Worried about the wrong things?

[Guest tintgod]

agree TG...dont give a ratz rear either but I would just like to hear the truth every once in a while out of a manufactor :smoker

[Guest Venture]

I would like to address the topic of national advertising (I'll leave the back door talk for those who are affected by it)

Venture Tape still does not have an adequate level of coverge across the entire United States. Let's say we place a retail ad in Car & Driver (1/2 page ad is $25,000 per month :smoker )

Someone in Nebraska sees the ad and goes to his local tint/clear bra shop. They say, "sure, we can put a clearbra on for you, but it's not VentureShield, it's....another brand." The customer, most likely, will go with the recommendation of the installer and we end up paying for a sale to our competition.

This is the major reason why no one has launched a national, consumer-based, marketing campaign for PPF.

We have determined that many potential users of this product surf the web for information. We have spent a hell of a lot of money with Google and MSN to make sure VentureShield is a prominent display for any internet searches. From here, the customer clicks on our site, then hits the dealer locator page. We tell all of our installers to have their details up on the site, just so they get some of this business.

We do this even though we know our competition constantly poach the lists and call our customers

It seems to be generating a lot of business that is region specific. It is certainly more effective for us, at this stage of the game, than national advertising. It is just way, way too expensive!

[Mr paladin]

we should be worried about more important things. Things like the manufacturers that sell film and patterns direct to the dealers pushing the real specialist out.

:smoker amen brother

[Guest darkdan]

I would like to address the topic of national advertising (I'll leave the back door talk for those who are affected by it)

Venture Tape still does not have an adequate level of coverge across the entire United States. Let's say we place a retail ad in Car & Driver (1/2 page ad is $25,000 per month )

Someone in Nebraska sees the ad and goes to his local tint/clear bra shop. They say, "sure, we can put a clearbra on for you, but it's not VentureShield, it's....another brand." The customer, most likely, will go with the recommendation of the installer and we end up paying for a sale to our competition.

This is the major reason why no one has launched a national, consumer-based, marketing campaign for PPF.

We have determined that many potential users of this product surf the web for information. We have spent a hell of a lot of money with Google and MSN to make sure VentureShield is a prominent display for any internet searches. From here, the customer clicks on our site, then hits the dealer locator page. We tell all of our installers to have their details up on the site, just so they get some of this business.

We do this even though we know our competition constantly poach the lists and call our customers :fdup

It seems to be generating a lot of business that is region specific. It is certainly more effective for us, at this stage of the game, than national advertising. It is just way, way too expensive!

Well if you do the ad properly they'll WANT ventureshield and not settle for anything less and the "dealer locater" on your website would take car of the rest.

Now, will it be a $25,000 payback? Maybe.

Could you find other less circulated publications that would be cheaper and almost as effective? Most likely.

But hey, tint manufacturers have the same problem and most don't advertise for us. Of course, some smaller distributors have gone so far as to do some guerrilla marketing for US/THEM and have some results.

Heck, how about every time you get a new confirmed dealer (one that makes orders and not just gets a samples and literature) YOU mail some literature out to dealers, bodyshops, etc in that area? That'd cost a whole $20 and might net thousands of sales in film. "Hey, you might be interested in VentureShield Paint Protection Film.....contact THIS and THAT Company."

Think outside the box! Instead of thinking about the box of PPF.

[Guest tintgod]

Well if you do the ad properly they'll WANT ventureshield and not settle for anything less and the "dealer locater" on your website would take car of the rest.

Now, will it be a $25,000 payback? Maybe.

Could you find other less circulated publications that would be cheaper and almost as effective? Most likely.

But hey, tint manufacturers have the same problem and most don't advertise for us. Of course, some smaller distributors have gone so far as to do some guerrilla marketing for US/THEM and have some results.

Heck, how about every time you get a new confirmed dealer (one that makes orders and not just gets a samples and literature) YOU mail some literature out to dealers, bodyshops, etc in that area? That'd cost a whole $20 and might net thousands of sales in film. "Hey, you might be interested in VentureShield Paint Protection Film.....contact THIS and THAT Company."

Think outside the box! Instead of thinking about the box of PPF.

:fdup

you can be pretty smart dan ..sometimes..

[Guest willie]

you can be pretty smart dan ..sometimes.. :fdup

except for the free sample quote in general

[Speed]

I would like to address the topic of national advertising.......It is just way, way too expensive!

Exactly Brett

That's why you have to go out and let people in your own community know who you are, what you have, and what you can do for them. Go out and get your own stuff printed up even if your film supplier has some. I used the 3M trifolds but that was when I was the only game in town, now there's a dozen maybe. Giving out the manufacturer's literature could lead them to price shop off information you provided on a product they never heard of before.

The Saturday edition paper here has a list of local car clubs with where and when they meet. Bet your's does too. Lots of specific car brand websites have local sections you can surf. Network yourself and your product, don't wait for a SuperBowl commerical.

[Guest kccartint]

I think most are missing the point. There are a lot more average people out there than car nuts. Who cares about car & driver or road and track ect. Though its a good area to be in its not the last stop. What about other mainstream magazines that your average Joe and his wife read. There are a lot of people out there that drive run of the mill cars that would buy paint protection if they knew what it was. There are other avenues that can work well to expose the product. Not just automotive based. People, Time, Golf Digest, Consumer Reports ect.

As for the comments from Brett. This is true but your still putting your name in peoples heads. It goes both ways. The guy that saw a 3M ad may end up with Venture. Its no different than us independant dealers putting ads out there for our services. Your not going to get them all but you at least get your name out there. What may not pay off today may pay tomorrow.

[Guest tintgod]

I think most are missing the point. There are a lot more average people out there than car nuts. Who cares about car & driver or road and track ect. Though its a good area to be in its not the last stop. What about other mainstream magazines that your average Joe and his wife read. There are a lot of people out there that drive run of the mill cars that would buy paint protection if they knew what it was. There are other avenues that can work well to expose the product. Not just automotive based. People, Time, Golf Digest, Consumer Reports ect.

As for the comments from Brett. This is true but your still putting your name in peoples heads. It goes both ways. The guy that saw a 3M ad may end up with Venture. Its no different than us independant dealers putting ads out there for our services. Your not going to get them all but you at least get your name out there. What may not pay off today may pay tomorrow.

another excellent post..companies that have like products advertise on a daily basis..do they care about their competition getting a sale of there ads...the main point in advertising is getting your name out there and having ppl/consumers know your name and ask for it by name.

[tango2]

I am going to have to express some sympathy for Bretts point of view part of the problem in National advertising and lead Generation IS not whether consumers go elsewhere its the lack of loyalty in the Installers outlook that makes major campaigns uneconomic.

Switch selling off lead Generation is a major issue when you run an ad campaign (been there bought that Tshirt) also its the appalling follow up rate of many shops. I have personal experience of guys who just sit on leads and never follow them up when they havent spent the bucks to generate them.

Almost everyone who did do major ad campaigns (whether in specialist publications or on the web) learn very quickly that 90% of all leads will never be contacted so you quickly learn that it is uneconomic. That leaves you with 2 options stop the campaign or go direct. Both of which will draw fire from the independents. Frankly there is no such thing as a free ride, it doesnt seem to prevent people wanting one though

May be unpallatable to accept but there you go.