Past Experience - Power or Prison

I was fortunate to sit in a dealership advertising planning meeting. Participants included the Dealer Principal, GSM, Internet Manager and representatives from the ad team. All of whom are good folks. However, I have been a bit critical about the efficacy of recent cable ads. This most recent planning meeting did nothing to change my opinion.

After the primary agenda items were addressed, I had the opportunity to engage the ad team members. Although I am definitely not a media expert, I made the following assertions:

Television is a medium that effectively communicates emotions
Radio better lends itself to factual and analytic information
Over 60% of the population are "feeling / emotional" type personalities vs. {analytical and bottom line driven"

So my questions to the ad folks - "Why do the cable ads keep driving home price, payment and selection?" If my assertions are true, our TV ads are missing the mark for 3 out of every 5 prospects. Can't we talk about the relation and experience one receives at the dealership?

The response was interesting. The ad people said that in a 30 second shoot they did not have enough time for an "emotional" component. Additionally, even the "feelers" are still looking at price and selection. The GSM agreed and with that, the matter was settled and my discussion was over.

That interaction led me to research why change is such a challenging concept. I will share more in another blog, however there are 3 primary reasons for resistance to change.

The rule of first knowledge
Effort requirements
Assumptions about equilibrium - what we are doing is good

Here is my observation. We are defined by our experience. It can help us to achieve and exceed significant goals, or it can shackle us from reaching our potential.

If our "experience box" is fixed and new business ideas, concepts and experiences are not regularly assimilated, assessed and added where appropriate; then the box becomes a prison of our own making. Our experience holds us hostage to the familiar, while the world, our customers and the market continues to change.

I welcome your thoughts...Ron

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Comment by Joe Clementi on March 24, 2011 at 11:12am: Interesting post Ron. Media plays the role of "top of mind" advertising, which on the surface is really silly. It is true that consumers are more driven by emotions. Media's job is to create a need through some type of loss if the consumer doesn't have your product. The solution: buy our product! Simple enough, right?

The real solution here is what you described as the "experience box". I think you brought your point together well...too bad those that needed to read it haven't.

Nice job!

Comment by Bobby Compton on March 19, 2011 at 9:58am: Great share Ron!

You state that your not a media expert, but I think you have an insight that some media experts fail to realize! As you stated - "Television is a medium that effectively communicates emotions" SPOT ON.

I couldn't agree with you more in regards to the price and selection message - "If my assertions are true, our TV ads are missing the mark for 3 out of every 5 prospects" once again you are SPOT ON.

Any and all forms of media should be used to tell the story of what a business represents, who they are as people and the quality of service they provide. There is no question that 30 second T.V. spots use to be limited on the message they carry, as it's a timing issue but can still have impact.

I like your statement - "If our "experience box" is fixed and new business ideas, concepts and experiences are not regularly assimilated, assessed and added where appropriate; then the box becomes a prison of our own making. Our experience holds us hostage to the familiar, while the world, our customers and the market continues to change" once again - SPOT ON.

There are some new and super powerful interactive T.V. technologies that allow for a dealer to generate live leads via T.V. in combination with web video marketing. I can tell you that T.V. advertising is on the verge of exploding like never before.

As far as other forms of media, we retain 7% of what we read, 38% of what we hear and 55% of what we see. Dealerships that put their message in front of a customer through video marketing will be the ones selling cars and thriving in the future!

The key is to know how to maximize each media opportunity and to have a direction other than what everybody else does. The air ways are flooded with price and selection. I'm a firm believer in that people buy from people they like, it's that simple!

Way to go Ron, your share is SPOT ON...