Next iPhone Car Radio is from Next Base

Next Base, which makes DVD players for the car that are often sold through Ford dealers, is launching an iPhone-car radio called Face Off.

Planned for April/May at $299, the double DIN radio, is basically a nifty looking dock for the iPhone (3GS, 4 or 4S).  It charges and amplifies the iPhone so you can playback music, GPS and other apps.  When you pull out the iPhone you see the radio’s built-in FM radio screen.  It also has Bluetooth for hands free calling and comes with a mic or it will work with the car’s existing mic.  It also works with steering wheel controls.

You can press a button the radio to access Siri voice control.

Users can also stream video from the phone (hopefully, not while driving).

Next Base said the Face Off is part of its plan is to expand into Apple docks and devices for the car.

“We’ve been making DVD players for the car for the last 7 years and we do a lot of Apple certified products including an iPad mount and an iPhone dock for the back seat…We have the knowledge of how Apple products work so now our mission is to integrate the iPhone in the car,” said Next Bases’ Keating Leung.

The company said it sells to retail installers and also hopes to sell this device through Ford dealers.

It’s worth watching the quick video here.

The built-in amp is rated at 45 by 4 and it has a pre amp out and subwoofer out.

Jalopnik gave the product a favorable review.

Source: CEoutlook

Escort Ships Back Up Camera/Mirror

Escort continues its expansion into new products beyond the radar detector with a smart mirror it calls SmartSite.

Smart Site is a back up camera system that uses a mirror with a built in 4.3 inch  color LCD as the display.  The mirror automatically displays the camera view behind the vehicle when the car is put into reverse. The back up camera attaches to the license plate frame.

The mirror replaces most factory rear view mirrors and it can support up to two cameras.  The system including the back up camera is available now at a suggested retail price of $249.

Source: Escort

Fusion Brings WiFi to Marine Audio

Fusion will offer in March the first marine audio radios that can be controlled by your phone so that boaters on deck can change stations on the radio down below.

Fusions’ new 700 series marine radios can link to an ordinary WiFi router and then communicate with an Android phone, iPhone, iPad or iPod touch.   After you download an app ($29-$39), you can change from the phone, the radio source or track, or adjust volume, treble, bass or just about anything you can do from the head unit, said Fusion Head of Sales & Marketing for North America Todd Crocker.

The radios come with an Ethernet connection.  Through WiFi, you can also flip through album art on your phone to select your music.

Fusion is also creating other forms of networking in marine audio and video.  It’s developed what could be called its own version of MirrorLink.  It’s new “Fusion-Link” system lets the marine radio send video and audio from your iPod or iPhone to other screens on the boat—including the Chartplotter!

Also the new marine radios are the first to network into the boat’s bus system so you can also display wind speed and other boating info on a wired remote ($199).

“The 700 is certified to work with the NMEA data bus standard for an exchange of digital data….so if you want to broadcast or change depth or speed or heading or engine RPM, it’s all done through NMEA 2000.  So if you have a remote in the cockpit and the head unit is in the saloon, you can see how much fuel is left, the water temperature, and what’s my heading.  This is the first and only NMEA certified head unit on the market,” said Crocker.

He added, “I believe this is a paradigm shift in the category that takes the product to a whole new level.”

The new 700 series includes two marine radios, both with WiFi capability, Fusion-Link and iPod/iPhone AV out.  They are both SiriusXM-ready and include about a 2-inch color TFT.  They also have a built-in VHF weatherband plus USB.  A model AV700 adds DVD capability. An iPhone or iPod can also dock inside the iP700, behind the flip down faceplate.   The iP700 will carry a price around $449.99 and the AV700 with DVD player will sell at around $599 starting in March.

Also at that time, Fusion is offering a new budget price marine radio with full iPod control called the MS-RA50 at $129.99.

Finally, the company is also working with leading makers of GPS devices so by around summer, some marine GPS units will also work with Fusion radios to display video from an iPod or iPhone.   It effectively turns a GPS into a video monitor and a remote control for the radio.

Crocker said 3 leading GPS makers have licensed the technology. “This allows them the right to fully…control our head unit from their device.  Changing songs, track, raising and lowering volume, they can do all that.”

Source: Fusion

TV Displays for Car Audio MESA Retailers

These days even Subway sandwich shops have big TVs in the store to send a message to consumers, so why not car stereo shops?

