It’s Sunday morning and my phone buzzes with a notification. Text? Email? Nope. I was just tagged in a Facebook photo.
That makes sense because I have that ONE paparazzi friend. You know who I’m talking about. The friend whose life mission is to relentlessly photograph every outing. He awkwardly snaps photos at any possible chance. He interrupts meals for photos. He bothers busy waiters to ask for group shots.
My phone buzzes again. Facebook really wants me to check out paparazzi friend’s photo.
What do I do? I obviously check it. I have to. But what do I really do? What is the first thing I subconsciously do when looking at a photo?
I scan the crowd for myself. I find my own face. I spot myself. Every. Single. Time.
I bet you do too.
Marketers aren’t stupid
Dale Carnegie tells us that our own name is the sweetest sound of the human language. That’s probably true, but I argue that our own face is the sweetest sight to lay eyes upon.
We constantly look at faces all day. They build trust. They help tell stories and increase empathy. Sabina Idler says that “we unconsciously try to relate everything we see to ourselves.” Faces help relate products, services, and desired actions back to ourselves.
“But Mike! This is nothing new! Articles like this and this already prove your point!”
That’s true. I’m not unveiling an unknown secret here. I do think, however, that we marketers, sales professionals and product designers in the automotive industry take for granted just how powerful faces really are.
The more you look, the more you see these faces
Seriously. Smart marketers are taking advantage of this seemingly simple tactic.
Check out this TurboTax Personal Pro billboard. There must be 1 million of these up in Dallas right now.
TurboTax Personal Pro helps average dudes like me find professional tax experts. See those three friendly faces on the right? Those are my tax professionals. Those are the folks that help me during this stressful time. You better believe that Turbo Tax is slapping those faces on every single billboard for a reason.
And the list goes on and on and on….
Uber
Airbnb
Zenefits
The one and only Jerry Thibeau!
Chat with Bill at John Eagle Honda
Car Wars reporting – I know, I know…I used my own company as an example. Shame on me. But we are big believers in the use of faces for both marketing and within our reporting platform.
5 Effective Ways to Use Faces In Your Marketing
It’s a tough world out there. People don’t like buying cars. Competition is stiff. I can buy a new Nissan from a slew of dealers here in Dallas. It is thus critical for dealers to build rapport and make personal connections in every step of the funnel. Dealership’s should be itching for a tiny little edge in the battle for winning trust.
I think faces are an easy hack to help do that. Here are five easy ways to use faces in your dealership’s sales and marketing efforts.
Email Signature
I’m shocked at how much stuff is shoved into email signatures: Name, dealership name, dealership logo, OEM logo, dealership motto, physical address, phone number, fax number, dealership awards and an inspirational quote to top it off.
The one piece usually missing is a simple little headshot. Slap one in your email signature today. It’s easy and gives the prospect a relatable face to trust.
Meet Our Team
My first stop on a company’s website is almost always the team or staff page. Your shoppers are doing the same. They check that page to see the people they want to spend $20,000+ with. I don’t blame them.
An updated and clean listing of your dealership’s staff is a must. There is nothing worse than a staff page with no head-shots or a “Coming Soon!” sign. Work with your web provider to ensure it’s on your site and functioning.
Dealership Blog and Social Media
Be deliberate about including the faces of employees and customers on your dealership’s blog and social media.
There countless ways to make this interesting and genuine. Show your employees having fun on a crazy snow day. Snap pictures of your team volunteering at the local food bank. Ask customers for permission to post photos of them with their new vehicle on Facebook.
Video
Attending near every automotive conference (large and small) over the last few years, I’m always impressed by the auto veterans who realize the power of video.
More specifically, the self-shot videos that include a friendly greeting and walkaround, highlighting features and benefits. Don’t be shy to video and share an introduction to your prospect.
Website
Faces, Faces, Faces
Start looking for faces in the marketing, advertising, and products you see daily. Where else have you found them?
Where are you effectively utilizing your face within your dealers online and offline marketing efforts?
