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Mar 30, 2009

To: Brian in Etown

"just curious Joe…..what compelled you to post on this blog?"

I came upon this site many months ago by accident, browsing the 'net. Social networking, sales and technology interest me but human behavior interests me most. Apparently there're way too many dealers chasing way too few customers, resulting in a frantic search for anything to grab, to prevent drowning. A large number of dealers need to close; an uncomfortable but realistic outlook. Did anyone on this blog ACTUALLY believe, several months ago, that GM or Chrysler would solve their problems by end of March 2009?

David Book · Mar 29, 2009

Fun discussion.

Indeed we are over-complicating this, not surprising since we don't fully understand the implications of our "new world" and how our once solid communication methods are no longer efficient enough (think about calling 100 people) when you could do otherwise.

Facebook, Twitter, MySpace, all of it, it's simply a matter of communication. We have always had a few different ways to try to get our message across (grunts, smoke-signals, pony express, telephone, dial-up, broadband, mobile-web) and that's all we are trying to do now.

Advertising, marketing, and selling is communicating - nothing more, nothing less. Learn to communicate like your customers want, expect and appreciate or find a new gig.

Mar 27, 2009

Jeff: I agree with you it should be Social Networking and Social Marketing- reaching the Social Media. To a degree that is exactly what we have imported into our website. Mat: you have some very interesting points expressed. What would be the percentage of advertisers that would offer discounts through their ads from the different social network sites? With the economy crunch this would be a benefit to advertisers if they were to get more customers through these ads.

Mar 26, 2009

I think I've changed my opinion.

I used to think social networking was a good idea for dealers. Funny part is, it was in the best interest of my job to think that.

I don't think that anymore.

I've revisited this post several times to see new responses (good lookin' out for the Luddites, Joe) - and I have a question for the car guys out there - the current, dyed-in-the-wool, working ISM's.

Do you think social networkers (i.e. everybody but other retailers) would rather have you involved in social networking to have "conversations" with you or would they rather have you there to easily find your cars?

I'm really beginning to think it's the latter and here's what I mean.

I was talking to an ISM in Georgia yesterday and that conversation echoed the same story I've heard again and again.

He said, "I have a Facebook page, and here and there somebody joins - but I have yet to sell a car from that."

Not only that, but he told me how much time he spent (initially) trying to crack that nut and to no avail at all.

So maybe it's not social "networking" that auto retailers will benefit most from, but social "marketing".

Just using the networks for the SERP help and so when members do a search, your pre-owned 2007 Saturn Ion might catch their eye.

What do you ISM's think about that? Are you tired of social networking or is it paying off for you?

Eric Miltsch · Mar 24, 2009

Jeff,

As much as I love your blog man, when I'm retired, I won't be posting blog responses...

Mar 24, 2009

just curious Joe.....what compelled you to post on this blog?

Mar 24, 2009

I treated my customers with absolute respect, never attempted to "convince" them they needed anything which they indicated they didn't want. Never attempted to change their minds in order to increase the sale, and therefor, my commission. I sent them thank you cards for each sale and a card to celebrate their birthday; a follow-up call after each sale (not to sell more to them) simply to thank them for the purchase already made. I'm retired at a young age, enough money to live a simple and modest life (a very small home, nothing fancy at all about my life; just extremely happy), due to the great products I sold.

Mar 24, 2009

When I'm buying a vehicle I'm not looking for a "relationship" I just want to buy a car (as long as I'm treated with respect from the salesperson) and leave. The more a store, dealership or corporation etc. speaks of "relationship" "family" "honesty" "integrity" etc., the less likley those values are actually being displayed. Just do it, don't talk about it or put up banners with the pretty words.

Mar 24, 2009

Um... uh... where did I take a wrong turn???
When I need to buy a car I go to a dealer, take look at a few cars and then buy one.
How did all of this become such a tangled web of Facebook, Twitter, MySpace, LinkedIn, Blogs, Windows Live Messenger! You poor poor dealers and car buyers... how did you turn something so utterly simple into something so damn complicated??? I was in sales for 16 years, selling a product that didn't need any special "devices" to get customers because the product was exceptional. What is up with all this anxiety and frantic search for the "magic bullet"? Seems like you've all lost your minds and it's very very sad to observe. Lord_Finesse: you are the SCARIEST of the bunch.

