Don MacNeil is the former Marketing Director of Windsor Jewelers and long-time on-air radio professional.
Is it just me, or…
Subaru and You
I have to admit to being among the millions who for decades have seen Subaru vehicles and especially their owners as (politely) a smile-inducing, eccentric sub-set of humanity. The term, “Tree-huggers” comes to mind. But in seeking to get to the bottom of how this automaker and this culture found each other, I uncovered an array of marketing insights that could be helpful to you and your business.
Without diving into mechanical weeds, it helps to know that the name Subaru is synonymous with 4-wheel-drive and a unique Boxer engine layout. These may not be priorities for you, but a certain mindset among us celebrates both their road-less-traveled personalities (often, literally) and the vehicle that similarly stands apart.
When a major lineup redesign marketing campaign failed in the 1990s, Subaru found itself adrift in an identity wilderness and went in search of who did love them. After deep owner-by-owner research, they found educators, health-care professionals, IT professionals, and outdoorsy types. Nimbly, Subaru execs let this informational tail start wagging its marketing dog, and that made all the difference.
How can this help you?
Put simply, Subaru finally found its people. Granted, chances are you don’t have that kind of research money, but I’m guessing you have a pretty good idea of who your constituency is. And because we tend to cluster in cultural and income-bracketed neighborhoods, you probably know where they are.
Better, you don’t have to leave this last part to chance. Your sales receipts typically contain an address or at minimum, a Zip Code. Can you find location patterns among your customers?
Identifying these patterns allows you to focus precious marketing dollars on your highest-probability prospective client. In traditional media, this translates to direct mail efforts in just the right places, placing a billboard in these areas, or identifying the radio station whose programming is most likely to appeal to your core customer.
Digitally? Well, this is right in social media’s wheelhouse. Embrace the term, “geotargeting,” because that’s your potential salvation. Internet marketing can zero in on any area you designate and blast to your heart (or pocketbook’s) content.
By now, you’ve realized that unless you double as a techie wiz, someone more knowledgeable needs to help you execute these things. This would be where networking comes in handy. Ask around. Get a sampling of opinions on who helps your fellow small-business colleagues get through all of this.
And you might even brainstorm with who you eventually use in shaping a message that grabs your client-to-be. Search the internet for marketing ideas in use in your business specialty. Use what you find as a jumping-off point. Assume that the campaign theme you’ve just found is tired and conventional, and set about taking it to the next level. Above all, make certain it speaks to your people.
