The auto industry is in tough shape these days, with the difficulties of car makers like GM and the PR nightmares experienced by Toyota. Further, the continued economic uncertainty leaves consumers hesitant to buy new cars. For auto dealers in this pressure-filled environment, the challenge continues to be to find ways to maximize profits. Luckily, there is an easy way to expand a high-margin revenue stream that’s already in place.

Car sales are typically a low-margin activity, when you factor in all the costs and the hassles of haggling with customers. Plus, car sales rely on customer willingness to consider buying the type of car that dealer sells. On the other hand, the maintenance department is traditionally a high-margin service center. Improving the profitability of an auto dealership, then, relies on increasing the traffic (pardon the pun) to the dealer’s service center.

Great, so how does a dealer accomplish that goal? Here’s the plan:

1. Secure a graphic designer — If you don’t already have one on staff, find a freelancer or use your advertising contacts.
2. Design an ad piece — This will be for promoting your service center (your high-margin service center) so don’t go cheap on this. It should be for 3.5″ x 6.5″ card stock, so make sure your designer uses the appropriate graphics resolution. Also design a separate 1″ x 2″ image with your name/logo/phone number to be placed on the card.
3. Get a supply of egrips — Your designs will be used to create your egrips and custom card. Again, this is for your high-margin service center so be sure to get the right quantity. (You can get a free price quote here.)
4. Promote your service center with egrips — Now that you have these promotional products, use them to promote the use of your service center:

• New car customers — When you sell a car, ask the customer for their cell phone and place the egrips sticker on their phone. Give them the card too, along with another for their spouse or significant other. Now, your phone number is on their phone reminding them who they should call to get their car serviced.
• Service Center patrons — When a customer brings in their car for service, give them a card when you take their keys. (It gives them something to look at while they wait.) If they ask for another, act like you really shouldn’t but do it anyway. (In fact, a sign saying “Limit one egrips per customer” can goose that along.) Again, the egrips sticker will remind them who they should call to get their car serviced.
• General advertising and networking — Add these egrips to neighborhood welcome baskets, give them out as networking freebies, use them to brand your business. Remember, your mechanics fix “cars” not just “your cars” so use these to cast a wider net for service center business.

It’s alot easier to get repeat customers than new ones, and these promotional products can help you do just that. Plus, they’ll help drive current and new customers towards your most profitable services. Get your free price quote here, how can you lose?

Tags: Branding, egrips, marketing, promoting your business, promotional products, service providers