Mike Blaisdell, general manager and vice president of Bunce Rental in Tacoma, Wash., and Rebecca Lambert, advertising director for Art’s Rental Equipment & Supply, Newport, Ky., have found that placing coupons in high-quality local magazines have increased their operations’ name recognition and brought in many new customers.
Sponsoring sports teams, including having a tent trade with the triple-A Pawtucket Red Sox baseball team, has been a great way to keep Quality Rental Centers front and center in the minds of customers, according to Richard Frechette Jr., CERP, owner of this family rental operation in Pawtucket, R.I.
But having a more hands-on and direct contact with customers through informal training seminars has been the most successful advertising and marketing strategy for Marc Mandin, general manager, and Shelley Henschel, marketing manager, 4-Way Equipment Rentals, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada.
As these few examples illustrate, the best advertising and marketing strategies can be as diverse as the rental operation. Determining which strategies best accomplish your advertising and marketing goals can be a challenge.
But with a little creativity, a keen understanding of your customer and a willingness to track results where possible, rental operators can put together an effective marketing and advertising campaign.
“Rental is not impulse-driven,” says Blaisdell, whose operation consists of five general tool, one party and two medical rental stores. “It is driven by need. My goal is to keep my business on the top of the minds of my customers.”
Everyone agrees that Yellow Pages advertising is a must for “top of mind” recognition. Some, like Frechette, have cut back on the number of books and size of ads, but all say it’s a necessary advertising venue. “It creates awareness, and handyman types look through it as well as those new to the area,” says Henschel.
Blaisdell has found that buying ads in school flyers and programs offers a more direct approach to attract his key customers. “We feel these ads reach our target customers: those between the ages of 30 and 40 who have children,” he says. “It’s an inexpensive way to get our name out.”
As a primarily party and event operation, plus about 15 percent general tool and 5 percent construction, Frechette advertises in three regional bridal magazines and has started putting ads in special sections in local and specialized newspapers. “I hit the bridal, home improvement and holiday special sections, and we have just started advertising in the Spanish and Jewish papers,” he says.
Frechette also says that sponsoring Little League baseball, soccer and basketball teams and having the tent trade with the Pawtucket Red Sox help him reach his party/event and general tool customers. The deal with the Sox includes having a large billboard and lighted sign at the stadium, program ads, signage on the tenting and box seats that he gives to customers.
“One of the Little League teams we sponsor just won the championship. There was a significant write-up in the newspaper about the team, which gave us great coverage,” he says. “It only costs us $250 per team and is well worth the money.”
All say Web sites are a must — a feature that is prominently displayed on each of their sites on ARA’s www.RentalHQ.com, the largest store locator. All note that more and more customers are checking out an operation via the Web before renting, which makes it an effective advertising and marketing strategy.
Frechette even has links on his Web site to his two eBay stores, one for equipment and one for party. “We put some things up to sell on eBay about two or three years ago, and it worked so well for us that we thought we could continue,” he says.
Lambert, whose customer base is construction and general tool, says establishing a Web site was the second project she tackled after a logo redesign. “A colleague and I thought we should have a Web site,” she says. “We wanted one that would reflect the company’s new look and image” as well as give customers the information they needed.
In addition to having a Web information source, many say their rental catalog is a strong advertising medium, both for in-store and jobsite distribution via the outside sales representatives. “We wanted our book to be more than a rate book,” Lambert says. “We have a full-color cover with artwork and actual photographs of the equipment inside,” she said.
The book covers specs, conversion information, rates and other information. The books are reissued every April.
Lambert and Blaisdell have found coupon books successful. “We offer two different coupons,” Lambert says. “One is for propane refills, the other is for 20 percent off a rental. It’s a great way to get them in to see the equipment and have them look around. It is how many of our rentals start.”
In addition to the coupon books, Blaisdell has found that putting an ad on menus of a local restaurant chain that has locations near each of his stores is a great way to keep awareness high and bring customers in the door. “Our ads stress different types of equipment,” he says. “We use the headline: ‘It’s amazing all the different things you can rent’ and then list the top five categories. People don’t realize all the items available for rent.”
Radio is another avenue that has worked for Lambert and Blaisdell. “We advertise on three stations, two in the Cincinnati area and one in Dry Ridge, Ky., the location of our store we opened in 2002,” Lambert says.
From March through November she places 60-second spots that explain the benefits of renting on the morning drive shift of an AM all-sports station. Listeners to this station are mostly men, ages 25 to 50 and up: Lambert’s target audience. “It works really well for us.”
