseinyouradvertisements,besuretouseitontheflyeraswell.Drawattentiontoyourhighstandardsofwork-manshipandservice.Anddon’tforgettotellpeoplewhothisspecialofferiscomingfrom.Howlonghasyourbodyshopbeeninbusiness?Howmanypeopledoyouemploy?Consideraddinga“howtofindus”sketchtotheaddresssectionatthebottom.Includingavou-cherforaspecialserviceorrebatemayalsobeagoodidea.Inthiscaseyourflyerwillreceivegreaterattentionandyougetadirectfeedback.

Youcertainlyknowthesaying“Younevergetasecondchancetomakeagoodfirstimpression”.Thisalsoholdstrueforyouradvertisingandpromotionmaterials.Rememberthatyourgoalistosellprofessionalwork-thiscanonlybeachievedusingprofessionaltools.Crea-tingstylishpagesandfiddlingaroundwithpagedesignsoftwarerequiresacertaindegreeofcomputerliteracyandalsotendstobequitetime-consuming.Thistypeofworkisbetterlefttoprofessionalwebdesignersandagencieswhoareusedtoproducingtop-notchresults.Accident repair •

Scratch removal •

Retouching/buffing •

Vintage car service •

Pick-up and delivery •

TheMüllerbodyshop

�0

• Unfallreparatur• Kratzerbeseitigung • Lackaufbereitung• Hol- und Bringdienst Anrufen: 01234 56 78 90

Musterstraße4�•4�11�Musterstadt•www.lackiererei-mueller.de

• Unfallreparatur• Kratzerbeseitigung • Lackaufbereitung• Hol- und Bringdienst Anrufen: 01234 56 78 90

Musterstraße4�•4�11�Musterstadt•www.lackiererei-mueller.de

Helpful hints for implementation.-Definethepurposeoftheflyer: Doyoumerelywanttogetyournameoutordoyou wanttopresentyourfullrangeofservices?-Defineabudgetandaskyouragencytooutline possiblesolutions.

Image folder to present your bodyshop.-Describeyourrangeofservices.- Putthefocusonspecialservicesandcompetencies.-Provideinformationonyourbodyshopand paintshopequipment.- Readthedraftfromthecustomer’spointofview!

Flyer.-Flyerscanbedroppedinletterboxesanddistributed atsportsevents,fleamarkets,secondhandcar marketsandinspecificpublicspaces.-Thismayrequireapermitfromtheeventorganisers and/oryourlocalgovernment.-Distributioncanbehandledbyserviceproviders whocanbefoundintheyellowpages.

For Repanet members:RepanetmemberscandownloaddifferentmasterfilesforflyersfromtheRepanetadvertisingmaterialsportal.

Check your folder. Allquestionsshouldbeansweredintheaffirmative:-Isthecontentssuitableformytargetgroup?-Doesthefoldermakeclearwhatservicesmy bodyshopoffers?-Doesthefoldermakeclearwhat“special”service mybodyshopoffers?-Areallcontactdetailsincluded–phonenumber, address,androutedescription?-Doesthefolderreflectthelookofmybodyshop?

Diagnosis: dented.

Beware of rust!

Ugly scratches!We can help.

• Accident repair• Scratch removal • Retouching/buffing• Pick-up and delivery Call: 0202 12 34 56

4�,SampleStreet•4�11�Musterstadt•www.lackiererei-mueller.de

TheMüllerbodyshop

�1

Direct mailing and phone marketing.

Make it personal: direct contact.Maybeyouarelookingforawaytoapproachcusto-mersandprospectsdirectlybecauseprintedadsandradiocommercialsalsogoouttoalotofreadersandlistenerstowhomyourservicesarecompletelyirrele-vant.Suchawayexistsintheformofadirect,persona-lisedletter.

