Marketing Question / Targeting Specific Car Brands/ Owners

[asphaltgambler]

Is there a program (or company) that a person can target specific car brands and ownership. IE: I want to send direct mailers to every BMW owner in my zip code for my services.

I know that the freedom of information act should allow me to access or buy this information somewhere but I was told recently that Virginia has a law or laws against this.

[competentone]

DMV information would be something protected, but there are private information-compiling firms that cater to marketers who could give you such lists -- though you'd probably have to pay a substantial amount for such targeted information. (Sorry, I don't know any specific names.) Additionally, you have to know exactly "how" the information you are being sold was compiled, old or incorrect information could cost you a lot of money and you won't be targeting who want to be reaching.

You do understand that direct mail campaigns, even with carefully targeted mailers, expect just fractions of a percent response from their mailings? You have to evaluate such advertising carefully to see if it would work for whatever service you are offering.

It might be better, depending on what service you are selling, to be someplace the specific car owners will be looking when they need your services and not be trying to contact them when they are not looking to buy any of your services.

Google and the other search engines are trying to offer "location-targeted" advertising, but most of that (at least from what I hear from advertisers using it) works poorly. If potential customers could come to you from the web, then a web presence, or increasing that presence, might be a good way to reach the targeted market you are seeking.

[onewhippedpuppy]

From everything I have learned about marketing, targeted direct mail is not a very effective method. I also recall it being a fraction of a percent that turns into real business.

If you're catering to BMW owners, depending on the service could you offer it through a dealer? Possibly sponsor local BMW club events?

[stomachmonkey]

Mass direct mailings are generally considered a success if you get a 3% or better response.

If you are offering a coupon you may see the response/redemption go to 5%.

Those are very basic numbers and can change in either direction based on the service needed and how effective your messaging is.

So now you need to start doing some math.

How many current customers do you have, what is your annual or quarterly gross so you can determine what an "average" customer contributes to bottom line.

Then the cost of the campaign, the reach, the expected response and now you can figure out your CPL, (cost per lead) and see if it makes sense.

Then you can look at other marketing vehicles, your local paper, yellow pages, pennysaver or local coupon books.

Use your average customer value to calculate CPL based on the publications subscription numbers.

Start comparing and see what your bang for buck is.

In my experience people like money, dollars off kind of stuff.

Even if you offer a 1st time Oil Change service that nets out to break even for you it's worth it as you are getting the opportunity to "win" a repeat customer.

We all know that customer service is king and that will do the most to garner loyal clients.

[asphaltgambler]

Great info .....thanks all!!

[RANDY P]

how about targeting upper income households?

You can use an online service such as www.salesgenie.com to target both households above a certain income and larger businesses where BMW owners lurk.

I would assume such data (if such compiled) would probably be not too accurate since you basically have BMWCCA - which not everyone is a part of or other BMW mechanics- and they won't give you anything obviously.

rjp

[MRM]

The short answer is yes, you can buy a mailing list for almost every demographic you can think of, and the list will be pretty good and not too expensive. Whether it is a good marketing idea depends on too many factors to answer here. Why don't you contact a local small PR or Ad firm that can guide you without costing an arm and a leg. A local college's business department might have student run clinics or professors' private businesses that are cost effective. Believe me, paying a professional marketer a few bucks will make your advertisement infinitely more cost effective.

[M.D. Holloway]

I get crap all the time for our Honda and Volvo. They access the DMV and try to close me on all sorts of stuff - from insurence to additional warrnty protection. Yet to get anything for the Porsche yet though...