Reach Customers without Spending Much Money

There are a number of inexpensive ways that detail business owners can reach their target markets, and many don’t cost much more than a bit of time and some creative thinking.

Every detail business owner should have some effective, low-cost, easy-to-measure marketing strategies they can pull out and personalize according to their individual style and business needs.

Over the years I’ve asked several smart and experienced owners to provide some of their most effective marketing ideas. You probably have your favorites, too, but here are a few with some creative twists you may not have thought about:

Public relations is extremely important to running a small business and offers some of the best marketing you can find for little cost. It is important to keep your business name in front of the local media, so they can help you tell your story to the community.

Keep the media aware of any new happenings with your business by sending press releases to local business or community events editors. Keep in mind that the subject matter should be something people likely would be interested in, such as the opening of a new location, introducing new products, hosting an open house, offering an educational car-care seminar, sponsoring a local baseball team, and hosting a visit from a local celebrity.

If you’re not sure where to begin, call the general numbers of the local newspapers, radio and television stations. Speak with the business editor or community services manager. When you get to them, introduce yourself as a local business owner, and tell them you’d like to send them a press release. Confirm that they are the right person to send it to, and then ask if there is anyone else on staff who should also receive it.

Make sure that you can send it via e-mail, and ask them if they will need a digital image or company logo along with the press release. Verify what they prefer in terms of size, photos, etc. Ask if they would like the release as a document attached to the e-mail, or if they prefer that you send the text in the body of the e-mail.

Before hanging up, give them an estimated time on when they should expe c t to receive the information, and then confirm what issue of the paper they are working on and what their deadline date is. Once you send the information, follow up with a phone call to make sure that they have received it, and to see if there is anything else they need.

Once you have confirmed receipt, try to verify that they will feature the release and, if so, in what issue of the paper it will appear or when it will be broadcast.

To measure your success, be sure to ask each person who calls or comes in how they heard about your business. This should already be a business habit; if not, make it one now. Make sure that every member of your team asks this question and keeps a record that everyone can refer to. You need this information to know what types of marketing are working for you.

As a detailer you are a local service provider. That means your neighbors are your best source for new business. Research shows that most people prefer to use a service provider that is within five miles of their home or office. Use this to your advantage by expanding your community involvement.

What local opportunities are available for your shop to sponsor, whether it’s an event, baseball team, school program or food drive? Are there charitable organizations you can support? Is there a local chamber of commerce you can join? How can you partner with a non-competitive member of the chamber in a mutually beneficial way? Are you a member of the Better Business Bureau?

What is the big annual event in your area that you can become involved in? How can you tie these types of seasonal events into a promotion at your location with a time-limited, related promotion, discount, coupon or bonus program?

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