Making the most of every occasion.Thereareplentyofoccasionsforsendingpeopleletters.Youcanthankfirst-timecustomersfortheirbusiness.Oryoucandrawpeople’sattentiontospecialofferssuchasspringorwinterinspections.Tomakethelettermoreinteresting,addadiscountcoupon,aflyeroranewslet-ter.Youcanalsorunaprizecompetition.Ifyoualreadymanageyourcustomerdataonyourcomputer,youhaveallnamesandaddressesatyourfingertips.Youmayconsideraddingyourcustomers’birthdays,specialpreferencesorparticularfeaturesoftheircarstoyourdatabase.Thiswillpermitevenmoreeffectivepersona-lisationofyourletters.

Good addresses are valuable assets.Ofcoursemail-shotscanalsobeusedtogeneratenewbusinessleads.Thisusuallytakesalittlemoretimeandeffortbecausetheaddressesofpotentialcustomersneedtobecollectedandverifiedfirst.TheInternetandtoday’sdigitalbusinessdirectoriesareofgreathelpinthisrespect.Besuretocapturealladdressescorrectly.Beforesendingletterstobusinessesandcompanies,youneedtofindoutwhoortowhatdepartmentthelettershouldbesent.

The Müller bodyshop |4�,SampleStreet|4�11�Musterstadt

HerrnPeterBeispielkunde

Kundenstraße35

4�119Musterstadt

24-hour quick repair by the Müller bodyshop

= short downtimes for your fleet vehicles.

��

Hitting the right tone - relevant information is of the essence.Thebestwaytoproceedistoestablishanannualsche-dulewhichdeterminestheeventsandofferingstobecommunicatedtoyourdifferenttargetgroups.ThenyoucanselectthematchingaddressesfromyourdatabaseorCRMdatabase.Nowcomesthemostimportanttask:draftingtheletter.Itisimportantthattherecipientcaninstantlyseewhatyourletterisallaboutandwhatkindofserviceyouareoffering.Thesender-i.e.yourbodyshop-mustbeequallyclear.Confinethetexttotheinformationwhichreallycounts.Putyourselfintherecipient’sshoes-askyourselfhowYOUwouldreactifthisletterlandedonyourdesk?Onceyouhavefina-lisedtheletter,allyouneedisanemployeewhoknowshowtooperatethe“mailmerge”functionofyourwordprocessorandyouarealmostdone.Tokeepstationeryandpostagecostswithinreasonablelimits,thelistofrecipientsshouldbecriticallyreviewedbeforethelettersareprintedanddispatched.YouknowthatyouhavehittherighttoneifnumerouscustomersturnupatyourbodyshoptotakeadvantageoftheattacheddiscountvoucherorifyourOpenDayattractsparticularlymanyvisitors.

Helpful hints for implementation.-Lookforyourtargetgroupinbusinessdirectories andontheInternet.Whatneedsdoesthistarget grouphave?-Comeupwithaspecialofferforyourtargetgroup!-Inthecaseofbusinessaddresses,findoutwhothe lettershouldbeaddressedtoandwhotheactual decision-makeris.-Trytomakedirectcontactbyletterandbyphone. Presentthebenefitsofyourservicesinconcisewords. Youradvertisingagencymayhelpyouinthisrespect.-Defineapartialobjectiveforeachcall-e.g.an appointmentforapresentationofyourcomplete rangeofservices.-Ifyouhavenotaccomplishedyourpartialobjective, makeanoteofthereasons.Drawonthisexperience whenmakingthenextcalls.-Makefollow-upcallsatregularintervalsanddonot getdiscouraged.

Check your mailshot. -Ifyouweretherecipient,wouldyouopenthe envelopeandreadtheletter?-Isyourspecialoffereasytounderstand?-Don’tstartyoursentenceswith“We...”butaddress thecustomerdirectly.-Awellwrittentextshouldalsoentertainthereader. Doesyourletterdothat?-Doesyourletterendwithaninvitationtocontactyou?-Isthelookoftheletterconsistentwiththeappearance ofyourbodyshop?