Mar 23, 2009

Regardless of the methods for advertising on social media, social networks are here to stay, growing by leaps and bounds. We have just launched a new Social Value Network website, our goal is to help all members achieve success and give advertiser's the opportunities to advertise. Because of the diversity of audience visiting social networks, its becoming a prime target for reaching their targeted market.

Mar 20, 2009

Engage users, build your network and keep users coming back for more with Windows Live Messenger! Use the Windows Live Messenger Web Toolkit to connect users and let them communicate with hundreds of millions of Windows Live Messenger users all over the world. Use the Windows Live Messenger client (v. 7.0 and later) to develop a single- or multi-user application through the Windows Live Messenger Activity API.

Mar 20, 2009

Chris K,

This 'telephone' has too many shortcomings to be seriously considered as a means of communication. The device is inherently of no value to us.

Western Union internal memo, 1876

Mar 19, 2009

Hey you peeps got it going on. Thinking digital age. I like that.

Coming from a serious social networking guru... I suggest you dealers don't over inflate the ROI on social networking alone.

Spread your Internet departments jar of mustard thick, and on the regular in those social networks. It's free you know! But I offer some suggestions on how to be effective in not turning peoples off from subscribing to your Fan page. Yes your fan page. You don't want a profile. Because profiles are for people silly. Start fan pages. Use yourself or a team of people in your dealership on facebook as your catalyst.

Getting fans is like becoming a rockstar on facebook. Look at how Skittles.com uses facebook. They have a kick ass fan page that everyone wants to subscribe to.

Facebook, Twitter, MySpace, LinkedIn, Blogs... are your channels. But strategize your use of them.

Warning! I unsubscribe from a lot of f'n birds on twitter because they tweet to f'n much.

You starting to catch my drift. I stumbled upon this blog because I followed a facebook update, which lead to a twitter page, which lead to a tiny url link to this blog. PWN!

Your Internet Sales dept needs to be your digital army with all the right tools.

This is the general speaking.

Mar 19, 2009

Has your computer locked up again, Chris?

Mar 19, 2009

Dealerships will survive without ever buying into this hype and trend that will last how long... before the next web gimmick is invented?

There are people like me, lots of them, that believe "not documenting every second of our lives online" is actually a healthy thing to do.

Right now as I write 40,000 cars a day pass by us, our radio ads dominate the airwaves, Nissan has great ads all over the radio, tv and internet...

And to say if we don't Twitter, or don't get a Myspace or Facebook account we'll quickly sink to the bottom is quite absurd and a narrow minded vision of the big picture.

Maybe if people shut off the tv, put down their pda's, smartphones, iphones and such they'd realize the world works well and exists brilliantly without their technology.

John O'Connell · Mar 19, 2009

The scary part is some of these dealers are so focused on hanging on and being one of the survivors that when things turn and they will. The dealerships that have not embraced the internet and have some sort of understanding of a BDC never mind social networks will be the first to fail unfortunately.

matkoenig · Mar 19, 2009

Alex,

Great article. I would say that I agree with Roland as well. In the same way dealerships overlook their current customer base from sales and service with thousands of opportunities and put all of their focus into finding "new friends" to sell vehicles to.

The question I struggle with when it comes to advertising on social networking sites is how will the consumer really respond to those of us in the car business.

If we're 'friend requesting' people so we can email market them on Facebook or MySpace we are technically taking an 'interruption advertising' approach. Similar to putting an automotive Ad in the sports section of a newspaper. When someone opens the sports section they're looking for football info, not a lease on a new Toyota.

I KNOW interruption advertising works but we all know why so many consumers are using the internet: they can get what they want, when they want it. Heck, it's the same reason I only watch TV that I DVR and never watch things live (except the Super Bowl).

I think that there is opportunity to advertise well on Social Networking sites, I just wonder if the time invested sill yield enough result to justify the effort? Will a multitude of advertising turn people off to the more popular social networking sites?

