Comic Relief

One faux pas that I see way too often in the ground transportation industry is the use of the font Comic Sans in a company's marketing collateral. Finally, someone decided they had had enough and retweaked the intolerable font and made it actually work! Here is the story:

For those who can’t stand the sight of Comic Sans, say hello to Comic Neue.

Developed by Craig Rozynski, an Australian graphic designer in Japan, Comic Neue is a new take on the oft-criticized Comic Sans font. “The squashed, wonky and weird glyphs of Comic Sans have been beaten into shape while maintaining the honesty that made Comic Sans so popular,” a description for the new font states.

For more on this font (including a limited-time free download), click here: http://thenextweb.com/insider/2014/04/07/hate-comic-sans-maybe-youll-find-comic-neue-more-appealing/

Use with caution, however!

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Written by John Crawford
Creative Director
john@limodigest.com

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EU Wants Electric and Hybrid Vehicles to Add Artificial Sound

Last week, the European Parliament ruled that all electric and hybrid cars must add artificial engine noise so that pedestrians can hear them coming. While the mandate is mostly to protect visually impaired pedestrians, the noise will also benefit anyone on the street who's ever had a near-miss with a Prius.

The fear that a quiet car might kill you is not unfounded: According to one study in 2012, when traveling at speeds under 35 mph, hybrids and electric vehicles are 37 percent more likely to hit walkers and 66 percent more likely to hit cyclists than traditional gas-powered cars. 

Read the full story at gizmodo.com.

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Lyft Begins Operations in Tampa

Any moment now, cars with giant fuzzy pink mustaches on the front grill may pull up to Tampa International Airport, offering rides to travelers who use the upstart Lyft car service for a — lift. Standing at the curb will likely be government transportation officers, ready to write up citations against those drivers, who the county basically considers “pirate” taxis.

Besides the dramatic pink mustaches that are the icon of Lyft, the showdown pits two powerful forces against each other — entrepreneurs versus the government and established taxi/limo corporations. San Francisco-based Lyft calls itself a ride-sharing system, and the service launched in the Tampa area on Friday at 7 p.m. Some established taxi and limo companies call it a threat to their existence.

People who have cars and can pass a background check can sign up to be Lyft drivers. People who need rides download the Lyft smart phone app, signal they need a ride, and then see potential driver profiles — photos and car models included. If there’s a mutually acceptable match, the driver picks up the passenger and Lyft handles all the financial transactions so riders are charged and drivers are paid.

Read the original article at www.govtech.com

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Washington Regulators Crackdown on Party Bus Industry

Prom season is coming up. That means tuxes, gowns and limousines. But these days an old fashioned stretch limo can look a bit stodgy. The new rage is party buses. They carry more people and you can even stand up, dance and drink as you cruise down the road. But these parties on wheels can come at a price. Nationwide there have been nearly two dozen fatalities on these buses  including one here in the Northwest.

Now regulators in Washington state are getting ready to crackdown on the industry.

If you’ve never been on a party bus before, let me take you inside one.

“I’m William. This is my party bus.”

William Prigmore is showing me his converted 1998 Ford shuttle bus. Picture neon lights, wrap-around leather seats and the center aisle converted into a narrow, wood dance floor.

“Got a nice stereo system with a PlayStation II, 37-inch flat screen TV, exotic pole,” says Prigmore.
Yes, this bus even has a brass pole – and no, it’s not for holding onto around corners. I ask Prigmore what’s the point of a party bus?

Read the full story at nwpr.org

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How to Write a Killer Blog Post to Promote Your Company

Before you begin writing your blog, you need to follow a format that is proven to be successful.

I must confess, it is weird to be writing a blog about writing a blog. I'm not going to lie. What's the saying about opinions? Oh yeah, we all have one. But some people's opinion has more merit, especially in the blogosphere. As most of you are are aware, "blogging", or the process of writing a blog, has gone from an exercise in vanity to a content extension of your personal brand. Just about every person with a computer is attempting to blog these days, some more successful than the majority. Before you start writing, however, there are some sure-fire points to consider in order to make your blog successful.

1. Start With an Outline. Anyone familiar with blog reading knows that an effective blog needs to be structured like an outline. Blogs that follow a series of numbered items are the easiest to digest. Have at least three points to address your subject. If you can't come up with three points, it isn't worth sharing as an article. Constructing the outline is the most arduous task to writing a blog. It requires thinking and making a logical progression. Once you construct an outline, it is time to write.

