MARKETING THOUGHTS FOR SMALL MANUFACTURERS OF TRACTION MODELS

These comments are addressed to the many small manufacturers of trams, trolleys, transit, and traction who bemoan the fact that trolley modelers are getting older and there are no young people replacing them in the hobby: “How many kids these days have ever even seen a trolley?” My reply: How many kids have never seen a space ship, or a Spiderman, or a fashion model? That hasn’t stopped hundreds of thousands of youngsters from becoming fascinated by those subjects.
To quote a fellow who has proven himself to be a first-rate small manufacturer of high quality model rail equipment, “… [might] start selling things again if the market improves, but really as the older guys die off and the younger people are more into video games and other hobbies, the market for trains generally is shrinking, so I have no illusions about it.” When even the top dogs become discouraged, is it any wonder that our hobby is in a decline?
When the suggestion was made in an online forum that it might be a good idea to run a major national T (T = Traction, trolleys, trams, and transit) exhibition in Orlando, Florida, with all its visitor attractions, during winter season, the nicest time of year in Florida, because it could be made part of a true family vacation --- the kids could do theme park activities, the spouse could attend spouse programs, and the hobbyist could participate in a few days of intense national marketing and tractioneering --- it was brushed off by many of the people who responded:
Florida was too hot [the suggested date was in the middle of winter, when the days are in the high 70’s and nights plunge down into the 60’s !];
They weren’t interested in trucking their traction module down to Florida [that was never suggested];
Florida was too far [The Monorail Society is holding its Monorail Exposition in Dubai --- when Orlando was suggested to them because it was easy to get to from any airport in North America, they remonstrated that it was too far and too inconvenient. Now Dubai --- that’s far !];
and on and on… all in all, a notable lack of enthusiasm.
When the Mattel Corporation, which has some of the smartest marketing people in the world, determined that, when their sales were declining as the demographics (statistical and descriptive measures of the kind of people who normally bought Barbie dolls and accessories) were beginning to change from their optimum, they didn’t throw up their hands and mutter, “Kids aren’t interested in dolls anymore; we’re doomed!” They recognized the enormous untapped market in China and have begun to target Chinese adult women, apparently with notable success. Now that’s clever marketing!
One series of paperback books uses the keywords “Guerrilla Marketing” as their continuing tagline, and tries to energize those unenlightened people who say “Marketing? You mean advertise more? I tried that and it didn’t work”. These books suggest hundreds of strategies beyond advertising to broaden a market and then reach it in innovative ways. Try them, if you want to sell to a whole new demographic of customers. Let people know that you exist --- and not just trolley hobbyists. For example, one small businessman who sells specialty insurance had his “business story” printed on one of those “magnetic” signs (they actually stick on with static electricity) that have sprung up everywhere, and placed them non-destructively on his personal automobile. We’ve personally seen him approached in the parking lot of our local post office with business inquiries from curious postal patrons.
When was the last time you sent your local newspaper a professional-looking Press Release on, for example, the start of your fifth year in business? … on the addition of a new product to your line? … on your exhibiting your products at a hobby exposition? … on the new investment casting machine you purchased?
Have you given a talk recently to one of the local civic organizations that are desperate for programs for their membership? You would probably be hailed as a hero for rescuing the Program Chairman. At least let him know that you’re available to fill in if the scheduled speaker doesn’t show up. He will never forget you, and you’ll tell your story --- and if you’re smart, exhibit some of your product line. Local business men are notoriously good at networking. Better yet, have a small display module on which you can run your traction equipment. Nothing gets attention like an exhibit that moves.
Mundane? Trite? Maybe, but it gets you noticed by people who’ve never heard of you. Do you go places (shopping? when you travel? out with the family? your kid’s school programs? a Chamber of Commerce casual social event?) wearing an attractive professional-looking ash-gray polo shirt with your logo and a tag line tastefully silk-screened in black on the breast pocket? No logo? That says something right there about your marketing technique. You don’t belong to your local Chamber? That continues the saga in the same vein. Do you sponsor a school team? Inexpensive and reaches exactly the market you want. Have you taken your (personal) banker to lunch recently? … ever? They appreciate it, they remember you favorably, they might mention you to their many business contacts, and you can never tell where that might take you…. or do you wait until you need to finance a business opportunity and walk into your bank as a total stranger?
Did you know that over 60 North American cities are planning, designing, or building light rail lines right now? Right there are hundreds of golden opportunities for little business --- one of whose advantages, we are told, is that they can move and change gears rapidly --- to get models of Light Rail Vehicles (LRV’s) into production on a small scale. You don’t need a production run of 10,000 models to jump into the fray; you can be competitive --- with Made in America products --- on a vastly smaller scale. Interestingly, when we mentioned this possibility to one small businessman, he protested, “But suppose I make a small run and sell out?” Yes … and the down side is …?
Marketing? We’ll bet that most small manufacturers advertise primarily or exclusively in Model Railroading (a fine Kalmbach publication), or Railroad Model Craftsman, or one of the excellent and fascinating trolley specialty magazines. There’s nothing wrong with that, but you’re preaching to the already converted. In addition to that, you need to inform a NEW audience about what you’re making.
Have you ever heard of a small magazine called “Reminisce”? Admittedly, very small circulation compared to, say, Newsweek! But every single reader has subscribed because he or she is harking nostalgically back to the Nineteen Thirties, Forties, and Fifties. We don’t recall having EVER seen a single photo or article about trolleys --- a natural link, or referencing them in any way. Where are you guys? We don’t have the circulation figures in front of us, but those tens of thousands (we imagine) of readers are potential buyers.
Almost every metropolitan region has a business newspaper; in the Tampa Bay area, it’s the Tampa Business Journal. They are always interested in hearing about interesting and unheralded business ventures, even part–time ones. Find out who handles transportation news on the staff of your metropolitan daily. Cultivate him or her before you need publicity --- everyone eats lunch ! Have that staff person aware of your company and briefed before you would like a feature story.
Light rail? Has anyone done the homework of compiling a mailing list targeting the hundreds of Metropolitan Planning Commissions (MPC’s); OR Transportation Planning Agencies (TPA’s) OR the state and county commissioners who authorize millions of dollars to fund the construction of these new LRV lines OR the management at the companies that make the prototype LRV’s? Our organization --- Electric Railways Network --- is starting in a small way to begin compiling that information. Has anyone worked with the media --- aside from some of the excellent work on YouTube, an online video medium --- to get stories on traction, vintage trolleys, and LRV’s out to the public through the regular cable channels that typically produce and show material like that, like History, Discovery, and soon?
Imagine the impact of running one of your light rail models at a meeting of one of those organizations of decision-makers? We could go on and on, but we think that we’ve made our point: many markets, many new and different conduits to reach them. In Einstein’s famous words, don’t do the same thing over and over and expect different results. The famous physicist called that “insanity”.