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19Jan/100

Spring 2010 looks to be huge, is your dealership ready?

Marketing and advertising your dealership has gone from mass channels such as radio and TV to a more personal and on demand approach. Instead of repeating a broad message, today you need smaller more people centric messages. It’s not that marketing your dealership has died, it’s just changed. Today people have more power and more choices. So what’s the best way to reach them?

Be Accessible.

Whether it’s your website, your Facebook page, Twitter or You Tube or any other number of sites, there are more ways to reach more people than ever before. Can your prospects and customers engage you on multiple platforms? Some people prefer to submit a form, others prefer to call, many still use email and an increasing number would rather use Facebook or other social media sites. The lesson here is simple don’t limit access to your dealership to your website and phone.

Be Active.

You don’t have to sit at your desk and post Tweets all day. However, do post something regularly. I would suggest at least three to five times a week. More importantly set up alerts to notify you when your dealership is mentioned.

Short and Sweet.

Because of all the ways to reach people today, this is more important today than ever before. One of the biggest mistakes you can make is to send a long email or posts on your social media sites. Use just 10% of your message at a time, so if you want tell prospects about a car and your description is 500 words send to them in 50 word increments. Brevity is king, when people see long email messages they tend to put off reading it.

In closing this is an exciting time to be in the car business. A lot of people have been waiting to buy that new car, waiting for the economy to settle down, waiting for credit to open back up. This spring should be one of the best in a long time. Now is the time to make sure that your dealership is ready. Feel free to call me if you have any questions on how you can put Social Media and your website to work for you.

Tagged as: Advertising, Automotive, Car, Car Sales, Customer Relationship, Customer Service, Dealerist, Dealership, Facebook, How To, Joe Turner, Linked In, Marketing, Sales, Search, Social Media, TK Carsites, Twitter, website No Comments

23Nov/090

Many will offer special “Black Friday” deals via Social Media

Thinking of going out shopping this Friday? Some of the best deeals may be offered via Twitter, Facebook or other Social Media sites. As I have been writing about lately, Social Media is emerging as a major marketing tool.

So what can your dealership do with Social Media? How about a special Oil Change service exclusively for your Facebook fans? Or use Twitter to announce a daily special good only that day? You could have about a weekly Used Car special that you only post on your blog, the possibilities are endless.

The best part is that with Social Media you can try something new everyday and not break the bank. Tell what your dealership is doing and be entered in the First Annual Dealerist Social Dealer Award to be announced in February at the Orlando convention.

As always if you have any questions or comments please do not hesitate to call me at 502-689-5370 or email me at jturner@dealerist.com. And don't forget to follow me on Twitter I am @dealerist.

Tagged as: Advertising, Automotive, Car, Car Sales, Customer Relationship, Dealerist, Dealership, Facebook, How To, Joe Turner, Linked In, Marketing, Sales, Search, Social Media, Twitter, website No Comments

2Nov/090

TK Carsites Recognized For Excellence in 2009 Automotive Search Marketing Report

The Automotive Search Marketing report issued by the Pasch Consulting Group identifies TK Carsites as one of the top website platforms in the automotive industry.

Brain Pasch presents Joe Turner two ASMA Awards

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

The Pasch Consulting Groups 2009 Automotive Search Marketing Architecture (ASMA) report released at this years Digital Dealer Conference recognizes TK Carsites as one of top industry leaders in automotive website platforms. Major improvements to TK Carsite web platforms including a Google SEO compliant inventory module, embedded blogging , and dynamic homepage banner graphics earned them the Super Charged Search Marketing merit award.

The 2nd annual ASMA report seeks to provide car dealers with an unbiased evaluation of automotive website platforms and integrated search marketing tools. The 2009 ASMA study included a review of 34 automotive website providers and highlights 9 companies as industry leaders in automotive search marketing.

TK Carsites "Super Charged Search" award was based on their utilization of search marketing strategies that are not leveraged by other automotive website vendors. According to Brian Pasch, CEO of the Pasch Consulting Group and underwriter of the ASMA report, Microsites and landing pages are not new to the search marketing community, but how TK Carsites implements these two strategies delivers unparalleled results.

