Thanks, gulliver, for this story…
The “Just Looking” Badge
Neutralize your customers’ worst fears.
Car shopping as entertainment has always been the draw at Planet
Honda in Union, N.J., one of Honda’s fastest-growing dealerships.
A giant video wall shows footage of the latest models, and
new-car buyers get a G-force ride on an 18-foot spaceship
simulator. The best part of the show? The “tech cafe,” where the
presence of salespeople is strictly verboten, and where a
receptionist asks shoppers if they need help. If you respond the
way most do–“Just looking, thanks”–you get a yellow smiley-face
badge emblazoned with the letters “JL” to stick on your lapel,
which alerts the sales guys to back off.
Not for long. Planet Honda owner Tim Ciasulli says JLs turn out
to be his best customers, because the badge helps to lower their
defenses. “The magic is when they peel it off after 15 minutes
and they’re ready to do business,” Ciasulli says. The dealership
sold 3,300 new cars last year, more than three times the average
for independent dealerships. — Paul Kaihla, Business 2.0 Magazine
Credit where due… in this case to the ‘PK’ in that piece – Paul Kaihla of Business 2.0 Magazine. The whole article ‘Best-kept Secrets of the World’s Best Companies’ is here.
I picked-up the trail at Tom Peters.com.
‘Far better than reading all that Network Marketing stuff’… I really like the notion that a ‘please tell me more – gently and allow me to act in my own time’ process is directly adaptable to this business.
This hits the nail on the head with something we need to be mindful of on our web sites.
Over the years we’ve been so anxious to capture visitor information, we’ve ignored the power of “just looking”.
I recently read where companies producing “white papers” and reports are having a far greater success giving them away with a sign up form buried within the report (or a link), then forcing you to cough up your personal info before getting their little goody.
I’m incorporating that strategy myself and while I don’t get as big of a list, I also don’t have as high an unsubscribe rate, and my “open” rate is higher.
Shari Thomas
Forest Grove OR
Shari — very good idea. Some people have the little email series, as well.