Nationwide, dealers seem to be improving their foundational marketing efforts before stepping into a second-tier level of marketing — and to this we say kudos. After a while, however, dealers start to notice their marketing efforts are plateauing — naturally raising the question, “What next?” How do you continue to see growth from your marketing efforts after the initial wave subsides? When a dealer starts asking these questions, it might be the best time to experiment with some fresh — even unorthodox — ideas. Get ‘em while they’re hot!

 So you broke the bank and spent countless hours building that perfect website to generate leads by the thousands. So do you launch it and forget it? Time and time again potential clients will ask, “Should I be changing/updating my website on a monthly basis?" Our answer: Is the Pope Catholic? Yes!  

 Many of us remember playing Hungry, Hungry Hippos as kids. The objective was to gobble up the most white marbles on the board; the hippo with the most marbles won.  

Every day we are programmed to tune off advertising but every once in a while we see something that makes us laugh or think just a little bit longer about that product or service. If I asked which company has the talking baby always in front of a computer screen discussing and buying stocks or bonds, you’d know instantly who I was referring to.

The belief in the purple cow is simply means to be different. In doing so your company’s brand will stand out from your competitors, and our thought for the month is why not try a fresh new approach with your marketing message.

For us, we learned a valuable lesson, which is to provide our clients with a complete follow-through system when it comes to going after an request for proposal (RFP), pitching a large account or just helping them stand out from the competition by having the guts to be unique and stand out.

A home security system with home automation now is much more than security; it connects one’s family with their lifestyle. Your marketing and advertising materials need to reflect that.

When it comes to your messaging, touch on the fact you grew up there and care about the people in your community. Use local landmarks and local lingo in your creative material.

Within this great industry that we have come to love, we understand there is tradition and a certain way things have been done for years, and we respect that. But in a world where the 800-pound gorillas are beginning to dominate and in an era where your potential customers have been programmed to tune out more than 90 percent of any marketing effort put in front of them, don’t you think it’s about time to start doing things differently?