Document DvzVKBXVDNbJzQYnDMNZMLyvQ

JOBBER GENE STENCE TALKS ABOUT HOW TO Spring To Success Q: Now that you've explained Stence: Yes, to guarantee success, I why you selected the Mac's spe did a number of things. One, the owner cial, what did you add to it to in of the hardware store next to me and SUCCESS sure a successful promotion? I arranged for hot dogs and cokes to be Stence: After deciding on the Mac's served during the two days. It was a special and ordering a trailer-load of oil, traffic builder for him, too. While winter may still have its grasp I then thought about how to build store Two, 1 used an Indy-style racing car on most of the country, it's not too soon traffic. as a frontal display. A Mac's/Valvoline to begin preparations for this year's I'm a strong believer in local adver mini-race car was on display and was Spring Car Care Days Sale. That's be tising because it has worked for me in the grand prize award to a lucky cus cause the promotional period for the the past. I made up a full page news tomer. We also gave away two pairs of 1987 Spring Car Care Days Sale starts paper ad and ran it four times prior to tickets to the 1986 Indy 500. March 30th. the event. The ad told consumers the Q: How did you measure the suc The Spring Car Care Days cess of your promotion? Sale can be one of the best Stence: Well, we had over times to hold a sales promo 650 people come in the store tion. That's because during over that two-day period. I've this period manufacturer spe owned Laporte Auto Supply cials and national advertising for 15 years and more people combine, giving your promo came into the store during tion the back-up needed to help this two-day promotion than make it a success. during any other promotion That's the formula Gene I've run since I've been in Stence, owner of Laporte Auto business. Supply in Laporte, IN (ser viced by NAPA Sauk Village), Jobber Gene Stence in his Laporte, Indiana store. Plus, everything I did for the promotion was fairly easy. population 25,000, used during his specials, the location and the events I didn't have to spend a great deal of 1986 Spring Car Care Days Sale. His (hot dogs, race car, prizes) being held. time to carry it off. local efforts, together with a manufac turer's special and national advertising, blended together to make last spring's event one of his best Car Care Days sell ing periods. Here's an interview with Stence, showing what he did and how he car ried it off. Q: First, which manufacturer's special did you use and why did you pick that one? Stence: We built our promotion I also aired a radio spot twice a week for two weeks prior to the event. That radio spot conveyed the same informa tion as the newspaper ad. Then, for the two days of the promo tion, I ran a different newspaper ad re inforcing the oil special and highlight ing four specials on the NAPA Power battery and spark plugs. Advertising for this promotion cost me about $1,000, but I recovered much more with the increased sales the pro motion generated. And, even though I spent some money, the results far outweighed the cost. Not only did I see a tremendous dollar increase in my sales, but I also won over some important new custom ers who will keep coming back to my NAPA AUTO PARTS store for their auto parts. Q: What are you planning for 1987? Stence: My plans aren't firmed-up quite yet. I don't know if I'll use a race car, but I do know I'll use some kind around Mac's/NAPA Motor Oil's Q. So you advertised because of promotion. Spring Car Care Days Spring Special that featured 10W-40, you knew from past experience Sale is an excellent opportunity for 10W-30 and straight 30 weight oil. how advertising a sales promo higher sales and I'm sure not going to Mac's set a discount price on the oil, of fered a consumer rebate and Mac's fur tion can be a great traffic builder. Did you do anything else? let it pass by. nished posters, P.O.S. and P.O.P. materi als to help in advertising. Help's Available! I've always used Mac's/NAPA Oil/ There are some highly effective tools in the kit are ready-to-run newspaper Valvoline specials in my store and available for you to build your own suc ads and clip art and blank ad mats to they've always helped to increase store cessful promotion. These tools include create your own ad. In addition to the traffic and sales. The promotion was held in May, making the timing perfect. This area of the state goes wild because of the Indy 500. So, it was only natural to promote oil. All motorists need oil and we benefited from the heightened awareness of auto care created by an event like the Indy 500. the Spring Car Care Days Sale local promotional kit, pre-recorded radio spots, banners and P.O.P. signage. The Spring Car Care Days Sale local promotional kit, radio tapes and P.O.P materials are free to NAPA AUTO PARTS stores participating in the Na tional Advertising Program. Provided newspaper ad materials, the kit also in cludes useful merchandising tips. To find out how you can get your Spring Car Care Days Sale local promo tional kit (or any of the other 1987 materials), contact your Distribution Center's Sales Manager. 8