By: Myril Shaw – Shaw Consulting US 

“When you target individuals based on the lifestyle they live or the lifestyle they aspire to live, you are creating a more personalized information channel. Now, this may sound fancy, but this is how most consumers think. Most consumers would ask the question Why should I buy this, over What is this product? Thus the initial perception of a product should be such that the consumer is convinced that this product would do it for them.

This is the hard-hitting point: Lifestyle marketing starts with ‘Why’”

  --  February 20, 2023 by Anuj Nawal in Marketing Essentials

People purchasing recreational vehicles are making a lifestyle choice – and that changes everything. 

More frequently than ever, F&I is getting miscast in the recreational industry. There has been a growing trend to try to approach recreational F&I in the same way that automotive handles it. 

In the automotive space the trend is to make everything as “on-line” as possible. This includes applications, car selection, contract terms, and protective product selections. The effort is to absolutely minimize human interaction and maximize efficiency. This trend is true throughout the industry except for high-end, luxury car purchases, where there is still very high personal touch and interaction – because those buyers expect personal treatment.

Keep in mind that except for luxury vehicles, cars are a “required” purchase. People buy a car because they need one. The buyers are no more excited about requisite personal interactions than dealers are. Buyers have long had expectations set about extended warranties. Automating the process as much as possible creates cost saving through efficiency without impacting transaction profit very negatively.

Recreational vehicle transactions are completely different.

Recreational buyers are making their purchase to create or sustain a lifestyle that they are excited about. With a few rare exceptions, no one NEEDS a boat or an RV. These buyers want to talk. They want a personal touch.

Of course, having the ability to browse on-line, find something or “somethings” they like, can increasingly whet the appetite. Having the ability to “Get Pre-Qualified” may help further engage the buyer – although there is the risk that a customer who is not “Pre-Qualified” may go elsewhere and still be qualified with specific terms from more targeted lenders. In general, though, “Get Pre-Qualified” does provide some initial customer lead details and generally is “loose” enough that it won’t drive away customers who would ultimately qualify for financing.

The viewing of units online is the start and not the end for the lifestyle buyer. This just provides a vision of what they want. In the store, the salesperson can use their online excitement to build on their lifestyle options.

Once a lifestyle customer has had a great experience with their salesperson and is even more excited envisioning what their lifestyle can/will offer them, they want to really get things rolling. Except for completing a full credit application, which generally should be done on-line sitting in the store, nothing that follows is an on-line process.

A customer centered, lifestyle excited Business Manager (note, in the recreational space, there should never be a mention of a Finance Manager) will TALK with them about their contract term options and protective product options.

This is the point at which lifestyle excitement and profit maximization merge. The Business Manager has the opportunity to ensure that loan profit is maximized while helping the customer understand that the relatively low payments will enable them to have more available to enjoy their lifestyle.

As Business Managers discuss protective product options, they will be talking about how these products help ensure that when the inevitable issues arise, these products help the customer continue their lifestyle happily and quickly and at very low added cost. They tell stories about how the products have helped other customers. That said, these products can significantly improve the profit on the transaction virtually invisible to the customer.

It is important to note that when the Business Manager speaks with EVERY customer, profit can be enhanced even with cash buyers. The value of protective products even to cash buyers is incredible in terms of lifestyle protection and that is a message that the Business Manager can clearly deliver.

The bottom line is this – lifestyle buyers are NOT car buyers. They want and expect a personal experience and are excited about that experience. Failure to deliver that experience does not just disappoint the customer, it definitely disappoints profit.

Maximize profit with outstanding personal customer experience. Stories sell. Engagement and excitement sells. Personal touch sells.

Lifestyle is not point and click – it is engage, excite, maximize the customer experience, deliver fun personally, and drive profit.

Shaw Consulting US – Helping You Maximize Profit and Minimize Risk Every Day 



Shaw Consulting US, LLC can help you achieve F&I excellence and Compliance safety – or at least a demonstrable “good faith effort” in Compliance - no matter where you are in the development and/or maturity of your store or stores F&I success / Compliance Effectiveness models. The Founders have helped lead dealers and Service Providers to achieve the highest levels of “per unit F&I profit” and have significant experience and success in equipping and training dealers in Compliance best practices. 

We train, consult, provide tools and documents, and can help source the best people. We can also assist in building out the best systems for delivering both F&I profit and Compliance best practice. Whatever you need, Shaw Consulting US is here for you.

Visit our website (and see our Blog posts) at https://shawconsultingus.com, contact us at info@shawconsultingus.com, find out about our special Comprehensive Compliance Program at compliancespecial@shawconsultingus.com, or just give us a call at (678) 641-8419.

Whether it is maximizing F&I Profit or minimizing Compliance risk, or both, or a combination Shaw Consulting US, LLC an help you be your best (https://shawconsultingus.com)