You were doing what with icicles?
Today I came across something that supersedes anything I have ever come across in all my years of blogging in the auto industry. Peculiarly it came in my first day on the job with a new gig in child safety.
The discovery began as I was sorting through an initial batch of emails to which I was included on from the client. These emails contained links to articles, press releases, blog posts, etc. There were even links to re-tweets on Twitter (it irks me that Twitter is now in our vocabulary).
After a few moments I was grazing through some of the Twitter conversations and came across one from a blog called Pajamas and Coffee where the author gets in to how she got shit-faced the night before and cheated on her boyfriend (seems trashy I know but it’s not, keep reading).
Her boyfriend in this case was Jack Daniels the liquor. She cheated on Jack by drinking another liquor, thus the post title I cheated on Jack. She regretted it in the morning with a major hangover. What blew me away though is what her husband told her the next morning when she woke up…
(Remember a moment ago I said this isn’t trashy? Well, I lied. It is. It’s profane and distasteful and this is your last chance to escape the vulgarity to which you are about to be exposed.)
Her husband’s first words in the morning were, “I knew it was time to take you home when you started fucking the icicle.”
So here I am fishing through conversations amongst moms and then WHAM! I have this in front of me. Suddenly I began feeling like a pretty simple guy.
As I look closer I see other “mommy” bloggers and Twitterers commenting on this and sharing a laugh (and re-tweets too). I knew that women, like men, have their raunchy side, but I didn’t consider their public conversations about it when I took this job. It just never crossed my mind that I would be susceptible to this kind of dialog.
Considering this is only my first day on the job in this arena, it makes you wonder what else I am destined to see considering that after nearly 4 years blogging in the auto industry I have seen nothing remotely close to this.
A Big Bang for SEO and Social Media
Earlier this year we began incorporating Facebook into our monthly deliverables for the AC List Builder product. Based on the way things have been shaping I have to say that was one of the better moves we have made since going into business in 2007. Facebook has clearly turned out to be a social marketing phenomenon.
Our shift to utilize Facebook in behalf of our clients is specific to Facebook “Pages”, which were introduced by Facebook last year in response to business creating profiles on Facebook. Profiles were not originally meant for businesses, only individuals, and the Facebook folk were smart about rolling out the “Page” product.
If you are a business and have had a profile for a while then it might not be realistic to transition to a Page, but if you are new to Facebook (as a business) then definitely refrain from creating a profile for your business and go with a Page. The reason why is due to two specific things…
a.) Profiles by default are set to private and so unless you specify it to be public people will have to request to be your friend. Pages by default are public and so anyone can become a fan.
b.) Profiles, unless public, are not indexable by search engines. Pages are, and you most definitely want the search engine benefits you can experience with a Page.
Which leads to my point…
Last month it was announced that both Google and Microsoft are putting together formal plans with Twitter and with Facebook to start including them in searches on google.com and bing.com. THIS IS HUGE!
Since Twitter hit the scene people have been grappling for the best business use of it. Some argue Twitter is a mass media tool, some argue it is best for one-on-one or small group communication, others might argues it is good for running specials and events. Quite frankly these are all good uses. The challenge is finding the right approach with it for your business and sticking with it. At least that has been my challenge.
But if everybody’s “Tweets” are soon to be indexed by search engines and start appearing as listings in peoples’ search results, this could be as far reaching as having the ability to literally search the minds of everyone in the world. Well, maybe that is an exaggeration but it does mean you would be able to search thethe conversations that people are publishing to their Twitter and Facebook accounts.
You thought blogging made it easy for the every day guy, gal, or business to have a voice, think of what Twitter and Facebook will make possible once this information can be sought out on search engines.
Anyhow, I am excited about this and believe it justifies our decision to start using Facebook with our clients. We have held off utilizing Twitter for clients but with this announcement we are already preparing to incorporate this too. Below is a video supplement to this post for your viewing pleasure. It’s trippay…
Blogging and Social Media setups for Car Dealers
For the past 3 years, the auto industry, specifically the dealer community, has inched its way into blogging and social media. It is actually safe to talk about these things whereas fewer than 2 years ago I purposely avoided using such terms in my conversations with dealers and auto insiders because they were still a bit taboo. Now with the unveiling of such companies and services as DealerFeeder, I think we can say that the past is officially behind us.
