Roger Pozeznik of Kalamazoo, Michigan writes:
“I run All-Star Driver Education in Ann Arbor. Two other big driving schools in town seem to have a monopoly and have gotten lazy with there teaching skills. It’s frustrating to see that they have full classes.
“The school I work for is very well-known on the east side of the state and they are in about 20 schools. We have done the basics: targeted mailing lists, PA announcements, and we’re putting raffle boxes around town to to win a free class and collect names/leads to follow up on. The other schools have such a hold on the locals because they never really had any competition, and they have been around for years.
“What can we do to promote the school?”
A driving school may use tips lists and the media to get the word out and enhance its credibility. Lists may include safe driving tips in the winter; safe driving tips in the rain (it’s like snow when it pours in the south!); release a True and False list of about 5-10 comments and briefly elaborate on the answers; release a sneak peak at about five questions you may find on a driving test — they are bound to challenge seasoned drivers as well!
Joan is always giving us tips on how to piggyback off of news events or holidays. Since driving schools are typically targeting teenagers, why not reach out to media in your area during prom season? You can offer 5 Driving Tips to Keep Your Teen Safe This Prom Season. It might also be useful at graduation time — Buying Your Teen a Car for Graduation? Here are 5 Tips to Keep Him Safe Behind the Wheel.
How about teaming up with local auto insurance agents? Perhaps offer current policyholders a discount for enrolling their teens at your school.
You might consider a “bring a friend” program too – where if two teens sign up at the same time they get a discount.
Also, consider other markets – not all adults know how to drive (my mom, who is from London and never needed to drive, didn’t learn until she was 55). What about immigrants or non-English speakers?
One venue that’s very worth pursuing is high school newspapers – take an ad out, offer an expert to the paper’s reporters, offering any current students you have who go to that school to talk as well (because they are high school journalists, they generally are a bit more receptive to relevant pitches).
Summer is also the hottest season (no pun intended) for students to practice their driving. Offer yourself as an expert to TV & radio, talking to the media and the general public about what to extra mindful of when driving near student drivers (sudden stops, sharp swerves, etc.) as well as tips for learning & new drivers. By establishing yourself & the company as an expert, you’ll probably get more marketshare in the area.
I tried to access your website via the URL listed and got the dotted highway with nothing indicating what site I had reached. Then clicking on the avoid intro I was taken to another page that again didn’t say whose site it was with two headings that led nowhere, and then clicked on a blue state which wouldn’t take me anywhere either. This site does nothing for you and is simply irritating to would-be customers who are wasting their time trying to get some info.
For publicity have a well known local celbrity take a test and see how many rules they know and don’t. It will highlight the importance of good instruction and show that even adults who’ve been driving a long time need a refresher.
Roger, seems like you focus on Driver’s Ed for teens. I think that’s great.
Ever keep stats on the driving records of your students after they graduate? Ever compared their driving records to the national average or local average?
Doesn’t matter if you are doing worse or better there is probably a story waiting to be told about it.
Lots of focus now on global warming.
Your company trains more and more people to be better drivers but also better at polluting the environment because more people will be driving,
How do you feel about that?
Doesn’t matter if you feel quilty or not their’s a story either way waiting to be told whatever side you lean on.
Michigan is the home of a dying species, American branded cars.
Has your business been in some way (positve or negative) impacted by the downfall of American branded cars?
Either way their is probably a story waiting to be told.
Ask the kids who the BM and BWOC are. Offer them free classes to get a Tipping Point word of mouth going.
Good luck
Here are some suggestions:
1. Create seasonal campaigns. For example, this is prom season. Publish a safe driving article for prom goers and/or their parents. Summer vacation is almost here. There should be stats on the number of teen driving accidents increasing during the summer months.
2. Think of issues that affect driving and write and submit articles about that. Go against the norm. Instead of driving while talking on cell phones, discuss issues on driving when angry. Offer reasons for calming down before getting behind the wheel.
3. Speak at area high schools and colleges on safe driving. Partner with local MADD offices.
4. Hold a teen driving mixer.
5. To piggyback off the anger article, partner with or offer a joint venture with an anger management counselor.
These are just a few ideas.
Good luck,
Ayana Glaze
Who pays for the drivers training? Parents. That’s who you should market to. As a parent, I survey other parents for opinions along with my own information. Their past experiences matter to me when I am dealing with the same issue. If you have satisfied parents and good track records, then make it public. Include these satisfied parents in your advertising with statements of WHY they’re glad they chose your program and HOW their child has gained quality driving skills that set them apart from drivers of other schools. What makes your school special? That’s what I want to know, as a parent.
Roger –
I would consider an “extraordinary guarantee”.
Basically, put your money where your mouth is and stand by your product. “We guarantee that your child will pass both the written and road exam or we will refund 100% of your tuition.”
I know this might sound risky – but it won’t work unless it looks like a really good deal. You can put conditions around a guarantee.
This may require that you adjust your business process in order to make sure that these kids are ready. You can add a “letter of readiness” where they first pass your internal measures before you clear them for testing. If they take the test without the “letter of readiness” then the guarantee would not apply. You would also have to commit to working with them until they are ready.
Allison
http://www.paravox.com