Local Advertising
Discussion
Looking for the wisdom of the PH Collective..
Interested to hear peoples experiences and tales of either money well spent advertising or money down the drain scams. Campaigns you have run that had good effect in creating business, tips to get people to leave reviews, engagement with you on social platforms.
We currently utilise google PPC and monthly social media campaigns. Google in fairness provides a steady stream of work and daily calls. Facebook advertising has provided a few leads but nothing special for the money spent IMO.
For background we are a local garage specialising in VAG. Newly established in the last 6 months, the business however has been there for 40+ years as a garage. We don't have any road presence so lots of people don't even know we are here or if they do that we specialise, or that the garage changed hands. Some have never known the garage or even industrial estate existed until they used us.
We are by no means quiet and have started well, we would just like to fill the diary a little further ahead to take away some of the quiet days we get on occasion. Ideally pro actively pushing growth a little quicker with the hope of bringing another body on board.
Word of mouth seems to be the best way to generate work but it's a slow churn. We have struggled to get people to leave reviews and have been looking at ways to incentive referrals via word of mouth - just unsure how to do it.
Currently weighing up running some adverts on a local radio station for 3 months, or signage at a rugby stadium for 12 months. Just trying to understand how effective each medium would be (or not) vs. money spent.
Would love to hear how others with experience have faired so we can direct our limited funding to best place for maximum effect, albeit understanding there is no silver bullet!
Thanks in advance!
Interested to hear peoples experiences and tales of either money well spent advertising or money down the drain scams. Campaigns you have run that had good effect in creating business, tips to get people to leave reviews, engagement with you on social platforms.
We currently utilise google PPC and monthly social media campaigns. Google in fairness provides a steady stream of work and daily calls. Facebook advertising has provided a few leads but nothing special for the money spent IMO.
For background we are a local garage specialising in VAG. Newly established in the last 6 months, the business however has been there for 40+ years as a garage. We don't have any road presence so lots of people don't even know we are here or if they do that we specialise, or that the garage changed hands. Some have never known the garage or even industrial estate existed until they used us.
We are by no means quiet and have started well, we would just like to fill the diary a little further ahead to take away some of the quiet days we get on occasion. Ideally pro actively pushing growth a little quicker with the hope of bringing another body on board.
Word of mouth seems to be the best way to generate work but it's a slow churn. We have struggled to get people to leave reviews and have been looking at ways to incentive referrals via word of mouth - just unsure how to do it.
Currently weighing up running some adverts on a local radio station for 3 months, or signage at a rugby stadium for 12 months. Just trying to understand how effective each medium would be (or not) vs. money spent.
Would love to hear how others with experience have faired so we can direct our limited funding to best place for maximum effect, albeit understanding there is no silver bullet!
Thanks in advance!
Local radio will probably cover far too large an area for you. I'm not sure people will travel long distances to service a mainstream make of car.
Rugby billboards are, IMO, like wallpaper. I doubt you'd get anything from that.
It is going to sound basic/old skool but why not print some postcards up and stick them on the windscreen of any VW you can find, there must be thousands in your area. On quiet days/evenings you could do a walk around or even find someone to do that for you.
Are there any VW indys that you could partner with?
Rugby billboards are, IMO, like wallpaper. I doubt you'd get anything from that.
It is going to sound basic/old skool but why not print some postcards up and stick them on the windscreen of any VW you can find, there must be thousands in your area. On quiet days/evenings you could do a walk around or even find someone to do that for you.
Are there any VW indys that you could partner with?
Frimley111R said:
It is going to sound basic/old skool but why not print some postcards up and stick them on the windscreen of any VW you can find, there must be thousands in your area. On quiet days/evenings you could do a walk around or even find someone to do that for you.
Or advertise in the local free magazine (we have two), which is cheap and lasts a month or more. Contact the editor and see if you can write an 'advertorial' for them. 'New local garage open' etc.Can you service other makes?
Here's what you need to do.
Print some flyers giving details, photos, link to your website and, of course, a map.