As part of the media buy, the station promos Art’s Rental Equipment Tool of the Week. With a play on the word tool, listeners pick a sports person, a “tool” who did something foolish that week. “I write the script for one of our tools, how to use it, and then list our locations. It’s a humorous way to get people familiar with the things we rent and how to use them.”
In Cincinnati, she also advertises in the spring and fall on an FM classic rock station, which targets 30- to 50-year-old males. “I usually use 15-second taglines at the start and the end of a set,” she says.
The Dry Ridge station, which has a country format, also attracts a large male audience. Because the cost of advertising is so economical, she hits the market hard in the spring and fall with 60-second spots. “It’s a way to help get the local area familiar with us.” Blaisdell also targets his message to those 30 to 50 years old by running a spot on sports stations. His spot airs only during local high school and college football games.
But for Mandin and Henschel, the most effective strategy continues to be hands-on, direct contact with customers. “Our goal is to market what is on the shelf to get a good return on existing equipment,” says Mandin, who says growth is a result of responding to customers’ needs by marketing what equipment he has instead of purchasing additional equipment. “We use a partnership approach with customers,” he says.
For 4-Way Equipment Rentals, which caters primarily to the construction market, taking its equipment to the job site is a great way to connect with customers. Many times, the company will take its barbecue out to the site and offer lunch to the crews, too.
The company also offers free educational seminars at its new 19,000-sq.-ft. facility. Henschel says the company teams up with suppliers to offer two courses a month. Once the program is set, she calls her customers, invites them over and offers a barbecue lunch after the seminar. Every attendee receives a certificate from the supplier.
“We’ve been doing this since we moved into our new facility last year,” she says. “It gives us an opportunity for our customers to learn and stay up-to-date on the equipment and tour our new facility.”
Another way to get the company’s name out and create good will is to sponsor charity events or offer in-kind services for such events. 4-Way Equipment Rentals is the official rental supplier for their area’s Habitat for Humanity program. Others also offer in-kind services for charities.
To see whether these methods are successful, all implement some type of tracking mechanism where possible. “When we get a new customer, I ask how that person heard about us,” Frechette says. “I track it in the computer, which offers our only measurability.”
The coupons give both Blaisdell and Lambert an easy way to track their customers. Henschel has surveyed customers and implemented a Web tracking system, also.
Like Frechette, all interviewed use tracking as one important factor in determining their advertising and marketing strategies. Other factors include ideas generated by managers, direct sales staff and customers. Blaisdell credits one of his managers with the idea about advertising on the menus at the restaurant chain. “We investigated it and decided to do it,” he says. “It has worked well for us.”
Developing a budget and then seeing “how those ideas fit into that budget” are a necessity, Blaisdell says. Frechette reserves 3 to 4 percent of his overall budget for advertising and marketing. “You can’t go for everything, as you can advertise yourself out of business,” Frechette says. “You have to try it and then measure to see if this is something that you want to continue.”
Hit the target with these ARA marketing tools
Finding the help you need to effectively market your store can be challenging. Let the ARA’s resources assist you in connecting with customers and generating more rentals.
RentalHQ.com. The world’s largest and most comprehensive rental store locator can connect you to potential customers. This free service is your venue for enhancing your Web presence and attracting customers into your store. RentalHQ.com will even host your Web site, free of charge. If you don’t have a Web site, RentalHQ.com will help you create one that offers four customized pages.
Radio ads. ARA’s free radio commercials come in both 30- and 60-second formats. Twelve commercials, voiced by popular home improvement radio show host Gary Sullivan, are available.
ARAPOP. ARAPOP point-of-purchase materials are designed to help ARA members effectively market the inventory in their store. Use the outside banners to garner attention and bring customers into your operation. Once they are in the store, merchandise your equipment with rental rate cards, banners, floor graphics and equipment decals. All can be customized.
National Rental Month. April is National Rental Month — the perfect time of year to use these customized banners, signs and window clings. These materials complement the national radio advertising campaign that ARA conducts this month. Have your own promotion during this time or join other rental operators and use this month to advertise the idea that renting is the smart way to get things done.
Store brochures. Brochures available include: Why Rent Construction Equipment? Rent Your Successful Tent Event, Knowledgeable, Professional Help and Rent Your Business Event.
ARA’s marketing and advertising guide. This free manual, available to download, can help you plan advertising for your business. It lists ARA advertising and marketing resources and provides the basics on using such methods as newspapers, catalogs, direct mail, radio and television.
For more information on any of these services, go to ARA’s Web site at www.ararental.org or call ARA Member Services at (800) 334-2177 or (309) 764-2475.
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