Wholesale ideas

[kpratt]

I am looking for direct mail wholesale parts ideas that dramatically increased your wholesale parts sales or broadened your wholesale customer base. Anyone have some great, proven ideas?

[Farfinator]

I, for one, would think carefully about an investment of any kind in direct mail advertising at this time. Most people are discarding any and all "non-essential" mail due to the anthrax scare. No matter how clever, it will probably prove to be an unfortunate waste of money at this time.
Who are you trying to target? How broad a market can you support? What are your goals?Perhaps there are alternatives that people can offer you here that will help optimize the impact of your investment.

[Robert a Bamert jr]

Try having a Clinic I recently had a Power Train Clinic (Engines&Trans) and invited all the local Shop owers and Techs. I had a great turn out. Just tell them there's food, and they'll come. GM also offered the Trainer, hand-outs, and payed some of the food bill.Hint bring them to the Dealership not a restaurant, it makes them know your name and location....Questions JRBAMBAM@AOL

[hondaptsmgr]

I use direct mail and have had good results over the years.You must be sure you target your market carefully or most of your mailers will end up in the trash.Pick the customer base as in independent paint & body shops,IRF'S,chain stores and new car dealers with body shops in the cities you plan to service.

A good name list and direct mail piece are not cheap so it is wise to use an experienced direct mailer.I use WESTATES AUTOMOTIVE ADVERTISING because the grafics are great and they put together a really good piece.

I recommend at least 2 mailers a year with one about 4 weeks before your peek season.
We also use outside sales personel to keep our name in front of potential customers.

Be consistent and back up what you claim and you should have success with direct mail.

[greenthumb]

A mailer is not likely to make a "dramatic" difference in wholesale volume or client base.

When was the last time you changed your purchasing patterns/habits based on a piece of junk mail ??

Just a thot...

[RLSTOTLER]

We have done a number of things to increase our wholesale business. We use a company called Allied Business Services that will send out various forms of mailers to shops in a selected state or number of counties. The mailers are in the form of either phone stickers, roladex cards, or wall posters and each mailer contains most of the model lines and the corresponding dealer that has that particular line. They get sent out every six months and with every mailing cycle we will receive a list of the shops they were sent to, either printed or on a floppy disc. We also put one of our counter men on the road to visit shops and sell our product (and at the same time deliver parts). Note pads and pens with our logo were also handed out. We've been doing this for about the past 6 years and our wholesale business has seen a tremendous increase annually. It does take a small investment tho.

[Rlstotler]

The mailer that I am referring to in the above reply is called the "Wholesale Automotive Parts Directory". Most important of all is to be prepared to offer a high standard of customer service in order for your wholesale business to be successful.