�3

A thin line.Callingacustomerorprospectdirectlyonthephonetakesevenmoretactanddiscretionthanwritingapersonalisedlet-ter.Manyconsumerstendtofeelannoyedbyunsolicitedcallsfromsalesmenandcom-panies.Also,so-called“coldcalling”(i.e.ringingupconsumerswhohavenotpreviouslyagreedtobeingcalled)isillegalinGermanyandmanyothercountries.Consequently,thephoneshouldbeusedprimarilytomanageandrefreshexistingcustomerrelationships.Youmight,forexample,callcustomerstoaskiftheywerehappywiththeservicetheygotfromyourbodyshoportotellthemaboutaspecialofferyouarerunning.Takecarenottocallatincon-venienthours.ThismeansnotcallingconsumerslateintheeveningoronSundaysandavoidingtocallbusinesscustomersveryearlyintheweek(e.g.onMondaymornings).Thebestthingistotrainoneorseveralemployeesinphonecalltechniquesorhireaprofessionalcallcentretoconducttheinterviews.Spontaneousanswersfromyourcustomersshouldbedocumentedandevaluatedwithaviewtoimprovingyourservicefurther.

Before you make call, check the following: •Doyouknowthenameofthepersonyouarecalling?•Areyourelaxedandinagoodmood?• Whatquestiondoyouintendtoaskfirst?•Whatconcretebenefitareyouplanningtoofferthe customer?•Whatresult(partialobjective)doyouwanttoachieve?

Phone marketing.

Our lifetimeguarantee. •Annualpaintworkinspectionbyanexpert.

•Freerepairincaseofwarranty.

•Noaddedcosts.

�4

Color for Life – the ultimate warranty.

“ColorforLife”isthenameofauniquewarrantyprogrammedevelopedbyStandoxasaneasy-to-usecustomerloyaltytoolforbodyshops.Use“ColorforLife”todifferentiateyourbodyshopfromyourcompetitors.Theprogrammeessentiallygivesyourcustomersalife-timeguaranteeonallrefinishingworkdoneusingtheStandoxproductsystem.Ifaclaimismadeunderthewarranty,Standoxcoversthecostsandyoudonotincuranyobligations.Apersonalrepaircertificatehandedovertothecustomerprovidesaplatformforanumberofadvertisingmeasures.Therangeofavailableadver-tisingmaterialsincludestemplatesforaletterremindingthecustomeroftheupcomingannualpaintworkinspec-tion.ThebasicColorforLifepackageoffersyoualow-costmarketingopportunity.AskyourStandoxfieldrepaboutfurtherdetails.

Our lifetimeguarantee. •Annualpaintworkinspectionbyanexpert.

•Freerepairincaseofwarranty.

•Noaddedcosts.

TheMüllerbodyshop

�5

Bodyshop websites.

Harnessing the world’s fastest medium. 6�percentofallGermansagedbetween14and64regularlyusetheInternetandoneinfourhouseholdshasDSLbroadbandaccesstotheInternetwhoseimpor-tanceasaninformationmediumcontinuestoincrease.Thisishardlysurprising,consideringthattheInternetisavailableona�4/�basis,websitescanbeoperatedatlowcostsandanycontentpostedcanbeimproved,expandedorupdatedatanytime.

Businesseswithoutwebsitesareconsideredasoutdatedparticularlybyyoungconsumers.Makesureyoustayoneclickaheadofthecompetition.Ifyourbodyshopisalreadylistedinrelevantonlinedirectories,chancesarethatitisdisplayedalongwithanextensivelistofsimilarbusinesses.Somakeiteasierforpotentiallyinterestedpartiestolearnmoreaboutyourservicesbylinkingyourdirectorylistingwithyourownwebsitewhereyoucanpresentmoreextensiveinformationanddemon-strateyourprofessionalexpertise.

