A Whole New Network
About four months before I actually bought my Vespa, I did a lot of research. I visited the local Vespa Boutique and spent hours Googling for anything I could soak up. The one thing that really stood out is that everyone with a Vespa absolutely loves it. With most other products, people seem more compelled to write a review when they have something negative to say, and their review turns into outright slander against the product and the company. With the Vespa, I found very few negative comments and they were all nestled deep within generally favorable reviews. I really love my Vespa!
And apparently many others would love to love a Vespa! Something that nobody mentioned in all of my research was that when you have a Vespa people who would otherwise be curious onlookers will walk right up and ask you about it. While some like to strike up a lengthy conversation about scootering, I would say that 90% of the time people ask two questions: “How much did you pay for that?” and “What kind of gas mileage do you get?”.
The first number usually takes people by surprise, but I am always quick to point out that the Vespa is manufactured in and imported from Italy, that it has a great maintenance record (people drive their Vespas long after their cars are rusted out in a junkyard somewhere), and that I save money on gas and parking. Commuters pay up to $20 per day to park in downtown Washington DC, and a year of that will buy almost two Vespa LX 150s at list price. The gas mileage figures also get a big grin from most people, especially those who are used to fueling their large cars and SUVs.
Owning a Vespa has certainly made me more social, and it makes me wish that Vespa had a referral program. If I had little business cards to pass out that had the address of the local Vespa dealer, I’m sure that the store would receive far more inquiries. After all, word of mouth is the best lead generation method and having your current customers doing all of the sales for you is a dream come true.