3 Ways Storytelling Fuels America’s Largest Monthly Car Show (and How You Can Apply Them to Grow Your Business)

3 Ways Storytelling Fuels America's Largest Monthly Car Show.

What do Kenny Rogers (a retired Major League pitcher), Michelle Beck (a small-town vocational teacher), and Magnus Walker (a famous fashion designer), have in common?

They all share a passion for automobiles.

And because of that passion, they’ve restored and showcased vehicles at America’s largest monthly car show, Caffeine and Octane.

“People are so different,” says Bruce Piefke, the entrepreneur behind the show. “But cars bring them together. For me, that’s what makes the show great—all these stories where people connect.”

And he’s used these kinds of true-life-car-love stories to transform the once struggling event into—not only one of the most lucrative car shows in the U.S.—but also a thriving media brand.

Here are three ways Piefke uses storytelling to fuel Caffeine and Octane’s success and how you can apply them to grow your business.

1. C&O Tells Stories That Are Bigger Than the Brand
Many people look at a car show and see a parking lot full of Porches, Lamborghinis, and GTO’s. Then they talk about those vehicles in terms of models, makes, years and engines—it’s all about stats and details. 

But when Piefke took over Caffeine and Octane, he didn’t just notice the cars. He also noticed the emotional connections people made with them. 

For example, there were many stories of people coming to the show with hopes of seeing the car they first learned to drive. Because they wanted to reconnect to those magic years. 

“People connect with cars like music,” says Piefke. “When you hear a song that you listened to when you were 16—when you got your first taste of freedom—it puts a smile on your face. It’s the same with cars.”

Piefke was drawn to these stories, and he knew others would be, too. So, he began to weave these types of human-interest stories into the fabric of the Caffeine and Octane brand. And as he did, the brand grew more than he ever imagined it would.  

Here’s a snapshot of Caffeine and Octane three years ago, when Piefke first acquired it:

• The live event drew 3,000 attendees

• It hadn’t made a profit in two years.

• It was barely covering its expenses.

Compare that to what the brand looks like today:

• The live event attracts 20,000 people per month. 

• It makes a healthy profit.

• It has spun into a national television show

• The television show is set to go global in late 2018.

Your Takeaway:
Tell stories that are bigger than your brand.

Go beyond specs. Dig deep and find out how your product or service connects with prospects—aka humans—on an emotional level.

2. C&O Tells Strategic Stories 
Piefke knew that to successfully monetize Caffeine and Octane, he needed to add more value for the show’s sponsors.

Getting them in front of 3,000 people for three hours every month wasn’t enough. 

“I needed to be able to tell sponsors, ‘Yes, we have this incredible event, but we’re also in touch with these people every day,” he says. “So, I went to work on the social media side of the business.”

When he took over, Caffeine and Octane’s online footprint was virtually non-existent. 

“The website wasn’t working very well,” Piefke says. “We had a Facebook page. We had Instagram. But there was very little online presence.” Because the show’s previous owners didn’t have time to build one. 

They would post things like, “Hey, don’t forget there’s a show tomorrow,” or, “Wasn’t that a great show?” But that was it.

Piefke’s efforts were much more intentional. 

Instead of hopping on Facebook to share reminders and afterthoughts, he used the platform to strategically connect with car enthusiasts, exotic car owners, and car clubs. Then he consistently tailored content that would interest those groups and shared it with them. 

For example, if a guy came to the show with a $500,000 Lamborghini, Piefke would share a picture of it with exotic car lovers. Then they’d share it with their followers, and the traffic from the post would snowball. 

This worked so well that he also started posting on Instagram, YouTube, and even Twitter.

And his strategic outreach has created a very healthy social media following for Caffeine and Octane:

• The brand has nearly 85,000 Facebook followers.

• It has 26,000 Instagram followers. 

• It has 3,200 YouTube subscribers.

• And it has over 1,000 followers on Twitter.

Not bad for a regional car show.

Your Takeaway:
Be strategic.

Treat social networking sites like the marketing megaphones they are—not like bulletin boards where you post occasional announcements. 

When you tell stories that resonate with your audience (and publish them consistently), your audience will amplify those stories. And you’ll accomplish your business goals faster.

3. C&O Tells Authentic Stories 
“My brand is authentic,” says Piefke.

And he strives to stay true to that vision of authenticity in every aspect of his brand story—from social media posts, to the merchandise he sells. 

He’s worked especially hard to make the television show a genuine reflection of the live event. “I did not want made-up drama,” he says.

So, he serves up true stories that highlight the ways cars create relationships between people. And in doing so, he creates authentic relationships with his audience. And he even reaches people who might not otherwise watch a show about cars.   

“I hear it all the time,” Piefke laughs. “This is the only show that my wife will watch with me...”  

Your Takeaway:
Keep your stories true to your brand and your audience. Authentic stories build authentic relationships. And relationships are the key to any business’ success.

Author

Holly Hughes-Barnes is a business blogger and brand journalist. She writes blog posts, case studies, and ebooks that build trust, bring in leads, and make more sales for B2B companies. She lives in TN with her husband, son, nearly-blind dog, and totally naked cat. Connect with her on LinkedIn and Twitter.