Look at the growth on Facebook once MySpace got overloaded with advertisements. I know that 70% of my peers switched to Facebook after MySpace became ad heavy.

Will our customers leave and do the same?

Mar 19, 2009

Roland - I like your thinking!

Mar 18, 2009

I think the challenge of harnessing the power of social networking could be to approach the question differently.

By looking for "new" friends and followers, we overlook the goldmine of "friends" we already have: website visitors.

If our website already has two or three-thousand visitors a month to their website, wouldn't that be a great place to start? Haven't they already initiated the social conversation? They’re already interested in your store, are considering buying from you – this is where the attention should go, at least initially.

The answer to the social networking question could be in your own backyard.

Mar 18, 2009

Corey Salzano - I just wanted to let you know how much I appreciate your comments since you came to DealerRefresh. They are by far and away the most value-adding, debate-inspiring, industry-improving comments I've ever seen! Keep up the great work!

Gerald - yep, you're probably right.

Gerald · Mar 17, 2009

It seems the immediate impact of social networking for dealerships will be initially the negative impacts, to wit, the M3 incident last summer, and slowly, I think more and more good use (i.e., more sales) will be realized from the power of social networking.

Nothing wrong with it, that just seems to be how we embrace things.

Mar 17, 2009

not sure why you consider blogs to be social networks, i didn't see that in the nielsen paper. also twitters are 140 characters.

Justin Duff · Mar 17, 2009

I read this post because I saw it on twitter. I'd say social networking plays a big role

Dealers who embrace social networking sooner than later will reap the benefits. It's going to be a "learn as we go" approach this time around. Advertising with banners or paid ads on social networks will be the Google Adwords of this current time period. I think dealers are more willing to try different internet strategies this time around. It will be interesting to see how this all plays out.

Alex Snyder · Mar 22, 2009

According to Nielsen, more time is spent on Social Networking sites than is spent reading or sending emails. In their latest study, this equates to one out of every six minutes of the average web user's time is spent on sites like FaceBook, MySpace, or Twitter...or Dealer Refresh (and other blogging sites). Social Networking is growing at twice the pace of other major online activities such as using a search engine, researching a car purchase, or just sending an email.

To put social media into the simplest of definitions, think of it as a place where people can converse with other people on the Internet.

Take a look at Nielsen's survey. Of note is page 7 where they address the problems in advertising within a "conversation".

It will take time to work out the magic formula for successfully advertising in social networks. The diversity and personalised nature of the environment means standard ad models - such as contextual search and standard unit sizes - won't cut it. Different approaches across ad units and ad inventory will have to be tried, involving a trial and error mindset.

As advertisers, do we join the conversation or interrupt it?

Nielsen also points out that:

Social media has fanned the flames of consumer distrust about advertisers claims.

If you are familiar with an eBay and M3 incident from a few months ago, you already know the power of Social Media on an advertiser's reputation (notice what's indexed in that search link). Knowing you cannot control every little thing that may or may not be done by one of your employees, how can you combat these medias when they're not working for you? How do you stop the Flogging?

Social Media brings up two major problems for advertisers:

How do you advertise on it?
How do you keep your reputation clean in it?

Imagine a customer sitting in your finance department with his iPhone. He loved everything about your sales person, loves the deal on the car, and is on Twitter describing the whole process to his 100+ followers - great! Then your F&I Manager says "if you buy this warranty, I'll lower your rate by 2 percentage points." Guess what was just Tweeted to over 100 people...who may Tweet that to their own followers. What was a great time, has now become a single 140 character sentence on Twitter that just ruined your reputation with a bunch of people...and you have no idea!

I'm not trying to scare you with this, but I am trying to grab your attention. On the positive side, you can specialize in a particular social media network/site and gain a serious following of consumers who won't even think of doing business anywhere else. You just have to do it right, and join the conversation.

Apr 14, 2009

I am currently in training during the dealer synergy session. He came out to our dealership a couple weeks ago. I can't get enough of this guy!!! I'm learning a ton and Sean is amazing!!! I highly recommend him!!! If you have any questions feel free to email me: [email protected]

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