Driven

Automotive marketing has always been a high profile advertising undertaking.

25 years ago, I did some experiments testing various forms of advertising for car dealerships. Just yesterday I heard one of these forms on a radio station and was thinking about it because years of testing, producing, and looking at results has given me some insights into the methods of marketing automobiles.

Quit Yelling Would Ya?

We tried taking the laid-back approach to television auto ads. We selected a female car dealer and had her talk sincerely and frankly with the audience about how she wasn’t going to shout and participate in the hype of typical car dealer ads. That approach fell flat. We wanted it to work, we hoped it would work, and it did not.

So we tried it again, and then we repeated it with various changes, refined it and the sincere approach still didn’t work

We Were Wrong

So we went back to shouting, marching bands, throwing money in the air, loud booms, crazy attention-getting schemes, and that worked much better.

The point is, I have tested a lot of different ways to market automobiles and other products effectively over the years. So, when I heard about some of the innovations that are happening on the Internet I was interested to find out more.

Cars Online

I had a good conversation with Steve Graham of a South Carolina dealership called Midlands Honda. Steve is a smart guy so I went to ask a few questions and learn some things.

www…

The Internet offers many opportunities for alternative distribution of goods and services and those who take advantage of it are finding success. But it takes understanding what works and what does not work to cut through the confusion and focus on success.

This post is not the place to talk about what I learned from Steve because it was a private meeting and I respect his hard work.

But I can say that what he is doing follows the principles and insights that I try to give on this website. I appreciate him spending some time with me to help me better understand successful marketing.

Sleeves Rolled Up

You have to do your homework to learn. Hat tip- The folks at more than one special dealership are doing that. They keep winning awards for sales and service. Charlotte Hyundai- Bob Mayberry in Monroe.

I know this old marketing trick is worn out and it still works. But this one came about in a real way.

Living back and forth in NYC and North Carolina gives me a chance to take advantage of events to stay in touch with
SEO, marketing and how it applies to Charlotte, the Carolinas, and the the world.

I made this video in NYC during the past Christmas Season. My intent was to post it for you, and all my loved ones and relatives.

Well here it is. ( finally) This quick Holiday Greeting to you is sincere even though it is now summer.

As cold as it was in NY last December, this scene is always welcome. People having fun, enjoying the

Holiday’s and celebrating life. I appreciated the moment then and enjoy the memory through this video. Hope you do as well.

The Many Forms of Marketing Strategy that take tactical form such as–

SEO ,  radio , TV, the New Google TV, Social networking, and Direct mail.

Charlotte, New York, Hong Kong-

It is all about connection, information, and follow-through action. If a newsletter represents your company or business in a way that can accomplish all these things then by all means have one. A newsletter can be an expanded business card for you. It can update your clients on –

• The fact that you are still around which is often important in that some past clients simply don’t know that you’re still doing business.
• What your services are and how they can add value to your potential clients outcome.
• How to get in touch with you.
• How you can best serve your potential clients and customers.

Getting the Word Out

A newsletter is simply a continued way to maintain contact and give information which will hopefully directly or indirectly add value for your clients.

The form that a newsletter takes can be the traditional paper bulletin that goes out through regular mail.

A newsletter can also take the form of an e-mail publication, a website post, or a website unto itself.

You can also send a newsletter via text message and in today’s technologically advanced world a newsletter can take the form of a video.

As usual, it’s important to recognize the value structure of your customer and communicate directly to their values.

What DoThey Like?

For example- a college sports fan will relate more readily to things pertaining to sports, collegiate life, an age group that resonates with those things, and other values that make sense to a person who appreciates that.

A NASCAR fan might fall within that same category but-again- might not. You need to take a look at the demographics age group and values of your target audience and be sure you are communicating directly with them.

This seems almost ridiculously simple to even mention,

but an awareness of values can make the biggest difference. If you want a clear understanding of values marketing check out the story of the Dixie Chicks and how their career changed overnight based on a few simple values in a politically charged atmosphere.

If you were a marketing strategist, how would you include values in day to day ads, images, and other tools of the trade?

Views of a marketing strategist

The purpose of traditional marketing is to create buzz within a specific community. Twitter, Facebook, MySpace, blogs, online news all do exactly that. Same principle different means of distribution.

Traditional marketing has always offered both image building and direct results. Internet marketers have been debating this issue for years. The direct crowd prefers measurable results while the image crowd (social networking) leans toward building overall loyalty and community. Either way the Internet is simply reflecting the same principles that have held true for the past 75 years in traditional marketing.

A diversity of styles is expressed through various values. Some marketers trying to make a quick buck will skim the surface, offer questionable service, and even run scams. Other marketers will cater to the more refined values that earn the applause of mainstream audiences. This traditional marketing concept has transferred itself directly to the Internet.

In general ,potential customers can be reluctant to take action. Internet marketing employs the same tactics as traditional marketing to get people to take action. Limited offers, discounts, up selling, buy one get one free and other tactics designed to inspire action are at work  both on and off-line. It is human nature to avoid taking what is perceived to be a risky action. (I am certainly the same way.) Using these tactics is a simple and effective way to move things forward toward a sales conclusion.

Emotion and sensory devices are the heart of traditional marketing. The Internet has caught on to this form of communication and persuasion very quickly. Appealing spokesmodels, charismatic personalities, a sense of loyalty, membership and all the other mind stimulants are regularly employed for persuasion online and off.

Immediacy has been radio’s trump card since the beginning. In some ways the Internet and traditional media are working together to maintain a sense of immediacy. Twitter has moved to the forefront in this regard. Add mobility with personal handheld devices and today’s now-moment is a far more viable factor than ever.

Even though the Internet has made the world much smaller, localization is  still at the top of the priority list. It’s been said that local marketing using the Internet combined with traditional media is the single biggest lifetime opportunity for marketers. The Internet transcends and includes traditional marketing. There is still plenty of local business to do plus there is more and more global business.

The Internet is a game changer and as an alternative means of distribution has given marketing strategists more choices, to put it mildly.

Like my friends at New Construction Charlotte NC say- Built to last means, it doesn’t change overnight.