I'm sure I'm not the only one who remembers what always happened for so many years when purchasing stuff at any Radio Shack: it was almost impossible to get them to take your money for whatever bits you wanted to buy without giving them your mailing address. And once you did, the Radio Shack sale flyers begin showing up in your mailbox as regular as clockwork. In fact, many analysts and business schools remarked on the practice as being a key element in the success Tandy Corporation (Radio Shack's parent company) achieved with the chain.
For years, I've suggested to numerous track owners that they would almost certainly help their numbers by collecting email addresses from their customers and then sending them regular emails publicizing the winners in their racing programs, new products, upcoming racing schedules, and building interest for the things going on at their track. Marketing people will tell you that "top of mind" awareness, i.e. just getting your business name in front of customers and potential customers (like with pens, matchbooks, and similar items) will almost always generate positive results. I guess since it was free advice, it was thought to be worth the price asked (i.e. nothing), as I don't recall a single track owner who ever followed up on the suggestion.
Until now. Finally, there's one raceway owner who is doing what (IMO) every raceway owner should have been doing since email became so prevalent.
Ed Hoffman, who operates Fast Eddie's Slot Cars & Raceway in Pinellas Park, FL, is working the email approach at an extremely high level. I believe he's sending an email every week. And I guarantee you he's reaping benefits from doing so, too.
It seems many track owners believe all they need to do is post their info on Facebook, without understanding that direct email is 'targeted marketing,' as compared to Facebook, which isn't very targeted at all and which misses the non-trivial number of people who don't use that social media platform. And as should be well-known by now, Facebook to a large extent decides what posts they're going to show to viewers. Most successful companies understand that only using a single promotional 'channel' to put their products and services in front of the public is, as they say, leaving money on the table.
I'm going to reproduce below the content of the email newsletter that I received from him on Nov 26, just to illustrate the great job he's doing.
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Fast Eddie's SC&R 11/26/18 Update
Good afternoon, slot car enthusiast!
We hope that everyone had a safe and relaxing Thanksgiving holiday weekend and all of you that traveled made it back home safely.
Tonight we kick things off with the 4.5" FCR Nostalgic stock cars on the huge tri-oval at 7:00 PM, followed by our new class GTO/Trans-Am cars if we have enough racers.
This past week we met some awesome folks coming in to race or just check out the raceway. Thanks to everyone who came out to race or just dropped by to say hello.
Drag racers, starting in January 2019 we will move the Bracket drag race program from Wednesday nights to Friday nights since our Friday night flexi car races have dropped off considerably over the last couple of months.
In addition, we will also be starting a new Heads Up Dragster Class for drag racing. This class will be run after our normal Bracket races and the dragsters will be required to run Phoenix motors only. Please contact me about any questions you may have for this class.
Flexi car racers, please give me your feedback on running the LMP, GTP, NASCAR, Indy car, and Flexi modified classes on Wednesday nights instead, or if possible, on Saturdays afternoons after our wing car program.
We will publish the new December race calendar tomorrow.
Here are all the results from this past week.
Monday 11/19
4.5" FCR Stockcars -
TQ went to Mark "Ace" Kemp with a 3.962 lap.
B-Main results -
Guy Ateniese 217.14 laps, Wayne Zona 217.3 laps, Christopher Bauerle 215 laps, Dave Wilson 209 laps, Gary Johnson 208, Fast Eddie 187.
A-Main results -
Darl Friedley 231.14 laps, Mark "Ace" Kemp 230.3 laps, Roger Whobrey 229.3 laps, Mike Moock 227 laps, Denny Neighbor 224, Darrell Sears 223.
4.5" Retro Stock Car -
Roger Whobrey 253 laps, Denny Neighbor 245 laps, Donny "Shrek" Caron 243 laps, Guy Ateniese 239 laps, Dave Wilson 233 laps, Christopher Bauerle 230 laps.
Wednesday, 11/21
Bracket drag racing -
Chris Bauerle wins first round reaction time with a .0023.
Semi-finals
Semi 1 - Chris Bauerle's Orange Flea vs. Dave Wilson's Duster. Chris wins.
Semi 2 - Ed Klean's Blue Max vs. Chris Bauerle's Skool Bus. Chris wins for an all Chris finals.
Third place race - Dave Wilson's Duster vs. Ed Klean's Blue Max. Dave wins.
Congrats to all the winners and to Dave Martin for hitting a perfect tree in the races.
Saturday 11/24
Type F wing cars -
One of the heats was cut short by about a minute so that's why the total lap count was low from everyone.
Denny Neighbor 222 laps, Mike Moock 218 laps, Carman Spence 210 laps, Tommy Stringfield 210 laps, Guy Spaulding 206 laps, Jimmy Mori 203 laps.
It was nice that NC's Guy Spaulding, who was down visiting, got to run with us. And thanks to Ace and Shrek for helping out with the turn marshaling.
Sunday several of us went over to Tem Raskin's drag strip in Orlando for the Gobble to Wobble annual drag race event. Great food and good times were had by all and some really close racing. Congrats to George Greene for winning the reaction time light money in the first round with a .0025.
There is a lot of slot car racing coming up in Florida!!
DECEMBER
SAT, DEC 1 - 9:00 AM. - TheRaceway.biz - Melbourne. GRRR 2018 RACE #11 (Can-Am, Formula 1, Stock Car. Contact Grant Goerner: grant.goerner@gmail.com)
SUN, DEC 9 - 8:00 AM - Fast Eddie's Raceway - Pinellas Park. FSCS 2018 FALL SERIES RACE #6 (4" NASCAR, LMP, DTM)
Pictures can be viewed on our Facebook page and the new November race schedule is attached for your reference.
Everyone have a great week and don't forget to support your local raceways!!
Regards,
Fast Eddie
