Annual Schedulers and Dispatchers Conference in San Antonio, TX.  Sharing booth space with  Aurora Jet Center, located in Aurora, OR  located 20 miles south Of Portland, OR . If you’re  flying in private this boutique jet center is easy to fly in and out of and freeway access to the Portland Metro area is quick and easy.  Going up against the bid dogs like Carey Int, Empire International, large networks.   Our new corporate look due out in next month will have price advantages over these networks.  Fun times ahead.

Doug

Happy Holidays

Family time

A great family time can be enjoyed by renting a limo and touring the local holiday light displays.  Great for getting those off peak days Sunday, Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday evenings. Throw in a thermos of hot cocoa and enjoy a couple of hours family bonding time. Your family will be sure to talk about it for years, it may even become your favorite holiday tradition.

Party Time

Being in the business myself I have seen a return of holiday party.  Corporate boys and girls are spending dollars on the good old fashion office party.  Lock the doors and enjoy the party.  But remember a DUI adds a downer to the water cooler talk
Happy Holidays Everyone!

Many of you limo operators make your living catering to wine tasting clientele.  So, why not come up with a nifty gimmick that captures someone’s attention,   i.e. “stomping of the grapes” event.  Mojo it up with your favorite winery and work in conjunction with their fall release party having their customers arrive in style, limo wine tours.  Many of the top notch wineries have some form of party to release last years or older vintage wines.

Another idea is to solicit an affiliate private school in your area, offer to set an auction package for a set number of couples, work with the parents (most parents put on parties like these to raise money) on a Tuscany style party.  You trade out for advertising, some hard costs and get your name around in the appropriate circles.  Couple of years ago I did this for my kid’s school auction.  We had western thyme; the party was set in the country with neighbors who had horses.  The plan included “bandits” with masks, riding horses, stopping the limos and shooting guns in the air.  The party made everyone get out and partake of their favorite adult beverage then get back into the limo and speed down to the party location a half mile away.   That was a real shindig….  Enjoy stomping.

Doug Rauen, the original domain registrant and founder of Limo.com Inc.

]]> http://limo-blog.com/2009/09/16/stomp-the-grapes-limo-wine-tours/feed/ 0 http://limo-blog.com/2009/09/10/back-to-school-specials-limo-service-companies/ http://limo-blog.com/2009/09/10/back-to-school-specials-limo-service-companies/#comments Thu, 10 Sep 2009 22:23:36 +0000 Anvil http://limo-blog.com/?p=12 Labor Day just went by so fast, out west the weather was crap, rained as usual, of course right after the weekend right back to 80-90 degrees, go figure.  My kids are back in school, and my wife is starting to relax again but she is trying to calm down after the summer with kids around all the time.  She didn’t have much time to catch up with her girlfriends over the summer and then when they see each other waiting in the car line again back at school picking up kids there is just no time chit chat….

Now fellow limo service operators, think about this simple plan.  Limo service companies can advertise in the school paper or a local paper, just do a very very inexpensive ad.  What type of ad should you run you ask?  Well, run a two or three hour back to school special for a lunch excursion for the stay at home moms or just an outing for the ladies to catch up from the summer block.  Use your mojo to give a kick back to the school’s fundraiser campaign, BUT build that into your pricing.  Remember you’re not a non-profit company.

-Doug Rauen, the original domain registrant and founder of Limo.com Inc.

Let’s talk “tailgating”.  The term “Tailgating” originated in the parking lot of Yankee Stadium in 1957 by Angela Pisani, wife of team doctor Anthony Pisani.  Mrs. Pisani set up her station wagon “tailgate” with sandwiches and other lunch items for her children and friends.  A reporter inquired about her “car picnic” and she said that it was actually more of a “Tailgate” Party.  Maybe that was the birth of the term “tailgating”, maybe not.  I would assume it’s safe to say that we have all experienced this rite of the pregame at one time or another.  Depending on the climate, somebody rolls up early to pick a spot, drops the gate, unload the Q-er(aka Cooler), light up the BBQ, and crack the tops.  Let the tailgate begin.

That was the tradition a few years back, now a days it is a little more complicated.  The weather outside is nasty and corporate sponsors now want the luxury of a Sky box but don’t want the price of one.  What’s the next best option?  An old fashion tailgate with a twist, a twist of a limo party bus!

Try this recipe:

• One Limo Party Bus
• Expensive catering on wheels
• Work the mojo with the caterer to do half cash half trade for advertising rights at tailgate, a promo package or steep discount.
• Sell the whole package to local Alumni association, corporate clients or rabbet fans

Selling Points (to get customers excited about the package):

• Cheaper than a DUI
• Hey everybody is together
• You’re out of the elements (no rain!)
• TEAM building experience
• Everything is Included in one price

In this economy, you need to think outside of the box which can help every little bit to the bottom line.  I don’t know about you but a limo party bus sounds like a lot of fun for any tailgater!

Limo Party Bus

-Doug Rauen, the original domain registrant and founder of Limo.com Inc.