Bill Bainbridge retired in March 2023 after more than 45 years in the tire industry. Bill was Vice President of Marketing and Business Development for CJ’s Tire and Automotive, where he helped grow the brand from 11 to 17 locations. His journey in marketing, communications, and sales involved nearly every area of the tire business from retail to wholesale. During his career, Bill established a track record of creating and managing marketing platforms that generated exceptional return on investment.

In this episode…

It seems like there's a new tire brand every time we turn around, and they’re all competing for space in the minds of consumers. What are some unique steps that someone starting a new brand can take to drive awareness?

According to Bill Bainbridge, who recently retired from working at CJ’s Tire and Automotive, sports are a highly effective channel. If he were launching a brand, Bill says he would make a large investment in marketing through motorsports. He urges new brands to have their products associated with motorsports or the technology involved in motorsports. Otherwise, Bill advises the use of regular athletic competition, like putting a magnet on the minivan driven by a soccer mom or hanging a banner on the outfield fence at the local high school baseball diamond.

On this episode of Gain Traction, Neal Maier and Matt Peters sit down with Bill, who draws on his vast marketing and sales experience in the tire industry to share some advice for building customer awareness with new tire brands and shops with only a few locations. Bill talks about how local sports can be used to bring attention to stores, brands and products. He also reveals a potentially-surprising media platform that often drives results for tire shops.

 Here’s a glimpse of what you’ll learn: 

• Bill Bainbridge details his unique entry into the tire industry
• Why working the sales counter at a tire shop is the most difficult job in the business
• Bill shares why he came out of retirement to work for CJ’s Tire and Automotive 
• What advice would Bill give to a new brand looking to build customer awareness?
• How a store can firmly establish itself in a community 
• Why radio is Bill’s preferred advertising medium
• Bill explains why sports marketing is a great investment for tire and repair shops

Resources mentioned in this episode:

• Bill Bainbridge on LinkedIn 
• CJ’s Tire and Automotive
• Paul Levengood Jr. on LinkedIn 
• Matthew Peters on LinkedIn
• Neil Maier on LinkedIn
• Tread Partners

Sponsor for this episode...

This episode is brought to you by Tread Partners. 

At Tread Partners, we provide digital marketing for multi-location tire dealers and auto repair shops. 

By using our strategy, branding, and marketing services, we help shops sell more tires and put more cars in bays.

We’ve helped companies like Action Gator Tire, Colony Tire and Service, and Ulmer’s Auto Care Center bring extreme growth in paid leads, ROI, and searches. 

So, what are you waiting for?

Visit www.treadpartners.com or email [email protected] to learn more.