Last weekend I attended the 2013 ALT CAR EXPO in Santa Monica to see who’s really standing out. Now, there were a lot of great cars and companies doing what they could to raise awareness of green tech and provide an experience in driving, but it was clear that only GM fully understood how to get to their audience. Virtually all the brands were represented except Tesla, but their booths were humdrum and lacked invitation. The people running them looked as if they wanted to be somewhere else.
GM’s booth was a lounge. An inviting spot featuring their cars, couches, food and awesome music. I found myself going there to make calls and postings. Just hanging, and if I wanted to take a spin in one of their cars, there were enough to go around. None of the other companies did that… other than stare at you as you walked by, maybe saying hi, but no engagement.
That’s how you sell cars. Provide an experience and make it fun. The GM guys… were having fun. They even brought in the 2014 Electric Cadillac ELR and said “Have a seat!” Tons of people, all smiling, having a good time.
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Afterwards, I really tried to see the other booths, but it was really flat. So… off I went to find more coolness. Lesson learned.
