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It’s the execution of a pure old-fashioned product launch, which is exactly what we need a car manufacturer to step up and do. Create a product that is exciting and people can’t wait to see it, then keep it a secret but leak just enough to create hype so that millions of people are waiting for the unveiling.

I get the feeling that auto manufactures spend hundreds of millions on product design and development and no one is as excited about that as they are a $500 hand held computer.

Case in point, last year I leased a brand new 2009 BMW. I love the car, and it drives great, but it’s same old same as far as features go. It doesn’t have satellite radio (an option), my Iphone doesn’t integrate in any meaningful way, and the car just doesn’t tickle my curiosity like my I-Phone or Mac Book Pro.

It’s clear that the long-standing mistake made in our business is that we think its safety, reliability and mpg that sells cars.

Although it is now an expectation, that isn’t why consumers buy cars. If you have ever read the book “The Culture Code: An Ingenious Way to Understand Why People Around the World Live and Buy as They Do ” by Clotaire Rapaille, he explains that after Chrysler Executives hired him to help with product design, they went on to tell him that customers wanted reliability, safety, and mpg.
Where they wrong? You bet…  

After he performed his research, he found that the American car buyer at heart viewed the automobile as freedom.
At a very early age we view the car as our escape vehicle from our parents.
I can connect with that personally, I will never forget at sixteen, the feeling of being able to go pick up my girlfriend in my Chevy Citation. Paint peeling and all, it was the start of adulthood for me. It fed my imagination with all of the ideas and plans for the future.

I have come to expect that the automotive industry is slow to adapt to integrating new technologies into cars. But I have made a career out of changing expectations and results quickly. It takes a little imagination and pinpoint execution to get it done right.

Why can’t I order my dream get away car in one of hundred’s of colors, with all the cool options included, and have it be fun and intuitive?

People buy based on emotions, and Apple has done a fantastic job invoking emotions of awe, acceptance (being part of the club), and uniqueness from consumers.

The auto industry needs to take a page out of the book of the marketing gurus at Apple and give the consumers that same feeling with the new products they unveil.

American consumers absolutely love their cars. We created the car culture. Auto manufacturers have an easy audience to market to, consumers are hungry for fun and exciting new cars right now, and all the auto industry has to do is step up to bat.

This is a great opportunity for Toyota, with all it’s recent woes, to distract consumers away from the bad publicity by launching a fun and innovative new vehicle to its line of boring, economy minded, people movers. Combine that with clever marketing and a strategic buzz build-up to create just what they need to get them out of their current pickle and breath life into the stagnant automotive market.

They would undoubtedly sell out and be slow to meet demand, only amplifying the desirability and hype of their new product.

Consumer’s want new and awesome, they want their beloved vehicles, one of their biggest investments, to keep pace with the technological and styling advancements of their other gadgets. No one wants to see another unremarkable and vapid remake of a classic car like the gimmicky Mustangs, Camaros, and Challengers.

Our primal purchasing impulses are not stimulated by city fuel economy increasing by 3 mpg, or an additional airbag stuffed in some pillar somewhere.

The auto manufacturer that figures this out first and responds effectively will be able to leap above the competition and become the dominant leader in the market.

I share one of my really big secrets…I already had an email from a friend that I shared to much…

I call it the "Bulldog System" and it will help you sell more maintenance and increase you parts gross profit at the same time.

Click on either picture to go to the online version of the magazine

Click On Magazine To Be Taken To The August Online Issue

Article is on page 32-33….or just look for the picture of the Bulldog…

I recently caught Mr. X in  Las Vegas and twisted his arm to sit down and let me interview him.

He is the real deal with an Effective Labor Rate of $173.99

Mr X with Tyler Connolly from Theory Of A Dead Man at Crue Fest

Not surprising with all of the bad Automotive Industry News, Mr X seemed immune to it all.

He was talking about Driving Sales, Service Marketing, Service Advisor Training, all while having a great time

He shares his Secrets to:

• Turning An Average Day Into A Huge Day
• Service Manager Time Management
• How The Role Of Service Managers Has Changed In The Last Couple Years
• One Thing He Did,  His Dealer Can't Stop Thanking Him For
• Marketing And Customer Retention
• Reading The Financial Statement And What He Looks At Daily

Mr. X and a cute girl in the crowd at Crue Fest

Put your name and email into the opt in box on the right and you will
immediately get an email with a link to the Video of Mr. X in Vegas….

