Bringing new business in
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What do the powerfully built masses use to attract new clients to their businesses?
We're a small airport transfer company and we seem to be really struggling to advertise effectively and or tempt new customers
I know the service is top notch that we offer feedback from existing clients is fantastic and we're top rated in the U.K. Out of 900 suppliers with one of the big market players and top 1% with another, were keenly priced being cheapest or within a few % of our competition,
We've tried Facebook advertising direct marketing with leaflet drops and we don't even seem to gain much via word of mouth,
Any suggestions from any sector at all of things that have worked for you in the past would be greatly appreciated,
We're a small airport transfer company and we seem to be really struggling to advertise effectively and or tempt new customers
I know the service is top notch that we offer feedback from existing clients is fantastic and we're top rated in the U.K. Out of 900 suppliers with one of the big market players and top 1% with another, were keenly priced being cheapest or within a few % of our competition,
We've tried Facebook advertising direct marketing with leaflet drops and we don't even seem to gain much via word of mouth,
Any suggestions from any sector at all of things that have worked for you in the past would be greatly appreciated,
What's the usp that you think should have them using YOUR airport service rather than everybody else's?
In reality people use the service based nearest to them or the one they've always used. I mean, I'm in Bothwell. If I'm going to GLA I'm not going to book a taxi from a Bearsden firm, am I?
In reality people use the service based nearest to them or the one they've always used. I mean, I'm in Bothwell. If I'm going to GLA I'm not going to book a taxi from a Bearsden firm, am I?
Have you got good contacts with all the travel agents around Glasgow? Do you appear in the top 1 or 2 results on Google if someone in Glasgow searches for your service? Do you offer incentives for happy clients to recommend your service to a friend and the other people on the same flight as them? Can you get a deal with the airport to package express security clearance for people using you? Do you collect the email addresses of every client and market out to them on a regular basis? Do you cross sell runs to train stations weddings and other events?
Sure you'll do some of those, just some thoughts from the top of my head.
Sure you'll do some of those, just some thoughts from the top of my head.
Glasgowrob said:
It's a good point, I'd like to think that our USP is our reliability and high standards
Nobody knows that until they use you though, so it's a moot point. Plus literally every competitor will say exactly the same.If you post (or PM) your FB or leaflet I'll give you some pointers. We do work for the main taxi mob in Glasgow, and my brother drives for the main chauffeur outfit so I can probably highlight something.
I'll tell you what the answer isn't - it's not pay someone else to solve the problem for you.
You have to treat this like a pipeline.
First you have to know who your customer is and where they are, and why they would want to choose you.
Then you have to attract their attention.
Then you have to offer them more information when you have their attention.
Then you have to offer them a way to experience being a customer without having to commit money.
Then you have to get them to buy.
Then you have to onboard them, keep them happy and encourage repeat purchasing.
I would start at the end and work backwards to the beginning so that everything runs step by step seamlessly.
It's as simple as that, and as hard as that.
Perhaps a local business goes to a business fair, sees your banner, they remember the name. The following week, they realise they need what you sell so they google you, they get to your website, they like what you do and they see the positive customer reviews. They click on the video which shows your service and they see your enthusiastic face demonstrating why you're the best and they feel happy. So they make a booking, are delighted when they get an email from you thanking them and confirming all the details.... etc etc etc
It's a process. Plus you should really be tracking how many people you have at each stage of the pipeline. Otherwise how do you know if no one visits your website, or if millions do but no one buys.
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You have to treat this like a pipeline.
First you have to know who your customer is and where they are, and why they would want to choose you.
Then you have to attract their attention.
Then you have to offer them more information when you have their attention.
Then you have to offer them a way to experience being a customer without having to commit money.
Then you have to get them to buy.
Then you have to onboard them, keep them happy and encourage repeat purchasing.
I would start at the end and work backwards to the beginning so that everything runs step by step seamlessly.
It's as simple as that, and as hard as that.
Perhaps a local business goes to a business fair, sees your banner, they remember the name. The following week, they realise they need what you sell so they google you, they get to your website, they like what you do and they see the positive customer reviews. They click on the video which shows your service and they see your enthusiastic face demonstrating why you're the best and they feel happy. So they make a booking, are delighted when they get an email from you thanking them and confirming all the details.... etc etc etc
It's a process. Plus you should really be tracking how many people you have at each stage of the pipeline. Otherwise how do you know if no one visits your website, or if millions do but no one buys.