Under a new MESA (Mobile Electronics Specialists of America) program this year, all dealer member locations will have a 46-inch TV showing products from MESA vendors.   The programming will be controlled from the MESA offices so all TVs will display the same shows.   It will promote products such as a new subwoofer design or it might show how to integrate an iPod into the car.  The shows will be aimed at consumers and there will be a place also for retailers to showcase their installs and advertise tent sales and sound off contests.

Additionally,  the TVs can be used to hold training sessions for employees so that Kenwood, for example, could run a training session say at 10 am eastern throughout all MESA member stores.

A test trial starts in a week and the TVs should roll out around Q2, said MESA Executive Director  Ryan Gunter.

MESA also announced it now has a buying power of $143 million, through its 35 members, up from 20 at the beginning of last year.  Total storefront count is now at 122 locations.

The  marketing/buying group said its recent Facebook contest giving away $6,000 in prizes resulted in over 5,000 new email leads for members.

MESA vendors include Pioneer, Kenwood, Metra, Aamp of America, PAC, Atrend, Audiovox, Concept, Directed Electronics, Escort, Hertz/Audison, HushMat, JL Audio, OnStar Parrot, Rockford Fosgate and SiriusXM.

Source: MESA

Droid Razr Maxx Now Available: Still Skinny

If you thought the ultra-thin Motorola Razr was cool but a little light on the battery life, then the Razr Maxx, available as of Thursday through Verizon Wireless may be the next phone for you.

It’s only slightly thicker than the Droid Razr by .07 inches, but the battery now lasts a full day and night (21 hours).  Motorola claims the phone is the thinnest long lasting smartphone batterywise on the market.

In all other aspects, the phone is the same as the Droid Razr which has been available for a few months now.

The 4G LTE phone gives you an impressive 4.3-inch Super AMOLED Advanced display, 1.2GHz dual-core processor, and 32GB of memory for $299.99 on contract. The phone will be updatable to Android Ice Cream Sandwich in the future.

Sources:

CNET Reviews

CNET

Geek.com

 

 

Scosche Announces Availability of Dual USB Car Charger

Oxnard, CA, – January 26, 2011 – Scosche Industries is excited to announce the availability of the new reVOLT c2 – dual USB car charger.  The reVOLT c2 is the first and only shotgun shell sized car charger to fit two 2.1A USB ports into such a compact form factor and pack enough juice to refuel two power hungry tablets simultaneously.

“The reVOLT c2 is the world’s smallest yet most powerful car charger for USB powered devices,” said Kas Alves, Executive Vice President of Scosche Industries.  “The ability to charge two tablets while traveling has become necessary as these devices have become common companions on both work and family road trips.”

reVOLT c2 fetatures an ultra low-profile design that fits flush in most vehicle power sockets.  The reVOLT c2 also works with  Scosche’s reVIVE App for advanced battery management.  The reVIVE app details how much time users have left to watch, talk, listen and surf and how much time it will take to recharge their phone’s battery.  The reVIVE app can be downloaded for free from the Apple App Store and the Android Market.

The Scosche reVOLT c2 is available now at Scosche.com for $19.99.

Follow Scosche at twitter.com/scosche or facebook.com/scosche for the latest news on the company’s complete line of portable power solutions and all of Scosche’s award-winning products.

About Scosche Industries:

Founded in 1980, Scosche Industries is an award-winning innovator of iPad, iPhone and iPod accessories. Scosche is founded on its commitment to quality, value and customer service. With over 95 patents and countless industry awards it is easy to see that Scosche is consistently at the forefront of technology and innovation.  Scosche Industries is the parent company of several distinct brands including: Scosche, REALM, EFX, BlueFusion and Accumat. Founded in 1980, Scosche is still 100% family owned and operated with over 150 great people alongside them. For more information visit our website at www.scosche.com.

Remote Start Report in a Balmy Winter

We expected retailers to be crying in their soup about remote start sales since the weather has been so warm this winter in many areas of the country.

Some retailers said sales were down between 10 and 20 percent in remote starters, and some still held out hope that a severe cold snap might save the season.

At least one remote start supplier said sales were actually ahead of last year at this time as retailers bought in heavily earlier in the season.  But the sales pace has been slower for January, it admitted.