Get around all the local supermarket and station car parks, and put a flyer on the windscreen of every VAG car. You'll annoy some people but others will be only too glad to know you are there and wanting to work on their cars.
Don't bother with paid advertising, nobody looks at it.
Print some flyers giving details, photos, link to your website and, of course, a map.
Get around all the local supermarket and station car parks, and put a flyer on the windscreen of every VAG car. You'll annoy some people but others will be only too glad to know you are there and wanting to work on their cars.
Don't bother with paid advertising, nobody looks at it.
singlecoil said:
Here's what you need to do.
Print some flyers giving details, photos, link to your website and, of course, a map.
Get around all the local supermarket and station car parks, and put a flyer on the windscreen of every VAG car.
I've seen this work for a VAG specialist new to an area. Print some flyers giving details, photos, link to your website and, of course, a map.
Get around all the local supermarket and station car parks, and put a flyer on the windscreen of every VAG car.
Also, a VAG specialist I know of has a car dealer type sticker they put in the back window of cars they look after or perhaps just give out to every customer a let them stick it on. The branding is pretty good and it works when you see top VAG cars with their sticker in the back window. It sort of became a local badge that a VAG car had been well looked after and was a genuine local car if for sale.
I have owned a small media company in the North West for the past 15 years that supplies bus advertising. Over 25% of our turnover is for the automotive industry, from most of the manufacturers through to local independent MOT stations and general service centres. One local MOT station has constantly had a presence on the back of our buses in his town since November 2009. For the automotive industry there are few other mediums that will offer zero wastage as everyone sat behind the bus is sat in a motor vehicle. This is not a pitch as we do not cover your local area but happy to chat through the benefits if you wish to drop me a DM, I can try to steer you in the direction of the best guys to call in your area to discuss what they can offer. As with all things, 'Bus' is simply used as part of the entire media mix and 'Bus' is only good for certain types of businesses but fortunately automotive is one of them.
You will find many examples on our website to give you an idea of the sort of businesses bus advertising works well for.
www.busadvertising.co.uk
You will find many examples on our website to give you an idea of the sort of businesses bus advertising works well for.
www.busadvertising.co.uk
I think you already recognise this but do consider that the services you offer are not needed by people with any great regularity. This means that you need to achieve consistent visibility rather than run short-term campaigns (although these can be used periodically at times you consider to be peak - such as just before winter).
What media you use is important - but so too is what the ads look and feel like. Don’t attempt this yourself; get a Graphic Design company to develop this and apply consistency so that all the ads look the same with the same core message.
But they’re still an asset. Think about having some rear-view mirror hangers done and hang them when they pick up their car. Have a little tear-off to offer a discount on the next service if booked by a certain time and / or an incentive to refer.
Other media...
Social Media of course but think about the content. A constant stream of ads will quickly become invisible no matter how much you throw at it. Publish regular tips on how to look after your car... interesting facts.... even a guide on the correct way to wash a car.... what you’re doing is making yourselves look friendly, accessible, useful, efficient and keeping you in the minds eye.
Supermarket and Station Car parks are not public realm land. This type of leaflet distribution falls under the same banner as illegal fly-posting. Whilst in most cases, you’d be told to sling one, there does exist the propensity for being fined.
Car Parks that are public realm will be controlled by a local authority and the same restrictions apply. It’s also possible that you could be fined for littering if more than a few of those leaflets end up on the road.
And what happens when someone turns up with a huge scratch on their car or damaged wiper arm that they say was caused by the person putting the leaflet under the wiper?
Just because lots of people do this doesn’t mean you should.
HTH
What media you use is important - but so too is what the ads look and feel like. Don’t attempt this yourself; get a Graphic Design company to develop this and apply consistency so that all the ads look the same with the same core message.
Classy6 said:
We have struggled to get people to leave reviews and have been looking at ways to incentive referrals via word of mouth - just unsure how to do it!
