Direct mail marketing can be a very valuable form of marketing for auto repair shops if it is done correctly. If done incorrectly, however, it can lead to a lot of wasted money and effort! If you’re considering doing a direct marketing campaign for your automotive shop, make sure you follow these 10 tips that our marketing experts have discovered.
10 Tips for Getting the Most Out of Your Direct Mail Marketing Campaign
- Plan ahead. Are you opening a new location, or is there an important upcoming milestone or anniversary at your shop? Scheduling a direct mail campaign around special events is a great way to get your message out.
- Your postcard should be eye-catching. High-quality photos of your shop and staff work best and add a personal touch, but we can also provide stock photography and graphics as needed.
- Keep your message simple – short, bold headlines are most effective. Bullet points and small segments of information help keep it straightforward. Your information, offers and pricing should be easy to understand at a glance.
- Oversized cards stand out in the mailbox. They also give you more room to include photos, offers and even a map to your location. We offer 6×11” and 8×11” sizes, among others.
- There are two sides to your postcard – make the most of both of them. The “front,” or non-address side, should have the biggest photos and boldest colors. The back is a good place for your offers, contact information and other details.
- Encourage quick action, and think in timely terms. Postcards are great for seasonal offers and customer service reminders. Including an expiration date or a “fast action bonus” are great ways to get customers in the door.
- Tailor both your offers and your audience to your marketing objective. Is your goal to bring in as many new cars as possible, or are you looking for a very specific type of customer? We can help you determine what’s best for your shop, whether it’s sending a saturation mailing or targeting by income or vehicle line.
- It’s okay to send the same piece over and over for consistency. In fact, it’s what we recommend! Sending the same postcard to the same market at least three times provides you with your best chance of reaching potential customers at a time that coincides with their need for service.
- Make responding simple. Make it as easy as possible for people to reply to your campaign by giving them more than one way to respond. Autoshop Mail gives your potential customers multiple options: they can call a tracking phone number, visit the dedicated website landing page, click on an online ad, or, of course, bring the card in to your shop.
- Keep track of your responses. We can track your phone calls and web traffic on our end, but keeping a record of walk-in postcard redemptions is key for measuring the results of your campaign.
Have any additional questions about postcard mailing? Our friendly marketing experts are happy to help with your auto shop’s direct mail marketing campaign in every way we can! Simply give us a call or contact us online and we’ll get your questions answered and your postcards sent in no time! You can also check out our blog post that answers frequently asked questions about direct mail marketing for auto shops. One way or another, we’ll make sure to get you the answers you need.
——————————————–
You Should Also Read:
10 Rules for Answering the Phone that
All Auto Repair Shops Should Follow
Erica Slesinger