For any retailer wishing to unload remote start inventory, you may want to consider Groupon, as did The Audio Connection, a 3 store chain in Baltimore, MD, which sold 600 units and is happy with the results.

Owner Dave Bran said Groupon pushes you sell at a very low price, but he was able to add fees for certain installations.   He advertised remote starters at $109 installed (at a loss of $21 each) but charged an extra $130  for any car that is key coded or keyless entry (almost all cars).

“Out of 600 calls I had less than a handful who returned the Groupon [because of the fine print],” said Bran.  “They were mostly the nicest group of people I’ve ever dealt with. More than 60 percent were women, which is a demographic that’s hard for us to get to,” he noted.

The Audio Connection bays are now booked for the next few months and the store didn’t spend a penny on advertising.  “We brought in 600 people who had never come into the stores…it keeps the techs busy at a slow time of year after Christmas,” Bran said.  Many or most customers were also sold satellite radio, Bluetooth kits or upgrade speakers.

Bran notes that it took a while to contact and work with Groupon to set up the deal.  Also be prepared to get “beat up” on price.  But enjoy the new customers.

As for other retailers, here’s how the remote start season is shaping up:

ABT, Glenview, IL said sales are down about 15 to 20 percent.

Sound of Tri-State out of Delaware said sales are soft in the category but the store is up for the month as it is winning plus business since local competitor Sixth Avenue Electronics recently closed up shop.

The Ultimate Edge, Oswego, NY said sales are off but actual profits are up.  The store made the decision recently to carry only higher end remote starters and leave the $99 (unprofitable) specials to the competition.  It’s now more profitable, selling fewer units.

Autotoys, Randolph, MA said sales are “a little below average.”  The random cold weather spells are still bringing in sales that book two weeks out for installation

Car Tunes Stereo Center, Detroit, MI with 6 stores said sales are actually up in its main remote start brands Omega Research and Code Alarm.

Columbus Car Audio, Columbus, OH is seeing more business in the higher end SmartStart modules that remote start the car from the phone.  They cost an extra $200 over standard remote start, so dollar sales are up by 12 percent even though unit sales in remote start are down by 17.5 percent.

Directed would not divulge sales of the SmartStart, but said, “SmartStart had another great season. Dealers are getting great customer response from the $100 mail-in rebate promotion,” said Directed President Mike Simmons.

Source: CEoutlook

Kicker Adds Trent Partners, N&S Mktg Reps

Kicker (Stillwater Designs) announced new reps:  Trent Partners and Associates and Naeseth & Solaas Marketing and Sales.

 Trent Partners of Rockville Centre, N.Y., began representing Kicker December 1, and oversees a region including northern New Jersey and metro New York. The firm is led by CEO Stephen Trentacoste and was established in 1990.

Trent Partners New England, under the direction of long-time Kicker associate Steven Cote, launched on January 1 and handles the upper Northeast, including Massachusetts, Vermont, Rhode Island, Connecticut, Maine and New Hampshire.

Naeseth & Solaas of Bellevue, Wash., will cover the Pacific Northwest, specifically Washington, northern Idaho and Oregon. Dale Naeseth founded the operation in 1978. N&S will be working with leading Kicker dealers The Music Shop (Grants Pass, Ore.) and Outrageous Audio (Portland, Ore.), among several others.

The new reps join Kicker’s 13 existing rep partners.

Source:  Kicker

Aamp Names Distributors of the Year for 2011

 

Rydeen to Launch Android Test Market

Rydeen said it will launch a test market in April of the Android car radio it unveiled at CES earlier this month.

The test will include about 100 to 200 units of an in-dash navigation/radio that runs on Android 2.2 and that is designed to bring the same look and feel of your Android phone to the car radio.

The Rydeen model DV621 has a 6.2 inch color screen and you can connect your USB Internet dongle to it for Internet email. You also get Bluetooth with audio streaming and other AV/navigation features.  Rydeen said it may upgrade to a newer version of Android by the time the radio reaches the market around summer.  Pricing will be announced.

Rydeen is also bringing Android into its replacement mirrors and using the platform to add driver safety features to your rear view mirror.  Later this year and early next year it plans to offer features including lane departure warnings, crash detection, traffic updates and voice recognition for email and texts.  Users can also get vehicle health reports.

The company will include a camera in the mirror (or separately) that uses visual sensing and algorithms to offer the above features.