People tend to write reviews only if something’s gone wrong. Other than that, the hard truth is that they’ve little interest in the wellbeing of your company. They just want their car fixed/serviced. Plus as you’re focusing only on specific makes, referrals will only work if they refer you to people they know with the right car. But they’re still an asset. Think about having some rear-view mirror hangers done and hang them when they pick up their car. Have a little tear-off to offer a discount on the next service if booked by a certain time and / or an incentive to refer.
Other media...
Social Media of course but think about the content. A constant stream of ads will quickly become invisible no matter how much you throw at it. Publish regular tips on how to look after your car... interesting facts.... even a guide on the correct way to wash a car.... what you’re doing is making yourselves look friendly, accessible, useful, efficient and keeping you in the minds eye.
the prescotts said:
bus advertising
Look into this. I highly recommend it. I’ve had some terrific success with clients using this. It’s not as expensive as you think and you also benefit from residual display - if the space isn’t sold after your booked time, your ad stays up until it is. (Our record is 12 months from an initial 6 week booking for a full bus wrap. We had to ask them to take it down as the campaign had finished and was due to be replaced by a new one!)Frimley111R said:
Local radio will probably cover far too large an area for you
This is true. But not always. There’s many smaller reach stations out there that can have a very good reach because of their local focus. So don’t discount Radio - see what’s available and look to sponsor the travel news, weather or news rather than run a 30 second advert. Simpo Two said:
Or advertise in the local free magazine (we have two), which is cheap and lasts a month or more. Contact the editor and see if you can write an 'advertorial' for them.
Good idea. And on the advertorial, this would work particularly well if you link this with the social media idea.singlecoil said:
Here's what you need to do.
Get around all the local supermarket and station car parks, and put a flyer on the windscreen of every VAG car. You'll annoy some people but others will be only too glad to know you are there and wanting to work on their cars.
Sorry singlecoil.... but really, no! Get around all the local supermarket and station car parks, and put a flyer on the windscreen of every VAG car. You'll annoy some people but others will be only too glad to know you are there and wanting to work on their cars.
Supermarket and Station Car parks are not public realm land. This type of leaflet distribution falls under the same banner as illegal fly-posting. Whilst in most cases, you’d be told to sling one, there does exist the propensity for being fined.
Car Parks that are public realm will be controlled by a local authority and the same restrictions apply. It’s also possible that you could be fined for littering if more than a few of those leaflets end up on the road.
And what happens when someone turns up with a huge scratch on their car or damaged wiper arm that they say was caused by the person putting the leaflet under the wiper?
Just because lots of people do this doesn’t mean you should.
singlecoil said:
Don't bother with paid advertising, nobody looks at it.
Yes they do!HTH
StevieBee said:
singlecoil said:
Here's what you need to do.
Get around all the local supermarket and station car parks, and put a flyer on the windscreen of every VAG car. You'll annoy some people but others will be only too glad to know you are there and wanting to work on their cars.
Sorry singlecoil.... but really, no! Get around all the local supermarket and station car parks, and put a flyer on the windscreen of every VAG car. You'll annoy some people but others will be only too glad to know you are there and wanting to work on their cars.
Supermarket and Station Car parks are not public realm land. This type of leaflet distribution falls under the same banner as illegal fly-posting. Whilst in most cases, you’d be told to sling one, there does exist the propensity for being fined.
Car Parks that are public realm will be controlled by a local authority and the same restrictions apply. It’s also possible that you could be fined for littering if more than a few of those leaflets end up on the road.
And what happens when someone turns up with a huge scratch on their car or damaged wiper arm that they say was caused by the person putting the leaflet under the wiper?
Just because lots of people do this doesn’t mean you should.
singlecoil said:
Don't bother with paid advertising, nobody looks at it.
Yes they do!HTH
singlecoil said:
StevieBee said:
singlecoil said:
Here's what you need to do.
Get around all the local supermarket and station car parks, and put a flyer on the windscreen of every VAG car. You'll annoy some people but others will be only too glad to know you are there and wanting to work on their cars.
Sorry singlecoil.... but really, no! Get around all the local supermarket and station car parks, and put a flyer on the windscreen of every VAG car. You'll annoy some people but others will be only too glad to know you are there and wanting to work on their cars.
