The next time you turn on your television, do me a favor! Watch the commercials and see if you can identify what target audience the advertisements are intended for, and what calls to action are included to entice that audience to buy.

Once you’ve had a chance to complete this little exercise, take a look at the advertising and marketing materials produced by your dealership. Can you identify the target audience and call to action?

If you take a look back over the articles I’ve written over the past year or so, you’ll recognize a consistent theme. I tend to focus my articles on the importance of creating customer segments and ways that you can reach out to them more effectively.

While I won’t get into it too much in this article, I wanted to show you a cool Audi Australia commercial that I found online that features famous Beatboxer Tom Thum. Take a look at the video and let me know in the comments what audience Audi Australia intended this commercial for and what action they hope is accomplished.

What do you think? Comment below!

The next time you turn on your television, do me a favor! Watch the commercials and see if you can identify what target audience the advertisements are intended for, and what calls to action are included to entice that audience to buy.

Once you’ve had a chance to complete this little exercise, take a look at the advertising and marketing materials produced by your dealership. Can you identify the target audience and call to action?

If you take a look back over the articles I’ve written over the past year or so, you’ll recognize a consistent theme. I tend to focus my articles on the importance of creating customer segments and ways that you can reach out to them more effectively.

While I won’t get into it too much in this article, I wanted to show you a cool Audi Australia commercial that I found online that features famous Beatboxer Tom Thum. Take a look at the video and let me know in the comments what audience Audi Australia intended this commercial for and what action they hope is accomplished.

What do you think? Comment below!

It’s Saturday! Blow up the Balloons, blow up the squiggly air man thingy, get your game faces on and get ready. Barely anyone will walk on to your lot today. Any ideas why?

Before you continue reading this article, do me a favor right now and go grab your local newspaper. Open it up to the first auto dealer ad that you see. I don’t want to jump to conclusions, but you’re likely looking at a spread that has pictures of vehicles, finance/lease rates and the price of the vehicle right? The top banner of the ad says something like, “Biggest Sale Event of the Year!” or something to that effect. This is what I call “One Size Fits All Advertising”.

The Problem? This form of advertising rarely fits any size. It’s more like no size fits all. Let me explain why.

*Perhaps the most important message of the whole ad gets the least amount of real estate. Whaaaaa?

When you consider your own journey to purchasing a vehicle, what were some of the things that you considered high priority? Was it price alone? If you were just beginning research, did your wish list have anything to do with price or was it more about safety, size, look, feel, economy, etc?

Here’s what I’m getting at. If you’re *human, you have emotions. Your emotions dictate your wants/needs. Your wants/needs help you create value. And the things you see value in, you spend money on. Based on this theory, I suggest taking some time to create customer segments. I’m not asking you to pre-judge the people that will fall into these segments BUT, doing so will help you dial in your advertising efforts so that you can promote the things (features, programs, events etc.) that these segmented groups of people will be most receptive to.

Here are some possible customer segments off the top of my head.

• Young families

• Retired/Seniors

• Military/Civil servants

• Union workers

• LGBT

Let’s use young families as an example. What are people with young children typically emotionally interested in? SAFETY, more space, climate control, fuel economy, convenience, seating capacity and so on. Now look at the newspaper ad from earlier. Does it  even remotely speak to the emotional needs of young families? If not, how many qualified people from that customer segment should you expect to see on the lot?

Do you see where I’m going with this? To get the most out of your advertising, you need to focus your advertising efforts on the things that people are interested in. You need to speak to their emotions. The way you find out what they’re emotionally interested in is by creating customer segments. Once you create segments, you should design ad campaigns that speak to the customers in each segment.

In my next article, we’ll look at how this concept translates to the web so that you can get your dealership website dialed in and converting more qualified traffic.

*I’m assuming that if you’re reading this article, that you are in fact a human.

It’s Saturday! Blow up the Balloons, blow up the squiggly air man thingy, get your game faces on and get ready. Barely anyone will walk on to your lot today. Any ideas why?

Before you continue reading this article, do me a favor right now and go grab your local newspaper. Open it up to the first auto dealer ad that you see. I don’t want to jump to conclusions, but you’re likely looking at a spread that has pictures of vehicles, finance/lease rates and the price of the vehicle right? The top banner of the ad says something like, “Biggest Sale Event of the Year!” or something to that effect. This is what I call “One Size Fits All Advertising”.

The Problem? This form of advertising rarely fits any size. It’s more like no size fits all. Let me explain why.

*Perhaps the most important message of the whole ad gets the least amount of real estate. Whaaaaa?

When you consider your own journey to purchasing a vehicle, what were some of the things that you considered high priority? Was it price alone? If you were just beginning research, did your wish list have anything to do with price or was it more about safety, size, look, feel, economy, etc?