2. Write Like You Speak. Now comes the easy part. Blogging, more than any other form of writing, is conversational. It's purpose is to create an open dialogue and encourage feedback from the audience. Blogging is effective when the tone of the blog post creates a personality behind the written word. It's a slippery slope, however... as much as you want to cultivate a persona, you also don't want to take away from your credibility. The key is to be entertaining but informative. Sprinkle in your sauciness but don't let it get in the way of establishing your intelligence and experience on the topic. The goal is to establish a point, make the point with clear, concise arguments and end with a point that leaves the readers engaged, whether they agree or not.

3. Write About What You Know. Let's say you live in Chicago and have been a season ticker holder for the Chicago Bears for 15 years. That makes you a dedicated fan, but not an expert. Surely, you can post about the Chicago Bears and their need for a better running game, but that's not what you are being paid to do. Years of successful management makes you an expert on managing. How you got to where you are required years of experience and lessons learned along the way. That's what makes for an interesting blog post. Not only are you supplying your readers with a wealth of knowledge, you are simultaneously establishing your identity as an expert. Write with the same fervor and passion that enabled you to elevate yourself to where you are now. Readers want to believe that they are heading there with the knowledge you present in each and every article you post.

4. Start Out With a Sprint. In blogging, there is no time to warm up to the reader. Because there are so many websites and so many blogs and so little time, you need to immediately grab the reader out of the gate. If there is a place to be controversial or cute, it's the beginning of the post. Face it... if I didn't hook you in to this post with something interesting, you wouldn't still be reading this article. So instead of stretching and a slow jog, sprint to your point. Be concise about your point in the first 50 words or so. Have a point. Choose a side if it is appropriate. If you are going to sit, sit. If you're going to stand, stand. Whatever you do, don't wobble. After you are done sprinting, make sure what you write is skimmable. Test your post by skimming through yourself and see if the layout is easy to digest.

5. Basic, Basic, Basic... In That Order. Don't make your message complicated by losing your reader with technical terms and jargon unfamiliar to the audience. Dumb down your message while still providing information that will aid the reader. If you do present a technical term, explain it. Assume the reader does not know something, even if they should. The President reads his speeches at an Elementary School level for a reason. He wants everyone to get the message. 

Break up your blog with subheaders, bold captions and pull quotes, if appropriate. Don't be afraid of white space breaking up the article to emphasize certain important points.


Like this... see?

6. Add Appropriate Images.. But Not Too Many. The point of the post is to communicate a point. But to get the reader to notice your post, an image is needed. Just like a speech you gave in high school was aided by the use of visual aids, an image serves as a great compliment to your post. If a reader sees nothing but a bunch of words, they may be discouraged to read on. An interesting image that grads the reader's attention as they are surfing the web could be the catalyst for locking the viewer into further investigation. Don't overload your post with too many images, however. Use images further down ONLY if they help present your argument or explain a point further. An infographic is the perfect example of an effective way of communicating a detailed series of steps or a workflow, for example.

7. Save the Title For Last. There is much merit to titling your blog post. The title of the blog is probably the most important aspect of constructing a blog post. After all, it is the first thing a reader sees. If the title isn't compelling, the reader will move on to the next blog. The title is also the most influential portion of the post because it is what search engines have replaced "meta tag" keywords with. Blog post titles are what "meta tags" (Meta tags were, at one point, the most important piece in the complicated algorithmic puzzle that major search engines looked at when deciding which results are relevant to show users who have typed in a particular search query) used to be as to how search engines rank your blog. So title your blog with the same vigor and enthusiasm that stemmed you to write your article in the first place.

8. Update and Engage. Once you have written your blog post, make sure you stay on top of it. Make sure you interact with your readers if they comment on your article. Don't allow yourself to get in an online altercation with your readers if they post something you don't particularly like. Remember you are the person in control—so, if anyone attacks you personally, simply delete their comment and move on. The point is to get people to comment on your post, whether it be favorably or negatively. Some posts are going to more of a "lightning rod" for opinions than others, so be prepared if you choose to write about controversial subject matter. The frequency of your posts is as crucial as the content. A blog that is updated weekly is sure to generate organic traffic.

Sharing your posts via Facebook, Twitter, Linkedin or other forms of social media is another way to get traffic to your blog. The more you "share", the bigger the audience. Even if you have the most thought-out, well-written blog is worthless if no one is reading it. Check your traffic and see what topics are most popular and tailor your future posts for similar topics. When you start to garner the trust of your audience, the more likely the audience will share your posts with their circle of friends. Google+ is another network that can benefit the blogger. If you look at your own Google results, you will see that the articles showing up in the most Google+ "circles" end up near the top of the search results. Usually the Google+ profile with a photo is more likely associate trust to the article as well. People like putting a face to a name.

