Ch. 17 - Personal Selling and Sales Management

Yamaha Motor Company is concerned regarding the relationship that is being created with its potential customers and the way the sales transaction occur. In order for all their customers to have a remarkable experience and to have them come back and choose over and over their products, Yamaha Motor has all its sales representative being intensely trained. All details are being taken in consideration so that the future transactions can be smooth and effective: starting from the technical features of the line products passing to the financial promotion and financing. Obviously dealers across the world have different strategies and promotions due to the various target market.

In the case of street bikes, the potential customer starts researching on his own and Yamaha Motor offers different platforms where its products are being publicize. Through popular social media such as Facebook and Instagram, customers all over the world can check the newest adds and pictures of the many local pages. For detailed informations, the Yamaha Motor Website its a great platform that offers a variety of news and details regarding Yamaha products. Each category of bikes also promotes some sales event regarding 2014 models where Yamaha Motor finance cash in order to purchase the bike, giving convenient apr interest rate for monthly payments. After a detailed  look of the website, there is also the possibility for the customer to get in touch with the closest dealer by submitting his personal informations and the product in which its interested.

Once the personal research its over, the customer can finally visit one of the Yamaha Motor Dealers where a Yamaha Representative will take care and conduct the transaction, accommodating the Customers requests and find the best suitable option financing wise. The courtesy and knowledge of Yamaha Sales Management staff is widely recognize and makes Yamaha Motor one of the leaders in its field, creating an endurable relation with the customers that last and having them choosing over and over Yamaha products.

Ch. 16 - Advertising, Public Relations and Sales Promotion

Yamaha Motor Company is one of the leaders in the motorcycle industry where its products are synonyms of determination, passion and technology at its finest. It was 1998 when Yamaha Motor introduce to the world the very first R1 and since then it striven to produce the finest line of sport bike ever built. Till today. Yamaha energy comes from the passion of its engineers, its employees and riders to find future solutions in order to make its customers happy and satisfied about its products, giving them the unique excitement they're looking for. And with a year in advance, Yamaha executives were announcing their commitment to invest significantly in their capacity to develop a new advanced product. Defined as a new chapter or better, the beginning of a new era, the new 2015 Yamaha YZR R1 was developed and with it, an amazing "We/R1" advertising campaign focused on the innovation this product was going to bring on the market. 

Yamaha we/R1 live coverage few days before the presentation.

 The campaign in the months preceding the unveiling of the new bike was focusing in releasing few details in order to grew the curiosity and interest of the Motorcyclists crowd, followed by the publish of short video regarding the "We/R1" message and all ended the day that the R1 was unveiled with a live coverage of the event that was streamed online and accessible to everybody. Also, the most popular social media were able to give hint and information about the event, as well as the creation of the ashtag #we_R1. Yamaha took advantage of the event to introduce to the market other new products, leaving the R1 last to make sure that the number of users online at that moment was maximum. To complete the show, the new 2015 YZR R1 was presented by ninth time World Champion Valentino Rossi, known also for his great communications skills.

Valentino Rossi unveiling the new R1

Ch. 14 - Marketing Channels and Retailing

Yamaha Motor Company can count of many retailers for selling its products. In the immediate New York and New Jersey area there are eight dealers that promote Yamaha brand and competitors. I recently visited New York Honda Yamaha, a retail shop located in Long Island City that happens to be the number one volume dealer in the Tri-state region.

After being welcomed by one of the employees that showed me around the store i immediately realized why NY Honda Yamaha is well awarded. As Yamaha Motor Company, their mission statement is concerned towards Customer Satisfaction which they show with their knowledge regarding all products they have in store. The sales people don't give any pressure at all and they are ready to help potential customers to find the bike that better fits their needs.

They are primarily Yamaha and Honda dealers so all new bikes are from these two major brands, but they also carry used bikes from different brands. I was interested from where they get their bikes: primarily they're coming from Japan but even more interesting is how different categories of bikes such as maxi-scooter and naked bikes are coming from Europe, where this models are very successful. The bikes are exposed in order and their look is more fascinating then ever.

As well as being a dealer, New York Honda Yamaha provides assistance to its customers having in store a well furnished garage. All new and used bikes are provided with meticulous assistance and the bike doesn't leave the store until it's 100% safe to ride. They provide parts and accessories as well for all their products. In store they have a small gears section where helmets, leather suits and other gadgets are being sold. If a product is not available, they're ready to order it for the customer. The availability and courtesy that this dealer provides it's a tremendous advantage for their business and being the number one in the Tri-state region its self explanatory. Customers looking for a new bike are seeking people that are able to walk them all the way through the purchase of the bike of their dreams and Yamaha Motor Company has well trained their dealers in order to achieve this goal.

Ch. 6 - Consumer Decision Making

Nowadays customer research gives valuable data relating to customers in order to make a decision regarding the product they will buy. Yamaha YZR R1 target market is mostly a male population, motorcyclists from all over the world involved in track and road riding. Consumers are empowered to make the right decision when it comes to purchase a new bike, spending a considerable amount of time researching and expecting from the manufacturers to give them the best technology. When they choose the bike of their dreams, the customers finally looks for the best financial option available,  demanding fast service. However, Yamaha Motor knows that their target market is the same as their main competitors such as Honda, Suzuki, Kawasaki and Ducati: Yamaha have to create a special need to their future customers in order to gain their attention because their competitors won't just sit and look at them.

With the knowledge that consumers will spend lots of time researching information's regarding the bike, Yamaha had the R1 being tested and reviewed by the main motorcycles magazines and websites, including technical details about the bike that has being tested several times on track and first impressions by test Rider. Also, Yamaha Motor Company can count on an important racing heritage that has an effective effect on the Customer, having the YZR R1 being developed by 9 times MotoGP World Champion Valentino Rossi and 4 times AMA Superbike Champion Josh Hayes, involved as well in promoting the bike through track test and interviews where they speak about the potential of the new R1. The making of Technical Commercials on the web contributes to strengthen Customers decision.  The release of these data have a tremendous impact on Customer's opinion that through this external information research has all the necessary resources to evaluate and purchase the bike. The final step in this process is to find the most adequate financial proposal by visiting the retailer that will give the customer the best advantage as service and price.