Tuesday, 25.07.2017
What goals should a driving school's Facebook page have?
Build trust, alleviate fears, and above all, show the human side.
About Stefan Gröner:
How do you reach young people in advertising? Professor Dr. Stefan Gröner is well-versed in this topic, as he was accompanied by "Bravo" for a long time on his career path. He initially worked as a publishing director and later as the managing director responsible for all youth market activities at the Bauer Media Group. However, the management consultant and keynote speaker is not only well-versed in practice but also in academia: he studied business administration and communication science, later obtained his doctorate, and has been lecturing at Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich since 2009. Since 2015, he has also been the Dean for Corporate Communication at the private university Fresenius in Munich. His additional areas of expertise include corporate strategy and sports management. This is not by chance, as Gröner has a background in competitive sports. Between 1983 and 1995, he played in several first and second division indoor handball clubs as well as in various German national team squads.
You warn of a Donald Trump effect in advertising. What do you mean by that?
The US election campaign has shown that for younger people, Facebook & Co. are increasingly becoming the most important source of information. However, on most social channels, balanced and fact-based analyses hardly play a role. Instead, supposedly cool and simplifying short content dominates. This is exactly what Donald Trump relied on - and won. When companies advertise on social media, there is also a risk that they will fall victim to the Donald Trump effect: their serious message could fade next to the loud bait offerings or beautiful images of the competition and not be shared by users.
So, would you advise against driving schools advertising on social media?
No! These channels are immensely important if you want to reach young target groups. However, I don't believe that every company needs to be present on every internet platform. At the beginning of all advertising activities, there should always be a thorough analysis: Is my product or service even suitable for this medium?
For example, Instagram is very lifestyle-oriented, the platform thrives solely on visuals, on appealing images. Driving school owners who want to be present there need to consider what images they can present to stand out. Additionally, you should consider what function the respective platform has and whether it suits your company. Snapchat, for instance, thrives on funny face filters and the ephemerality of posts - photos and videos are visible for a maximum of 24 hours. These features are unlikely to help a driving school in their marketing efforts. After all, no one needs a photo of the driving instructor with pig ears superimposed. Contrary to popular belief, it is absolutely not mandatory for companies to be present on all platforms to ensure an effective social media presence.
What type of social media advertising would you recommend then?
For instance, I would consider a Facebook page as a must-have - if it is well-maintained. There is nothing worse than a profile page where something is posted only every two weeks. Facebook thrives on news and exciting content. However, you should never lose sight of your marketing goal. For a driving school, it is about building trust, alleviating fears, and above all, showing the human side, as ultimately, one must be able to endure several hours alone with the driving instructor. You should always keep this in mind when selecting your posts. For example, a "Wall of Fame" where all students are shown after passing their exams would bring you closer to this goal. This builds trust and emotion. On the other hand, if the driving instructor posts snapshots that may even be taken during the lesson, it would be counterproductive.
But isn't that a bit old-fashioned? All companies on social media are so casual...
That may be the case, but the question is whether this also influences the purchasing decision of customers. Companies that want to build trust should not only rely on social media but on a balanced marketing mix. Newspaper ads or outdoor advertising also have their justification. This is not "old school" but effective - especially for driving schools. Additionally, you should consider that the decision about driving education often lies with those who pay for it - the parents and grandparents. And you won't reach them if you solely focus on social media. The same issue applies in the university sector: Parents still have a lot to say when it comes to choosing a major. That's why universities usually have a more conservative advertising portfolio.
In your presentations, you recommend "emotionalizing" the product. How do you do that?
One of the key measures is to show people in advertising. Applied to a driving school, this means that the staff should be at the center visually, not your fleet of vehicles! Show a group that comes across as cool yet professional. Emotional appeal arises as soon as faces and individuals appear. Therefore, it is also okay if the driving instructors post on social media. However, they should not do this during lessons but in a way that emphasizes their competence.
Another topic: In your presentations, you talk a lot about "Digital Disruption." Does this also affect the driving school industry?
It affects all industries - particularly the automotive industry and all sectors dependent on it. On one hand, we are witnessing a shift in propulsion technology, and on the other hand, autonomous driving will soon develop extreme dynamics. Both together mean that, in my opinion, driving schools will not be able to educate in the same way as they do today in five years.
How so?
The details of this cannot be fully assessed yet. We are in a transitional phase. More and more parts of driving will be autonomous in the future. For example, practicing parking might become unnecessary first, as the car will do it itself, just like stop-and-go driving in traffic jams. The corresponding assistance systems are already on the market. And this trend will continue until there is no need for manual control at all. I would recommend driving schools to further enhance the fun aspects in education. Because in my opinion, this is the direction it will go: driving as a leisure activity. Think, for example, of driving through mountain serpentine roads or off-road courses.
Do you still have your own car?
No, but I use many other mobility services, whether it's DriveNow, Uber, or Clever Shuttle. So, I still need a driver's license. I also observe something similar among my students: The demand for personal mobility is still there, but at the same time, there is a desire to be constantly active online. And for many, this need is greater than sitting behind the wheel.
For the profile of Top100 Speaker Stefan Gröner: https://www.speakers-excellence.de/redner/stefan-groener-digitale-disruption.html
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