Marketing Strategies that Build Business

On Feb. 3rd, NECA members and their friends gathered for some lively networking and an informative program on marketing strategies. Our special guest speaker and moderator, Dr. Teresa McCarthy Professor of Marketing and Supply Chain at Bryant University, opened the program with an overview of the state of the industry, branding and marketing. Members can review the Dr. Teresa McCarthy's Feb. 3rd Power Point presentation on the state of the industry, branding and marketing. CLICK and enter your user name (email of the member company's key contact person) and password.

Then, our panel of car washers shared the strategies used in their own businesses. Our panel included Joel Shapiro of LJ's Car Wash in Norton; Dom Previte III of Smerville Car Wash and Detail, and WashSource; Paul Vercollone of Briteway Car Wash with locations in Marshfield, Norwell, Plymouth, FItchburg and Randolph, MA, and Manchester NH; and Nir Drory of Prestige Car Wash with locations in Brockton Taunton, Canton and Stoughton. A spirited give and take with the audience followed. Here's a sampling of branding and business building techniques that were shared :

• Discounts on gas when you buy a car wash
• Wacky Wednesday (or other day) for discounted washes
• Senior discount day to take the pressure off the Wacky day
• Electronic reader board on the street - feature greetings & community/ individual (ex. birthday) non-car wash messages
• Personal, human interaction
• A real eye catcher (ex. 38' red firetruck in front of LJ's)
• Uniformed employees
• Monthly special promotions
• Do everything possible to capture email addresses
• Use social media to promote specials
• Set up a mobile as well as traditional web site
• Use analytics to gather information on who is using your web site, and how they are using it
• Tie in convenience store (your own or neighboring business) with washes
• Loyalty programs (there was a good discussion of the benefits and pitfalls of unlimited programs)
• Master upselling techniques to offset deeply discounted washes
• Hold on to current customers - 10x more expensive to get a new one
• Strive to exceed expectations
• Attend to the basics: good product, quick service, clean facility
   

Soon: Photos of the event.