The Secrets to Acquiring new Customers

One of the many reasons that get people interested in using
direct marketing is its value as a means of acquiring new
customers or clients. With the ever increasing costs of
doing business it is critically important for the retail
automotive dealership and management to be cost-effective
in marketing.

That means that good control is exercised over the cost of
getting a new customer. Many businesses grow their gross at
the expense of their net. At least partially through
uncontrolled new customer acquisition cost. With that
approach, they can literally grow themselves right out of
business.

I've found that the best way to develop methods that work
consistently, predictably and cost-effectively in acquiring
new customers is through direct mail marketing. When you
develop a successful cost-effective direct mail program
you've got an extremely valuable asset. You've got a system
that you can use over and over again for a long time with
predictable results. Unfortunately, most businesses don't
take the time or effort to do this.

"If you do not have a system for selling, you are at the
mercy of the buyer's system for buying (or not buying)."
LAH Promotions 2007

To use direct mail effectively to acquire new customers or
clients you have to deal with demographics. Demographics
are the statistical information about people that marketers
use to select and target their prospective customers and
clients.

Today computers have added a huge extra measure of
sophistication to the collection and organization of
demographic information. So that it is literally true that
if you can describe it you can get it. This makes it
critically important to know as much as possible about your
present customers and your desirable customers. The more
information you have about the commonalities in your
customer base the more efficiently you can select prospects.

Here's a partial list of demographic information you might
compile about your potential customers; age, sex, marital
status, home ownership, car ownership, major purchase
behavior, credit card possession, income level,
occupations, response to mail order offers, magazines
subscribed to, cable TV subscription, etc…

By collecting and analyzing the data about your customers
you might find, for example, that a significant majority of
your best customers are between 30-35 years of age, male,
married, own their own homes, have bought a new car within
the last three years, have bought a VCR or television set
in the last two years, have an American Express card, earn
between $50,000-$80,000 a year, are engineers or middle
managers, are known mail order purchasers, subscribe to
Playboy and have cable television.

If you have that type of information you have the power to
very efficiently select new groups of targeted prospects.

----------------------------------------------------
Hal has been marketing for the automotive industry for 24
years. He has produced direct mail for 900+ retail
automotive dealers from coast to coast. His promotions
include single point and multi-dealer on-site and off-site
sales.
http://www.lahpromotions.com