any advice on advertising my drop hats?

[richardkeith97]

so i have like 40 drop hats left and im looking for other forums to put them on. it seems like no one really cares unless they've seen my name around alot. i put them on e30tech and i got no interest for like 2 weeks until someone chimed in who got a set and said how good they look then people started talking. the site comes up on yahoo and google if you search e30 drop hats. i've had a ton or emails through my site but not to many sales. i can only put it on cl in one area because their aint to many different ways to write e30 drop hats in the description. i got them on ebay in a 30 day buy it now thing. i;ve had about 80+ views in a week but only 10 watchers and no sales. HELP!!!!

[FredK]

I think there are a few issues here.

1) 90% of people are like "WTF is a drop hat"?
They need to be educated. Explain, clearly, in 15 words or less, WTF is a drop hat. You and I know precisely what it does, but I would bet tons of people are wondering what a $100 pair of sheetmetal plates are.

2) There are no good pictures of the drop.
My suggestion is to get a well documented set of pictures, before and after, of what the drop hats do. Get them in the exact same spot, the exact same car, exact same number of spring pads (if they were previously installed), with a tape measure showing a ground-to-fender measurement. Right now, I hate to say this, but the pictures are half-ass.

3) Who are you?
You seem to be a legitimate businessman. With a few more sales and some feedback on the forums, your sales will probably start to grow.

4) This. Is. R3v.
People are cheap. R3v people are even cheaper. They would consider refilling their car with synthetic oil drained out of their mom's E46 with 5000 miles on it. It's no surprise that they are hesitating to spend $100 on some drop hats. Make them $99.

[richardkeith97]

you are very true about people having no idea what they are. i like the $99 idea also. i'm waiting on some people to install them and post some before and after pics. i've sold atleast 12 to people on r3v and i don't even know if any has put them in yet and if they're just slakcin on puttin pics up. it sux when the person selling them is the only one with pics. people wana see customers saying they're a good product

[richardkeith97]

i could call them lowering spring plates. that gives a better idea of what they are.

[Outside Groove]

I got no idea what a drop hat is, but I am curious at what they do and what appearence changes they make. Show that kind of stuff and remember some of us old farts are pretty dumb!

[Lurker27]

What you need to do is send out 2 or 3 sets to active forum members, and make them promise to do a thorough review. This accomplishes a few things.

1. Naturally increases traffic since more threads will be started with pictures and reviews.

2. Establishes you as a reputable businessperson. People are much more willing to give money to someone they know isn't going to screw them.

3. Gives you a couple of informal reps - the testers are usually so happy to receive free things that they'll help other people with installs, suggest them in picture threads etc etc.

4. Since the cost of fabrication is so much less than the cost of sale, this method usually only needs to yield ONE EXTRA SALE to pay for itself.

[N2MYE30]

you are very true about people having no idea what they are. i like the $99 idea also. i'm waiting on some people to install them and post some before and after pics. i've sold atleast 12 to people on r3v and i don't even know if any has put them in yet and if they're just slakcin on puttin pics up. it sux when the person selling them is the only one with pics. people wana see customers saying they're a good product

Will I get a $1 refund since mine is in the mail? :p

I plan to do a write-up un these. Im not sure about the local of the the rest of the r3v members but it is a$$ cold...even in the garage. Its gonna be about a month before I take apart my front end.

If your a member of BMWCCA, put it into Roundel, local club flyer and got the meetings. Goto some local BMW/euro events. Simple t's for yourself and stickers. For intance, Im going to Kormans open house next month and V@V a month from then. There is going to be huge e30 presense there. Find a bud to help you out at those events.

Your pix are kind rough and I made it a bit easier for you when I posted the pix on the same page. Peps are lazy so although links may work, its another step a potential buyer may or may not do...such as your website. "copy and past link for r3V threat" Post pix on site. Other wise the site look great. :up:

[richardkeith97]

thanks for all the help i'm new to this. i definitely am going to look into going to all the meets around here this summer. like everyone is saying noone knows what they are. getting the word out there is the biggest thing.

[M-technik-3]

These didn't sell well even when Bonami and D&W catalog had them in the day for cheap money.

I offered a GB on these back in early 2001/2002 days and nobody bought then either.

Maybe you should call them upper strut hats which is more descriptive.

[richardkeith97]

right now its on ebay and yahoo and you have to search e30 drop hats for them to come up or you'd be searching through 100's or adds. i've had almost 100 views on ebay so people are looking at them but its hard since you can't put a link to your site on there.

[richardkeith97]

i;m also new with the making a website thing. i can't make the pics big enough when i just try to put them on the site. i got a lot of work to do. need a put a good full day into working on the site and stuff

[newman]

The wording on your website is poor, at best; there are a few typos. You may want to have someone who's more nuanced in marketing or at least a bit more eloquent take a peek at it...

There are no pictures (that I could find) of the product, nor any installed pictures.

Maybe make a price comparison to an OEM strut mount?

[StereoInstaller1]

You may want to have someone who's more nuanced in marketing or at least a bit more eloquent take a peek at it...

with lines such as "you know the Germans always make good stuff"

[theox69]

Become a site sponsor and start selling more.
Word of mouth and good feedback is usually the best kind of advertising.

[nrubenstein]

The number one problem you have is that drop hats are a pretty worthless product.