As the automotive marketing industry grows and becomes more and more competitive, we (as an industry) have to take a step back and examine how we’re approaching our monthly goals and sales objectives.
The idea of “hustle hustle hustle, busy busy busy” is great – trust me, I was that guy for several years. As I approach a decade in the automotive industry, I am examining my daily strategies more than ever before. Hustling will get you to the finish line eventually, but working smarter will get you there much faster. Having a clear goal, following a pre-determined game plan, and executing every action item will not only benefit you, but it will provide your customers with a better experience as well.
The three keys to success I always try to live by are the following:
1. Make your goals the same as your customer’s goals. Strive to provide them with the same level of service you’d expect if you were in their shoes.
Create realistic benchmarks and work hand in hand with your customers to reach goals one by one. Breaking goals into 30, 60, and 90-day increments will not only give you a personal deadline, it will also provide your customer with an agreed upon game plan and not leave them scratching their heads wondering where their money is going. That’s working smarter.
2. Give yourself time to relax. Never taking a moment for yourself will just lead to a burnout and the level of quality you provide will drop instantly.
Prioritize your daily, weekly, and monthly objectives without making yourself feel overwhelmed. Breaking your tasks into four squares (known by many as the Eisenhower Matrix) will remind you what matters, what can wait, and what you don’t need to focus on at all. Time is precious, use it wisely.
3. Never stop learning. In this industry, there’s no such thing as a guru.
Because digital marketing is an ever-changing industry, you can never be “the best”. Granted, there are those who do it better than others, but as Facebook, Google, and other platforms roll out new advertising options, more strict policies on targeting, and develop guidelines for SEO, there’s no way to ever be finished growing. Always working to be smarter is definitely a big part of working smarter.
My final advice to anyone reading this is, work hard, but work smarter. Don’t spin your wheels trying to hustle so hard that you burn yourself out. We’re all in this race together, take some time to breathe and grow. Reach out to people you look up to, stop focusing on beating people, instead, focus on being the best version of yourself for you and your customers.
About the Author
Brian West joined the ranks of digital marketing at age 18, handling social media for various public figures and musicians. From there, he transferred over into the Automotive Industry, plunging headlong into the intriguing world of digital marketing for Automotive. Brian has been part of the DA team for 5 years and is the go-to guy for all things social media. As our Social Innovation Manager, Brian keeps his team up to date on social media trends and advancements.
