Good Intentions, Weak Results: “Last Mile” Marketing Failures
Imagine this scenario: you’ve come up with a great marketing idea. It feels well planned in the beginning. You get excited thinking about the expected outcome. You launch it and then?
Nothing.
No calls or uptick in website traffic.
No rush of new clients or sales.
Nothing but bad news for your bottom line.
How did your great idea start off well but end poorly? Diagnosing the problem by only looking at the strategy behind your grand marketing idea may not provide all the answers.
When dismantling your idea to figure out what broke, look closely at how it was executed.
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A Mini-Case Study on Infiniti and Their Dealerships
Infiniti is known for crafting marketing campaigns that reflect the best of their brand: modern luxury with a blend of power and performance, and the promise of an exhilarating ride.
Their campaigns promise a premium experience.
They spend tens of millions of dollars to attract customers, but then hand off the critical "last mile" to dealerships who deliver something far less polished. Less sleek. Less Infiniti.
Recently, I received a letter from a local dealership inviting me to their showroom. It had the opposite effect.
Here are the problems with their “last mile” approach:
The envelope had a big "FINAL NOTICE" statement that was intended to get my attention and make me open the envelope. Such gimmicks aren’t a reminder of an amount due, they’re a loud announcement of junk mail.
- The letter welcomed me as a new customer, but I had never purchased from that dealership.
- The first two paragraphs—critical content to hold my attention—were nothing but marketing fluff. Further proof that this dealership, and Infiniti by extension, was wasting my time.
- The letter looked sloppy with a center-justified layout. Instead of a QR code, it included a blue website hyperlink on a printed letter, as if I could click the paper and make their homepage magically appear.
- The call to action was to ask the reader to call with questions. What questions? I’m not a customer.
- The closing paragraph was off the mark and unnecessary, solidifying the end of a wasted opportunity and poorly spent marketing dollars.
How Could the Letter Been Executed Better?
Aside from the obvious problems, it should have centered on what was important to the reader. It shouldn’t have asked me to call if I have questions, it should have answered them:
- Why should I visit the dealership now?
- What is new and interesting about the latest car models?
- Is there a special offer I can’t pass up?
- What makes their dealership different from others?
Don't Let Good Intentions Be Wasted
Are your campaigns fizzling out before the finish line?
Are your sales teams equipped to handle marketing leads?
Is your messaging consistent from start to finish?
Review your entire customer journey, to ensure a seamless and professional experience at every touchpoint.
Avoid the “Last Mile” Disconnect.
What this Infiniti example means is that HOW marketing is done, is just as important as your INTENT to market. Consider having an experienced marketing agency do your marketing so you know it's done right, on time, and gets you results that drive growth.
Contact us for a review of your marketing programs. We’ll show you how you turn potential into profit.
Let’s talk!
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