marketing brainstorm forecast: cloudy
March 20, 2008 9:41 AM Subscribe
I could really use some assistance planning a complete advertising and marketing strategy for my small business in Richmond, VA. The problem is that I don't know where to start.
I've been making decisions on advertising and such for the last few years, and I do not think that we are getting as much out of our advertising dollar as we could. It might be time to get professional help, but I don't know who to call or how much that should cost, which means that it will be difficult to choose the right person for the job. Like most small businesses, the budget is nowhere near what it probably needs to be...but if our marketing attack is successful, that (hopefully) won't be a problem.
Other assorted details: Business is located in Richmond, VA. Due to our relatively unique product, we attract folks from nearby metro areas as well (Hampton Roads area, Charlottesville, Fredericksburg, Petersburg, Williamsburg, Lynchburg, and even northern Virginia). Our typical customer is tough to nail down. Ages range 18 to 80. It's definitely biased towards men vs women, although that percentage is shifting a lot lately. The things that unite our customers? Many of them have done some traveling. Many of them are a bit smarter than the average bear. Most of them have at least a passing concern for the environment.
I don't want to be all self linky, but I should probably tell you what we actually do as that will help you smart folks answer my questions more effectively. We sell motorscooters. An obvious angle on this problem considering the current freakout over gas prices would involve the fuel economy of scooters, as the bikes get anywhere from 90-140 miles to the gallon.
Meandering intro out of the way, your thoughts on the following would be appreciated:
I've looked at all of the previous threads on local marketing and have prices for many of those ideas. What other ideas may be particularly helpful considering my product and potential customer?
What should I consider when sorting out which of those ideas and others I should try?
Is it in my best interest to get professional help with planning a complete marketing bonanza?
If so, how do I choose the right person for my business?
Got any fantastic recommendations on a professional in the Richmond area who would have a solid handle on what works and what doesn't in this area?
If I decide to go it alone, are there any must-read books that might help me sort this all out?
I've been making decisions on advertising and such for the last few years, and I do not think that we are getting as much out of our advertising dollar as we could. It might be time to get professional help, but I don't know who to call or how much that should cost, which means that it will be difficult to choose the right person for the job. Like most small businesses, the budget is nowhere near what it probably needs to be...but if our marketing attack is successful, that (hopefully) won't be a problem.
Other assorted details: Business is located in Richmond, VA. Due to our relatively unique product, we attract folks from nearby metro areas as well (Hampton Roads area, Charlottesville, Fredericksburg, Petersburg, Williamsburg, Lynchburg, and even northern Virginia). Our typical customer is tough to nail down. Ages range 18 to 80. It's definitely biased towards men vs women, although that percentage is shifting a lot lately. The things that unite our customers? Many of them have done some traveling. Many of them are a bit smarter than the average bear. Most of them have at least a passing concern for the environment.
I don't want to be all self linky, but I should probably tell you what we actually do as that will help you smart folks answer my questions more effectively. We sell motorscooters. An obvious angle on this problem considering the current freakout over gas prices would involve the fuel economy of scooters, as the bikes get anywhere from 90-140 miles to the gallon.
Meandering intro out of the way, your thoughts on the following would be appreciated:
I've looked at all of the previous threads on local marketing and have prices for many of those ideas. What other ideas may be particularly helpful considering my product and potential customer?
What should I consider when sorting out which of those ideas and others I should try?
Is it in my best interest to get professional help with planning a complete marketing bonanza?
If so, how do I choose the right person for my business?
Got any fantastic recommendations on a professional in the Richmond area who would have a solid handle on what works and what doesn't in this area?
If I decide to go it alone, are there any must-read books that might help me sort this all out?
I've found great inspiration for marketing (and other business ideas) at
Change This
They have pdf "manifestos" some or which are short book length.
I'd recommend these, which I have personally read. I print them out, take a bunch of them to an office store and have them spiral bound so I can mark them up.
Bootstrappers Bible
The Dip
Customer Evangelist
I don't digest business books very well, but these manifestos are the perfect length...you can go through one in the time it takes to sip a cup of coffee.
posted by johngalt at 11:33 AM on March 20, 2008 [1 favorite]
Change This
They have pdf "manifestos" some or which are short book length.
I'd recommend these, which I have personally read. I print them out, take a bunch of them to an office store and have them spiral bound so I can mark them up.
Bootstrappers Bible
The Dip
Customer Evangelist
I don't digest business books very well, but these manifestos are the perfect length...you can go through one in the time it takes to sip a cup of coffee.
posted by johngalt at 11:33 AM on March 20, 2008 [1 favorite]
I live in Richmond, I work in Marketing, and I'm familiar with your business. Off the top of my head:
-- Are you advertising in Brick or Style Weekly? I'm ashamed to admit that I don't pick up either very often, so maybe you already are. There's also RVA Magazine, which is always beating the bushes for advertising dollars, but my small-business owning friends didn't think their ad rates were worth it.
-- Everybody loves the Byrd, and I'm tired of seeing the same 6 ads when I go to a movie. Buy an ad so I can drool over sexy scooters while I eat my popcorn!
-- Opt-in email lists are cool. I'm signed up for a couple at small businesses around town (Velocity Comics and The Yarn Lounge); they keep me up to date on new merchandise, special events, and remind me of the many things I want to buy. Put a link on your website, encourage people to sign up when they wander into the shop, and try to send out some Scoot Richmond news once a month.
-- I heart the Richmond LJ. I just lurk to keep up with the local goings-on, and I think a lot of other locals do too. They're cool about local businesses annoucing special events, sales, that sort of thing. I bet there are scooter-centric LJ's and forums you could be posting stuff on too. "BUY SCOOTERZ HERE" is kind of annoying and spammy, but "30% Off on Helmets and Protective Gear at Scoot Richmond" might be appreciated.
