Auto dealers faced with declining newspaper results, find new advertising resource in automotive direct mail.

What started as a side project for this CEO has turned into a heavily demanded product from auto dealers seeking car buyers around the nation. Steven Vetter, CEO and founder, started Automarks, www.automarks.com , in 2001 as a side project to help automate his own marketing and direct mail. Little did he realize that he would soon be shipping millions and millions of automotive direct mail pieces each year.
Vetter started Automarks to better assist his marketing in capturing inquires and leads from auto consumers wanting to respond to his marketing after hours and at their convenience. The systems included several items including interactive websites, call tracking 800 numbers and touch tone 24 hour response systems. These systems allowed customers to respond to direct mail and advertising at the customer’s leisure not the advertiser’s schedule.
Shortly after he perfected these systems he started to get calls from other marketing companies which included many direct mail firms. Seeing a sizable opportunity and having an advertising background, Vetter launched his automotive direct mail division.
Of course he says he had a big “leg up” on his competition. Vetter spent 9 years in the auto industry including his last position as a GM with General Motors Holdings.
“There is a huge difference between our company and the other direct mail companies out there. Our “force” is being led by someone who has been in the trenches and knows what it is like to hear the “bullets” fly over his head. Some claim that doesn’t make much of a difference. I say they’re wrong. You can see the difference in our approach and in our results.” – said Vetter
Apparently he is right. The company has seen explosive growth over the past two years with sales growing over 300% annually. They have national direct mail sales reps around the country and 15 employees.
Vetter said that they have just launched a new2006 line of automotive direct mail that is bringing auto dealers “back to life”.
Automarks doesn’t pull any punches when it comes to declining newspaper readership as well. National Sales Director Joe Piergrossi said that he has seen newspapers quickly, not slowly, fading away. He notes their 20 year steady decline and recent years have been some of the worst. His many years as a newspaper advertising pro and author help back up the claim. “I have seen them fading and fading. Dealers have been spending and spending with less and less results. They’re just tired of it. More and more are coming to us to bring customers back into their stores. It just isn’t Ford and Chevy dealers either. We have also launched a line of “high-end” automotive direct mail for dealers such as BMW and Mercedes.”
Automarks projects its growth for 2006 to continue down the same path as 2005 and from the look of it, they will probably out perform those numbers. Interested dealers can visit their website at www.automarks.com