Rydeen is also including a proprietary Android based OS in a new navigation mirror that ships in April.  The MN312S can work with Guidepoint Systems for OnStar-like features such as car tracking, concierge services and emergency response.  The mirror has a dedicated Guidepoint button.   A quick press on the button connects to the Guidepoint call center via your cellphone over Bluetooth for concierge services (an optional feature). A long press activates a separate, optional Guidepoint blackbox that can send your location to a call center in the case of an accident.

The MN312S navigation mirror also now includes a temperature sensor on the mirror and it has louder audio.  It will have a suggested retail price of $449 (Guidepoint box not included).  A version with 3-year warranty will cost about $499.

Source: Rydeen

New “Dash” Car Stereo Debuts

The Dash is a new double DIN head unit that is basically a shell for your phone.   It holds, charges and amplifies your phone.

Dash is offered by a start up called Devium out of Colorado Springs, CO.  The head unit should launch in July at about $300.  The company is beginning to talk to a few local retailers, including Car Toys about stocking the product.

The first version of the Dash will be optimized for the iPhone 4 and 4S.  Then the company will offer different faceplates to suit Android and Windows Phone devices, so you don’t have to buy a new radio when you switch phones.

The faceplates will range from $20 to $40 as some will be plastic and some chrome.

There’s no built-in radio, so you access Internet Radio from the phone.  You can also get navigation and traffic up dates through apps on the phone.

The Dash has a built-in 50 watt by 4 Class D amp and it has two 2V pre outs.

Devium was launched by a Lockheed Martin engineer named Paul Lizer who wanted to find a way to turn his phone into a car radio.

“The phone has a great user interface that they’ve spent lot of time and money creating and you use it every day.  Let’s keep using that when you get in the car,” said Lizer, who points out that new phones now are available with larger, 5-inch screens.

Source: CEoutlook via PC World

Apple Reports Astounding iPhone Sales

Updated. Not long ago, it was a big deal if Apple sold 15 million iPhones over the holiday quarter. On Monday night, Apple announced it sold 37 million iPhones during its recent quarter ended December 31, 2011.

Its  stunning iPhone performance helped Apple sail past Wall Street expectations of $39 billion in revenue.  Instead, the company reported a record quarterly revenue of $46.33 billion (up 73 percent from a year ago) and record net profits of $13.06 billion (more than double the profits from the quarter last year).

Apple sold 128 percent more iPhones than a year ago and 111 percent more iPads, reaching 15.4 million tablets.  It also sold 15.4 million iPods, marking a 21 percent decline.  Mac sales rose 26 percent to 5.2 million units.

The news generated a spike in Apple’s share price of 8 percent in late trading, bringing its share price to over $450 and bringing its evaluation (at least temporarily) to $426 billion,  higher than Exxon Mobil, the most highly valued company.  As of Wednesday morning, however, shares were back to about $420.

Source: Apple, MarketWatch

Time to Push Satellite Radio?

Now that a simpler, cheaper 2.0 SiriusXM tuner is heading to market, which will work with almost 60 car radio models at launch, some dealers say they expect an uptick in satellite radio sales.

The new XM SXV200 tuner ($79.99) due this March/April is winning attention for several reasons.  Although it is much like the SXV100 of last year (except it now pulls in SiriusXM’s 20 new “Xtra” channels) its key advantage is it is widely supported by the aftermarket radio makers.  So where the SXV100 only worked with a few car radios, the new version should be compatible with 100 car radio models by the end of the year.

And it has all the advantages of the SXV100 –the first satellite radio tuner for the car that didn’t need a special cable for each brand of car radio. It eliminated a long time problem for retailers who were forced to stock many different cables.  Some also required “flashing” on a computer.

A final advantage of the new SXV200 is that it is a cheaper solution for the consumer, since you don’t need the special extra cables.

Joe Cassity of Alarms, Etc., added, “Basically, retailers like us, have steered clear of sat radio add-ons when at all possible because it was extremely confusing as to what part did what, the flashing didn’t always work and of course the various cables were a pain in the rump. Now, with the new sat radio add-on we can ‘upgrade’ the customer to sat without the headache and hassle.”

Kenwood will support the feature in about 15 car radios this year, and JVC in 8.   Other brands supporting the new tuner include Advent, Alpine, Clarion, Dual, Jensen and Sony.