Creating your own website.Creatingandoperatingyourownwebsiteisnotreallydifficult.Internetprovidersnotonlygiveyoutherequiredwebspacebutcanalsohandlethedomainregistrationonyourbehalfandoffervalue-addedservicessuchasemailaccountsandwebdesignappli-cations.Theattachedtemplatesmakeiteasytocreateyourownwebsiteinnexttonotime.Youcouldalsotryyourhandatdesigningyourownwebsiteusingoneofthemanyfreeorlow-costsoftwarepackagesavailableinthemarket.Besuretochooseaneasy-to-memorisenameforyourwebsite.Considercombiningyournamewithaclearbusinessidentifier(e.g.www.sampleman-bodyshop.de).

Basic content. Whatshouldbecontainedonyourwebsite?Itisimportanttoincludeinformationonyourproductsandservices,adescriptionofyourbodyshopandofcourseyourcontactdetails,i.e.youraddress,yourphonenum-ber,possiblyaroutedescriptionwitharoughmapandanemailfunction.

Optional goodiesIfyouareparticularlyproudofacaryouhavefinished,whynotexhibititonyourwebsite?Picturesillustratingyourexpertiseandcapabilitieswillnotfailtoimpressvisitorstoyourwebsite.YourOpenDaywasabigsuc-cessandyoutooklotsofpicturestoproveit?Thenpostthemontheweb.Butremembertoupdatesuchsectionsofyourwebsiteatregularintervals-otherwisevisitorswillquicklyloseinterestandstopcomingback.Addi-tionalservicessuchasrepairstatustrackingincludingatextmessagingservicecanbeaddedasyourwebsitematuresintoanintegratedbusinesstool.

�6

Wesetupourownpaintshopin1990andhaveremainedindependenteversince.Today,weemploy eight qualified staff whose expertiseandcommitmentarekeytothe smooth running of our shop. Our regularcustomersincludecardealerships,insurancecompanies,workshops,independentbodyshops, metalworking shops and a large number of private customers who have appreciated our high-quality work and our service for many years now.

•Accidentrepair•Scratchremoval• Retouching/buffing•Vintagecarservice•Pick-upanddelivery

Tel.0202123456

> About us

> Services

> Guarantees

> Contact

> How to find us

Impressum|Sitemap

www.Lackiererei-Mueller.de

Willkommen bei Lackiererei Mueller

WillkommenbeiLackierereiMüller

Helpful hints for implementation.-Browsethroughyourcompetitors’websites.Whatdo youlikeaboutthem?Whatwouldyourtargetgroup like?-Describeyourrangeofservices.-Putthefocusonyourparticularservicesandspecial expertise.-Provideinformationonyourtechnicalequipment.-Includephotosorcasestudiesofnoteworthy projectssuchastherestorationofavintagecaror the(re)finishingofcommercialvehicles.-Defineabudgetandaskyouragencytooutline possiblesolutions.-Askyouragencyaboutsearchengineoptimisation toensurethatyourwebsitecaneasilybefoundon theworldwideweb.

Check your website. -Doesyourwebsitecomeacrossaslikeableand competent?-Doesitloadfastenough?-Areyourspecialserviceseasytounderstand?-Isyourwebsiteuser-friendlyandeasytonavigate?-Doesthewebsitereflectyourbodyshop’slook?

Things to avoid.Verylargeimageswhichtakeforevertoload,anima-tionsandoverlyelaboratewebsitestendtotaxusers’patience.Astraightforwardandunclutteredwebsiteisbettersuitedforyourpurposes.Considerhavingyourwebsitedesignedandsetupbyaprofessionalserviceprovider.Thiswayyougetavisuallyappealingwebsitewhichisalignedwithyourbodyshop’soveralldesign,featuresuser-friendlynavi-gationaidsandwell-balancedcontents.Alsoyouneednotbotherabouttechnicaldetailssuchasdifferentimagerepresentationsondifferentscreensetc.Whilethisrequiresaone-offinvestment,youwilleventuallygetvalueformoneyintheformofhighervisitornumbers.

