Marketing Is About To Get Really, Really Hard!

Put a Post-It note right where you can see it and write down:

Marketing Is About To Get Really Hard!  What Am I Doing About It?

It’s the calm before the storm.  

Are dealers about to be caught unprepared?  The answer is a resounding YES!

If you thought marketing was challenging in 2009 watch the next few years closely!

HERE’S SOME BREAKING NEWS

There’s a dealer or two in your market who is preparing to dominate your market.  They’re developing an integrated marketing strategy that focuses on relevancy.  They understand the change in the air.

Here’s what they know!  The market place wants you to be relevant to their information needs and their communication preferences.

Many experts are calling it circle marketing or small town marketing.  Either way the consumer wants more relevant information and on their terms. 

For example this is going to affect:

• How you approach Google Ad Words
• Where you send  your consumers
• What offers  you make
• How you connect via Social Media, Digital or Traditional Media

Every message and path needs to be Integrated!

Social Media has forever changed the landscape.  It has empowered people to get relevant information and to share their experiences.  They’ve  discovered they can dictate how they wish to be communicated with.

Stop and write down  Social Media is my friend not my enemy.  It’s the missing link.  The link that will allow you to fully integrate your marketing efforts.  It will allow you to reach the circles and to be the leader in small town marketing.

Don’t think I’m talking about Facebook.  Facebook is only a tool.  I’m talking about the entire social media world.  It’s a place not a tool.

Integration strategists understand by expanding your frequency and interaction between media channels,  you’ll expand both your reach and your frequency while maintaining your brand and retail message.

Remember this>>> “The early adopters of integration strategies are thrilled about the reluctance of it’s competitors to keep pace.”

Don’t stick your head in the sand.  Marketing is about to get REALLY, REALLY HARD!

If your  RV  ad agency is not taking to you about integration they might just be too old school.  Don’t let their lack of vision affect your future.  Ask about small town marketing. Ask about relevancy.  

Give me a shout if you want to talk integration.. I love it!

RV Advertising and The New Google Search

  

 Google Has Combined It’s Local Map Search With Organic Results!

If  you haven’t noticed yet the Google map has been pushed to the right side of the screen above the sponsored links. Businesses no longer are listed directly to the right of it. Moving the map to the right has allowed the organic results to move up.

This is an effort by Google to put more emphasis on local searches.  Place Searches will become a big player in your future.

 If a business that’s listed well in the organic results has a Google Places account set up, its listing will be enhanced from the photos, reviews and contact information pulled from Google Places. 

You’ll also notice on the left side of the page, beneath some of the organic search listings a button that say Places.  If a consumer clicks on this bottom they’ll see all the Google Places Results.  

Important to notice the review sections here.  This is going to become really important to you!

So how does this effect you…

• Since you do business locally you need to get all over Google Places.
• Traditional search engine strategies (Bloging for one) that help a website rank high will have more importance.  
• Reviews will be easier for consumers to find. You must work on good Customer service and getting reviews published.
• You may see less website traffic because addresses and phone numbers are easier to find in the search engine results. .

What the Dealer Should Do?

It will be hard for you to rank well for local search without a well-optimized website, a claimed optimized Google Places page and social media program centered around a blog.

• Set up or claim your Google pages/local account at http://bit.ly/gooclaim. Fill out your listing as completely as possible, including images. Add as many categories as you can (five as of now).
• Start asking people to leave reviews on your Google Places page as well as on third-party sites.
• If you don’t have a social media program get one started today!

 Google is making “local and relevant” a priority.  If you need some help with your RV Advertising  give us a call.

Thanks to Streamcompanies.com for the their insight in this subject.

The Digital Customer and RV Advertising

The digital customer is becoming more and more important to your business.  

The digital customer continues to  evolve.  How they shop and how they use the internet should be of great interest to you.  Just having a website isn’t enough.

Your RV Advertising needs to evolve with the shopping habits of today’s consumers.

If you need more insight and marketing ideas give me a call.  A good marketing program needs to incorporate traditional advertising, digital and social media.  Just remember market share is up for grabs.  

Social Media Now You See It Now You Don’t!

Don’t be fooled!  It’s jut invisible.  

Social media is growing like a wildfire.  Get in the conversation.  

Today, there’s no better way to expand your marketing reach without significantly increasing your  budget.   

Give me a call if you’d like to share some thoughts or just drop me a comment.

Your RV Advertising must have a Social Media program.  Your competition is stepping up.

Achieve Some Great ROI For Your RV Advertising

One of my basic rules for social media:

• Inject social media into traditional advertising. 

Although digital marketing might not be as old as television and radio it gives you a great opportunity to reach out to your customers.  Creating a newsletter using your Blog content will connect with your database.

These three examples are taken from a Social.Motive sldie show.  They demonstrate regardless the size of your database you can expect some great results.  Each of these newsletters would cost $500 to $ 1,000 if created from scratch.  In a good social media program they are just an added benefit.

RESULTS:

• Open rate in these three examples ranged from 18% to 32%.   You really should be doing this once a month if you want to effectively own your customers and grow your market share.  This is great ROI! 

If your RV Advertising agency or staff is not prepared execute give us a call.  We can get you on track in a very short time.

Blog Strategies For RV Advertising

The Blog really needs to be the center of your Social Media program.  

If you’re ready to integrate social media into your RV Advertising this video blog will help.

If you’d like some more ideas give me a ring or shoot me an email. 

The New Marketing Triangle For Your RV Advertising

 

The Master Merchandising Triangle has been the corner stone of  retail advertising programs for the past 30 years.  Inventory, Sales Staff and Advertising were the three legs to the Master Merchandising Triangle.  Each need to be in place for an effective marketing plan.

The concept is this:

Inventory:  Desirable inventory at the right price point is in place and ready to be promoted.

Sales Staff: A well trained and informed staff is ready to sell the promotional vehicles.

Advertising:  An attention getting  message and a good buy with lots of frequency is in place.

When all of these were aligned you could count on a successful promotion. Today; however, the advertising leg of this triangle has changed drastically. When Lee Galles created PRA (Planned Result Advertising) the only marketing channels available were broadcast television, radio, newspaper and direct mail. 

As a result I would like to share with you the new RV Marketing Triangle.

The three legs of great automotive marketing are now:

   Traditional Media “TV, Radio, Direct Mail, Newspaper”

   Digital  ”Websites, Text, Email, Banner Ads”

   Social Media   “Blog, Facebook, Twitter”

   You can’t ignore  these three critical marketing channels.

 One doesn’t replace the other, they only enhance each other. When all three areas are
working effectively the integration is magical.  They grow in strength with
each other and are enhanced far beyond their singular strength.

Today, many dealers are questioning traditional media.  If you want to make
your traditional media stronger, add digital and social to your marketing
plan.  If you want to make your digital marketing more effective, get
involved in social.

One reason dealers are hesitant to execute under this New Marketing Triangle is budgeting.  

Budgets are tight and dealers are just not sure how to integrate the three.  Here’s some simple but effective advise.

• 70/25/5 Budget Plan

        70% of  your budget should be in traditional media.

         20% percent in digital.

         5% percent in social media.

Reality is this:  Social Media doesn’t cost a lot of money just a lot of
time.  You only need to budget $2,500 to have the most powerful plan in your
market.  It’s really a no brainer.

Your RV Advertising needs to focus on the New Marketing
Triangle.  Three good legs are a lot better than two.

How are you doing on your new triangle?