Supermarket and Station Car parks are not public realm land. This type of leaflet distribution falls under the same banner as illegal fly-posting. Whilst in most cases, you’d be told to sling one, there does exist the propensity for being fined.
Car Parks that are public realm will be controlled by a local authority and the same restrictions apply. It’s also possible that you could be fined for littering if more than a few of those leaflets end up on the road.
And what happens when someone turns up with a huge scratch on their car or damaged wiper arm that they say was caused by the person putting the leaflet under the wiper?
Just because lots of people do this doesn’t mean you should.
singlecoil said:
Don't bother with paid advertising, nobody looks at it.
Yes they do!HTH
I think it's also important he understands those that are potentially illegal.
StevieBee said:
I totally agree.
I think it's also important he understands those that are potentially illegal.
Exceeding the speed limit is illegal too. The people who do it are probably balancing the risk of being caught, the severity of the punishment and the reward. Every time I go on the motorway I see hundreds of people choosing to take that risk.I think it's also important he understands those that are potentially illegal.
Frimley111R said:
mr mac i said:
Any local VAG owners groups/ websites/ Facebook pages; get a good reputation and "word of mouth" will do wonders. Be aware this also means poor service/ mistakes badly handled will spread even faster!!
They don't tend to be very local tbhObviously the number of marque specialists is less than for VAG, but the principle still applies to an extent.
I am a funeral director. 25 years in the industry, struck out on my own (with my business partner) in Feb. It is a very community based service, and we have to be careful with how we advertise from a sensitivity point of view. We are a strange mix of a new start up company, but we are both reasonably well known in the community having worked here in the same role for so long.
Our challenge has been making people aware we have left our previous employees and opened under our own names. We have found FB to be extremely effective at engaging with the local community and spreading word around. We also have an advert in the local free trade directory booklet which gets pushed through every door in the postcode area. We have had a lot of feedback from people who have seen that. We put our photos in every advert we can so people who have dealt with us before can make a connection.
For you, I would suggest the majority of your work will come from a 10-20 mile radius? Free trade directory covering those postcode areas will be very effective. FB is hugely effective but takes work. You need to post something two or three times a week to be relevant and visible. We’ve found the depth of engagement from the stats astonishing. Also FB advertising is pennies, but I wouldn’t start with that until you’ve built up your profile a bit.
Our challenge has been making people aware we have left our previous employees and opened under our own names. We have found FB to be extremely effective at engaging with the local community and spreading word around. We also have an advert in the local free trade directory booklet which gets pushed through every door in the postcode area. We have had a lot of feedback from people who have seen that. We put our photos in every advert we can so people who have dealt with us before can make a connection.
For you, I would suggest the majority of your work will come from a 10-20 mile radius? Free trade directory covering those postcode areas will be very effective. FB is hugely effective but takes work. You need to post something two or three times a week to be relevant and visible. We’ve found the depth of engagement from the stats astonishing. Also FB advertising is pennies, but I wouldn’t start with that until you’ve built up your profile a bit.
mr mac i said:
Frimley111R said:
mr mac i said:
Any local VAG owners groups/ websites/ Facebook pages; get a good reputation and "word of mouth" will do wonders. Be aware this also means poor service/ mistakes badly handled will spread even faster!!
They don't tend to be very local tbhObviously the number of marque specialists is less than for VAG, but the principle still applies to an extent.
I used to drive 15 miles to a Lotus specialist but all the normal cars I had were serviced within 3-4 miles.
Frimley111R said:
mr mac i said:
Frimley111R said:
mr mac i said:
Any local VAG owners groups/ websites/ Facebook pages; get a good reputation and "word of mouth" will do wonders. Be aware this also means poor service/ mistakes badly handled will spread even faster!!
They don't tend to be very local tbhObviously the number of marque specialists is less than for VAG, but the principle still applies to an extent.
I used to drive 15 miles to a Lotus specialist but all the normal cars I had were serviced within 3-4 miles.
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