Of course this day would come, it was only a matter of time. With the efforts of people like Jeff Kershner of DealerRefresh and Ralph Paglia of Automotive Digital Marketing, dealers and auto insiders are becoming increasingly more emerged in the idea and practice of blogging and social media. But what are these things really?
Let’s be clear about something. Setting up a Twitter account or a Facebook account takes 2 minutes, literally. Setting up a blog takes 5 and it is free. If you are paying someone to do this for you without a master plan and direct correlation to your marketing strategy then you are wasting everyone’s time and money. The set up of these things is the least of your concerns. Utilizing them and incorporating them effectively into your sales process is the real challenge.
Looking back to the late 90’s and early 2000’s, I recall the blitzkrieg of car dealers taking on the Web. In the first few years the big question was “should I or shouldn’t I have a website?” Then it was should I or shouldn’t I do pay-per-click advertising (PPC). Now it is “should I or shouldn’t I have a blog and do social networking?”. It’s easy to say yes to these questions but what is not easy to address is the HOW.
Successful business comes down to 3 things most of us know – People. Product. Process. Car dealers have the product and despite today’s economic situation there is no lack of people. There is an abundance of people at the consumer level and at the industry level. But it is the process that throws a wrench into all this.
Dealers have been able to follow a relatively consistent sales and marketing process for 50 or 60 years or so until the advent of the Web. Since then there has been a constant flux in their business processes. First came email, then came Automotive CRM, then Internet Departments, BDC, e-commerce directors, etc. Now we have blogging and social media. Anyone who thinks that incorporating blogging and social media into their marketing strategy simply for the sake of doing it because they “should” is going to be sorely disappointed. So what if you get 500 people following you on Twitter. Are you selling more cars as a result? Is your service business increasing? Are you improving upon your brand equity?
If you are doing these things, what impact are these efforts having on your results? If you can not draw a clear distinction amongst these things then you may be at risk of treading water. Studying your customer behavior and correlating it directly to your efforts is the ugly side of this business which is no different from any other form or method of marketing, conventional or progressive. Obtaining the tools for the trade is as easy as going to the store and buying them, but that doesn’t mean you end up with a killer deck.
Promise in Automotive Blog Marketing
Just returned from a workshop we held today with the Automobile Dealers Association of Greater Philadelphia (Shouts out to Greta, thank you). The workshop concentrated on providing attendees with an applicable technique they could deploy at the dealership using their Blog, Email, SEO, Social Media Networking sites, and Video.
Interestingly, none of the near 30 attendees representing more than a dozen dealerships reported their dealership having a blog. While I am not surprised by this, I do think it hints at the blue ocean still remaining before us in the auto industry of incorporating blog strategies into a car dealer’s Internet Marketing Strategy.
The purpose of our workshop today was to show dealers a real-life way to utilize their blog in their Business Marketing and Advertising plans, the importance of permission-based email marketing, and how SEO must be considered a core part of any online marketing campaign. It was presumed that attendees had already crossed the Internet bridge and the SEO bridge, and we anticipated that many people present would be hoping to learn how to get a blog or start blogging. I confess not clarifying well enough in the beginning that our emphasis was on how to utilize your blog versus how to get one but I am confident people still were able to take something home that was useful.
The message we shared today is one that I have seen evolving in recent years and fortunately being embraced by most dealerships today. It’s the idea of selling a relationship and not a car which really is just Sales 101. But more important than the message is the “How?” and “Why?”. While the idea of selling a relationship and not a commodity sounds good and all, pulling it off is a challenge, especially for car dealers. And that is what we really covered today. Why use a blog and how it can be utilized?
So while the dealer industry is still in its infancy for incorporating Blog Marketing Strategies into their Business Marketing and Advertising plans, it was evident today seeing how much more welcome the idea of using blogs has become for dealers. A year ago I would have been chased out the room for saying the “B” word. Today it seemed we couldn’t talk about it enough.