TheMüllerbodyshop

��

Press release3January�008

Effect finish for the Nürburgring

Locallypaintedsportscarreadytohittheracetrack

Imdigniam,sit,volorsismodoloremdolorevoloriuremagnafeugiam

aciliquislutemoloretatiodoconeugiametlamvenisaddelismolore

magnibhexersisitalisaugueconumsandremoloreraessisitwisaugi-

amnostiscipsuscipersumquat.Utloreet,quatiuscipexersuminibh

eritvoluptataddignimveldoloriureet,consenisautedolenisi.

Ibherosnisnonersequisieufaccumsanditpraestoeritaditnostrud

ercillafeufacilisimdelestrudessieufaccumdolorperosadmincing

eufacipisisnumsanutemoloreetummynullaorat,velisnosdolutaute

mingestinget,sieratemdolenibhexesequat.Uptatemadipitutpat.

Duissedessecommodoloboredelet,conullumipeumiuscillanvel

inheniamet,velitwisisnit,sumvercinvercilislutpatlamveniatum

dionsectevullaoreratamenimnumveliquisnumzzrillaortionulla

augiatnosadtat.

Untlortionsautpatefeumsandretionsedmolorpercillamcommy

nonsenitipexerodolumatuminhenislinullaconseddignismodion

hendremnibhelisimnostioconullaortieeafeugaitnisliniat.Ectemod

delitlanverosdodolestrudecteconsectemzzritdeliquamzzriusci

tediat.Ignaconutnisauteufaccumdoloborediamipsummynum

esectetat.

Magniamvelitvoloraugiamconulputeerciblamessetatuerosadip

enisalisnumvolorperodelesedtatuersevolorperodignacoreming

etpratautwisnonsectediamalitnimipisisi.

Press relations.

Effektlackierung für den NürburgringSportwagenhersteller setzt auf Lackierarbeit aus unserer Stadt

TheMüllerbodyshop

�8

Good news.Whenplanningpromotionalactivities,besuretoincludethelocalpressinyourpreparations.WhetheritisanOpenDay,a(re)openingorananniversary,repre-sentativesofthelocalmediashouldbeinvited.Bearinmindthatjournaliststendtohavebusyschedulesandthatitisadvisabletoinformthemofyoureventingoodtime.Draftasuitabletextandattachsuitablephotostotheextentthatyouhavephotoswhicharesuitableforpublicationinthemedia.Tomaximiseyourchancesofapublication,thevolumeandstyleofthetextshouldmakeiteasyfortheeditorstoadoptas“theirown”.Sucheditorialtextsshouldnotbewritteninthestyleofanadvertisementbutratherusefactuallanguagetodescribeyourproductsandservicesandanynewswor-thyeventssurroundingyourbusiness.Tomaximisetheeffectconsiderplacinganadinthesameissueofthepaper.

Get your best work published!Youdonothavetowaitforspecialeventstosendoutpressreleasestothelocalmedia.Ifyouhavecompletedaspectacularrefinishonaspecialcar,forexamplewhynotwriteapressreleaseaboutit?Maybeyouareinluckandyourstoryisjustwhattheeditorsneedtofillagapontheirmotoringpage.Thiswayyoucanbenefitfromthenewspaper’slargecirculationandreachouttoaregionalreadershipalmostwithoutcost.

Standoxregularlyoffersready-madepressreleasesonvarioustopicsandsubjectmatters(e.g.ColorforLifeandRepanet):•Quality•Service•Customerorientation

Helpful hints for implementation.-Whataresuitableeventsforpressreleases?What “story”surroundingyourbusinesscouldbeofinterest tonewspaperreadersinyourregion?Thinkofyour anniversaries,theinstallationofenvironmentally friendlytechnologyorthehandoverofachequeto alocalcharity.Thecompletionofaspecial-effect finishonaspectacularvehiclealsomakesforan attention-grabbingstory.-Draftapressreleasewithafactualdescriptionof theoccasion(what,why,when,where).Besuretouseanobjectivetoneofvoiceandavoidcreatingthe impressionofanadvertisement.Intheidealcase, theeditorsshouldbeabletosimple“copy”your textintotheirnewspaper.-Attachaphotowhichillustratesthecontentsofthe pressrelease.-Findoutthenamesoftheeditorsinchargeofmoto ringandsmallbusinessaffairsatthelocalnewspapers andradiostations.-Ifyouarealreadyaregularadvertiserinanewspa- per,theadsalesexecutiveshouldbeabletoreferyou totheeditorsinchargeandadviseonhowtoproceed.-Sendoutyourpressreleasesimultaneouslytoall editors(personalisedletter+pressrelease+photo).-Trytoestablishpersonalcontactwiththeeditorsin charge.

