Do you remember when Lexus first debuted in 1989 with the LS 400? At just $38,000, it was cheaper than competing BMW and Mercedes flagships by $17,000 and $25,000, respectively. And Car and Driver rated it higher than both in a comparison test. BMW and Mercedes sales plummeted, Cadillacs and Lincolns were traded in, and Lexus was a quick success.
Toyota’s $1 billion project to create Lexus stunned the industry. It has been the subject of much study and a model for other corporations around the globe to marvel at.
I want to discuss one lesson that the Lexus launch can teach you about how to develop your Internet Marketing strategy. I learned this lesson about Lexus years ago, and to be honest I don’t remember the source.
When Mercedes developed a car at that time, its instructions to the development team were: “make a car size w, with x horsepower, and y leather hides and z panels of wood.” The car was developed, and Mercedes added a profit margin to the product that resulted. Hence the $63,000 S-Class.
When Lexus developed the LS, its instructions to the development team were: “make a car that costs $38,000. And make it better than the Mercedes or the BMW.” And it did.
Instead of assembling various components and then coming up with the price, Lexus started with the price and came up with the components.
What does that have to do with Internet Marketing? Your average local business or professional thinks of things to say about themselves on their website, and makes a website.
The structure, aesthetic and content of the website is an answer to the questions, “what are things people want to know about us?” and “what do we want them to know about us?”
That’s the wrong way to make a website. The way to make a website is to ask: “How can I get the most leads possible from my website?” and proceed from there.
Lexus didn’t ask “What kind of engine would we like to make?” They asked “What kind of engine can we put in a $38,000 car that is going to crush the competition?”
You need to ask, “What kind of website is going to get me the sales I want?”
Here are 3 hints: a clear call-to-action, prominent contact information, and testimonials.
