Ever notice most stereotypes are that for good reason? “Jocks are dumb”. “White guys can’t dance”. I personally take major objection to those two. But, in rare moments of honest reflection, most of the guys I played ball with weren’t real smart and most of my fraternity brothers were biting their lower lip on the dance floor during “their move”.
“Politicians are cigar-smoking, bombastic, self-serving, untrustworthy individuals,” as outlined in a handout by the Indiana State Bar Association (2008). I’m having trouble arguing with that one right now. But every now and then, even they go against the stereotype and do something that can actually help out. Sure you may have to dig through 2000 pages of tax code to find it, but it’s there.
For years now the government has given small business a gift. Green money in exchange for capex. The Section 179 deduction gives business the ability to deduct 100% of the capital expenditure up to certain limits and combined with leasing, could make the net investment little to nothing. A pretty nice present.
Equipment Finance companies have tried to increase awareness of 179 as a tool to drive more capex and leasing in the vendor and smaller business sectors. They just do a really bad job of it. Most 179 marketing efforts sound as if they are written to accountants with 20 years of finance experience and NOT to the president of a small manufacturing company or a physician.
Your audience is not a CPA. They do not speak “finance geek”.
Here’s how to Market section 179:
- Depreciation Examples. Bring your client through an example of the deduction. Make it simple. Round numbers. The more specific to your market…the better. If you are running a vendor program, do an example for each common type of equipment. MAKE IT EASY TO UNDERSTAND.
- Lease Examples. Now that you’ve showed them the benefits of the tax law, show them how leasing puts the solution into the “no brainer” category. Too many times you leave this out and you can’t leave this out. Leasing is what you’re selling after all.
- Talk like a real person. Explain things at a high level…in English. When things feel too geeky, they are too geeky. Use humor, grab their attention…this is a marketing piece after all
- Leave them wanting more. The goal is to make them ask questions. Don’t get mired in the details. After all you don’t hold yourself out as a tax advisor, so don’t try to be that. Force a phone call to their accountant, or heaven forbid , a meeting with your sales team.
- ACT NOW! Although those politicians have extended this benefit for the last several years, there is no guarantee it will go beyond 12/31. Create the sense of urgency and point out the uncertainty politics offers.
At SAWBUX, we blow up stereotypes, like, “Marketing doesn’t make me money“. Our whole business is built to blow that one up. As a firm built by deal guys, for deal guys, we help you market things like 179. All the while driving more sales and creating a winning brand for your company.
Financial marketing sucks. We can help
www.sawbuxmarketing.com