Here’s what I’m getting at. If you’re *human, you have emotions. Your emotions dictate your wants/needs. Your wants/needs help you create value. And the things you see value in, you spend money on. Based on this theory, I suggest taking some time to create customer segments. I’m not asking you to pre-judge the people that will fall into these segments BUT, doing so will help you dial in your advertising efforts so that you can promote the things (features, programs, events etc.) that these segmented groups of people will be most receptive to.

Here are some possible customer segments off the top of my head.

• Young families

• Retired/Seniors

• Military/Civil servants

• Union workers

• LGBT

Let’s use young families as an example. What are people with young children typically emotionally interested in? SAFETY, more space, climate control, fuel economy, convenience, seating capacity and so on. Now look at the newspaper ad from earlier. Does it  even remotely speak to the emotional needs of young families? If not, how many qualified people from that customer segment should you expect to see on the lot?

Do you see where I’m going with this? To get the most out of your advertising, you need to focus your advertising efforts on the things that people are interested in. You need to speak to their emotions. The way you find out what they’re emotionally interested in is by creating customer segments. Once you create segments, you should design ad campaigns that speak to the customers in each segment.

In my next article, we’ll look at how this concept translates to the web so that you can get your dealership website dialed in and converting more qualified traffic.

*I’m assuming that if you’re reading this article, that you are in fact a human.

Okay, you got me! This article has nothing to do with me, and everything to do with you.

On a daily basis I analyze dealer websites which I’m convinced had the same content writer. Have you ever seen websites with sentences that read like this, “Our team of automotive professionals have the knowledge you need to buy the right car...”? or “We understand that everyone has different financial situations, that’s why we’re proud to offer auto loans for every credit situation...”? or my favorite, “We are an award winning __________ dealer here to serve you!”...

OH SHOOT; that’s your website?!? Don’t worry, I’ll look away while you quickly delete those portions of your site content.

If you’re familiar with dealership website content that reads like a conceited teenaged football jockey wrote it, then read on! I’d like to dispel a myth and offer a content creation suggestion that you can take to the bank.

The Myth: Talking about yourself and your achievements makes you look more professional

Wrong! It makes you sound like the kind of person who stares at himself/herself anywhere a reflection can be seen. Nobody cares about you. They don’t care about your stupid awards. Why? Because they are your awards, not theirs.

You see, everyone has a favorite letter of the alphabet. Can you guess what it is?  Yup, the letter ‘I’. Instead of spending so much time talking about yourself and calling it a day, try refocusing your content on how being an award winner will help the consumer move closer to what they’d like to achieve or obtain.

This leads me to...

A Suggestion: Make Your Site Content All About The Consumer!

There are several ways that this can easily be done, but here’s the suggestion I’ll make here.

Put yourself in your customers’ shoes. Write out a list of things that automotive consumers would want/need to know to help shape their purchase decision. This list could include topics like:

• Buying vs. Leasing

• Used car buying 101

• Private seller vs. Certified Dealership

• Financing options

• Credit rebuilding program

• Graduate student program

• Senior discounts

• Military discounts

• Affinity programs

• Used car specials

• New car specials

• ...and the list could go on and on

Once you’ve compiled the list, think about your customer. Make every sentence you write a benefit to them. Show them how they can get what they want by working with your dealership. If you truly aim to help others achieve what they want, you will get everything you want (If you know who said that, write it in the comments below).  

Last thoughts

We could go in a million directions from here, but doing so would end us right back to where we are now. Confused about what makes good content, and discouraged not know how to get started. To summarize; stop talking so much about yourself, start talking about your customers.

How have you used content to drive more sales?

Okay, you got me! This article has nothing to do with me, and everything to do with you.

On a daily basis I analyze dealer websites which I’m convinced had the same content writer. Have you ever seen websites with sentences that read like this, “Our team of automotive professionals have the knowledge you need to buy the right car...”? or “We understand that everyone has different financial situations, that’s why we’re proud to offer auto loans for every credit situation...”? or my favorite, “We are an award winning __________ dealer here to serve you!”...

OH SHOOT; that’s your website?!? Don’t worry, I’ll look away while you quickly delete those portions of your site content.

If you’re familiar with dealership website content that reads like a conceited teenaged football jockey wrote it, then read on! I’d like to dispel a myth and offer a content creation suggestion that you can take to the bank.

The Myth: Talking about yourself and your achievements makes you look more professional

Wrong! It makes you sound like the kind of person who stares at himself/herself anywhere a reflection can be seen. Nobody cares about you. They don’t care about your stupid awards. Why? Because they are your awards, not theirs.

You see, everyone has a favorite letter of the alphabet. Can you guess what it is?  Yup, the letter ‘I’. Instead of spending so much time talking about yourself and calling it a day, try refocusing your content on how being an award winner will help the consumer move closer to what they’d like to achieve or obtain.