</thread>
Glasgowrob said:
It's a good point, I'd like to think that our USP is our reliability and high standards
Spotless newish cars, uniformed drivers etc
Again though it's how to get that across to potential clients
IMO (and that's all it is so don't start taking offence) reliability and high standards aren't useful USPs to market because there's nothing 'U' about them. IM further O it isn't easy to find a USP for a private hire firm unless you are a) doing a promotion or b) working a niche.Spotless newish cars, uniformed drivers etc
Again though it's how to get that across to potential clients
Reliable? Well funnily enough everyone who books a taxi expects a taxi to actually turn up and turn up when they want it.
Spotless cars ? Nah. Spotless (or at least clean - properly clean) is what every punter wants and expects every time so the best you'll get there is work from a dissatisfied punter who's had a bad experience and even then it'll require them to a) be aware you're there and b) be willing to take a punt on a firm they've never used against just going back to their usual firm only this time making it clear to the booker that they won't be paying if a stinker turns up. (which, if they complained about it to an erstwhile decent firm when it happened might well have got them a freebie for their grim experience).
Newish cars? Nah. Isn't 1/10th as important as clean. And anyway, you know Network so you know they're constantly bringing brand new cars on all the time. GPH have just got 150 new mercs. So even if it was a selling point, you couldn't compete.
Uniforms? Yes in a niche. Weddings and formal event work and higher end corporate work it's probably essential, though hardly a USP. But punters? Nah. Who cares if the driver's wearing a uniform or a shell suit when they're going off on their hols or catching the red eye for work? What the driver MUST be (just to retain the punter) is a) clean i.e. not mingin' either of filthy BO or Lynx etc. And b) sane. No crazy psychobabbling extremist thinkers OR (more common) shocking dark depressives with a negative and gloomy opinion about everything. OR just as bad - would-be self-styled funny men. Calm, quiet, polite, agreeable. That works. But again, that'll only retain business, not really get you any more. Of course there's a certain merit in uniforms/uniformity once the brand's established. The Easdales' GLA cars are all white and all the drivers are supposed to wear a blue shirt, black slacks and a tie. But, seriously, how many punters use them because of that uniformity? Or, put another way, how much work do you think they take from other firms who don't have a uniformity policy? None is the answer. Even the 'black hacks' aren't all black anymore.
So so far we've agreed that what every punter wants and expects every time is 4 things:
1) reliability/punctuality
2) clean car
3) sane driver
4) (we haven't discussed this yet) NOT ripped off.
I think you've already recognised that and respond to it. But who hasn't? Which good firm isn't aware of those 4 essentials? And trying to make a USP out of providing the punter's basic expectations isn't going to work. So how IS it done?
Hard work, isn't it?
Hint: what %age of work would you think generates from 'the internet' , APART from the use of apps by a certain age demographic?
You might work it out out by having a look at the "websites" of GPH, Network or even Hampden (which as you'll probably know isn't really Hampden anymore).
Edited by drainbrain on Friday 11th August 19:21
PBDirector said:
drainbrain, you're right. Yesterday's blockbuster features are today's minimum barrier to enter the market. The top end moves forwards in leaps but the bottom end relentlessly creeps forwards behind it.
LOL. Course I'm right! I spent 9 years building a (ahem, very successful) firm in Rob's area. There are also area specific features to marketing. i.e. what works in Edinburgh doesn't necessarily in Glasgow etc etc. And provincial private hire is one of the many businesses that doesn't really suit the internet, or at least generates virtually zero work via it. Which is why no-one who knows what they're doing spends much on internet marketing. Not even to humour the drivers like they do with radio (or TV) advertising which also doesn't really work for provincial private hire either, but does impress drivers (which is another story about "what a taxi BUSINESS actually IS).
Weirdly enough, marketing forms that really DON'T work for most businesses DO work very well for provincial private hire. Why is an interesting study.
But, of course, good firms concentrate their marketing resource on what is most effective and don't spend much on what once tried becomes obviously useless. In the end, they all do the same things. And anything new that pops up (like apps once did) is quickly adopted by everybody else once the 'lunatic fringe' have broken the ground and proved the effectiveness.
Edited by drainbrain on Friday 11th August 19:52
woah, first of all thanks for the pile of responses,
and secondly curses its making me realise just how little I've done and still have to do.
I have some of the above in progress or in place but seeing it all laid bare makes me see just how much I have to do.
I honestly think first things first is a decent working website, which is a work in progress atm followed by some google ads (I assume this is the ppc part reffered to above?
and secondly curses its making me realise just how little I've done and still have to do.
I have some of the above in progress or in place but seeing it all laid bare makes me see just how much I have to do.
