Marketing 4 Profit in the Auto Industry

I am considering changing the name of my Internet Marketing Blog as the vision of Custom Business Marketing & Sales Consulting, Inc (aka e-Profit-PRO$) clarifies. The mission of my company, e-Profit-PRO$, is not to simply create Internet marketing campaigns and websites that produce a strong return on investment (ROI); I personally hold the position of Individual Profit Consultant, and that is the general role of e-Profit-PRO$. We can design high return advertising, which doesn't only include Internet marketing - it can also include local or national radio advertisements, television ads, and whatever else may be important for "branding," a marketing tactic far more necessary for large national companies, or "brands" - but Internet marketing will always have a lower cost for reaching new people because it is cheaper than radio waves and digital television programming, and offers far superior targeting (offering custom messages on an individual level rather than serving the same message to every lead).

e-Profit-PRO$ also does sales consulting, which doesn't just mean consulting and training sales teams, but also working the companies of any size to increase sales. Bottom line, e-Profit-PRO$ uses a holistic approach to increase profits for clients - consulting on cutting costs, increasing profit per sale, and generating far more sales using every possible medium. And this doesn't just mean companies looking for larger profits, it also includes non-profit organizations (i.e. churches looking to receive a higher contribution per member, charities seeking more donations in larger numbers, etc.)

With that in mind, I'd like to discuss the automobile industry in America. The US government has given billions of dollars to our "Big 3" (Ford, GM, and Daimler-Chrysler), millions of Americans work for these companies - it is definitely in America's best interest these 3 companies succeed. Congress thinks this should be achieved by forcing these companies to manufacturer more cars they (Congress) perceive to be what Americans want, and vice versa (less SUV's.) But what makes America the most profitable nation in the world? INNOVATION! Not copying goods produced by foreign nations - that's for the Chinese. America's role in global profitability has always been innovation. Without Henry Ford, there would be no Nissan and Toyota, why would we want to copy them?

What the "Big 3" need to increase profitability is innovation. Sure, by cutting costs and increasing sales, they will improve their bottom lines. But to pay taxpayers our billions of dollars, stop laying off American workers, and start hiring again - we need innovation from our big 3. I, for the life of me, don't understand how electricity has not been used more successfully in manufacturing cars. Can you imagine what a HUGE effect it would have on our enemies if we no longer needed oil (I also don't understand why we don't have more American oil - but that's another discussion)? And to explain the impact on our economy, I offer the following example.

American entrepreneurs have vastly impacted the globe. Americans like Benjamin Franklin, Henry Ford, and Steve Jobs make it possible for consumers all over the world to buy light bulbs, cars, mp3 players, personal computers, fax machines and so much more. Let's look at cell phones for a minute. Nokia continues to be a leader in cell phone sales - originally a Japanese company. But if it weren't for Benjamin Franklin having invented phones, they never would have sold a thing. Now, they still make a lot of sales - but Apple is raising the bar by making their previous products obsolete with the invention of the iPhone.

What if we did the same thing with cars? Sure, Nissan and Honda make quality automobiles and are profitable companies, but they have Henry Ford to thank for that. Now it's time to make their previous auto line up obsolete. Solar cars have existed for a while now, but not as practical daily transportation. Electric cars are gaining popularity, but still have less power than their gas powered counter parts. Other fuel sources are emerging but not gaining popularity. What if cars incorporated solar power, electricity, a little American oil, and one more missing key ingredient. What happens when a car drives? Wind. If we could harness all of these energy sources into one automobile, you can't tell me that this automobile would not have equal or greater power than a gas powered car. If we can power a space station on solar power alone, I'm sure we can do better than the current automobile.

So, if our Big 3 incorporated innovation instead of only simple traditional methods of increasing profits, what are the possibilities? National security would vastly improve - our enemies would no longer be counting our cash. The average American would have more money in their pocket - renewable sources of energy don't cost as much as buying gallons of fuel to keep on the move. The American deficit would reduce - foreigners would want to import our fantastic automobiles, just like they want mp3 players, phones, computers, etc. Unemployment would decrease - we need more labor to meet higher demand. And as an added bonus, more Americans would have healthcare (our Big 3 are unionized, they have healthcare) so our Congress could work on something else.

So instead of listening to Congress (an institution that has done nothing but cost America trillions) and returning to the basics of being #1, America can have a strong automobile industry again. Given current history, it all seems so far fetched. But with a more extensive study of American economics, this is what has worked time and time again! So here's my advice as a Profit Consultant to Ford, GM, and Daimler-Chrysler: tell Washington, "With all due respect - shut up." Get to work on a car that our competitors aren't producing rather than building cars that quite frankly, they've made better. And, PRESTO! We have a much healthier America!

As always, if anybody disagrees (this includes you too Congress), please let me know where I'm wrong. But, if you believe I just might be right, how can we get this message where it needs to go? As my website states, "You don't pay a dime 'till we boost your bottom line." This means you, too, Big 3. While blogging advice is free, I wouldn't argue if any of you Big 3 would like to pay my consulting fee, only after I boost your bottom line of course (contact me). For readers who don't own automobile manufacturers, but still favor American cars (or just a stronger American economy), I started an organization (American Auto Supporters) with the goal of re-engerizing the American auto industry.

- Mark Rogers

Custom Business Marketing & Sales Consulting, Inc