We are very honored to work for Bristol Motor Speedway, one of the main revenue generators in our region. It’s mind-boggling to see a glimpse into the inner workings of what it takes to pull off a race weekend, especially at a unique venue like Bristol. For the past several races, we have helped their social media team, answering fan’s questions on Facebook and Twitter, creating content and videos, and moderating other social platforms. 

For the April 2017 race, the social moderation team worked from a booth between NASCAR race control and Colossus TV control, right on the start-finish line. It was a upfront and personal view of the World’s Fastest Half-Mile.

As we sat in our booth, answering thousands of fans, I watched cars covered in brands go around a track covered in brands for hours. A seemingly endless commercial break with no start and no finish, just looping. Just how effective is this marketing? What can other brands learn from NASCAR?

1. REPETITION

            The fans in the stands at Bristol saw each brand hundreds of times as they watched their favorite drivers. They saw the brands on the cars and on the ones painted on the track and walls, repeatedly. 

            “Effective frequency” is the number of times a consumer must be exposed to a message before the marketer gets the desired response (whether that’s remembering a message or converting into a sale). This number fluctuates based on industry and target market. Some experts believe 3 times is fine, others use the “Rule of 7”. It’s important to find your effective frequency and repeat your message to consumers. Would you rather reach 5,000 people one time or 1,000 people 5 times? Which will be more impactful?

2. LOYALTY

             NASCAR enjoys possibly the most fiercely loyal fans in the sports industry. According to the American Marketing Association, 76% of NASCAR fans are likely to consider a brand that’s an official NASCAR sponsor and 75% would recommend a NASCAR-sponsoring brand. Of course, this isn’t by accident. Besides emblazoning their cars and clothes with their sponsor’s logos, the drivers are sure to thank their sponsors after a win and the announcers frequently refer to a car by its main sponsor.

                Think about how you can generate brand loyalty. Is it through a sponsorship of a local baseball team or non-profit group? Can you institute a frequent shopper program or referral rewards program? Finding consumers is step one. Keeping them coming back is just as important.

3. GOALS

            At Bristol Motor Speedway, the main race is 500 laps. Five hundred times around the oval. I’ve never driven a race car, but I can imagine that it could be easy to lose track of which turn you’re in, what lap you’re on, and how much longer you have to go. You know there’s a start/finish line somewhere, but which time does it count when you cross it?

            How about you? Are you just running in circles, unsure of where the finish line is? What are you aiming for? What are your goals? Don’t get stuck in the everyday monotony so much that you can’t see the big picture. Your marketing strategy should have a clear plan of action with defined milestones. Otherwise, you may just be throwing good money after bad. 

The High Road Agency is a full-service pit crew, ready to help you drive your marketing efforts in an effective way, ready to fuel your strategy, and ready to change the tires and get you back on the road to success. Give us a call!