Jaded Marketing attitudes can be harmful to you and your business

Advertising has become such a large expense to businesses today. With all the different mediums and venues to sponsor and advertise in, making decisions on who and where can be extremely frustrating. This one facet of your business can be overwhelming. During my 10 years of automotive marketing experience I have noticed that dealer principles have become almost numb to advertising decisions. They are custom to trying everything to see what works and what doesn't, and their budgets tend to be some of the largest in town, so they can afford to try all types of mediums and their success rate is higher due to these circumstances.

Just the opposite is true with local single point merchants, they have to be so careful with their budget, that they have become jaded in most circumstances. I see this as a large stumbling block for them. working with independent merchants whose quarterly ad budget might only be $2000 is all new to me. Having the opportunity to come home and work with local families and merchants that I grew up with is the greatest feeling and I love a challenge, and believe in a simple motto: "My success is only from surrounding myself with individuals I have helped become successful themselves," Vincent Lambardi. There is no I in Team.

This Jaded behavior that I mention can be very harmful and I do not recommend it at all. This type of on guard and stand offish behavior is never helpful. Why would any merchant alienate themselves or their business is beyond me. Always remember that anyone who is working in the marketing industry has had a ton more successful campaigns and failures than your business has ever had. What a valuable resource this can be for you. In the past 10 years I have helped dealer principles raise well over 100 Million dollars in gross profit, and I assure you in order to reach these type of numbers there have been my fair share of failures as well. I only bring this up because of some of the negative reactions I have received from local merchants. Hiring an expensive marketing agency is not an option for everyone, so relying on those who call on you in the industry to help promote your business is quite important.

This blog is here to help us as group become more efficient with our ad budgets.

Dennis Kelderhouse
Direct Marketing Specialist