Business

Advertising can be a great way to drive business, but the key is finding the right vehicle to spread your message. What I really wanted was a compelling way to reach the highest-caliber customers located closest to my shops. Direct mail allowed me to achieve that goal. I was able to target higher-income households within two miles of my shop.

There seems to be a common misconception in the business world that because “new media” involves technology, college-age people are automatically qualified to manage it. Don’t make this mistake! At the very least it could cost you wasted time and resources. Potentially, it could wreck your company’s hard-earned reputation.

In the September/October issue of Shop Owner, we introduced the “new” art of advertising in a modern market, and presented strategies automotive repair shop owners can use to corner their market, maintain loyal customers, and expand their shops’ value and customer base.

From my experience, cars and companies have a lot in
common when it comes to keeping them running smoothly
and achieving top performance. The owner’s manual for any business is the strategic plan that has been developed. The
gauges are the financial reports that are generated on a daily, weekly, monthly, quarterly and annual basis.

The statement you receive from your credit card processing company every month or quarter contains a lot of complex information. There are words and numbers everywhere that may or may not mean what you think. Understanding your statement, what you are being charged and why is critical to being an informed shop owner and may even save you a lot of money.

As part of your business plan, you need to determine who you’re “A” customers are and do some demographic research to determine where they live and how many of them there are in a given five-mile radius.

Non-compete agreements are a great way for business owners to protect an employer’s reasonable competitive business interests. These agreements can also be utilized to limit post-employment competition provided that the agreement is reasonable in terms of geographic limitations, duration and type of activity restrained.

Some business owners and managers continue to be stuck in the past. They fail to realize by squeezing out the last drop of productivity, cutting their overhead to the bare bones, trying to cut costs, working harder, and continuing to do business the same way with the same old customers and the same projects won’t cut it today.

Businesses can take several measures at the end of the year to reduce their tax burdens in 2010. Here’s a rundown of best options.

Women influence 85% of all consumer-purchasing decisions in the U.S. When thinking about the impact that this group has on commerce and on businesses in general, you are probably asking yourself this question: “Am I getting more than my fair share of this opportunity?” Continue reading to gain some valuable insight into marketing to women.

During challenging economic times, nearly everyone in the automotive service industry asks the same nagging question: “How much should I really be spending on advertising?” In truth, the answer to that question should be another question: “Are you spending or investing?”

Women account for 85% of all consumer purchases, including everything from automobiles to healthcare, and they spend about $5 trillion annually – about half of the U.S. gross domestic product.