By Darrell Sitarz

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

Watch television commercials today then compare them to old spots for the same products. Old commercials are very simple, plain and in some cases strange when compared to the high tech advertisements of today. The advertising 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 every day, and the karting industry must do the same. Industry marketers must change to appeal to today’s modern, intelligent buyer, price conscious buyer, whether he be on the wholesale or the retail/consumer level.

Unfortunately old habits die hard and old marketing ideas and techniques used by many in the karting industry must be examined long and hard if the industry intends to grow in these difficult economic times.

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 spit of lacking resourceful marketing. There are also those who have not yet realized that they are wasting good money by having the wrong message in the wrong place at the wrong time.

Karting, whether fun, racing, indoor or concession is what is referred to as a “niche” market because the 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.

Buyer’s today are very 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 the latest “widget” and doesn’t have a clue how to sell it.

Each segment of karting 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-effective and productive manner possible. It is important to identify that target audience and 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 TV, targeted print media and of course there is the Internet. All options should be examined before making an 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 which is often expected by a novice marketer is “instant success” from advertising. Studies prove an advertising message must be delivered three to six times before it is digested by an audience. This is not a ploy on the part of the media to gain additional 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 running month after month. This is not done because the 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.

Do your homework and be patient. Well developed and correctly placed messages to target markets do indeed sell product.

About the author: Darrell Sitarz is the editor/publisher of e-KMI.com and has over 40 years in the karting industry. He has a Bachelor of Arts degree in Applied Behavioral Science.