Check your press release. -Isthecontentsofinteresttothegeneralpublic?-Isthecontentseasytounderstandevenincondensed form?-Isthetextwritteninawaywhichencouragestheedi- torstosimply“copy”itintotheirnewspaper?-Areallcoveringlettersaddressedpersonallytothe editorsincharge?

�9

Show off your business.HoldinganOpenDayoffersanopportunitytoshowoffthebestsidesofyourbodyshop.Sucheventscanbeorganisedregularlyoronspecialoccasionssuchasnewopeningsoranniversaries.Givesomethoughttowhoyoushouldinvite.Maybeitwouldbeagoodideatointroducenewproductsandconcepts(e.g.Repanet)toaspecifictargetgroup.Ortoorganiseaneventspe-cificallyforschool-leavers.Oryoucouldinviteallyourneighboursinordertogettoknoweachotherbetter.

Sucheventsinspiretrustandgiveyourbusinessbetterexposuretothepublic.Experienceshowsthatawell-organisedeventcanattractnumerousguestswhoappreciatetheopportunitytoinformthemselvesaboutyourbusinessyourproductsandservicesandyourstaff,allofwhichhelpstostrengthenyourcustomerrelation-ships.Besuretoinformthelocalmediaofyourevent(seechapter“Pressrelations)sothatyoucanbenefitfromadditionalexposure.

NotethatasuccessfulOpenDayrequiresthoroughplanningandefficientorganisation,cancostalotofmoney(dependingonthescaleoftheevent)andneedstobefullysupportedbyyourentireteam.Inturn,suchaneventalsotendstogenerateincrementalbusinesswhichcanbemaximisede.g.throughmailshotsafewdaysaftertheevent.Youshouldalsotakelotsofpic-turesandpostthemontheInternet,therebyattractingtraffictoyourwebsite.

Open Day / Special Event.

Helpful hints for implementation.-Allowforaminimumofsixmonths’leadtime.-Defineatargetgroup.-Involveyouremployeesintheplanningprocessat anearlystage.-Defineadate,avoidingthevacationperiodsand “longweekends”.-Comeupwithaspecialmottoandattractions(e.g.a “carfitnessdaywithwaterfunforyourcaranda bouncycastleforyourkids").-Writedownascheduleforday’sevents.Drawupa checklistfortheweeksleadinguptotheevent.-Checkalltechnicalrequirements.Doyouneeda permissionfromthelocalauthorities?Doesyour insurancecovertheguests?Aretheresufficient sanitaryfacilities?etc.-Preparetheinvitations.-Agreealltimesanddateswiththesuppliersand serviceprovidersincludingthecaterersandthe entertainmentagency.-Informthelocalmediaatleasteightweeksahead oftheevent.-Mailtheinvitations.-Advisetheneighbours(fourweeksinadvance).-Getyourpremisesinshapeandprepareforthe event(duringtheweekleadinguptotheevent).-Makethemostofyournewbusinessleadsby sendingoutamailshotlookingbackontheevent andinformingthelocalmediaaboutthe successfulday.

30

- Helpful hints for implementation.-Thinkofgroupsofpeoplewhoareimportantforyour bodyshopandwhocanpotentiallyreferbusinessto youonasustainedbasis.-Whatinterestsandhobbiesdothesepeopleshare? Puttogetherafilelistingallcontactdetailsand preferences.-Invitesmallgroupstoyourevents.-Createapersonalatmosphere.Theobjectiveofthese eventsistobuildandstrengthenpersonalrelationships.-Usetheseopportunitiestolearnmoreabouttheneeds andexpectationsofthesetargetgroups.

