Myth: You Can’t Expect Results Overnight
If you can’t expect results overnight, how can you expect to stay in business?
There are two kinds of advertising: branding and the kind most dealerships can do. So for you there is only one kind of advertising and that is hardcore, retail-oriented, direct-response, lead-generating, low-cost, overnight-results-getting advertising.
Building a strong, lasting, competitive brand image takes a long time. It’s usually built over generations with lots of clever creative and TONS of advertising dollars. If you don’t have cola company money to spend, you can’t have a cola company brand. If you don’t have theme park money then you can’t have a theme park brand. It’s that simple. That’s why you don’t and can’t spend money to directly brand your business.
What you need is results. Although you can’t develop a brand overnight, the good news is…results can happen overnight!
If your system is sound, your ads are positioned correctly and your marketing uncovers the emotions of your customers, the results will be immediate. You can turn it on and off like a light switch. If you don’t see results right away, one of these factors was faulty.
Brandscending
More good news! Branding can be achieved – without even paying for it. Many people misunderstand our position about branding and believe we’re saying “branding is bad.”
Not so. Paying for brand is bad – unless you have the time and cash to do it properly. Most dealerships don’t. And for those who do, it’s becoming increasingly difficult due to the mass segmentation of the market.
However, building brand for free is a wonderful and very real thing. We like to call it “brandscending.”
Brandscending is the process by which your company carves out a clear and definite place in the minds of the people who care most.
There are several things involved.
- Learn who your prospects are and what they want and give it to them.
- Have a consistent and unique image that’s attached to all of your “results” oriented marketing. Over time, this can help build residual brand effects.
- Offer an experience that is fun, unique or risky. Do something that is worth noticing and worth talking about. As people start to notice and talk, your brand value will increase.
The key is this: never, never, never, never, never buy an ad, say absolutely nothing in it and believe that you “built a little brand” or “got your name out there.” You did not.
Want to learn how to create ads that get you real traffic, real results and result in more sales without spending more on advertising? Download our free eBook Cracking The Creative Code: How To Create Advertising Campaigns That Boost Traffic, Leads And Sales For Your Dealership.