Tesla: Innovating Place and Process (Tactics)

Hello, I’m Jim Glover, That Branding Guy, for Once a Day Marketing™.  Today we are looking at Tesla Motors and how the company is reinventing the car buying experience.

There is already a lot of buzz about what Tesla is doing to take on the traditional automobile industry with its premium electric vehicles.  They understand the importance of being unique in the market and offering a compelling product to their customers.

They also understand all aspects of the 7Ps of Marketing, especially Place and Process, and are dramatically changing how we are able to find and purchase their cars.

Tesla enables car buyers to evaluate their electric vehicles in malls across America, with their "galleries" perhaps next to Macy's or the Gap.  You stroll in, get a chance to see the model, and have your questions answered about what makes a Tesla unique.

It's interesting to note that you can't buy the car at this location.  You have to go online to schedule a test drive or order the vehicle.  Tesla is upsetting the place and process of the traditional automobile buying experience and customers are responding favorably to this approach.

Major auto dealers are up in arms, leading the charge to stop this new paradigm.  Laws are surfacing in many states to prevent Tesla’s innovative sales approach.  Rather than embracing the change, the industry is fighting to prevent it.

What if horse owners back in the early 1900's prevented Ford's Model T and the assembly line process.  Or the pony express prevented the launch of the telegraph.  Believe it or not, the dairy industry tried to prevent the introduction of margarine into the USA by establishing the "anti-margarine laws."

I predict that Tesla's process will prevail and become part of the car-buying norm.  Innovation is America's middle name and I don't see that changing anytime soon.  The lesson for your brand, innovate and disrupt whenever possible.  Lead don't follow.  And if your competition happens to be taking the lead through innovation, jump on board and make it better.

Remember it's all about what good for your customers, not what's good for you.

Once a Day Marketing™ positions brands to become #1 in the minds of target customers.  Visit our website at www.onceadaymarketing.com.  Contact James Glover at (505) 501-1330 or email glover@onceadaymarketing.com.  Listen to Ask Those Branding Guys™ every Monday at 11:00am (MDT) streaming live on SantaFe.com KVSF 101.5 FM.

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