Check your relationship management.-Doyourememberyourcustomers’birthdaysanddo yousendthemcardsorsmallpresents?-Doyoucollectyourcontactandcustomerdataina database?-Doyouusetheautomaticreminderfunctionsprovided byyourdatabasesoftware?-DoyoualsosendChristmas,NewYearandEastercards?-Haveyoueveraskedyourcustomersaboutanyparti- cularwishes?

Relationship management.

Managing your contacts.“Relationshipmanagement”-whatisthatsupposedtomean?Well,itsimplymeansmakingsurethatyourrelationshipswithimportantsourcesofbusinesssuchasinsuranceagenciesaremaintainedaliveonanongoingbasis.Theobjectiveistostrengthentheirloyaltytoyourbusiness.Thiscanbestbeachievedinaninformalatmosphere.

Tocreateasuitableenvironment,selectaneventwithacertainentertainmentvaluesuchasaballoonrideoranexhibition.Theeventshouldfacilitateanexchangeofinformationinarelaxedatmosphere.Notethatsucheventsarenotreallycheapandrequirealotoftactbecauseotherwiseyoumightacquireareputationofsomeonewhotriesto“buy”hisguests.

31

Activity plan.

Measure / Activity January February March April May June

1 � 3 4 5 6 � 8 9 10 11 1� 13 14 15 16 1� 18 19 �0 �1 �� �3 �4 �5 �6 �� �8 �9 30 31 3� 33 34 35 36 3� 38 39 40 41 4� 43 44 45 46 4� 48 49 50 51 5�Calendar week

Plan for success.Donotleavethesuccessofyourmarketingmeasurestochance-systematicplanningcanmakeabigdifference.Theplanshownaboveismeanttohelpyoukeeptrackofyouractivities.Enterallplannedmeasuresincludingthebudgetandtherequiredleadtimes.

Inthecaseofanad,forexample,marktheweekofpublication.IfyouplantoholdanOpenDay,marktheleadtimewhichcanbeseveralmonths.

3�

BudgetJune AugustJuly September October November December

1 � 3 4 5 6 � 8 9 10 11 1� 13 14 15 16 1� 18 19 �0 �1 �� �3 �4 �5 �6 �� �8 �9 30 31 3� 33 34 35 36 3� 38 39 40 41 4� 43 44 45 46 4� 48 49 50 51 5�Calendar week

All at a glance.IYouractivityplanshowsyouallimportantinformationfortheentireyearataglance.Nowyoucanregularlycheckwhetheryouneedtotakeactionorarealreadylaggingbehindyourschedule.

Whenplanningyourmarketingefforts,payattentiontocontinuityandspaceoutyouractivitiesthroughouttheyear(e.g.springcheck,pre-holidaycheck,wintercheck).Thiswayyourcustomersareregularlyremindedofyourbodyshopandyourservices.

Tip: Make copies of the blank plan for multiple use.

33

Controlling your success.

Measuring the effectiveness of your activities.“Controlling”isamanagementtermwhichmeansmorethanretrospectivelycheckingtheeffectivenessofameasure.Rather,itstandsforpro-activeplanningandcontrollingofallmeasuresandactivities.Thisiswhytheillustrationonpages4-5hastheformofacycle.

Beforeyoudefinedyourobjectivesinthechapter“Whereareyouheaded?”,youhadalreadylearnedabouttwoimportantcontrollingtools-thecompetitoranalysisandthestrengths-weaknessesanalysis.Bothareimportanttoolswhenitcomestodeterminingyourcompetitiveposition.Andbothcanbeappliedbeforeandafteryourmarketingactivities.

• Strengths-weaknesses analysis and competitor analysis tend to focus on the medium-term and long-term periods.• Market data and ratios such as sales, vehicle throughput and customer satisfaction tend to focus on shorter periods.

