CrossCheck Blog

CrossCheck Blog

Check Processing & Payments Information

Using Features and Advantages to Increase Auto Dealer Sales

Posted by Joe Gargiulo | Mon, Jun 06, 2016 @ 10:00 AM
What do automobiles, burritos and aged whiskey have in common? … As it turns out, quite a bit. The three seemingly different products have been marketed with taglines for a very long time. Consider “The Ultimate Driving Machine” by BMW, “Live Más” by Taco Bell, and more recently, actress Mila Kunis softly saying, “That’s how Jim Beam makes history...  How will you make yours?”

Taglines and slogans are the creative work of well-compensated advertising agencies that may chew up months of time and thousands of permutations developing a few simple words that are intended to express conscious and subconscious meaning that will resonate with consumers.Woman showing Navel hugs man in celebration at auto dealership

Entrepreneur.com’s Small Business Encyclopedia defines slogans as “a catchphrase or small group of words that are combined in a special way to identify a product or company.”

“While logos are visual representations of a brand, slogans are audible representations of a brand,” wrote growth marketer Anum Hussain on the HubSpot blog. “Both formats grab consumers' attention … if they remember nothing else from an advertisement, they'll remember the slogan.”

The Takeaway

Auto dealerships benefit from the support provided by manufacturers spending big bucks on taglines and a fleet of other promotional tools. Those efforts translate to increased sales for the dealership as well as the manufacturer, but there is another important takeaway: the criteria established by advertisers during the creation of “sticky” slogans also translate to the art of selling cars.

Specifically, the four characteristics needed to develop a great slogan as defined by HowStuffWorks-Money can be used by dealerships to create positive brand images that will increase floor traffic and sell more cars:

  • It's memorable
  • It imparts positive feelings about the brand
  • It differentiates the brand
  • It includes key benefits (see below for our grouping of benefits with features and advantages)

It’s Memorable

In his book, Make It Memorable, veteran NBC national correspondent Bob Dotson discusses the ins and outs of television journalism, including ways to create indelible images for the audience.

“Viewers relate to people rather than sound bites,” he wrote. “A strong central character helps them understand the story.” Similarly, dealerships would be well-served by only hiring strong central characters — i.e. employees with exceptional character and communications skills.

Mechanics and back office personnel rarely address the public, but greeters, service managers, salespeople, and F&I staff should be capable of reiterating the dealership’s elevator speech anytime, anywhere. “You aren’t ready to write a story until you can state your message in one sentence,” said Dotson.

It imparts positive feelings about the brand

Whatever message is selected by the dealership, it needs to conjure positive feelings for the brand among consumers. The goal is to create ethos and pathos, two of the primary forms of communication from Greek mythology that generate a sense of credibility and emotion, respectively. Consider, for example, Jane Doe Chevrolet, “Where the deals are always square.” Of course, the deals had better be square if you’re going to brag about it and put it up in lights both metaphorically and literally. In public relations, they call it “walking the talk.”

It differentiates the brand

At this juncture, you would be correct if you’ve deduced that each of the essential characteristics is interconnected and interdependent. Thus, if the message is memorable and imparts positive feelings, there is a huge possibility that it creates brand differentiation.

“Your differentiation is what you offer or do that sets you apart from other companies similar to you,” states Insight180.

Think about it. How would the public react to a dealership that separates itself from the competition by generating positive vibes in an industry much maligned for being … shall we say, “shady”?

Work that theme in everything the dealership touches — from tag lines, advertising, and printed materials to test drives, F&I closes, and social media.

It includes key benefits and advantages

Car salespeople have applied the “feature, benefit, and advantage” model of modern marketing to move stock for over a half-century. Often misunderstood, the process gains traction with a little imagination: a feature is a product or service that establishes a benefit and offers an advantage to the user and seller. For example, Volvo’s three-point seat belt (feature) was introduced in 1959 to improve safety (benefit) and reduce injury (an advantage to passengers as well as Volvo since it had the edge over its competition).

Similarly, the hypothetical positive brand image, “Where the deals are always square.” (feature), eliminates the need for customers to approach every dealership on auto row (benefit), thus saving time to engender an advantage for them as well as Jane Doe Chevrolet.

The square deal concept is certainly a lofty achievement, but perhaps something or someone already exists in your dealership that satisfies the four conditions. It could be your award-winning service department that stays open evenings and weekends, or your house policy of matching any deal offered in writing by the competition. Whatever it is — use it — and use it wisely and often as you discover an advantage that answers the question: “How will you make yours?”

CrossCheck's Auto Industry Remote Deposit Capture Solution (C.A.R.S.) can save you the time needed to discover your unique selling points. Designed specifically for the auto industry, the service is a fast and easy way to mitigate the risk of returned checks, increase sales, and save time and money. In addition to Multiple Check, C.A.R.S. offers Check on Delivery (COD) for the Parts and Service department and free loaner equipment. With each authorized check, funds are automatically processed and deposited into a dealership's account. Online reporting allows easy access to status and activity 24/7/365. Learn more by clicking below.

The workshops and round-table discussions identify the need for efficient payment processing at the purchasing level, and our full suite of payment solutions stands ready to expedite your activity. In addition to C.A.R.S., we offer Standard Check Guarantee, Flat Fee Warranty , and Plus Sales. Learn more by selecting the above links to product information or downloading our free C.A.R.S. guide now. - See more at: http://www.cross-check.com/blog/crosscheck-gives-the-nada-of-approval#sthash.0puYs0Ji.dpuf
The workshops and round-table discussions identify the need for efficient payment processing at the purchasing level, and our full suite of payment solutions stands ready to expedite your activity. In addition to C.A.R.S., we offer Standard Check Guarantee, Flat Fee Warranty , and Plus Sales. Learn more by selecting the above links to product information or downloading our free C.A.R.S. guide now. - See more at: http://www.cross-check.com/blog/crosscheck-gives-the-nada-of-approval#sthash.TNdhHV5z.dpuf
The workshops and round-table discussions clearly identify the need for efficient payment processing at the purchasing level, and our full suite of payment solutions stands ready to expedite your activity. In addition to C.A.R.S., we offer Standard Check Guarantee, Flat Fee Warranty and Plus Sales. Learn more by selecting the above links to product information or downloading our free C.A.R.S. guide now. - See more at: http://www.cross-check.com/blog/crosscheck-gives-the-nada-of-approval#sthash.TNdhHV5z.dpuf

auto dealer remote deposit capture

Topics: Auto Dealerships, Increase Sales

Written by Joe Gargiulo

Marketing Specialist Joe Gargiulo has 25-plus years in marketing, communications and copy writing. As a writer, he enjoys connecting story leads to all aspects of the human experience.