This leads me to...

A Suggestion: Make Your Site Content All About The Consumer!

There are several ways that this can easily be done, but here’s the suggestion I’ll make here.

Put yourself in your customers’ shoes. Write out a list of things that automotive consumers would want/need to know to help shape their purchase decision. This list could include topics like:

• Buying vs. Leasing

• Used car buying 101

• Private seller vs. Certified Dealership

• Financing options

• Credit rebuilding program

• Graduate student program

• Senior discounts

• Military discounts

• Affinity programs

• Used car specials

• New car specials

• ...and the list could go on and on

Once you’ve compiled the list, think about your customer. Make every sentence you write a benefit to them. Show them how they can get what they want by working with your dealership. If you truly aim to help others achieve what they want, you will get everything you want (If you know who said that, write it in the comments below).  

Last thoughts

We could go in a million directions from here, but doing so would end us right back to where we are now. Confused about what makes good content, and discouraged not know how to get started. To summarize; stop talking so much about yourself, start talking about your customers.

How have you used content to drive more sales?

Every day in North America, millions of people utilize search engines with the intent to find answers to their implied questions, or identify solutions for their problems.  Think about the last search you conducted online. Was it with the intent to find answers or solve problems? Of course it was.These days, anytime I want an answer for something whether it’s who starred in a movie or how many horsepower a vehicle has, I jump online and begin searching.

Automotive consumers are no exception. When they begin entertaining the thought of a new vehicle, a wishlist (so to speak) of emotional needs and wants is formulated. Most consumers rely on information gathered online from dealer/manufacturer sites, reviews, YouTube, blogs and forums to fine tune that wish list in an effort to determine what they’re really looking for.

This is where you as a dealer have a massive opportunity to help shape the automotive consumer’s purchase decision. The way to attract a larger audience is by providing subtle, informative content via your website. According to Consumer Barometer, your dealership is one of the top places online that automotive consumer go to find information. This means that your website is the perfect medium to produce content that will answer questions and solve problems. As you consistently provide content, you’ll be pegged as the credible source of information that will keep consumers coming back for more.

Today’s consumer is looking for content that will educate and enrich their lives. They desire to learn something useful or something that will advise them about a product or service. Today’s consumer is also looking to be entertained. By combining those three elements (Educate, Advise, Entertain) you’ll be doing something that most of your competitors aren’t and in turn, you’ll dominate the web.

So, what problem does the average customer have? What implied question(s) are they seeking answers to? Often, the toughest part about creating content is figuring out what topics to discuss. As a suggestion, I’d encourage you to put yourself in the customers shoes. Go sit in one of the vehicles in your showroom and ask yourself, “what would I want to know about this vehicle”. You’ll quickly realize that you have a plethora (yes, I just said “plethora”) of topics to cover.

How-to videos, vehicle walkaround videos, video test drives and blogs are all great ways to get your message out and picked up by search engines. Content feeds search engines and will help you draw in higher quantities of qualified traffic. Higher traffic places the odds in your favor and will increase your conversion opportunities.

When you decide to get started producing content that educates, advises and entertains, be sure to show people the human element of your dealership. I mentioned this concept in a previous article and I’ll touch on it again. People purchase vehicles from people. By supplying informative content that displays the human element of your dealership, you’ll break the ice much quicker, build rapport and loyalty and become a credible source of information. That credibility translates to trust, and that’s when the purchase decision is solidified. People purchase vehicles from people that they trust.

What topics do you think consumers would find valuable? List them below!

Every day in North America, millions of people utilize search engines with the intent to find answers to their implied questions, or identify solutions for their problems.  Think about the last search you conducted online. Was it with the intent to find answers or solve problems? Of course it was.These days, anytime I want an answer for something whether it’s who starred in a movie or how many horsepower a vehicle has, I jump online and begin searching.

Automotive consumers are no exception. When they begin entertaining the thought of a new vehicle, a wishlist (so to speak) of emotional needs and wants is formulated. Most consumers rely on information gathered online from dealer/manufacturer sites, reviews, YouTube, blogs and forums to fine tune that wish list in an effort to determine what they’re really looking for.

This is where you as a dealer have a massive opportunity to help shape the automotive consumer’s purchase decision. The way to attract a larger audience is by providing subtle, informative content via your website. According to Consumer Barometer, your dealership is one of the top places online that automotive consumer go to find information. This means that your website is the perfect medium to produce content that will answer questions and solve problems. As you consistently provide content, you’ll be pegged as the credible source of information that will keep consumers coming back for more.

