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International Karting Industry Buyer's Guide

Kart Expo International

EYE ON THE INDUSTRY

MARKETING FOR A NICHE INDUSTRY
By Darrell Sitarz

Marketing and advertising are simple yet complex areas which entail many different approached that must be modified or altered as trends and markets change.

Case in point ? Watch television commercials today then compare them to old spots for products still on the market (You can see some of the really old commercials on cable television?s TV-Land). Old commercials were very simple, plain and in some cases strange compared to the high tech advertisements of today. The ad agencies responsible for TV marketing have changed their messages to appeal to today?s buyers.

Change is an area that professional marketers and advertisers address everyday, and the karting industry must do the same. Industry marketers must change to appeal to today?s modern, intelligent buyer, whether he/she is on the wholesale, retail or consumer level.

Unfortunately, old habits die hard and old marketing ideas and techniques used by the karting industry must be examined long and hard if the industry intends to grow and prosper in the 21st century. Methods used in the 1970s or 1980s are not necessarily correct for the 2000s.

In some cases, there are those who have been able to change with the times, while others have not, and still others who have been successful in spite of lacking resourceful marketing. There are also those who have not yet realized that they are waste good money by having the wrong message in the wrong place at the wrong time.

Karting, whether fun, racing, concession or indoor kart racing is what is referred to as a ?niche? industry because products are sold only to a certain group of buyers. This means that manufacturers, wholesalers, and retailers must target advertising dollars toward the specific group they wish to reach. In other words, get the best bang for the buck.

Buyers in the 2000s are very sophisticated and knowledgeable and this must be taken into consideration when forming a marketing plan. In many cases, it?s easier to make a product than to successfully market it. Just ask the company who designed a new ?widget? and doesn?t have the vaguest idea how to market it.

Each segment of the karting industry has specific areas in which to market itself, and as with any industry or product, the idea is to get the word out to the buyer in the most cost-efficient and productive manner possible. It is important to identify that targeted audience and the go after it.

No longer can advertisers wear blinders and travel the same tired paths. There are new methods, new ways to advertise that were not available in the past such as cable television and the Internet. All options should be examined before making and advertising commitment. By taking the time to examine alternatives and looking at all available marketing options, a company can hit its target market without wasting money.

And? one thing that is often expected by a novice marketer is ?instant success? from advertising. Studies have proven that an advertising message must be delivered three to six times before an audience digests it. This is not a ploy on the part of the media to gain additional ad revenue, but proven statistics. Listen to radio ads and count the number of times a product name is mentioned. If you read national publications, notice that you will see the same ad run month after month. This is not done because an advertising agency is too busy or too lazy to change the ad. It?s done because research proves that a potential buyer needs to continually see the same message before it is comprehended.

The bottom line ? do your homework and above all, be patient. Well developed and correctly placed messages to target markets can and do indeed sell products. And isn?t that why you?re in business?

END

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Kart Marketing Group, Inc.
Post Office Box 101
Wheaton, IL 60189 USA
Telephone: 630-653-7368
Fax: 630-653-2637
Email: karting@msn.com

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