9. A Definitive Call-To-Action. So you have gotten the reader to read all the way to the end of your article. Now what? This is where you have the fortunate opportunity to go further with the correspondence. This is where you have to decide what the "call-to-action: is. A call-to-action, in the realm of internet marketing, is a link or graphic that allows the user to get closer to a valued commodity. It may be that you want the reader to "subscribe" to your blog and receive occasional e-mails with valuable information. By locking in that subscriber, you know have the information needed to take this "warm lead" into a potential customer.

By utilizing the above eight points, you can not only begin blogging the right way, but you will also be on your way to gathering an audience that value your expertise.

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Written by John Crawford
Creative Director
john@limodigest.com

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6 Tips to Maximize Your Bottom Line When Selling Your Business

Buyers and sellers of limousine businesses often find themselves on different pages, or even in different worlds, when discussing a particular limousine business for sale. When sellers do not understand how buyers think about and approach transactions, this can contribute to the disconnect. Here, then, are six tips that will help future sellers begin to get on a path to a more rewarding limousine business sale.

1. The fact that your business is breaking even or losing money may not be a deterrent for the right buyer. If your limousine business is struggling financially, do not make assumptions about its ability to attract motivated buyers. To the right buyer, your bottom line may mean very little. A strategic buyer will likely absorb your accounts and eliminate duplicate overhead, thereby making your current financial performance secondary to what the combined operations can do together.

2. A buyer will often pay more if you can give him or her the ability to justify it. It is very common for buyers and sellers of limousine businesses to be miles apart when assessing the value of a particular limousine business. This gap often exists because the buyer doesn’t understand the complete financial impact associated with acquiring the limousine business. Of course, there is also a possibility that the seller does not completely understand fair market value for limousine businesses. Being able to effectively demonstrate the new monthly cash flow created from the deal, the increased value of the buyer’s existing transportation
business, and the time required for the buyer to pay for the entire transaction can greatly expand
the buyer’s appetite for getting the deal done.

3. A buyer has both long-term and short-term goals that will need to be addressed through the transaction. This can benefit the seller. A buyer wants to acquire your limousine business for the least amount of money possible. However, sellers need to understand that strategic buyers have short-term financial goals that can take precedence over the sale price of the transaction. When a deal is structured in a way that allows the buyer of your limousine business to address immediate cash flow needs, it is easier for buyers to accommodate and assist the seller in achieving his or her overall transaction goals.

For example, The Tenney Group was recently involved in a transaction with a chauffeured transportation business in the Southeast. The buyer of the business owned an existing chauffeured transportation business in a 30-mile radius that was experiencing severe cash flow issues. The buying company was considering closing their doors if they did not get an influx of at least $600,000 in new sales within a short period of time.

Because my client's business location and monthly revenue had the unique ability to address the buyer’s very specific problem, he was able to secure a much higher sale price than he likely would have under different circumstances. The buyer could justify the premium purchase price because it would stop their bleeding immediately, and it was much cheaper than the next best alternative—closing the doors and accepting a complete loss on what had they had already invested in the satellite operation.

4. Many buyers misunderstand or underestimate what the acquisition of your limousine business can do for them. Don’t assume another limousine or transportation-related business owner understands and can identify the value associated with acquiring your limousine business. If another limousine business owner has experience with strategic acquisitions, his experience may not apply, specifically, to acquiring your
limousine business. So relying solely on the buyer is a mistake. And do not assume that you are equipped
to effectively communicate the financial benefits of acquiring your limousine business.

This is not a knock on anybody. It is just a fact. Buyers are not likely to accept or trust a seller's estimation of his own company's value—no matter how compelling his case. Business value in the transportation industry is widely misunderstood. Without a credible third party intermediary providing financial
evidence and historical industry transaction data to support an acquisition, sellers limit what they can accomplish at the closing table.

5. A buyer for your limousine business may come from anywhere. In all of The Tenney Group’s completed deals over the past 36 months, the average distance between buyer and seller was 400 miles. This is the reality of the buying market. Sellers need to understand this so they can be properly positioned to attract the maximum exposure for their limousine businesses. Any transportation related business in America, for whatever reason, could have a strategic interest in buying your limousine business. Do not limit your options.