In addition to their cutting edge on-site SEO tactics, the company also offers off-site SEO services and social media marketing tools that generate traffic formerly unheard of in the automotive industry. Pasch added, Of all website providers reviewed in this study, TK Carsites is the only vendor we consider who is pushing the SEO and Social Media envelope.

This years top rated platforms received the first ever engraved ASMA award in honor of their achievement. The results of the 2009 ASMA report were announced to attendees of the 7th Digital Dealer conference in Nashville.

More information about TK Carsites is available online at http://www.tkcarsites.com/

About Pasch Consulting Group

The Pasch Consulting Group is an automotive Internet marketing company and works with all major dealer platforms when providing Internet marketing services to car dealers across the nation. PCG focuses on off-site SEO strategies, geo-targeted lead generation, search engine marketing and Internet reputation management.

Brian Pasch is the CEO of the Pasch Consulting Group. Brian is a 20-year veteran of the direct marketing industry. His career has spanned both management and technology roles.

PCG works for and with an ever-growing number of businesses large and small from all over the country to maximize results of their digital marketing efforts.

Visit their automotive marketing website at: http://www.dealer-seo.com

via prurgent.com

Another award for TK Carsites! Way to go guys.

Posted via web from Joe's posterous

Tagged as: Advertising, Architecture, ASMA, Automotive, Award, Brian Pasch, Car, Dealership, Facebook, Joe Turner, Marketing, Sales, Search, Social Media, TK Carsites, Twitter, website No Comments

2Nov/090

Nashville Digital Dealer Conference shows business improving

: Business is returning to car dealerships

As I sit here in the Nashville Convention Center and look around at the crowd mulling about exhibit hall, and the standing room only crowds in the breakout workshops, it's clear to me that business must be coming back.

The dealers that I spoke with are looking to improve the way the reach customers and market their stores. It seems like the biggest crowds were at the workshops and booths that featured SEO, SEM and Social Media.

I think it not only signals that business is coming back, but that a fundamental shift it the way dealers will approach marketing and advertising in the future. I remember several years ago when the crowds were gathered around workshops and booths that featured websites.

Are you prepared for the future? Are you using Social Media to engage your customers? If your not then you may want to start.

Posted via email from Joe's posterous

Tagged as: Advertising, ASMA, Automotive, Car, Customer Relationship, Customer Service, Dealership, Joe Turner, Marketing, Sales, Search, Social Media, TK Carsites, website No Comments

23Oct/090

How to use Twitter to drive traffic

Social media sites can drive traffic to your store

I just read an article "200 DeGeneres followers go to Dallas dealership" that made me realize that Twitter really can drive actual not virtual traffic to your store, you just have to get creative. On Monday, October 19th, the Ellen DeGeneres Show start posting tweets telling her followers "If you are in (or near) Dallas, it’s a good idea to be following me on twitter…"

That started at series of tweets through Tueday. At 2:00 PM she tweeted "Dallas followers go to Sewell GMC @7474 Lemmon Ave. Be there by 5:30! Write my name on a dollar, give it to Jeannie & you’re in the running!"

About 200 people showed up and she gave away a GMC Terrain and raised money for breast cancer research.

My mind is spinning thinking of ways to use Twitter and Facebook to drive even more than 200.

Posted via email from Joe's posterous

Tagged as: Advertising, ASMA, Automotive, Award, Car, Customer Relationship, Customer Service, Dealership, Facebook, How To, Joe Turner, Marketing, Sales, Search, Social Media, TK Carsites, Twitter, website No Comments

16Oct/090

Video your walk around today.

As the week winds down and let's talk about the Presentation. In most cases the customer still has to come in to actually sign the papers and complete the transaction, so there will still be a real presentation done at that time. But to really set you apart from the other guys, why not do a killer virtual presentation?

Have one of co-workers follow-you around the car with a small video camera. Remember to keep it to short segments so do a spot at the front and talk about the engine and performance. Then move the passenger side and talk about the safety and styling features and benefits.

