Marketing Advice & Techniques Needed for Start up

**InsomnicBrain** · 04-03-2008 05:45 PM

Hi,

I'm opening up a Transmission shop next month, we also do all automotive repairs but transmissions is our bread and butter. I went to training for the business and they said I should start advertising at least a month before I open. The problem is I'm waiting on my loan to close and won't be able to do so until I have the funds. So far all I've been doing is sitting in front of the computer brainstorming non stop of things I can do to get leads and business in that front door.

My main role is to go out to the local residents and local businesses that are within a 5 mile radius from my shop and try to get them to come in or refer customers to me. How do I set myself apart from my competition which are the mom and pops? I have no kind of sales experience and extermely nervous.

I have found this marketing company that will do my outside sales for me but I dont know how much I can trust them. Their program seems legit but I did find them on craigslist. They create a type of entertainment book to sell to the local residents with coupons and free oil changes from my shop.

They make money selling the books and I get customers in the door. They have told me that I dont' need to do any outside sales and to leave it all to them. My main concern is that what if I wait 1 or 2 months and get no results and I haven't started on any outside sales. I'll be in trouble right? I'd appreciate any kind of suggestions.

Thanks,

Robert

**n/a** · 04-03-2008 06:06 PM

seems like you can develop a print media ad or two advertising your business, include coupons etc. You can get 1000 printed and designed for only about 210ish dollars or so see print1000s.com

You can hand these out yourself, leave them at high traffic areas, drop them on car windshields anything really! People need to start recognizing your name and your new business before they will take you seriously. Plus doing this wont cost your a fortune like hiring someone to do it for you, or doing a costly ad campaign elsewhere.

**InsomnicBrain** · 04-10-2008 11:06 AM

Thanks Linda

**Logan Baker** · 04-10-2008 12:01 PM

You can run up the bills very quickly with a firm that doesnt know where to look for the right resources....here is a good method to hold them accountable for their work. If they are asking for $6,000 for a 6 month marketing campaign so they would ask for $1,000 per month...get to some terms you are comfortable with and then ask them to set some goals...like @ 3months your business will grow to 20% referrals from their ads (coupon cards work best to track). Until that point you ONLY pay them $500 per month for their work. If you hit the target date and are @ 20% referrals...pay them the other half owed. If their work doesn't grow your business to 20% coupon referrals...you are allowed to walk away from the contract. This way they are held accountable for their work. As for buying the coupons....72hrprint.com is your best choice. I recommend it to anyone needing business cards or print advertising. I have used them for one of my businesses Outdoor Sign | Outdoor Signage | Outdoor Lighted Sign and got 5,000 1/2 page flyers for $350 This way they aren't giving their printshop buddy your business.....u supply the flyers, the find the residents and send them out - you pay face value for postage + their fee for the work/phonecalls ...whatever.

Always make them accountable.

Logan Baker
Outdoor Sign | Outdoor Signage | Outdoor Lighted Sign