AUTOMOTIVE ADVERTISING & MARKETING

Seven Seconds

The Critical First Seven Seconds

JKRAdvertising / Automotive Advertising, Automotive Advertising Advice, Automotive Marketing /

April 14, 2015

Automobile dealers have approximately seven seconds to capture the interest of the consumer during a radio or TV advertisement. At the same time, those critical seven seconds must compel the prospective customer to continue “consuming” the message all the way through its conclusion. This is not an easy task, especially when you remember this must be done month after month, and year after year. Well-orchestrated automotive advertisements take knowledge and creativity.

Some advertisements are over in 15 short seconds, while others last for a full minute. Either way, the first seven seconds will determine the ultimate success rate. In that very brief time frame, your audience could be captivated … or they could be confused, annoyed or just flat-out bored to death. If it’s any of the last three, they’re going to mentally check out.

To avoid an early check-out time, the first seven seconds must be intrusive. In other words, it must make them stop what they’re doing and take notice. How is this done? It can be accomplished in a number of ways, but here are three examples.

(1) Make an invasive statement that causes the consumer to take notice

(2) Introduce a VIP (in this case, the auto dealer or spokesperson)

(3) Give the audience new information they didn’t know

What are You Doing With Your Seven Seconds?

Want to find out if your automotive advertisements are as effective as they could be? There is an easy way to do so, and it won’t cost you anything but a few moments of your time. Contact JKR Automotive Advertising, and we’ll provide you with a no-strings-attached, FREE Advertising Review.

We’ll take a close look at what you (and your competition) are doing, and give you our expert feedback. Call Eric Tigner at (321) 397-0777 today to get things started.

JKR Automotive Advertising: We Move Cars.

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Post-Pandemic Dealer Gross Profits are Down – But They Don’t Have to Stay There!
March 13, 2024
It is no secret that dealer gross profits per vehicle are down sharply in the post-COVID automotive world. According to a recent article in Automotive News, gross profits of the six largest publicly traded dealership groups plunged significantly from Q4 2022 to Q4 2023. One of them was actually down 35% per vehicle!

The article explains: High interest rates, more expensive vehicles and a steadier post-pandemic supply chain continue to soften demand and bring it closer to pre-pandemic levels. Still, new-car buying has remained strong overall …

This means that, while sales volume is similar, overall bottom lines are lower for many dealers due to the reduced gross profits. What about your dealership?

Being Realistic
It’s time to turn the page! The time for dealers to simply be order takers for people willing to pay MSRP for a vehicle (and in some cases more) has passed and dealers have to work hard once again to achieve acceptable gross profits.

Selling a high volume of cars doesn’t control gross profits, no matter how much you wish this was the case. Correct processes and menu pricing – and strict adherence to them – do!

What kind of processes?
∙ Slow down the transaction! Your sales staff has to once again sell the customer on the features and benefits of every new and pre-owned vehicle on your lot.

∙ Your salespeople and managers should devalue the customers’ trade-in value (politely, of course) as much as possible. After all, if the customer expects you to lower your price, shouldn’t you be able to do the same on their trade? Remember, you’ll have to fix it up, put your name on it and resell it to someone else with all the tenacity you would a brand-new car. So make sure you buy it right … because the profit is made when you buy it, not when you sell it!

∙ To that end, management should be ready and willing to leave the desk and do thorough walk-arounds on each trade to ensure the best outcome for the dealership.

The Cure for Low Gross Profits
If you are like a lot of dealers these days, you could use some good news. Here it is: while you may not have the capability to achieve profit margins similar to those you enjoyed during the pandemic, they could likely be improved. JKR’s clients enjoy the benefit of attracting not only more customers, but better ones, too!

If meeting and exceeding your sales goals (and increasing gross profits at the same time) sounds great to you, you need to call us. Don’t settle for reduced gross profits when help is out there to get you closer to where you’d like to be.

Want to know how we do it? Reach out to Senior Partner Richard Brauns (407) 701-4233 or Partner/Vice President Jon Albert (407) 718-2494 today.

JKR Automotive Advertising: We Move Cars.

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