-- Sponsor special events! Didn't you guys do a scavenger hunt last year? (I ran into a bunch of people wandering around Hollywood Cemetary, although none of them were on scooters, then I found something linked on your old website about a scavenger hunt.) Sticky Rice does the Cannonball Run; you could team up with a local bar, or Creatures 'N Crooks, or Velocity, or just about anybody, to sponsor a bigger, better Scavenger Hunt that could encompass more of Virginia than just Richmond. That could get you coverage in several media markets and give the hipster kids something fun to do.
This is pretty Richmond-centric, but it could all translate into F'burg, Hampton Roads, C'ville, etc.
We hung out once with Patrick Godfrey at Sticky Rice, years ago. I'm sure you don't remember me :-) I'm not looking for work, but I'd be happy to talk about this stuff some more; feel free to send me some MeFiMail.
posted by junkbox at 12:17 PM on March 20, 2008
-- Are you advertising in Brick or Style Weekly? I'm ashamed to admit that I don't pick up either very often, so maybe you already are. There's also RVA Magazine, which is always beating the bushes for advertising dollars, but my small-business owning friends didn't think their ad rates were worth it.
-- Everybody loves the Byrd, and I'm tired of seeing the same 6 ads when I go to a movie. Buy an ad so I can drool over sexy scooters while I eat my popcorn!
-- Opt-in email lists are cool. I'm signed up for a couple at small businesses around town (Velocity Comics and The Yarn Lounge); they keep me up to date on new merchandise, special events, and remind me of the many things I want to buy. Put a link on your website, encourage people to sign up when they wander into the shop, and try to send out some Scoot Richmond news once a month.
-- I heart the Richmond LJ. I just lurk to keep up with the local goings-on, and I think a lot of other locals do too. They're cool about local businesses annoucing special events, sales, that sort of thing. I bet there are scooter-centric LJ's and forums you could be posting stuff on too. "BUY SCOOTERZ HERE" is kind of annoying and spammy, but "30% Off on Helmets and Protective Gear at Scoot Richmond" might be appreciated.
-- Sponsor special events! Didn't you guys do a scavenger hunt last year? (I ran into a bunch of people wandering around Hollywood Cemetary, although none of them were on scooters, then I found something linked on your old website about a scavenger hunt.) Sticky Rice does the Cannonball Run; you could team up with a local bar, or Creatures 'N Crooks, or Velocity, or just about anybody, to sponsor a bigger, better Scavenger Hunt that could encompass more of Virginia than just Richmond. That could get you coverage in several media markets and give the hipster kids something fun to do.
This is pretty Richmond-centric, but it could all translate into F'burg, Hampton Roads, C'ville, etc.
We hung out once with Patrick Godfrey at Sticky Rice, years ago. I'm sure you don't remember me :-) I'm not looking for work, but I'd be happy to talk about this stuff some more; feel free to send me some MeFiMail.
posted by junkbox at 12:17 PM on March 20, 2008
If your web site does not suck, regional advertising on Richmond blogs can be some of the cheapest and most effective targeted advertising you can buy.
Speaking of blogs, are you blogging? I mean, you know, scooters! Cool!
posted by DarlingBri at 4:52 PM on March 20, 2008
Speaking of blogs, are you blogging? I mean, you know, scooters! Cool!
posted by DarlingBri at 4:52 PM on March 20, 2008
Since it's hard to classify your typical customer via demographics, don't even try. Your customer appears to be anyone who has flipped out about paying too much for gas. It seems impossible to know when and where that will happen.
And reach out to your existing and former customers with some kind of referral plan via direct mail. Any scooter owner who brings in a potential customer gets a $10 gas card. If that potential client buys a scooter, they each get a $100 card. Or whatever numbers work for you.
I'd think that a decent yellow pages ad combined with a website that shows up in searches for scooters. Offer good, but concise information on your site. Some people will want to research on their own and then show up and buy, others will just want your address to go in and get information.
posted by gjc at 7:55 AM on March 21, 2008
And reach out to your existing and former customers with some kind of referral plan via direct mail. Any scooter owner who brings in a potential customer gets a $10 gas card. If that potential client buys a scooter, they each get a $100 card. Or whatever numbers work for you.
I'd think that a decent yellow pages ad combined with a website that shows up in searches for scooters. Offer good, but concise information on your site. Some people will want to research on their own and then show up and buy, others will just want your address to go in and get information.
posted by gjc at 7:55 AM on March 21, 2008
This thread is closed to new comments.
First, I highly recommend Jay Conrad Levinson's book Guerilla Marketing as a great resource for ideas to promote a small business.
Second, I would say resources are always best spent in getting to really know your current customers as they are the best indicator of where you'll find future customers. You might want to allocate some funds to surveying current/recent customers to find out things about them and their lifestyle that would help you focus your ad $$.
You want to know more than just basic demographics. Where do they get their news? What websites do they frequent? What radio/tv/newspapers. What are their hobbies? What interests/sports, etc. A professional can help you put something together and get the survey's in the hands of the right folks. You could see if someone will do it for a flat fee (create survey questions, administer survey and write up results in a report).
Third, when you have this info start thinking about co-promotional opportunties--scooter giveaway with a local radio station (they'll give you huge air play) sponsor a scooter rally to raise funds for a local charity, scooter safety day at local schools, that kind of thing. If you partner with other compatible businesses/organizations you share costs and lower your ROI (return on investment).
Fourth--That brings me to the biggy--you need to track what you spend and what kind of results you get so if you do ads, you to "code" them so you'll know which sources draw in customers and which don't so you know where to spend your money next time.
Good luck!
posted by agatha_magatha at 10:25 AM on March 20, 2008