When I was looking to buy my first car, I vividly remember taking the truck out for a test drive. As we pulled out of the parking lot, the salesman made sure to point out the credit card holder on the back of the visor.
And that caught me off guard. Was that really the one thing he believed would sell me on that model? Would I jump at the chance to finally have a vehicle with a credit card holder?
The answer, of course, was 'no.' Instead, I continued driving an oh-so-stylish Taurus.
Twelve years and three cars later, I heard a radio spot promoting the new Lexus lineup. It went something like this:
And that caught me off guard. Was that really the one thing he believed would sell me on that model? Would I jump at the chance to finally have a vehicle with a credit card holder?
The answer, of course, was 'no.' Instead, I continued driving an oh-so-stylish Taurus.
Twelve years and three cars later, I heard a radio spot promoting the new Lexus lineup. It went something like this:
Deep voice over actor: "Turn up the volume on your radio. Good. Now change the channel without looking. Were you able to do that without reaching? On the new Lexus class of vehicles, the controls are literally at your fingertips."
For me, there were two immediate problems with this spot.
First, while driving my Saturn (it's no Lexus), I was easily able to adjust the volume and change the radio channel, as the radio spot asked me to, using the interactive controls on my steering wheel. The same goes for my wife's Civic.
Second, if I were taking this spot literally, and if I were to actually change the radio channel, you've automatically lost a listener.
But the real problem was Lexus' decision to make steering wheel radio controls the differentiating factor between their brand, and other vehicles. Are steering wheel radio controls that rare? If I already have radio controls "literally at my fingertips," why would I want to shell out another thirty grand? Isn't there anything else a luxury automaker wants to promote?
It's laughable to think that steering wheel controls are the only thing separating my Saturn from a Lexus. Very simply, focus on those features which actually differentiate your product. That's it.