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Lesson #2: The Proof is in the Product that Works
Article Overview: In 1910, Harley-Davidson motorcycles captured at least seven different first place finishes in races and endurance contests across America. The four boyhood friends who founded the company began racing their motorbikes because they loved it. But soon after they began sweeping races across the country, Harley and the Davidson brothers realized that they were now racing for something even more valuable than a trophy or prize money: they were racing for sales.
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Free Download - Harley-Davidson Quotes By William Harley Arthur Davidson |
Lesson #2: The Proof is in the Product that Works
In 1910, Harley-Davidson motorcycles captured at least seven different first place finishes in races and endurance contests across America. The four boyhood friends who founded the company began racing their motorbikes because they loved it. But soon after they began sweeping races across the country, Harley and the Davidson brothers realized that they were now racing for something even more valuable than a trophy or prize money: they were racing for sales.
Three years after the seven title sweep, Harley-Davidson formed its first ever Racing Department. With William Harley as the company’s official racing engineer, the department began entering its bikes in races across the country. Harley-Davidson was now focused not only on making high quality bikes, but also on producing bikes that could win races. The company understood that in winning these races, it could build its reputation as both the maker of sound and reliable machines, and as the company whose bikes were known to be the very best of the best.
In 1914, the Harley-Davidson Motor Co. officially entered motorcycle racing. In just the first few years, the company’s team was becoming known as the “Wrecking Crew” because of their dominance over the sport; nobody could beat a Harley-Davidson motorcycle. This is a title the team would hold for years to come. In 1922, racers atop Harley-Davidson motorcycles swept all eight National Championship races.
The company received another boost in its racing career when Joe Petrali began racing for it. Petrali would not only go on to become one of the most successful racers for Harley-Davidson, but in fact, one of the most successful racers of all time. Petrali helped boost the image of Harley-Davidson as a manufacturer of reliable and speedy bikes in the minds of consumers. He also helped make it ‘cool’ to ride a Harley-Davidson motorcycle; they were, after all, the bikes of winners.
The company’s winning trend continued throughout the 1930s. In 1930, all individual class winners were riding Harley-Davidson motorcycles. Two years later, Petrali began his famous five-year winning streak of the AMA Grand National Championship. Petrali also won the National Hill-Climb Championship from 1932 to 1935. In 1935, Petrali won all thirteen of the AMA National Dirt-Track Race Championships, breaking four world records in the process. Two years later, Petrali did one better in setting a new land speed record of 136.183 mph on a Harley-Davidson bike.
Year after year, race after race, the Harley-Davidson Motor Co. was proving that it was the company to beat both on and off the race track. With each lap they ran, Harley-Davidson bikes were proving their worth as machines of might. In competing and winning these races, the company was gaining mounds of free publicity – and good publicity at that. The company’s performance on the tracks helped solidify its reputation as a leader in the industry. They didn’t need fancy advertising or expensive endorsements to get ahead; they just had a product that worked, and they proved it.
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Dan Kennedy Marketing Methods
- We haven't sent out the physical letter yet as the person owning the list wanted to make modifications to the letter that we knew would work well but the List owner had a point - it didn't reflect her personality so her clients would know it didn't come from her.
Lesson learned for me. We're back to the drawing board with the list owner more involved in the development of the letter and emails.
I should have known better being a Business Analyst in my day job that you never leave the end-user out.
So Evan we haven't had the opportunity to test any of it yet but it's been a fun process for me to stand back and look at.
Re: What Do You Outsource Mostly?
- When building a New Product, I do find it helpful to outsource marketing (articles - blogging - major social network site etc) Otherwise, you may feel bogged down when you should be focused on the overall BIG PICTURE.
Trademarks
- I have to agree with Barbara. It sounds like you need to at least talk with a good attorney. Proof that you mailed the letter would be helpful. I've learned over the years to keep after people until I get a response. Its very possible that your letter never got to the people who needed to see it and that would make it impossible to get a valid response.
Companies are real touchy about their logos, but they did spend a lot of money to develop the design and to develop their brand recognition.
I have a logo for my company that my partner designed and five companies in the area have copied it almost exactly. It causes confusion in the area because people see their signs and their truck and think its me, unfortunately and I'm only dealing with that to a small degree.
Chris
Show the Benefits
- Offer a free test drive of the Product or Service with a Money Back Guarantee - Take the Risk out.
This will help them make the decision but you have to work with them to realize it by explicitly state the benefits they are receiving.
Offer Credit instead
- I'm not sure if ChrisH was referring to this but i'll state it more expicitly ..
Charge upfront and offer a refund of double the value back in "Credit" towards your Product or Service you have for sale at the end of the event.
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