It sounds overly simple, but I clearly must understand who is selling the car. If I have to look for your dealership's name, or if I just saw your TV commercial and didn't catch who you were, or if I just heard your radio spot and can't remember who you are, you've just wasted your money.

You can no longer just throw your used cars into the classified section of your local newspaper, as it used to be done years ago. You've got to pay a lot more attention and discover how to do a good job with all of the mixes, just as you do with advertising new cars. That includes newspapers, radio, TV, the Internet and direct mail. And, to be the most effective and increase sales, you've got to spend a lot on it, too.

Please don't insult your audience, but make sure you make the experience pleasurable and interesting for them to hear or see your ideas. The screamer is always going to be there, because it's always going to work for someone, somewhere. You scream something long enough, some people will eventually listen, but it's not my choice at all. I hate screamer ads.

does that emotional stuff really well. She's just plays it in a simple way, in a convincing way. Without turning things into melodrama, she sucks you in and makes you want to cry for her.

Although it sounds simple, it adds up.

This is a stronger strategy. Clearly, selling the incentive was not working.