6. A buyer may not know he or she is a buyer yet.The best buyer for your limousine business could be an existing transportation business that may currently have no interest in buying your business, or any other limousine business for that matter. They may be scared to death of acquiring another business. However, with time, persistence, education, and coaching, they can be converted into confident buyers who can justify paying you the highest sale price. Make sure your sale effort proactively addresses buyers who do not currently identify themselves as buyers.

Reprinted from March 2013

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Charles Tenney is Senior Managing Partner of  The Tenney Group, a firm that has specialized in
business sales and acquisitions exclusively in the
transportation industry for 40 years. Charles is also a former National Limousine Association President.
You can contact The Tenney Group at 877.642.8033 
or stenney@thetenneygroup.com.

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Florida Bill Could Allow State to Thwart Local Anti-Uber Ordinances

A bill has been proposed to the Florida Legislature that would transfer the authority to regulate chauffeured limousine services from local governments to the Florida state government. Sponsored by state Senator Jeff Brandes and state Representative Jamie Grant, the regulatory shifts proposed by SB 1618 would apply to traditional limousine companies, but would also include shifting the authority to regulate vehicles associated with digital dispatch companies like Uber, Sidecar and Lyft, which have thus far been prevented from operating in Florida’s biggest transportation markets, with the single exception of Jacksonville.

That could all change if this bill passes, with Uber’s sights on Miami, Tampa, Orlando and other markets, and with state regulators being potentially more sympathetic to the interests of digital transportation companies than Florida’s local governments have been in recent history. U.S. Senator from Florida Marco Rubio, for instance, plans to visit Uber’s Washington, D.C. office next week, while local regulators have been committed to thwarting Uber’s every effort to enter Florida markets over the past few years.

In January the Miami-Dade County Commission blocked an attempt to undo several restrictions against Uber and other digital transportation services, namely the county’s cap on the number of limousine licenses it is able to issue, as well as its $70 minimum fare and mandatory one-hour wait time between reservation and ride. Other major counties in Florida have enacted similar measures to prevent rogue app companies from entering the market.

Hearings will be held next week at the Florida State Capitol. Click for more information on Senate Bill 1618.

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3 Ways To Boost Your Wedding Business

As transportation professionals, we know there are many opportunities to grow our businesses. Based on the size of the fleet and focus of a company, customers can come from a variety of demographics. There is the corporate side, with a focus on airport transfers, group transportation, conference attendees, destination management companies, etc. Special events like concerts, sporting events, Proms, private parties, or even funerals can also bring in transportation customers.

And then there are weddings. With spring just around the corner, now is a great time to boost your wedding business. Wedding arrangements can range from a simple getaway car for the bride and groom, to a multi-vehicle production bringing in thousands of dollars in revenue from buses, limousines, and more.

Every wedding is different, but every wedding client requires the same thing: meticulous attention to detail.
A wedding is intended as a once in a lifetime event, and a glitch in the transportation can ruin an otherwise perfect wedding day. But if you’ve got the resources to handle these clients, you will find a significant source of revenue that is fairly consistent throughout the year.

So, how do we locate and bring in wedding business? Three proven methods are targeted marketing, strategic alliances, and social media.

1. Targeted Marketing
The wedding business is a growing, multi-billion dollar industry, and one of the best indicators of this upward trend is the proliferation of bridal shows. Beginning in January and running for multiple weekends throughout the year, you’ll find a bridal show at your local convention hall, hotel ballroom, banquet hall, and many similar locations.

Bridal shows are a great place to capture leads for your wedding business. For a few hundred dollars, you can exhibit at a show and talk to hundreds of potential clients in a single day. One good way to increase traffic and capture leads at your booth is to display one of your vehicles. Another useful technique is to raffle off a limousine ride. To enter the raffle, show attendees complete an entry form with their contact information, which you can then use to follow up with them via email, phone call or regular mailing. It’s also important to capture the wedding date from these leads, so you can contact them at a time that is closer to their event.

Bridal shows also give you the chance to speak to other professionals in the wedding business, like wedding planners, wedding venue staff, bridal shop staff, and many others. These people can provide valuable referrals to their clients who may come to them with questions about transportation options. Because transportation is typically one of the last things to be ordered for a wedding—since the client doesn’t know how many people will be attending and needing transportation until just a few weeks prior—potential wedding clients have already spoken to people at the hotel, the reception site, shop from which they purchase the wedding dress, etc. And if you have networked and formed a relationship with those other wedding professionals, they will give your name to their clients.

