Go Digital
Create a company website for your tire business. This website should include information about the products and services offered as well as the general contact information. Implement a lead capture service and auto-responder system to get customer info for future ad campaigns. Incentivize the lead capture form with a contest or discounts on the customer’s next set of tires.
Register the website with the major search engines, Google, Yahoo, Bing and Altavista. Visit each of the search engine’s maps and business listings pages and register the tire store on those sites as well. Register your company at other sites that focus on local business searches.
Research and contract traditional means of local advertising. Print advertising and media advertising have been reduced since the Internet became a major force in the advertising and marketing worlds. However, many people still respond well to these traditional mediums because of the comparatively low number of competitors. Traditional advertising mediums include the Yellow Pages, local newspapers, billboards, coupons, radio and television. Include your website address and phone number in all of the ads.
Research and contract for Internet advertising. Forms of paid advertising on the Internet include search engine optimization (SEO) services, pay per click search advertising, pay per call advertising, and banner ads. Pay per click and pay per call ads are purchased from the major search engines and the Yellow Pages website. Banner ads may be purchased by contacting related local businesses and offering to purchase their ad space or offering to put their banner on your site.
Implement a system to track the impact of each of your chosen advertising methods. Simple systems include placing a simple form field on your lead capture form that asks the prospect how they found your website. Customer service representatives should ask people that call or visit the business the same question. Having a system of measuring your return on investment (ROI) will save you money long term.
Cut advertising that is not providing a satisfactory ROI after three to six months. Add new methods of advertising and test until you reach an optimal level of ROI for your tire business.
Tips
- Internet advertising is often more cost effective than traditional methods.
Educate About Tire Wear and Tear
Many people are skeptical about auto repair and maintenance. A lack of understanding and knowledge about auto need leads many people to believe that they don’t actually need what the salesperson says they do. It’s important to educate your customer to alleviate this stress. Do that by creating compelling informational videos about wear and tear on tires and how often they need to be replaced to maintain performance and more importantly, safety.
More and more customers want autonomy when they shop. They want to research and find information on their own before they talk to a salesperson. Use your Digital Signage to reach this audience in your store. If a shopper isn’t ready to talk to a salesperson, direct them to a digital information portal where they can research on their own.
Utilize Seasonal Content
As the seasons change so should your tire-related content. Create a content schedule that changes quarterly and represents each season. For example, in the winter months promote tires that relate to snow and heat. In the summer months, promote tires that relate to rain and heat.
Share Reviews and Promote a Referral Program
Another way to alleviate customer hesitation is to share reviews and recommendations from your happy customers. Include video testimonials from customers and case studies that show how your products improved the performance and safety of a customer’s vehicle.
Use your content to encourage happy customers to send more business your way. Implement a referral program that rewards customers for bringing in new customers, and promote it using your in-store Digital Signage content