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The Motoring Market
Auto restorers cross socioeconomic lines. “My company sells to 100,000 collectors per year,” says Fred Kanter, co-owner of Kanter Auto Products, a supplier of new mechanical auto parts for antique 1930 to 1990 American cars and trucks. “Ralph Lauren is a collector, and so is Joe the postman.” Adds Cam Benty, editor of DRIVE! magazine, which caters to people who are interested in auto events, “Some are well-off, some aren’t—it’s all over the map. … These are not investors—they’re people who enjoy their cars.”
However, it’s a given that auto restorers have enough discretionary income to buy and restore cars and to travel to auto events. “They have discretionary income they’re spending on their hobby, even to the point where it’s not a hobby—it’s their life,” says Paul Cabiati, the account manager who manages the Hemmings Motor News subscriber file at list management and brokerage firm Statlistics.
In addition, according to Cabiati, auto restorers live all over the United States; almost half are college-educated, and 90 percent are homeowners. The majority are males.
Put the High Beams on Purchasing
Naturally, auto restorers buy products that are related to their hobby. “They spend their money on automobilia,” says Cabiati. “It’s not only the car and parts, but also items from that time period like toys and die-cast models, tools, and care and maintenance products to prepare their cars for shows. There are even people who purchase car lifts so they can do the work themselves.”
Because they do have disposable income, auto restorers also are a market for high-end products like watches and condos, says Kanter. They do a good deal of traveling to auto events, which means they rent hotel rooms, eat at restaurants and buy travel supplies. “There are zillions of events,” says Kanter. “There are small, local cruises and major events every weekend from March to November, and some draw 100,000 to 200,000 people.” Auto restorers also tend to be collectors, says Kanter, and they’re into Americana.
Since they’re proud of and loyal to their cars, many auto restorers are big buyers of licensed products like T-shirts, jackets, hats and other items bearing the images and logos of their type of car. “Mass customization is the buzzword these days,” says Kanter. “If you can put a photo of their car on a jacket, that would be a hit.”
Whatever products they buy, auto restorers are concerned with quality. “They’re not frivolous,” says Kanter. “That’s why they have an old car—because they appreciate quality.” Cabiati agrees. “They’re detail-oriented,” he says. “They restore cars to be almost exactly what they were. Their other buying habits are the same way.”
Get Up in Their Grilles
The best way to reach the auto restorer market depends on who you talk to. According to Cabiati, direct mail is big. And Kanter, who uses a mix of print ads, the Internet and catalogs, mentions that the Internet is quickly growing as a way to contact this market. “It may be due to the business of life, where we’re being bombarded with so much information that people don’t have time to sit down and read a magazine,” says Kanter. “They look at the Internet and select exactly what they want.”
Benty says that old-fashioned face-to-face is what works. “This audience gets bombarded with direct mail, but they’re very much into face-to-face: seeing the product, evaluating it and deciding on the spot if it’s good or bad, and if they’re interested,” he says.
Auto-replies
Auto restorers are sticklers for excellence, so marketing messages should touch on the quality of the offerings. Price is another important factor: “The offers we’ve seen have had an emphasis on pricing points,” says Cabiati. “They’ll shop around a bit.”
Nostalgia is another big component of a marketing message that resonates with auto restorers; after all, they’re spending money and time working on cars from past decades. Nostalgia can be communicated through both copy and art. “Depending on what you’re selling, if you can incorporate popular ads, phrases or products from past decades, it can work to your advantage,” says Cabiati. “Sometimes seeing old photos or popular products or ads from the ’50s, ’60s and so on, can evoke an emotional connection for the customer if it’s done tastefully and correctly.”
Put Profits Into Overdrive
Marketers need to do their research when targeting the auto restorer market, and be careful to stress quality, nostalgia and passion. The effort is worth it. Says Kanter, “Auto restorers don’t seem to be much affected by the economic condition of the country or consumer confidence. When the economy turns south, the boating industry collapses but the car industry doesn’t ... because Americans have a love affair with the automobile.”
Linda Formichelli is a freelance writer. She can be reached at linda-eric@lserv.com
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