Using strategic PR to stay on top

January 27, 8:53 AMPublicity ExaminerCarrol Van Stone

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With the continued rough economy, it’s hard to imagine there could be a success but there is. Batteries Plus, the nation's largest franchise retail chain of its kind, offering a comprehensive selection of batteries, battery-related products and technical support, is seeing same store sales rise by 20 percent from 2007 despite the recent economic downturn.   And, PR is the key reason why.   Here’s how.

By getting people charged (excuse the pun) about batteries throughout the year with special educational public relations campaigns – Batteries Plus is able to stay relevant and valuable to customers on a day to day basis.  Batteries enhance our lives, from the tiny batteries that power hearing aids to the large ones that start the engines of our cars. They power most of our toys, gadgets, and can’t-live-without accessories and keep them running all year long.

Battery recycling – Batteries Plus is committed to battery recycling and protecting the environment, having recycled more than 191 tons of batteries at its more than 348 locations. This year with assistance from its recycling partner The Big Green Box, it will surpass that figure. Batteries make up roughly 88 percent of the mercury and 54 percent of the cadmium deposited into our landfills. By reaching out to consumers and partnering with local businesses, schools and governments to recycle batteries, Batteries Plus puts itself ahead of every other retailer with this positively green offering.

Traveling with batteries – Going through airport security can be frustrating enough when you're forced to take off your shoes, belt or jewelry to get through the line. So when new federal regulations changed how people can travel on planes with batteries, Batteries Plus launched a national education push to make life easier for the communities it serves. Batteries Plus teamed up with the U.S. Department of Transportation to get the word out about new federal regulations when it comes to traveling with batteries.

Battery Tech Center – Every Batteries Plus location features a Tech Center that is equipped to design, assemble, rebuild, and test custom battery packs. As America's Battery Experts, Batteries Plus has made custom batteries for items ranging from a "combat" robot from a university's robotics department, to building a custom battery pack for an underwater scooter being used to explore caves off the Florida coast. During the holidays, the Tech Center becomes even more popular because it can bring old electronic devices back to life. Whether it's a Tickle-Me-Elmo that has lost its tickle or bringing an old toy from a parent's youth back to life again for their children, Batteries Plus can build any battery you need.

Car Batteries –It's wintertime. Is your car battery ready for the harsh conditions? Every winter Batteries Plus asks the same question and then helps its customers find the answer. Batteries Plus will not only check to see if a car's battery is ready for winter, but will also test the charging and starting systems of the car as well. The abuse a car's battery takes from the heat of summer can lead to a headache in the winter. Heat results in lower cranking power and harder cold-weather starts. If your battery needs to be replaced, Batteries Plus offers the widest selection of car batteries to give you the power you need.  

Reminding customers they need your productbecause it is important in their lives can be the difference between being among the retailers who saw their sales plummet by more than 2 percent last month or seeing your same store sales continue to soar, like Batteries Plus.  By educating people about battery recycling, traveling with batteries, the battery Tech Center and getting your car battery ready for the winter, Batteries Plus keeps people interested in batteries and shows them how batteries are integral to everyday life.   Batteries Plus is a positive retailer which successfully stays in front of the customer reminding them how they enhance their lives day to day, week to week, month to month, and year to year.