TVS Audits/Inspections

We recently blogged about some helpful tips for passing a TVS audit/inspection, and we hope that you've found that advice helpful.

This is a reminder that regulatory agencies are conducting unannounced inspections of traffic violator school (TVS) office locations. Inspectors are looking for violations of Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) regulations regarding school operations; in particular, they are looking to ensure that a school's office is open during the required/posted hours of operation and that the office is staffed by a knowledgeable representative. Inspectors have the authority to look for any breaches of protocol, however, and are taking aggressive enforcement actions.

Penalties for failure to adhere to all DMV policies and regulations have already led to the initiation of the suspension/revocation process for the occupational licenses of multiple TVSs! Make sure you're in compliance!

If you have any questions regarding the operation of your school, please refer to our previous post about this topic, your TVS operator training course (at DMVOperatorCourse.com), or the appropriate sections of the California Vehicle Code and California Code of Regulations. And, of course, you may always contact your TSC representatives for assistance during an audit/inspection.

Content Marketing Ideas for Fall 2015

Content marketing is the process of creating and publishing material in order to attract, engage, and retain customers. Often its aim is to be useful to customers, honestly helping them learn, do, or experience something. It's the perfect marketing strategy for a traffic/driving school—whose existence is naturally dedicated to helping motorists to become better drivers and saving lives!

If you're having trouble getting started with your content marketing efforts, check out the following ideas for this fall season:

• Community Events: Try to engage with a local event and blog or post about that experience online. It would be reasonable for the owner of an online business to attend, take lots of pictures, and share the experience. Local events are taking place all the time, of course, but this is an especially good season for this sort of marketing effort, as school heads back into session. And what better way to get to know prospective driving school students than to participate in an event at a local high school?
• Publish a "Lookbook": A lookbook (spelled as one word or two) is a promotional tool of the fashion industry; it's a series of photographs meant to highlight a model, photographer, style, or line of clothing. The term has more recently been expanded a bit to include almost any sort of picture-driven promotional piece. If you have anything that looks good in photos—like a sporty (or otherwise interesting) vehicle or some driving-related accessories—this is a natural way to draw in prospects.
• Safety Campaigns: The NHTSA is in the midst of a child car safety seat campaign on social media, but their website is full of great driving safety information that could be promoted as appropriate (e.g., bus safety for back-to-school). The California DMV even celebrated National Cheeseburger Day with a distracted-driving safety message.
• Holiday Shopping Guides/Promotions: It's hard to believe, with the dog days of summer so soon behind us, that the holiday season is just around the corner. But now is the time to think about helping your customers/prospects with their holiday plans. You might run a holiday promotion for your services. Or, compile a list of gift suggestions related to your industry to keep your name in the public's mind. PBS provides an excellent example of a list of (cooking themed) gift guides for a variety of recipients. You might even consider creating a series of short holiday gift idea videos. These could be distributed on YouTube or social media, both as content and commercials.

Creating content marketing pieces can be easy and fun—and the information is memorable and useful for your readers. Get started today and reap the rewards of spreading your name around!