John Haynes, purchasing GM for the Al & Ed’s car audio chain said of the new SXV200 tuner, “It’s easier on the retailer and the price is lower so you should see more sat radio add-ons.”

John Coleman, president of 5-store Stereo King, Portland, OR, added, “Anything new in the category will invigorate the business and get the sales guys talking.  Last year, the new tuner was really tough because there was only one vendor that had it in the spring….so it was confusing.”

Source: CEoutlook

Target Stores Act to Stop “Showrooming”

For the specialist, and for any brick and mortar store, a concern is that consumers are using your shop as a showroom, only to leave empty-handed and price shop online.

Target is doing something about it.  According to the AP and other reports,  Target sent a letter to its suppliers, asking them to help stop “showrooming.”  The chain wants suppliers to create special versions of products for the retailer that can not be found online.   It may also launch a subscription plan, so if a person regularly shops for certain merchandise (such as diapers or coffee), he gets a discount.

Vendors are expected to comply with Target’s requests because of the 1,800-store chain’s massive purchasing power. And other retailers including Best Buy may follow suit, analysts told The Wall Street Journal.

Estimates place online sales at Walmart and Target at only 1-2 percent of sales.

Also, last week Target announced that it is collaborating with a small number of boutique shops that will offer merchandise in its stores on a rotating basis, to create a constantly changing shopping experience at its stores.   All Target locations will carry the merchandise as well as Target online.  Target is also expanding Apple displays at its stores.

 

Source: AP via CBS Money Watch, The Wall Street Journal

Photo via Business Insider

MTX Reorganizes Management

Industry veteran Brad Fair has joined the Mitek/MTX team in the role of Vice President of Channel Sales and Marketing. Brad has been in the 12 volt industry for over 30 years and has worked both the retail and manufacturing sides of the industry. Brad’s experience lends itself to strategic planning and product development that will allow MTX to continue to develop reliable, sought after products that allow our dealers to be profitable. Brad will also focus on creating strategies to increase brand awareness at both the dealer and consumer levels.

Jason Fickas will be our National Sales Manager and oversee our rep force, dealers and distributors. Jason will be developing sales strategies, promotions and partnerships to increase market share while exploring new areas of opportunity for MTX.

Jamie Trentacoste will now hold the position National Operations Manager. Jamie will be coordinating programs, promotions, inventory, and trend analysis to ensure our reps and dealers have the tools they need to be successful.

“This is one of the strongest sales teams that have had the chance to work with”, says Brad Fair. “The combined knowledge of our dealers and the market as well as the strong relationships that we have with our dealers and distributors makes this a great situation to be able to walk into. I hope to continue to be able to build the MTX name and to help deliver products that truly let consumer Feel the Thunder and get more than expected as the have come to expect from MTX and the other Mitek brands that we offer in both the mobile and residential categories”.

 Mitek

BMW Plans Car Radio Control Seats

The car radio controls of the future may not be located in the radio, but in the very fabric of the car seat.

BMW is already planning to install “touch screen fabric” in the seats of future car models, according to New Scientist.

The seat can include soft polymer-based fibers that  weave into fabric.  The fibers have electrical properties that can change when touched in different places, according to researcher Maksim Skorobogativ of the Polytechnic School in Montreal Canada.

The seat becomes “a smartphone experience in textile form,” he said.

The fibers respond to a touch or swipe and the university team of researchers were able to write software that could pinpoint where the material had been touched so it can track movement. “This means that finger movements such as swipes and touches can be logged and used to control the air-conditioning, say, or the volume on the radio,” said Skorobogativ.

And we were just getting used to steering wheel controls….

Source: New Scientist via Forbes

Specialists, How to Advertise Part II

Industry expert Bob Graham continues his advice on advertising on a shoe string budget for the retail specialist.   (Part I of the article is here).

As retailers, we tend to box customers into the same category; “It’s all about price.” But that is just not the case. Sure, you have to be competitive but like my father used to tell me, “Son, there is an ass for every seat.” In other words, there are lots of buttons that can cause people to make a purchase. Some of them want this or that but I guarantee you that most of your customers have one thing in common. They want to feel appreciated.

A few years ago there was a manufacturer who marketed their products by forming these close personal relationships with their dealers. These guys became wildly successful and their dealers supported them through thick and thin but when they decided to sell their stuff to a big box store, dealers felt betrayed and not appreciated. Not long after they went into decline. The lesson one should take from this is: Make every customer feel appreciated!