Can Social Media Make You Car Salesperson of the Year?
“So what do you do for a living?”
How often have we all heard that question come out of someone’s mouth? Usually uttered at cocktail parties where few people know each other, this question establishes a framework for the relationships we have with everyone around us.
When we find out what people do for a living, we can determine what they can do for us and what we can do for them, creating networks that can last a lifetime. And who doesn’t want a friend who sells cars?
Except there are only so many people you can invite to a cocktail party, and only so many cocktail parties you can attend. So how do you turn this handy piece of information into more car sales without spending the next 30 Saturdays at cocktail parties?
- Utilize social media to make local contacts -
Social media has changed the way the internet — and the world — works. People are connecting with other people in ways they never could before. They would never have the time or ability to meet before this new technology became available. Now they’re not only meeting, but becoming friends.
To use social media to forward your business goals, the first thing you have to understand is who it is that buys your product. In the auto salesperson’s case, those people are local. Focus your energies on meeting new online contacts that you know are within driving range of where you are. There are local communities on all of the major social networks, most prominently Facebook. These are where you’ll meet the people who can come out and buy your cars.
- Make them aware of what you do -
Don’t hide your occupation. Make it easy for them to find out that you sell vehicles, either by putting something simple in your forum signature line or making sure to fill in the occupation and employer categories on Facebook and LinkedIn.
- Don’t sell anything -
Social media is just what it sounds like — social. This is not a way for you to sell cars. It’s a way for you to meet people to whom you may eventually sell cars. Do not try to sell through your social media profile, ever. Just be social.
- Go about your business -
Probably the most important thing to remember about building a personal social networking profile is that you have to be yourself. You can be yourself on your best behaviour, but you have to be honest about who you are and what you’re doing. Don’t pretend to be a churchgoer or a Democrat or a kite-lover, just to sell cars. Do what you would do anyway and meet like-minded people. That will be the secret to your success.
Online Marketing through Blogging
Imagine having hundreds or thousands of local customers who knew that the next time they buy a car, they’re buying it from you. That’s what blogging can get you.
Think blogs are just online journals? Think again. According to a recent article in Dealer’s Edge, customers are not only visiting dealer blogs — they’re coming back. Blogs inherently create a community feel, maybe as a result of their diary style origins. The sense of community in the blogging world can create intense customer loyalty and can get people involved and in touch with your business, even when they’re not yet in the active buying stage.
Blogging can “show consumers that your dealer employs real people, gives back to the community, and operates a business under ethical standards,” says Jeff Kershner, founder of Dealer Refresh, an automotive sales and Internet marketing consulting firm and blog. Customers and readers can ask questions and leave comments in a much more informal style than would be necessary with a traditional, static website, and that can make your potential customers much more comfortable initiating contact.
Once your potential customers have initiated contact, you have the opportunity to create a two-way relationship with them. You can position yourself as an expert, someone your readers can go to when they need help or advice. One recent entry on Checkered Blog, the offshoot blog of the Checkered Flag website, featured the question of a reader who wanted to know what to do when someone keyed their car. The manager of the Collision Center answered the question for all of their readers to see, creating the start of a valuable community resource.
The person who reads that entry today may not have had their car keyed, but six months from now, they’ll remember you answered the question and there’s a good chance they’ll come back.
The possibilities here are only limited by your imagination. You don’t just have to talk about selling cars, either you can discuss maintenance issues, after market ideas, even talk about the benefits of getting a new paint job. With each new entry, you can gain more and more search engine traffic, and give more and more people a reason to come back.
The beauty of this strategy is that you’re not limited to an audience of people already in the market to buy a car. Modern consumers are educated and savvy, and often on the defensive when it comes time to buy. As you become a trusted resource — one that isn’t pushing for a sale or asking for anything in return for their advice and information — you stay on your customer’s radar for years to come. When it comes time to buy a new car, they’ll think of you, and not your competition.
Chances are, pretty much everyone in your area is going to buy another car someday. They may as well buy it from you, and a sharp social media marketing strategy might be just the way to make that happen.
