|
|
This Time, Pricey Gas May Not Spur Small-Car Sales
Keywords: Automotive
Americans Are Used to Seasonal Shifts
It happens nearly every year: Gasoline prices rise in the spring and sales of smaller cars spike through the summer. Pundits declare that car-buying habits are changed for good.
Then gasoline prices fall, and consumers go back to buying full-sized SUVs and cars with larger engines. |
|
Got a question? Call the Member Benefits Helpline at 800-232-3131 or email memberbenefits@rab.com.
RAB to Offer Special Marketing Sessions at NAB Show
In conjunction with the upcoming NAB Show in Las Vegas, April 14-19, the Radio Advertising Bureau will present five revenue-oriented sales and marketing workshops.
The first of these information-filled sessions, Return On Relationship (ROR) is the New Measure of Success, is scheduled for Monday, April 16, from 1:00-2:15 PM in Room N239/241. This presentation will focus on ways to enhance listener relationships and strengthen radio's appeal to advertisers, through such avenues as social media.
For more information on the NAB Show, the world's largest electronic media event, follow this link.
Upcoming Webinar: Deals, Hyperlocal and Integrated Campaigns
Deals are a big part of broadcasters' opportunities, and this webinar will give you new ideas for making money with deals -- whether you are currently in the deal business or just getting started.
Join RAB's John Potter and guest presenter Jennifer Norris, Digital Sales Manager at Clear Channel's leading deals market, for tips on such considerations as identifying the best deals categories, packaging deals with your campaigns, and creating effective proposals.
This webinar will be offered on Tuesday, April 3, at 3 PM (Central), and again on Thursday, April 5, at 10 AM Central. For more information, click here.
Study: Think Python, Not Buying Funnel
No Begging Here: Pet Food Makers Grow Appetite for Sponsorship
Pickups: America Falls Back in Love
Restaurants Sales at All-Time High as Recession Fades
Why Car Prices Vary From City to City
|
|
|
|
|
| |
|
| |
 |
|
|
Leasing Boom? Not So Fast
Keywords: Auto Leasing
Dealers looking for a big increase in leasing this year may be disappointed.
Some forecasters see a leasing boom this year and beyond. And one even suggested leases will account for 40 percent of new-vehicle deals by the end of the decade, up from 30 percent in 2007.
But new data from Experian Automotive show lease penetration for new-vehicle volume was flat in the fourth quarter last year -- down slightly, in fact, at 23.1 percent from 23.7 percent the year before -- after two years of growth. And that, the company says, is where it could stay. |
| |
|
|
|
Dealerships Losing Younger Service Customers
Keywords: Auto Service and Repair
Auto dealerships rely on their service bays for incremental revenues. Whether for repairs, upgrades or customization work, dealership service is a $78 billion market.
But a new study suggests younger consumers are favoring quick-service chains over dealership service, whose loyalists are an aging population. |
| |
|
|
|
|
|
Research Quick Hits
|
|
|
Daily Sales Tip: Who Are Your Ideal Customers?
Is your sales funnel full of prospects that you are unlikely to close, or if you did win would turn out to be unprofitable?
Why not identify who your ideal customers are and focus your time and resources where you'll get the highest return. The closer a prospect is to your Ideal Customer Profile, the better the fit, the easier the sale. The further away you get from this ideal fit, the more problems are likely to occur at some point with the account. Increase your probability of success, by first identifying who to target.
Ask yourself these questions in order to create your Ideal Customer Profile.
1. Who are my most satisfied clients? The only way to target an Ideal Customer is to have a clear picture of them. Make a list of the clients that not only use your product or service, but do so with passion. These are your advocates and will also be the ones that provide you with the most referrals.
2. Are they easy to work with? The difficult prospect can become the difficult client. Make certain you have shared values and your goals are aligned. As business consultants, we look for companies that place a high value on investing in their people. It's important to our mutual success that the systems, and processes, we put in place will be supported.
3. Do they have the potential to be profitable? When I was selling radio, I called on a plastic surgeon that performed a myriad of services, but only wanted to promote blepharoplasty, eyelid surgery. This procedure, while not the most expensive in his repertoire, was the most profitable for his business. Profitably was determined by how many customers chose it, the price point of the procedure, and how many procedures he could execute in a week. The doctor had identified his Ideal Customer Profile and marketed only to that individual -- quite successfully.
4. Why do they buy from you? Ask your clients why they chose to do business with you over a competitor. Why do they continue to do business with you? What could you improve upon? Not only does this make perfect sense, your clients will be flattered to know that you care enough to ask and that you don't take their business for granted.
5. How are they similar? Is there a sector, or category, that consistently does well with your business? Look for commonalities amongst your most satisfied customers, such as need, length of sales cycle, seasonality, size and industry. Study the core client demographics of age, gender, income level, and education. Don't just look at your client base, but access those of your entire organization.
6. Who were the key stakeholders involved? Each sale is unique, but more often than not you will deal with multiple stakeholders. Not everyone who wants to do business with you will have the authority to do business with you. Study a cross-section of your accounts and note which stakeholders you dealt with most effectively, and how this influenced your closing rate. These stakeholders could be anyone from HR to the CEO.
Now take all this information and create an Ideal Customer Profile ranking these criteria in order of importance. Use this "Profile" to ask intelligent questions and qualify opportunities early on in the sales cycle, saving you time and focusing your efforts.
Source: Theresa Merrill, co-partner at marketing consulting firm Anovick Associates
|
|
|
Job Postings
|
|