Look at the phenomenal success of social mediums such as Facebook and Twitter. Their success is built on the personal relationships that people desire. It’s finding other people with common interests, sharing thoughts and making them feel like an insider to your group that you network with. This social media has become so powerful that it is changing the leadership of Countries that have been held down by despots and dictators for decades. Use it to reach out to your customer base by interacting with them and making your business known in the community. It is common to think that just because a business had been around for some time, that most everyone knows who you are, what you do and want to do business there. Maybe, IF you’re the only game in town that’s true to some degree but you’re also vulnerable to someone new coming in and stealing your customers away from you. A business is kind of like a living entity. It is always changing and evolving and it is imperative to keep in contact with your customers to let them know about those changes and that you appreciate the continued business they do with you.

The direct mailed flier with customers and addresses gleaned from your sales data base is still the best way to communicate. In 33 years of business and with a data base of over 25,000, maybe 50 people or less asked to be removed from my mailing list. And, I mailed everyone on the list something every 8-12 weeks like clockwork.

But retailers are also discovering effective ways to use Email without irritating customers. A Harris poll of computer users reveals that, out of those who are receiving unsolicited bulk Email, 42 percent want to stop receiving it. According to Al Bredenberg Founder of EmailResults.com, “Spam is such a controversial subject that I urge businesses to only use permission-based email. The risks to the company’s business and reputation are just too great. Make sure that no one is placed on any email list without their explicit permission. One should not have to ask to be removed from an email list they never asked to be on in the first place.” So are there ethical ways to use email to reach your audience on the Internet? Yes. I recommend the following spam-free methods for getting your message out without making enemies:

Build your own house email lists.
Collect email addresses at your Web site, at trade shows, on product registration cards, during sales and telemarketing calls, or at other points of contact with customers and prospects. Make sure that everyone on your list knows exactly how you will use his or her email address. Your own in-house email lists are a valuable asset.

Start an announcement list.
This is a simple in-house email list designed to keep you in touch with your Internet audience. Use it for distributing company news, new product releases, special promotions, and announcements of personnel changes or other items of interest to your company’s contacts.

Publish a free email newsletter.

Usually this is done by sending them discount coupons and specials. Email can be a slippery slope because some customers will look at any Email you send them as unwanted or spam.

One last thing that is admittedly, somewhat controversial but none the less, part of my staff’s job, was following up after the sale by calling every one of their customers. This is also, a good resource for mining new customers.

To sum it up. To the degree that you accomplish creating these personal relationships with your customers by making them feel appreciated can determine how successful you become. Those who do it smartly, while operating their business skillfully will become more successful than one can imagine.

I guarantee it!

Graham served for 10 years as MERA President, VP and Secretary/Treasurer.  He is now Director of Marketing at Promotions that Work.  He founded the Breakers Mobile Electronics store in Oxnard, CA and has over 45 years experience in retail.

Source:  Bob Graham, Promotions that Work

Scosche Ships CellCONTROL

Scosche is now shipping cellCONTROL, which  stops teen drivers from texting while driving.

The $129 cellCONTROL dongle plugs into the OBDII port of the car and prevents your teen from accessing any unsafe apps while the car is in motion.

It uses Bluetooth to disable email, and the ability to make phone calls plus other apps.

“According to the National Highway Transportation and Safety Authority 18% of fatalities in distraction-related crashes involved a cell phone,” said Kas Alves, Scosche Executive VP.  “Those are the type of accidents that can easily be prevented and served as the inspiration behind cellCONTROL.”

Users activate the safe driving system online at https://scosche.cellcontrol.com/scosche/account-setup/, then download the app onto their mobile device and then plug the dongle into the car’s OBDII port.

cellCONTROL is compatible with over 1,200 cellphones including Android, BlackBerry, Symbian and Windows Mobile.

The system was first previewed last fall at KnowledgeFest.

Source: Scosche

 

Specialists, Here’s How to Advertise

Industry expert Bob Graham Gives  Simple Advice in a 2-Part Series on how to advertise on a shoe string budget.  Graham is Director of Marketing at Promotions that Work and is a past President of  MERA (the Mobile Electronics Retailers’ Association).  He founded the Breakers Mobile Electronics store in Oxnard, CA and has over 45 years experience in retail.

