Postby MB » Thu Aug 02, 2007 3:30 pm
Interesting. What is your target market? How are you going to promote yourself?
You wouldn't be the first to do this, but I'll warn you now, it is not going to be a licence to print money. Most companies that have set themselves up to exclusively sell electric vehicles as a dealer (as opposed to an importer with their own dealer network) have struggled - and many have folded.
To be commercially successful, you're going to need to make yourself easily accessible: preferably multiple locations where people can see the vehicles and try them out, a whizz-bang web site (hint: include good quality informational videos about each product, you'll double your sales on all vehicles you do this on), and backed up by a good technical team.
What sort of vehicles are you planning to sell? Electric bikes tend to sell to older people, and this is the hardest consumer group to keep happy - they expect top levels of customer service and require support all the way through. That said, they're also the best consumer group for giving referrals and once they've found a company they like, you're more likely to retain them as a customer for their second and third vehicles. You're also up against the world and his wife who are selling them cheap on eBay.
What is your target market? When I sold electric bikes, I produced a number of booklets to promote them to different market segments, such as commuters, holiday makers and the alike. These worked really well and certainly helped me open up the market to new consumers.
The most important thing is to make sure your products are seen and that people know where they can be bought from. That means attending local shows and fairs, and getting your product into other retailers: a good example with electric folding bikes, for instance, would be to get them displayed on a sale or return basis at caravanning companies.
Running a business now adays is hard work, and in an emerging market like electric vehicles, your going to find it tough. You'll need a good location, good marketing, good customer support, good logistics planning, a good technical backup, an understanding bank manager and a fair pile of cash. Good luck!