Some industries offer up the best advice without really meaning or trying to. One such example is the United States auto industry and their effective marketing tips.
Before you scoff at the idea, hear me out. We’ve had cars on the road since the early 1900s, and auto makers had to sell the idea to consumers that their brand is the right choice. They must be doing something right!
Through a few simple tips, you can easily make your company the next top contender in your industry, and maybe even take over the world, too!
Offer a Model for Everyone
What do you think of when you see a specific type of car on the road? For example, you’d assume that compact sedans are best for people who travel mainly by themselves or with one passenger, and family sedans are for, well, families. But there are also small SUVs, large SUVs, hatchbacks, trucks, minivans, and anything else you can think to put four wheels on, and each one appeals to a different group of people.
My point is this: Auto makers know that some consumers are just starting out in their careers and that established families need all the space they can get, therefore they already know which features are ideal for each. They have a vehicle ready for everyone’s stage of life.
What you can pull away: Seriously think about your consumer. What do they do? What are their interests? What’s important to them, and what are their likes and dislikes? The more you know about your customers, the more you can tailor a product just for them. It makes marketing to them easier, too!
Use Every Medium of Advertising to Your Advantage
Even though GM dropped their Facebook ads, that doesn’t mean it was the smartest solution to their woes. Other auto makers utilize social media, television campaigns, print campaigns, partnerships, and even guerrilla marketing. They use whatever means they can to have your see their brand somehow.
Chances are, there’s a car ad on the side of your Facebook profile as you’re reading this, and we’ve all sat through the TV commercials for the latest truck while watching a sporting event. Flip through any magazine and you’ll be sure to see at least one auto maker’s print ad boasting about their vehicle’s impressive gas mileage.
For example, Kia has partnered up with the popular summer music and extreme sports tour, Vans Warped Tour. The attendees of this tour are Kia’s prime target market, and therefore have an excellent opportunity to get their name out there to potential customers.
What you can pull away: Don’t put all of your eggs in one basket! It may be expensive to stretch your budget to include every advertising medium possible, but don’t instantly write off one style because of the stories you’ve heard. Give it a try once and see what happens. It could be a complete and utter failure, but at least you’ll know and won’t have the “what if” question stamped in your mind. Also, remember that different age groups and demographics interact with different advertising mediums. What attracts a younger customer to your brand could be completely ignored by an older customer, for example.
Have an Interesting and “Clickable” Website
Check out any auto brand’s website and you’ll easily spend a couple minutes clicking around, even if you’re not in the market to buy a car. All the information is right there, ready for customers to study. There’s no awkward clicking around to find their social media icons or hunting to find out about their latest events and newest partnerships. One quick look and you’ll find all the information you wanted.
What you can pull away: Design your website as if someone only has a few minutes to find everything, but make it so that they’ll want to stick around. Keep it clean, streamlined, and uncluttered to get the most traffic possible! Remember, if the site won’t hold your attention then it won’t hold anyone else’s, either.
The auto industry has definitely had a few slip ups, but they still provide some great examples of how to efficiently market your company in your industry. Don’t assume your product will be a “one size fits all” for customers; instead, provide variety to attract the largest segment. Try a new form of advertising before you write it off as a failure, it may just surprise you! Finally, take another look at your website and get some real, honest feedback. Although asking your mom may be the most convenient, she probably won’t be totally truthful.
Now get in that driver’s seat and take control of your marketing!
Amy Swanson is part of the content department at Quality Logo Products. When she’s not writing killer content for giveaway items like promotional tote bags, she’s blogging about business inspiration. She is a marketing nerd and TV enthusiast who cites Parks and Recreation as one of her favorites. But don’t ask her to put in a good word with Ron Swanson – she unfortunately can’t help you there.
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It’s easy to experiment or be a little more risky with your advertising spend when you’re using tax payers dollars and not your own – JK!
In all seriousness, if there is one thing the auto industry is not afraid of doing, it’s to spend $ on advertising. For example – Hyundai sponsored the entire first season of “Falling Skies”. I thought that was kind of cool.
While most car advertising, sans special offers, does NOTHING for me in terms of influencing my purchasing decision, I do appreciate them keeping the ad economy running (even while/when their cars might not – JK!)!
