Are you looking to grow your taxi company, increase revenue, and gain new and loyal customers? If so, then look no further, we have compiled a list of the top tips that will help you start or grow your taxi company.
1. Word of Mouth
Word of Mouth is one of the biggest proponents of marketing that owners and managers tend to overlook. There is nothing greater (and more successful) than having a happy customer who recommends your company to all of their family, friends, and coworkers. Taxi companies can really thrive on word of mouth marketing as they provide a service where safety is an issue, something most potential customers will ask their friends about before calling your company.
In order to make sure your taxi company is benefiting from positive word of mouth marketing I would strongly recommend spending a few days actually working in your business and not behind your desk. Spend a day answering the phones and driving the cabs, talk to the customers and get to know their thoughts and feelings on your company. Have they had any disputes recently or heard any negative feedback? Is there something more that your company can do to make them enjoy their ride? Customer feedback is very important in the taxi business and you will learn so much more about your company and what areas you can improve. Plus the customer will enjoy feeling as though their thoughts and ideas are being taken seriously!
2. Referrals
Another strategy to garner great word of mouth marketing is referrals. This is one of the most powerful ways to get new customers. Most loyal customers will refer your taxi service to friends and family simply to be nice and show their appreciation. Plus most people love to brag and look smart in front of their friends when they find an awesome product or service. However, a great way to boost referrals from all your customers is to offer a type of reward system. You can give away virtually anything in return for referrals such as gift certificates for future taxi rides or fun prizes and useful items. You can even partner with businesses in your city and give out local gift cards for their shops or restaurants. Any type of reward will motivate your customers to tell their friends about your company and a customer that refers a lot of their friends is a great asset to your company.
If you do choose to ask your customers for referrals and don’t have the money to offer a reward program yet, try writing a thank you note to that customer so they feel welcomed! If you never acknowledge a customer’s referral the customer will most likely stop referring people to your business.
3. Direct marketing
Direct marketing is one of the easiest and cheapest ways to market your taxi company. A simple way to directly market to your potential customers is through business cards. Place your business cards in populated areas where people might need to call for a taxi, such as, supermarkets, shopping malls, bars/restaurants, and hotels. You can also hand out your business cards to your customers at the end of each ride; most people who take taxis will need to be picked up again at the end of their stay. You could double your money per customer as most people will call you for their ride back home as long as their ride the first time was enjoyable.
4. Online Advertising
While hanging fliers and garnering word of mouth advertising can be very effective, the online community has engulfed our society. Online advertising is a fairly simple concept, you want to find the websites that your potential customers will go to when looking for a cab. Then you want to make sure that your company and your dispatch number is listed on those websites to make it easy for potential customers to call your company for a ride. For example, TaxiFareFinder.com offers a taxi listing service on each of our city calculator pages. If you list your company on your cities calculator page you know that every person who looks up a taxi fare estimate in your city will see your name and number to call. This way you are making sure you aren’t wasting your money advertising to people who will never visit or live in your city; you are able to get your name and number directly to your exact target market. Many companies will make the mistake of listing their number on a website that has a broad target market and they will waste a lot of money marketing to people who will never need their services.
5. Website
Having an up to date and easily accessible website is very important for any taxi business that is trying to grow. You want to make sure all of your information is readily available for anyone who is searching online for a cab company in your area. It is also a good idea to make sure your website looks professional as an unprofessional or unorganized website can turn people away from using your business.
It is also a good idea to list any flat rates or special deals you offer to major airports or popular tourist destinations. Many people when searching for a cab are looking for the best deal to transportation hubs or points of interest. If they find a good deal right away they are less likely to keep searching for other companies.