However you normally do your walk around just break it into small segments. Stay ENTHUSIASTIC, they're not in front of you so you want your confidence to burst out of the video. Keep in mind that the object here is twofold. First, to tell then about the car. Second, to MAKE YOU STAND OUT from the other dealerships.

There was a friend of mine in Nashville that started doing live Saturday morning commercials. They were ok, but did not generate the response that he really wanted. So one Saturday he started acting like that guy on the car king show and Saturday traffic went crazy.

I think the trick is to be just hokey enough to catch and HOLD their attention, while not being so loony that they won't come in. But,the great news is we're talking about short clips to one customer so go ahead and experiment.

This is still a people business and you can use technology to sell yourself, the store and the car.

Just a thought...

Posted via email from Joe's posterous

Tagged as: Advertising, Automotive, Car, Car Sales, Customer Relationship, Customer Service, Dealerist, Dealership, Facebook, How To, Joe Turner, Marketing, Meet and Greet, Road to Sale, Sales, Search, Social Media, Twitter No Comments

13Oct/090

Got 30 seconds, how about a walk-around?

The versatile Flip Video camcorder

According Sean Bradley of Dealer Synergy there are really only three things that need to happen in a sale. The first is the opportunity to do business, which occurs when the customer submitted their request. Next, you have to get the customer to like and trust you, which we covered in the two previous posts.

So now you have to show the customer what you have to offer, what makes you better than the rest. And again with technology today, the possibilities are endless. Using an inexpensive video camera you could do a brief 30 second walk-around of the vehicle their interested in along with one from a few other similar cars. The trick is to keep it short and sweet. They still need to come in so save something for the real presentation. Think of it as an elevator pitch. You have 30 seconds to tell them about that car so they will want to come in and get a closer look.

Remember, it's not always price that drives their final decision. In fact, there have been numerous studies that show many things factor in to their decision to buy.

For many it's about convenience. Do you offer to take the car to them?

Others want a specific color or option, are you willing to locate what they're looking for?

Reputation is a factor for many as well. do you video your satisfied customers and put those videos online?

Make this week the week you take a step forward and try something different and see what new results come from it. A fast response means nothing if you don't sell a car. That was one thing I always did was try new things. Some worked great and others did not. But I always tried and through that process sold more cars than anyone else at the dealership.

So what will you do this week?

Just a thought...

Posted via email from Joe's posterous

7Oct/090

Today’s meet and greet, what is it?

While the car business has changed a lot over the years some things haven't changed. For example every sale begins with a good old fashioned meet and greet. But the meet and greet has changed.

When I first got in the business it was some variation of a warm and friendly handshake, eye contact and a hearty welcome. Today, a majority of customers arrive at the dealership via the web long before they arrive physically.

So just what is a modern meet and greet. I suspect that like many things you can get varied opinions. I think that we can use the tools that we have and still accomplish what the meet and greet was intended to do. For example a quick and friendly reply to their inquiry can be the digital equivalent of the handshake. A brief video telling about you and the dealership can fill in for the eye contact. The goal in the physical and the virtual are really the same, to set you apart from the competition.

So break out the video camera shoot a short introduction, say about 30 seconds, and try attaching or linking to a video on your next replies. Studies have consistently shown that Internet customers are not looking at price only. The want more than a deal, they want convenience and just as importantly they want to feel comfortable with you and your store. So have several videos ready.

Introduce the Service Manager and tell about those awards, introduce the Finance Manager, talk about you lenders, services and great rates. Have the owner or General Manager tell about why your store is the BEST place to buy. How about a short video walk-around of the car their interested in. Again, it doesn't have to be fancy just sincere.

The best part guys, is that the equipment today is so inexpensive that it's so easy to get started, So the question becomes how will you set you and your store apart, what will make you stand out from the other dealerships, it's up to you.

Just a thought...

Posted via email from Joe's posterous

Tagged as: Advertising, Automotive, Car, Customer Relationship, Customer Service, Dealerist, Dealership, Facebook, How To, Joe Turner, Marketing, Meet and Greet, Sales, Search, Social Media, TK Carsites, website No Comments

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