Marketing the second dirtiest word after CPD, if you have ever read anything driving instructor industry related, the majority say we are busy we do not need marketing hints and tips, but if that is the case why are there companies out there actively seeking to take your hard earned cash. For a serious marketing campaign you need lots of cash and a solid product, not a fistful of dollars and some lesson slots.
Why are there so many involved in marketing who are looking for a niche market to offer their services? A good marketing executive will cover all areas, yet for some the ADI is seen as an easy target, with many having no previous business experience or training in advertising or growth. If the phone isn't ringing then the only way to get noticed is to get out there and be visible, expecting someone else to take your cash on a promise is not the way forward.
When Mr Nice Guy offers to promote your business, as a salesperson they are better placed with inner knowledge of the arena, so are you being offered 'hints and tips' or has your marketing agent sat down with you and explored the statistical evidence for the product that you offer. For example, you would expect the sales of ice to rise in the summer and slow in the winter, so the marketing agent would therefore encourage sales growth in the time when seasonal sales are higher, but promote why your ice is better than the next person. As with most things, ice sells itself, when demand is high. With driving lessons, during high season, generally January, April and September, they will sell themselves.
With lots of opportunities at the current time, with media highs and lots of news stories, isn't this a great time for your PR team, or individual, to be raising demand and earning their keep. Is your hashtag lacking or hasn't it been born. It seems from the 2013 research that agents think they know what their client needs, yet when questioned, the client had different ideas, yet chose to follow the agent because they assumed inner knowledge.
Sadly marketing agents in this research uncovered the fact that they may know their market but they do not understand their client. 17% of agents believed they had a relationship with their client, whereas only 6% of clients believed this to be the case. Pointing to the fact that the company had a greater business perspective of the transactions than the agent.
Research from earlier this year also showed that clients want results, and that marketing agents are plumping up their services with lots of fluff and clever terminology but are not cutting the mustard. 38% of clients want good value for money whereas only 27% of agents thought this to be important.
So making money without the conversation, the agent says, let me do this for you, the client bows to the salesperson, the client gets caught up in a contract that doesn't deliver, they then go from recommending their agent to advising against them, word of mouth in all industries is important.
Driving instructors are in the firing line for agent approaches, along with vets and hairdressers, yet all of these services are self promoting, given the opportunity. Marketing strategies are for bigger campaigns, a national company would definitely benefit from enhanced promotion, but a sole trader would not ever be able to justify the expense. The best promotion of your business is through Google, this can be done for free and Google will tell you how.
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