Theater
1. The Lesson from The Breakers and La Quinta
Two hotels. Two completely different worlds. At the Breakers in Palm Beach, guests spend $1,500–$10,000 a night — and they line up for the privilege. Just a few miles down the road, the La Quinta Inn will gladly sell you a room on the spot for $66.
The difference? It’s not walls, paint, or plumbing — it’s experience. Guests don’t pay for a room; they pay for how they feel in that room, from the moment they pull up to the porte-cochère to the moment they see their name on the welcome card.
2. The Disney Principle
The same principle drives Disney. People don’t line up to spend $200 a head for rollercoasters — they line up to spend it on the feeling of being inside a perfectly orchestrated fantasy where every smile, every ‘Have a magical day,’ and every cue is intentional.
It’s the WOW factor — an emotional, sensory, and psychological reaction to excellence executed with consistency.
3. What WOW Looks Like in Automotive Retail
In a dealership, WOW doesn’t mean fireworks or free espresso bars. It means energy, intent, and authentic enthusiasm delivered in a predictable, repeatable way by every associate.
WOW at the dealership level includes:
- A sales associate with a genuine smile and confident posture.
- Immediate eye contact and a warm greeting — ‘Welcome! Glad you stopped in today — what brought you by?’
- A mindset that views every customer as a long-term relationship, not a single deal.
- Seamless communication between departments so the guest never feels passed around.
- A physical environment that looks organized, clean, and ready for business at all times.
4. The Reality Check
Most sales associates will never think like the concierge at The Breakers or a cast member at Disney. They’re driven by commission, quota, and bonuses. That’s reality.
But as leaders, we can teach them to perform the experience — to turn their natural salesmanship into intentional theater. Every showroom floor is a stage. Every guest interaction is a scene. Every smile, handshake, and follow-up is part of the performance that creates loyalty, referrals, and repeat business.
When done right, the guest feels something — trust, excitement, confidence — the same way a guest feels at The Breakers.
5. Bottom Line: People Don’t Pay for Cars — They Pay for How They Feel When Buying Them
Dealers who deliver the WOW experience don’t need to race to the bottom on price. They sell value, confidence, and emotion, not just metal and MSRP. And that’s why people line up for their appointments the way they line up for Disney tickets — not because it’s cheap, but because it’s worth it.
