The headline today in the Arizona Republic states “Consumer spending plummets.” The sub stories are “Economy officially contracting, pointing to a recession” and “Car sales going from bad to worse.”
I don’t think the fact that personal consumption fell 3.1% equates to “plummets.” How about you? Now car sales, on the other hand, are pretty bad off, down some 30%. Car dealers are feeling the double whammy of lower SUV sales due to high gas prices and the slowing economy. I know that many consumers enjoy purchasing a new car every 3-5 years, but I prefer to keep my cars eight to ten years.
Could it be that we are just now realizing that what we really need is more priuses and far fewer hummers?
What car manufacturers need to do is to is come out with cars we want to buy that satisfy our needs and desires in the current economic times and then market them in obvious ways.
I saw a GREAT rebel marketing tactic yesterday driving down Scottsdale Road. A driver had this plastered in huge white letters on the rear window of his Saturn car “Scottsdale Saturn 32 Miles Per Gallon.” Obviously, if it’s great gas mileage you want, you don’t need to buy a hybrid, you can buy a Saturn at a far lower cost.
Sometimes the best marketing tactics are the easiest, in your face, and most obvious. The ones that take you down in the trenches. Take a look at your own marketing. Do you need to use “Rebel Marketing”?
Suzanne Muusers
Business Coach for Entrepreneurs and Financial Advisors