That’s awesome about Hyundai sponsoring “Falling Skies”. I never knew that before! What a way to get your name out there, plus you can have quite the bargaining power and request that your competition can’t have any airtime while you’re footing the bill for the show. I tip my hat to you, Hyundai.
Thanks so much for the read through and comment, Bret!
Great post, Amy! You know, I’ve never thought of auto makers as exemplary, but you nailed this topic. You’re so right about their makes/models catering to different groups of people! Minivans aren’t going to appeal to college kids…they’re going to appeal to families. Just like pickup trucks aren’t likely to appeal to city dwellers, and so on. By giving individual groups of people the options they need (and want), they’re doing good business and figuring out what makes consumers tick.
Non-auto marketers could take a page or two from this strategy. Sometimes I feel as if no one knows what I want (I’m talking to YOU, Facebook ads…)
Thanks so much, Jill
While not every company can hop on the bandwagon (pun intended) of catering to each customer demographic out there, they can at least make sure the ones that they cater to are aware of their company. Whether it’s through advertising, having an easy to find and use website, they shouldn’t just sit back and hope for the best.
And I totally agree with your Facebook comment, there’s some out there that just make me shake my head in disbelief. I wish there was a way you could tailor the ads to your preferences. Yes, I am “in a relationship” however that doesn’t mean I’m a candidate for engagement ring ads. Ads about restaurants in my area? Now those you can bring on!
Great post, Amy! I especially like the bit about offering a model for everyone. I see often in entrepreneurship advice that people should really narrow down to a target consumer and make everything about that person. But offering some variety is great for those target consumers that want to include their friends or family on the same type of product or service even if those friends and family would not likely seek out the product or service themselves.
I know that not every company out there isn’t financially capable of providing a product for everyone, but nor should they pigeon hole themselves into one demographic. It’s amazing what other customers are using your products/services for, and sometimes you may even stumble upon an idea you never would’ve considered before!
Glad you enjoyed the article, Jana! Thanks for reading and the awesome comment!
I feel like SO many companies just make the things they THINK people they want, when if they did a little more research they’d find they’re off base. Yet then they’re confused as to why something didn’t sell well. Like the handheld Sony Playstation Vita. Hello McFly! Everyone has super high tech smartphones that do everything now! Not many people are looking for a handheld expensive gaming only machine.
Excellent points Amy! The industry has really rebounded nicely!
Market research can be both a blessing and a curse. Yes, you find that customers “say” they want product XYZ, but will they actually buy it when they find out it costs ‘X’ amount? They won’t? Well, too bad because you made enough for everyone in the country to have three! You have to analyze the data thoroughly before just throwing your hat in the ring and going full-force.
Thanks for the comment, Jeff!
Great post, Amy! I love the part about having a clickable website. Auto makers do have wonderful sites. It doesn’t matter how I get to a site, it’s inevitable that I’ll build myself a car before I leave. And while I’m not currently in the market, I certainly remember which sites were easier to navigate and which cars had better features with better prices!
Also love the advice about not putting all of your eggs in one marketing basket. I read too often that people are abandoning traditional advertising and heading over strictly to social media. Sure, that’s great if you’re online, but what about if you’re browsing a magazine in the checkout lane or driving down the highway? You just never know where you’re going to catch a potential customer’s attention.
Haha, I always create cars on their website too, even though I’m not in the market either. It’s always fun to play the “what if I had money” game
You have a smart idea in making notes now which sites are easier to navigate than when it’s crunch time and you have to make a decision.
Companies that expect 1 form of advertising to be the saving grace are just silly. You’re going to miss out on a lot of potential customers that way. You don’t have to spend millions in advertising, diversify and see what works.
Thanks for the read and comment, Mandy!
Amy,
As Henry Ford famously said “If I asked what my customers wanted they would say ‘a faster horse’” – the auto industry from its birth required it to practice good marketing, as it had to create demand for its product in addition to communicating how it could be satisfied. Thanks!
That’s an excellent point, David. Creating demand for a product is tough, but being able to tell customers that their product is worth buying is another challenge that must be tackled. The auto industry has had their challenges the past few years, but you can’t discount all their years of marketing. I think it’s a safe bet that they changed the marketing scene from the very beginning!
Thanks so much for stopping by and commenting! I really appreciate it