Need Ideas

kc0721

DH and I own a paint and body shop.  I'm looking for ways to thank our customers for there business and referrals.  I send out thank you notes to folks, yet what else could I do.  I mean little gift baskets and stuff wouldn't really work for this line of work, any ideas???? 

Also, I'm looking for ideas to generate more business.  We go to A LOT of car shows and promote business everywhere around town.  I'm looking for something like a mail out, or fliers or a different kind of way to get the word out.  We've thought about advertising on the radio, but it's soooo expensive.  So I'm looking for inexpensive ways to get the word out. 

TIA, I'm hoping you ladies have some different ideas and incentives that I haven't thought of. 

greeneyz7

I've read and heard on the news how, with the economy being down, people are taking better care of their older vehicles than ever before. Maybe you could figure a way to tie all this in with the current economic situation. It should be fairly easy. Maybe you could partner with a tire/lube/mechanic/carwash and do several coupons on one mailout offering discounts, percents off of some basic services. You could pool your customers for a larger mailout base and in addition, share in the cost of the postage. It's first thing off the top of my head. 

Leelee06

For thank you's, you could send $10 gift cards for a lunch-type restaurant.  People tend to eat out more for lunch than dinner and given the economy, they may be happy for the $ and opportunity.  I know I would.

Maybe you could run an add in the BWCity Paper or Birmingham Weekly and offer a special.  I always pick one of those up and check out local business/services ads.