Mr X is also a member of the Secret Secret Service Society.

He may have crossed the line and shared too much in the interview.

But if you pick up one tip or idea its worth it…

Poolside at Rehab (Hard Rock Las Vegas)

We literally went from selling 6 "Express Details" a day to 24 by one simple change in our process….Watch video

Increase Your Customer Pay Sales This Summer

1. Create a Detail/Spa Menu (Good, Better, Best)

2. If at all possible, present the menu to customer before they get to the Service Advisor

3. Purpose is to sell the Express Detail (99.95-129.95). Should take detailer/car washer less that an hour to complete

……….

And only when you are ready…..launch #4

4. Install the H20 Exploder into your System….

sell an induction service by “Number One”

“Number One” is his nickname because he won our monthly BMW advisor competition 6 out of 12 months last year. Sometimes it feels like he wins the monthly competition at will and no coincidence he is asking to roll play. Always looking for the law of “slight edge”

"Number One"

I think he thought I would go into a bunch of product knowledge and information, but that never sells anything… He made it to easy on me, because he said our customer was driving an M3…

Here’s how the conversation went….

Me: Good morning Mr M3…how are you doing? (I open his door for him and he gets out of the car)

Mr. M3: Great Thanks

Me: I love your car…how long have you had it?

Mr. M3: Over two years I think…

Me: It’s awesome…ok can I ask you a real question? How fast have you driven it?

Mr. M3: Haha 140….

Me: No way…what was that like? Holy cow…

Mr. M3: (Big Smile) (Reliving that in his head)

Me: Where did you do it?

Mr. M3: I-15 on my way to Vegas

Me: Do you go to Vegas a lot?

Mr. M3: Yeah, I guess

Me: I love Vegas…where do you stay?

Mr. M3: Depends, but most of the time the Mandalay Bay…

Me: Let’s walk around your car and check it out…. could you do me a favor….

Mr. M3: Sure

Me: I’m going to measure your tread depth and check your tire pressure…. while I do that, could you write down the tread depth and psi for me in these boxes here as we go (I hand Mr. M3 the clip board with the walk around sheet, and a pen)…we also will check the car for any bumps and bruises…

Top Dog

Me: Mr. M3…how often do you check your tire pressure?

Mr. M3: Never, should I do that?

Me: Yeah, it’s a good idea…do you have nitrogen in these tires?

Mr. M3: I don’t think so…do I want my tires to explode?

Me: Nitrogen doesn’t explode…no, but that’s funny. I can’t believe we haven’t set you up with nitrogen yet, I can’t think of any of my M3 or M5 customers that don’t have it. . We will get that handled today…

Note: I just did two things there…I associated Mr. M3 with all of my other customers…They have it, so it must be good…Second…I just assumed it was a done deal. The only person worried about price at this point is the advisor, depending on his abilities…

Me: Ok M3, lets check your tire pressure and tread depth and do me a favor and write down what I say next to the corresponding tire diagram on the sheet on the clip board….rear right tire…29 psi, and 5 mill’s on tread depth….

Now we would walk all four tires as the customer writes down the info for me…

Me: Ok, lets go inside and start the paper work…

Now inside sitting at my desk and I check history in Reynolds…

Me: I have you down for your service, nitrogen, and one other thing I noticed you should do for your racecar at this mileage. It helps with performance and gas mileage it’s an Induction Service.

Mr. M3: Is that covered under maintenance?

Me: Yes, the inspection service is…. but the Nitrogen and Induction are not. Maintenance is great, really only two things that are not really a part of it… Tires and Fuel related stuff. Tire’s wear depending on driving habits, and how well you maintain your psi and alignment. Fuel varies by what type you use, brand, and what region in the country it’s refined.

Number One: Strong!

In Closing: In my experience what the customer bought had way less to do with product knowledge and way more to do with the way they felt about me. Role-playing and product knowledge are good, but often don’t sell anything….

At time of writing this “ Number One” is not #1 in the advisor comp….