Using highly targeted strategies, combined with compelling images and messages, the Irvine, Calif.-based OCT Group is introducing a direct marketing service to be launched in May.

According to Grant Dunning, OCT Group president and CEO, the new program enables car and truck dealerships to add a "virtual direct marketing arm" that generates its own revenue stream while building customer relationships and delivering customer satisfaction information at every step in the sales cycle.

Adding effective direct marketing to the company's existing programs -- Prospect, Sales and Service Advantage -- gives dealers a comprehensive, closed-loop marketing program to support and enhance revenue generation, Dunning said.

"Dealers can plug this program in and watch sales grow," he added. "The complete marketing strategy is proven to be effective, and we have the resources to implement all four elements of the cycle quickly and cost-effectively."

The broad-scope program targets specific markets, identifies realistic prospects and prompts interest with an oversized "super-card" direct mailing, which delivers qualified prospects into the dealerships. "With effective direct marketing, we help the dealership bring the prospect into the showroom," he said. OCT Group's program includes a series of attention-getting mass mailings, personalized with messages tailored for each participating dealership.

However, the direct marketing element is only the beginning of the sales cycle, Dunning explained. "The program delivers services at every stage in the sales cycle. This all-inclusive, closed-loop marketing program elevates the prospect through the sale, to retention and referral," he said. "The bottom line is increased revenue for the dealership."

The Prospect Advantage helps increase the sales conversion ratio of recent visitors. This program thanks the shopper for the visit with a gift shipped within 24 hours, in a customized package with the dealer's logo, including a personalized letter and brief, postage-paid survey card to measure the prospect's shopping experience.

The Service Advantage program monitors the customer's experiences in the service department, including daily alerts with less-than-satisfactory scores and referrals. It also includes a monthly summary of service satisfaction.

OCT Group's most popular service is the Sales Advantage program, which launches with the actual sale of a vehicle. Within days, the customer receives a personalized thank you note and gift, customized with the dealer's logo. A brief survey covering the sales process and customer satisfaction is included, along with a request for referrals. Additionally, the program incorporates cards mailed to all clients on the anniversary of their purchase.

The Service Advantage and Sales Advantage programs include the proprietary Insight Track Executive Management Reports, which illustrate customer feedback regarding the sales experience. From a secured Internet Web site, the charts measure a dealer's performance from the customer's perspective.

About The OCT Group

The OCT Group (One Customer at a Time)(TM), founded in 1986 and based in Irvine, Calif., delivers a systematic approach to relationship marketing, emphasizing customer appreciation and measuring customer satisfaction.

The OCT Group services more than 1,000 automotive dealers and other consumer-driven businesses throughout North America.

For more information, call (800) 443-8937 or visit www.octgroup.com.