I honestly think first things first is a decent working website, which is a work in progress atm followed by some google ads (I assume this is the ppc part reffered to above?
Glasgowrob said:
I honestly think first things first is a decent working website, which is a work in progress atm followed by some google ads (I assume this is the ppc part reffered to above?
Rob, read the thread again then have another go. If you still get the same thought, repeat until you don't. You've just been given excellent advice.
Glasgowrob said:
I honestly think first things first is a decent working website, which is a work in progress atm followed by some google ads (I assume this is the ppc part reffered to above?
Yes, PPC as in google ads. Do not bother with this until your website is fully ready though.I admit I have zero local knowledge of Glasgow, so was surprised to see the previous poster state that internet advertising isn't very effective there. As someone who may potentially have a need for an airport transfer, google is the *only* place that I'd ever look.
Glasgowrob said:
PB/drainbrain
would you guys mind if I drop you a email?
Please do, BUT - just with reference to 'website':would you guys mind if I drop you a email?
Look at Network's. Come on!! Copy done by John? Michael? The BDM? Certainly not by a professional copy-writer. Even the grammar and spelling mistakes (including even the firm's name, for goodness sake....). And this is Glasgow's second biggest and second best firm which does, what, 75000 jobs a week at least and has, what, 700 drivers and is worth £15m+ at a guess??
It's a 500 quid website produced by Mickey Mouse.
Now look at the city-wide billboard presence. Ok, it's on a great volume discount etc but how much radio/local STV/internet advertising do you think that billboard spend could buy? And how much do you think they spend on carders carding every single day? And how much of their work - that NHS contract for instance - is generated by their well paid full time BDM (whose name I forget but whose work I greatly admire)?
So there you go. Carding. Billboards. A hi-grade BDM. (and that's only the most obvious spends). Versus next-to-jack getting spent online other than app development and administration. I would wager that of their 75000 jobs a week, not 75 - if that- come via email or direct internet request. And they probably don't even subscribe to those firms which promise volumes of esp airport work and of course you're the only firm in the area they'll be taking on.....
Or Hampden. How was Hampden built up - and fast - to what, 450 drivers? Simple. Get on to the companies (there only really are two) who 'sell' the supermarket contracts. A good 24 hour supermarket deal will cost you £50k+. But it'll bring in enough work to keep 30-40 drivers going. And of course all those supermarket punters DO go on holiday via the airport...... But then, 50 large x 10 was no problem to Soapy given he's already got a hi-income producing business to fund it.
Once upon a 30-40 years ago it was possible to build up a Glasgow taxi business slowly and steadily. Like Alan Gibson (a first class BDM at GPH nowadays) and Tam McGraw's guy did. Now it's not. It's like football. The more money you've got to put into it the bigger and faster it'll succeed, although it's also possible to get something good going without silly money too.
The FIRST thing I'd do if I was you is think about exactly what it is that you're marketing. It isn't reliability, cleanliness, good staff or even honesty with fares. It's something else and it IS unique to you, and you've probably already got it.
But I'm afraid I'm not the guy to help you with it, because it wouldn't be help, it'd be having to actually do it. And you'd be a lot cheaper poaching Alan (who's an absolute master at work generation and retention) from GPH than paying me, because I might not be as good as Alan, but I guarantee you I'd be dearer!!
Feel free to pm if you want to chat further......
Edited by drainbrain on Friday 11th August 21:07
Some very intelligent answers here, some great advice PH at its best.
Once you have a client keep them -
My take is slightly different in that a customer can be for life not just for summer and the highly intelligent email platforms now available can be time and content personalised per client e.g. It will ping them a winter sun transfer offer if the booked in the summer, or it will remind them of you at critical times when booking the following summer.
Coupled with a loyalty scheme of use us x times get a free trip (whatever) / refer a friend get a discount etc. One hard gained punter can virally attract a few more punters for life.
Once you have a client keep them -
My take is slightly different in that a customer can be for life not just for summer and the highly intelligent email platforms now available can be time and content personalised per client e.g. It will ping them a winter sun transfer offer if the booked in the summer, or it will remind them of you at critical times when booking the following summer.
Coupled with a loyalty scheme of use us x times get a free trip (whatever) / refer a friend get a discount etc. One hard gained punter can virally attract a few more punters for life.
Whilst acknowledging the advice about a website being a poor way of attracting customers, it is a good way to retain them IMO. Out of all the local taxi companies available to me the one I choose to use is the one where I can make a booking and pay for it from my mobile phone, and in response be told who the driver is what make model and reg of car to look out for and be able to see on a map how far away he is. Takes a lot of stress away.
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