 

Smart advertising gets the best results! In fact, in this economy smart advertising and promotions can make or break a small business! If there is a budget for marketing, use it to invest in existing customers with some form of customer appreciation. Showing a little bit of gratitude to customers will get the best return on your money!

I speak from experience when I tell you that I started a mobile electronics store on a “shoestring” budget of $5000 and built it into one of the most successful car audio stores around by “mining the gold” out of my customer data base. These things that I write here are not abstract theory in advertising and promotion but things that have been used and proven successful, not just by me but by some of the most successful specialty retailers in the country.

I have never understood why most businesses spent so much money to get new customers in the door but once sold, I guess, they figure the deal is over. But, it is not! Let me help you out here. That is not the way to specialty retail.

Once you have sold John Q Customer, he is a pretty darn valuable guy. Why? Because, if you have treated him right during the sales process, then take the time after the purchase to make him feel appreciated, he may become the best sales person you’ve ever had!

Show some love to that customer and he will recommend you to everyone he knows. Why? Because you “stick” in the customer’s mind by “standing out” from other retailers. Showing real appreciation is rare in today’s retail environment. Eddie Kay, who has written some of the best books about specialty retailing, says this, “All things being equal, your customers will buy at the cheapest place.”

In today’s market if it costs at least a few hundred dollars to get a new customer into your store then it only makes common sense to keep your existing customers happy and returning. They will, in turn, send in new customers at a fraction of the cost of “fishing” for new ones. Reaping the profits from grooming your customer/client relationship is very smart advertising.

Many surveys have been done to discover why customers leave a business, not to return. The results are repeated in books, columns, and on various web sites so recently I took the time to compile them.

Before you read the results, take a guess as to what you think the number 1 reason customers leave a place of business and do not return?

Here are the results;

Why Customers Leave:

1%    Death
3%   Move to a New Location
5%    Buy from their friend
9%    Sold to by Your Competitor
14%  Product, Price, Service
68%  Perceived Indifference

Notice that “Perceived Indifference” is, by far, the number one reason customers go elsewhere. So, let’s take this one more step and find out how you can show your appreciation without impinging on their privacy. Recently a survey was done to discover what that is.

 

Which way do customers prefer to be approached after the sale?

40%  Thank you card
16%  Special event card
12%  Phone call
12%  Thank you E-mail
8%   Special offer
8%   Discount
4%   Gift

As you can see, the most popular form of customer appreciation is the “Thank You” card. Consumers want to feel appreciated when they make a purchase at your business, so show some LOVE by sending them a simple “Thank You” card after the sale! Then mail your customers something every couple of months to remind them who you are and what you do. This not only communicates that you remember and appreciate them but invites them to become an “insider” to your business. An “insider” is the feeling of belonging to a group where one gets special treatment and favors. This customer will now practically drag others in to your place of business as long as he feels appreciated and an “insider.” You can further develop this by forming an “Insider Club” that invites customers to join and receive discounts, special deals or whatever your imagination can muster. Coming up with new ideas on how to work your customer data base is truly like mining gold.

Source: Promotions that Work

GM Shows Future Rear Seat Entertainment

In case you weren’t sufficiently impressed by the head up displays from Mercedes-Benz, Audi, Pioneer and Kenwood at CES last week, GM is showing a “tablet like” display for the back seat windows.

Kids can pinch and zoom directly on the window to play with apps or “finger paint” on the window.  This concept “window” includes motion and optical sensors to convert it to a multi-touch screen.

GM gave students at a university in Israel free reign to develop apps for the prototype window called the Windows of Opportunity (WOO) project.

One app called Otto, shows an animated character that appears to hover over passing scenery, responding to real time shifts in the landscape or the car or weather.   There’s a Foofu app that mimics drawing on a steamed up window (like finger painting).

“Traditionally, the use of interactive displays in cars has been limited to the driver and front passenger, but we see an opportunity to provide a technology interface designed specifically for rear seat passengers,” said Tom Seder, GM R&D lab group manager for human-machine interface. “Advanced windows that are capable of responding to vehicle speed and location could augment real world views with interactive enhancements to provide entertainment and educational value.”

Toyota showed a similar concept window last year.

And researchers in Germany presented a similar concept at a conference sponsored by Audi last year.

Source: GM

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