Having just returned from NADA where I attended several
marketing seminars, it is clear that the age old marketing
debate rages on: Do I begin branding entirely and retire my
retail messaging completely? Do consumers care about price
and item anymore? Unfortunately, there is no magic bullet
that takes care of all of our concerns at once. Anyone who
claims to have the one formula that answers all of our
marketing questions is just another salesman selling liver
pills from the back of his wagon. The answer lies in
applying several formulas, using market research and keeping
our eyes and ears open to ever changing trends.
Make no mistake, branding is important, but all the branding
in the world will not target the specific customer who is
looking for your product right now. Reaching the "Now"
market should always be the primary directive for your
advertising and your marketing strategies. To reach this
market, The Mudd Group has defined, through our years of
experience, elements that are essential to create the
correct message. We call these elements, "The Fab Five."
They are:
1) An Arresting Headline (it is crucial to get audience
attention. We believe that this can be done in a number of
ways from a hard sell fashion to a soft sell, a good jingle,
or even a clever premise)
2) Simply Stated True Value (define your Unique Selling
Proposition- this is part of your brand!)
3) Make the offer and repeat it (the important retail
message; what is it we are selling?)
4) Create a Sense of Urgency (this is the call to action:
NOW is the time to buy, not next month)
and finally,
5) Ask for the Order (there is no reason to be shy with the
customer- where do they find you?
We have what you're looking for!).
Every advertisement should contain these elements whether it
is a hard sell, medium or soft. The tone of the
advertisement will be according to the market, the product,
your personal style, even the time of year. From the basic
structure of "The Fab Five" branding elements are developed,
as well. Every message should contain aggressive retailing
and the branding message that tells us what sets your
dealership apart.
Contrary to some of what I've heard at various seminars- We
believe that you can have your cake and eat it too. Branding
and aggressive retailing can and should live
together-bringing you the best possible message to drive
traffic to your store.
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