Marketingcontrolallowsyoutomeasuretheeffec-tivenessofyourmarketingmeasures(targetvs.actualcomparison).Afterall,themoneyyouspendonmar-ketingismeanttomakeyourbusinessmoresuccessful.Otherwiseyourmarketingeffortswouldnotbeworthyourwhile.

Youcertainlyrememberyourcompetitoranalysisinoneoftheearlierchapterswhereyouwrotedownwhatyourcompetitorsarebetterorworseatcomparedtoyou.Inaddition,thestrengths-weaknessanalysishelpedyougainaclearpictureofyourownbusinessandhel-pedyouidentifyyourstrengthsaswellasanyweaknes-seswhichpossiblyneedtobeaddressed.

• 80% customer satisfaction before introduction of the new services.• 95% customer satisfaction one year after intro duction of the new.

Youthendefinedcertainobjectives(e.g.raisesalesrevenuesfrommotoristsandincreasecustomersatisf-action),developedastrategybasedontheso-calledmarketingmix(e.g.communicationpolicy)andderivedsuitablemeasures(e.g.advertisementsorimprovedservice).Inadditionyouhavecompiledallenvisagedmeasuresinanannualplan.

Attheendoftheday,youwantto“measure”whetheryourmarketingactivitieshaveactuallydeliveredthedesiredeffect.Itisimportanttoseethatsuccessalwaysresultsfromacombinationofmeasures.Anewcusto-mermayhavebeenattractedbyyouradvertisementinthelocalpaper,orhehaslookedforabodyshopintheyellowpages.Orhehasbeenreferredtoyoubyasatisfiedcustomer.Thebestwaytofindoutwhynewcustomershavecometoyouistoaskallnewcustomersaboutitandtocollectthisinformation.

What can I measure?• Change in total vehicle throughput• Change in sales revenues• Change in customer satisfaction• Response to voucher/coupon action• Click rates on your website

Whetherornotagivenmarketingactivityhashadanimpactonyoursalesisrelativelyeasytomeasure-e.g.bydeterminingyoursalesrevenuebefore,duringandafterthisactivity.Ifyouhavemailedadiscountvoucher,youcaneasilymeasurethenumberofcustomerswhohaveclaimedtheirdiscount.Andwhataboutcustomersatisfaction?Howhascustomersatisfactiondevelopedsincethestartofyourserviceoffensive?Thiscanbedeterminedbypollingyourcustomerse.g.withthehelpofashortquestionnairecard.

34

One-offmeasurementsarenotreallyuseful-whatyouneedisaseriesofmeasurementsoveralongerperiod.Otherwiseitisnotpossibletodeterminewhetherachangehasbeenachieved.Thisiswhyregularmeasure-mentsareanabsolutenecessity!Youcanonlycontrolthoseaspectsofyourbusinesswhichyoumeasureregularly.Butwhatcanyoudoifyourmeasurementsfailtoshowthedesiredsuccess?Itisimportanttorememberthatmarketingisnota“quickfix”.Itwouldbefoolishtothinkthatonecanplaceanadinthelocalpaperandseepeopleflockingtoyourdoorthenextmorning.Continuityisthenameofthegame.Also,someofyourmarketingactivitieswillbemoresuccessfulthanothers,andsomemaynothaveanyeffectatall.Ifyourmeasurementsshowthatthisisthecase,youcantakeremedialaction,adjustyourstrategyandimplementnewmeasureswhicharemoresuccessful.

We value your opinion.

Pleasecheckthefollowingboxestohelpus

improveourservice:

agree don’t don’t

agree know

ThepersonIspoketowhenIfirstcalledwashelpful.

Theemployeeincustomerreceptionwasfriendly.

Theemployeewhoassessedtherepairvolumewascompetent.

Iamsatisfiedwiththequalityoftherepair.

Iamsatisfiedwiththecleanlinessofbycaraftertherepair.

IamsatisfiedwiththeserviceIreceived.

Ifindtheexteriorappearanceofthebodyshopappealing.

Wouldyouwantanythingtochange?Haveyouanysuggestions?

Thank youvery much.

35

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