Marketing Points
By Dean Schuler

Marketing your company is an extension of your personality, energy, and vision. It’s the image you convey to current and future customers. You are not selling “things” — the custom car trade is a very personal profession where long-term success is measured by satisfaction with customer service. You are marketing an experience or a feeling of luxury. Does your company provide that experience that customers are looking for? Service is a very personal signature, and once you get that right, you can roll with anything else. This is where the astute business owner begins to differentiate himself from the rest.

Know Your Business Vision
Starbucks Coffee has become a staple all over the U.S. as a premier coffee house. Why? Starbucks hasn’t made it big in the coffee business because they have the best coffee or the best prices. In fact, their prices are usually higher than the corner deli or convenience store. Starbucks, however, has capitalized on the one thing that many coffee places can’t offer — atmosphere — and that’s what drives people through the doors to drop three times the amount of money for a cup of java. You’re not buying coffee; you’re buying a spot to linger and socialize, and the coffee is the backdrop.

Do you have a well developed and branded approach to vehicles, chauffeurs, staff, marketing, and advertising? Before you market your service, make sure your service is worth marketing! Although it is common for a startup company to perform a wide variety of work, being all things to all people is not the way to proceed. Focusing on one or two niches allows you to customize and provide a superior level of service that few can match.

Have you ever spent quality time closely observing a highly successful transportation company? They all have a certain look that spells “winner” and washes the competition. They have all discovered the one hook that Starbucks and many other successful companies have made their trademark. Differentiation and distinctiveness are the reasons people will book with you over all others. In any competitive market, what will make your service sparkle brighter than the many others who are seeking business? Why should they choose you over the next service listed or maybe even the one with better prices? These are the ideas that will drive your marketing campaign and are (hopefully) already part of your long-term business plan.

I’ve found that the best marketing practice is diligently presenting a consistent image and operating in the same manner over and over again. Consistency is a big key to keeping your clients happy. This means that every chauffeur and staff member treats every client with the same respect and courtesy every time, without exception. It also means focusing on little touches like a standard uniform or a particular brand of water in the car every time. Trust me, your clients will notice.

Marketing Tools
Marketing tools should be properly executed for maximum effectiveness. Poor utilization of marketing tools in our industry would include sloppy direct mail pieces and outdated or illogical websites. All marketing pieces should have a grabber headline, complete company contact information, and should look professional. Color brochures that can be mailed or downloaded from your website are marketing dynamos! Years ago I came across a nifty piece of promotional material that listed 15 reasons to rent a limousine. The brochure was creative, innovative, and contained eye-catching pictures. High-end custom tours like wine tasting, shopping exclusions, seasonal specials, and deluxe package deals are the compelling content that will reach the clientele you desire. Potent marketing should always motivate the customer to “buy now.”

Bartering for goods and services that you need is a smart business move for an outfit of any size. Making your name known in the right circles is the goal here. Local business-to-business marketing through the various functions/social events is still the foundation of building your business in the local community. No matter how established a livery firm is, you will always need lots of like-minded firms to work with. Don’t forget to establish regional and national connections and join every association pertinent to your vision. Attend the trade shows religiously.

Sales
For companies of any size, sales calls are crucial and must be done regularly. You only have one chance to make the proper impression; make sure your salespeople are respectful and not pushy. Always leave a gift after each sales call and be sure to follow up. Most of the great accounts are built on the relationship prior to securing the account, so followup is critical to success. Once you have the relationship built, you have to keep it going! Never take any account for granted at any time. Continually dream up new ways to creatively expand the account and add value to your service.

Your best sales tools are right under your nose: your chauffeurs. If they are properly cross-trained, they can be your best salespeople. Seasoned, veteran chauffeurs are super magnets, and he or she will pull in and sustain more business than a cold call ever will. This is also true for your office staff. An owner who thinks of his staff as a sales force and educates them on the importance of bringing in new business is way ahead of the pack. The yield per car goes up immensely, airport transfers become multi-day charters, and so on. We have all viewed the cost analysis of keeping an existing customer versus finding a new customer; the lifetime value of a satisfied customer is astronomical. Performance bonuses for staff and chauffeurs keep everyone focused on the same goals.

Your marketing strategy starts with a thorough examination of your company’s vision. Specifically gear your approach to what the marketplace needs and wants, and limit the diversification of your markets for optimum financial prudence (choose the niches that work best for you). Once you have a solid understanding of what you have to sell, utilize quality marketing tools and materials to make a great first impression. Never forget that you are selling a service — give clients a compelling reason to choose your company over all the rest! LD