Today’s consumer is looking for content that will educate and enrich their lives. They desire to learn something useful or something that will advise them about a product or service. Today’s consumer is also looking to be entertained. By combining those three elements (Educate, Advise, Entertain) you’ll be doing something that most of your competitors aren’t and in turn, you’ll dominate the web.

So, what problem does the average customer have? What implied question(s) are they seeking answers to? Often, the toughest part about creating content is figuring out what topics to discuss. As a suggestion, I’d encourage you to put yourself in the customers shoes. Go sit in one of the vehicles in your showroom and ask yourself, “what would I want to know about this vehicle”. You’ll quickly realize that you have a plethora (yes, I just said “plethora”) of topics to cover.

How-to videos, vehicle walkaround videos, video test drives and blogs are all great ways to get your message out and picked up by search engines. Content feeds search engines and will help you draw in higher quantities of qualified traffic. Higher traffic places the odds in your favor and will increase your conversion opportunities.

When you decide to get started producing content that educates, advises and entertains, be sure to show people the human element of your dealership. I mentioned this concept in a previous article and I’ll touch on it again. People purchase vehicles from people. By supplying informative content that displays the human element of your dealership, you’ll break the ice much quicker, build rapport and loyalty and become a credible source of information. That credibility translates to trust, and that’s when the purchase decision is solidified. People purchase vehicles from people that they trust.

What topics do you think consumers would find valuable? List them below!

When my wife and I were in the process of potty training our toddler; CORRECTION: When my wife was in the process of potty training our toddler (I liked to think of myself as the fan that cheered him on from the bleachers), we tried a million different “strategies” to get the idea of going potty to stick in his head.

After every successful potty-going experience, my wife rewarded him with a treat of his choosing. We’d clap and cheer for him to express our excitement and show him that he was doing the right thing.

After a while, successful “potty-going” was the norm. We gave him enough treats and positive reinforcement to the point that he began to believe that going potty was his idea all along. After all, he liked the treats and trusted that we would provide the right treat to meet his needs, and now continues to go potty because it’s in his best interest to do so.

You’ve made it this far, keep going with me on this one.

Relevant Content

Relevant content works in a similar way doesn’t it? It’s the “right treat to meet the needs” of those consumers that are searching for it. It gets their attention and trains them to keep opening or seeking out the information that you provide. It essentially rewards them for accomplishing what you want them to and with strategically placed calls-to-action, they’ll be following through how you want them to because it’s in their best interest to do so - it will become the norm.

Content isn’t meant to be a covert operation either. The content you provide needs to be thought out and should provide real valuable information. Have you ever clicked on a link that you thought was relevant to your search only to find out that it was an ad infused cocktail of useless information? Don’t do that.

Provide Real Value

Once you provide value, you’re in a position to ask people to do something that you want them to. It’s the law of reciprocity. You give something of value, and you’ll get something of value in return; in this case, the click-through or download or task that you want the consumer to accomplish after engaging with your content.

On the flip side, if no real value is delivered to the consumer, you’re better off wasting your time filming Harlem Shake videos for YouTube.

What treats are you providing for online vehicle consumers? Let’s get the conversation started below.

When my wife and I were in the process of potty training our toddler; CORRECTION: When my wife was in the process of potty training our toddler (I liked to think of myself as the fan that cheered him on from the bleachers), we tried a million different “strategies” to get the idea of going potty to stick in his head.

After every successful potty-going experience, my wife rewarded him with a treat of his choosing. We’d clap and cheer for him to express our excitement and show him that he was doing the right thing.

After a while, successful “potty-going” was the norm. We gave him enough treats and positive reinforcement to the point that he began to believe that going potty was his idea all along. After all, he liked the treats and trusted that we would provide the right treat to meet his needs, and now continues to go potty because it’s in his best interest to do so.

You’ve made it this far, keep going with me on this one.

Relevant Content

Relevant content works in a similar way doesn’t it? It’s the “right treat to meet the needs” of those consumers that are searching for it. It gets their attention and trains them to keep opening or seeking out the information that you provide. It essentially rewards them for accomplishing what you want them to and with strategically placed calls-to-action, they’ll be following through how you want them to because it’s in their best interest to do so - it will become the norm.

Content isn’t meant to be a covert operation either. The content you provide needs to be thought out and should provide real valuable information. Have you ever clicked on a link that you thought was relevant to your search only to find out that it was an ad infused cocktail of useless information? Don’t do that.

Provide Real Value

Once you provide value, you’re in a position to ask people to do something that you want them to. It’s the law of reciprocity. You give something of value, and you’ll get something of value in return; in this case, the click-through or download or task that you want the consumer to accomplish after engaging with your content.

On the flip side, if no real value is delivered to the consumer, you’re better off wasting your time filming Harlem Shake videos for YouTube.

What treats are you providing for online vehicle consumers? Let’s get the conversation started below.