But the most important thing about a bridal show is the follow up. Show attendees may not keep your literature, or they may not remember you several months down the road, when they are actually ready to set up transportation. Once you have gathered the leads from the show—and a good show will net you literally hundreds of qualified leads—the next step is to contact your potential clients. Depending on how you prefer to make these follow-up contacts, you can gather street addresses, email addresses or phone numbers during the show and then contact your leads accordingly.

Gathering and pursuing leads from bridal shows can really boost your wedding business over time.

2. Strategic Alliances
Building effective relationships with other wedding professionals is another crucial tool for building your wedding business. As mentioned earlier, bridal shows are one place to meet and network with these people. However, that is not the only way to make those contacts.

In most cities, you will find professional organizations for meeting planners, wedding planners, hotel workers, restaurant workers—in short, for virtually any type of professional, there is an organization catering to members of that profession. While membership in these organizations may be limited to only that specific industry, many of these organizations do accept members from other types of companies. You can join the organization, attend the meetings, and form alliances with dozens of people who can then refer potential clients to you.

You will also find that, once you have established a rapport with other wedding professionals, the word will spread. The wedding coordinator at one hotel will give your name to the staff at a sister hotel, and you will then have the chance to generate business from both those venues.

Wedding planners are the most fruitful alliances, as most wedding clients depend on their planners to recommend or choose the various wedding vendors. Once you have established a good relationship with a wedding planner, that planner will contact you for all his or her clients’ transportation needs. In some cases, several wedding planners may work together in a single business, and as a group, they can become an even better source of wedding business.

Of course, you must be prepared to provide excellent service when you hear from these wedding professionals. But your effort will pay off in an ever expanding network that provides consistent business growth.

3. Social Media
We really are in a new millennium, and social media is exploding. Today, it’s extremely important for your company to have a presence on Facebook, Twitter, Google Plus, and Pinterest—at the very least. Weddings are predominantly organized and noticed by young people, and they are all using social media every single day. Your presence in the cyberworld will get you noticed by potential wedding clients that you may not reach in any other way.

If you don’t have a social media whiz on staff, consider outsourcing to a company that specializes in these electronic communications. To be effective, you need daily Facebook posts, multiple Twitter feeds per day, and regular postings to other media outlets.

The most demanding thing about social media is coming up with content for all those daily posts. That’s where hiring a third party can be helpful, as they will be hustling to come up with content to earn and keep your business. These experts also know how to set up posts that automatically migrate content between Facebook, Twitter, and other social media applications.

To summarize, the way to grow a successful wedding business is really the same as growing any successful business: market your services effectively, nurture the best professional relationships, leverage available technologies and, first and foremost, always provide exceptional service to your customers. It’s a tall order, but it can be done!

Reprinted from March 2013

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Laurie Johnson is Premier Transportation’s Wedding Coordinator. She has been a marketing and business writer for over 20 years, with a background in software, telecommunications, and transportation. She has written numerous articles for trade magazines. For the past three years, in addition to managing the overall marketing activities for Premier, she has been the main coordinator for the wedding side of the business, too. Premier Transportation of Dallas, TX, has been named Best Wedding Transportation by the Knot and Wedding Wire, and for the last three years, has received the Best Transportation Award from the American Association of Certified Wedding Planners.

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New Regulations Coming for Las Vegas Party Buses

The Nevada Transportation Authority intends to create a new category of luxury transportation services in light of a growing industry trend. Relatively unique to the Las Vegas market, this trend of high-capacity livery vehicles specially altered with luxurious add-ons like stripper poles, strobe lights and fog machines, requires new definitions and subsequent rules according to the state regulatory group.

As a result, these vehicles would be officially categorized as “livery limousines,” and would be regulated separately from other private transportation services throughout the state of Nevada. The precise definition of “livery limousines” would include any vehicle with a nine to 16 passenger capacity, or those with the additional luxury features mentioned above that one may traditionally associate with nightclubs and lounges.

After the NTA decides on the details of the new categories and their associated rules, any coach operating as a bus would be required to not have features like stripper poles, lights and fog machines. Stripper poles in vehicles have been a particular issue of contention on the Vegas Strip, frequently cited for several years as potentially distracting to drivers.

The city’s limousine drivers and the associations to which they belong have made statements in support of the NTA’s move to regulate these types of vehicles under different rules. Such a policy would protect them from competition from charter buses, who call themselves limousine services despite not having the proper license to do so.

View a draft of the NTA's proposed legislation.

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