When I look back on my years as an employer I thought of tthese two things first-

1. Took me 10 minutes to count how many people who are  current business owners, General Managers or Leaders in other industries who worked for me.     17

2. What would I change?  I would have gone to the bank much earlier. Stubbornly wanting to do it all with my own money early on made it harder later on. Didn't learn to do it with other peoples money until I was older. 

Other than that, I wouldn't have changed a thing!!!

Understanding Buyer Personas

The Rogers Buyers Persona & Adoption Curve describes how new ideas are accepted and adopted by groups. The theory was developed by Joe M. Bohlen, George M. Beal and Everett M. Rogers at Iowa State University, in 1957. In the 1980's their research was then further developed by Geoffrey Moore. He applied the concepts to Technological products and services. The work done by these consumer scientists enables us to craft messaging and consumer communications that speak to the ear of each group of "Personas”.

-The Innovator-

Consumer description: Innovators are the first individuals to adopt. They are willing to take risks, youngest in age, very social and have closest contact to sources & interaction with other innovators. Risk has them adopting technologies which may ultimately fail--financial resources help absorb these failures.

Strategy:

Focus on the chance to be first and being part of something new.

Tactics: “Be one of the first to discover”    “Be one of the first to benefit from….”

-The Early Adopter-

This is the second fastest adopting category of individuals. These folks have the highest degree of opinion leadership among the other categories. They are typically younger in age, have more financial freedom, advanced education than late adopters. More discrete in adoption choices than innovators- they are-judicious in their approach to making changes..

Strategy:

Focus on the ability to lead the field—innovate—become a market leader

Tactics: Social media, **Thought leadership arenas, Challenge selling approach. “You will find as other enthusiast have found”

-The Early Majority-  

Individuals in this category adopt an innovation after a varying degree of time. This time of adoption is significantly longer than the innovators and early adopters. Early Majority tend to be slower in the adoption process, have above average social status and contact with early adopters and seldom hold positions of opinion leadership.

Strategy:

Focus on trust building. Show and prove concept.

Tactics: **Case study, spoken case story, reviews.

“You could be experiencing the success that they have been having...”

-The Late Majority-

Individuals in this category will adopt an innovation after the average member of the society. These individuals approach an innovation with a high degree of skepticism and after the majority of society has adopted the innovation. Late Majority are typically skeptical about an innovation, have below average social status, very little financial lucidity, in contact with others in late majority and early majority, very little opinion leadership.

These are fence riders, not sure if they should do something or they shouldn’t. More than any other audience, they agonize over purchase decisions and look for advice and acceptance from others before switching providers.

Tactics: State that you understand the risks involved. Offer a direct chance to talk to one your clients. The personal referral and assurance is what this person needs to do business with you.

-The Laggards-

These are the last to adopt. Unlike some of the previous categories, individuals here show little to no opinion leadership. These individuals typically have an aversion to change-agents and tend to be advanced in age. Laggards typically tend to be focused on “traditions”, likely to have lowest social status, lowest financial fluidity, be oldest of all other adopters, in contact with only family and close friends, very little to no opinion leadership.

Tactics:

In marketing terms these can be considered to be your present repeat clients or those of your competition.

Putting It All Together

Now that you have an understanding of Data Mining coupled with the persona descriptors and tactics that can attract more of each kind of consumer how could you tie it together? The wording of your offers, the description of your services and the messaging you express can now hit on the exact triggers you know are important to the buying public.

Examples:

-----Current long term clients to your business are the Laggards

Messages here need to be reminders of how good you have been to them over the years. Loyalty rewards offers. Inform them that you are keeping up with all that is going on so they don’t have to worry.

“Come see our new Service facility”   

“If not for you our valued customer…”   

“People like you have made us who we are today. Thank you!”

-----Folks out there looking for stronger “value” not just the best “deal” are the Late Majority.

“High quality @ down to Earth pricing”

“Our customer under pay but we over perform” 

“ ABC Dealership, where our people make the difference”

-----Innovators and Early/Late Majority can be spoken to in the same language.

Think of these as your competitions customers. These are folks who have not done business with you yet. But, will if they feel you have more to offer, have a compelling value proposition and are technologically advanced then who provides them the service now.

“Our top ranked service department”

“Easy, fast, friendly and affordable…”

“Online pricing, online scheduling, text reminders, shuttle service…We make it easy”

So if we merge all of it to make one comprehensive message that can speak to all audiences it could sound something like this:

“ Here we grow again!

We would like to invite you to come see our newly upgraded Service facility.

People like you made us who we are today and we want to show our thanks with these special opportunities

$20.18 Oil/Filter change, safety inspection

$201.80 added to your trade in

Quality work done on time by people you can trust.

XYZ Dealership, where “average” is a four letter word.

Etc…

Another approach would be to create messages to each individual audience and then cast data

mined searches to seek out these consumers in your market area population. You can use differing

indicators to identify the right people and demographic groups.

Targeted audience, focused phrasing, meaningful messaging and mindful strategic and tactical executions will allow you to thrive when others may be suffering. By putting the latest in technological tools at your disposal you can gain the unfair advantage that you’ve been looking for.

SCS  12/9/2017

Data source:

http://www.v12data.com/blog/a-look-at-trends-and-statistics-in-the-automotive-aftermarket-industry-2017/