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Do Car Dealers Need to be Social Networking?

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#21
Audrey,

It feels funny having a conversation with you here - I guess the same goes for Jeff and a few of the others I regularly communicate with. Anyway, we have added a portion to our employee handbook (actually an online policy/sign-off site) on employee web-engagement using the Checkered Flag name.

I think you know what I want to do, but it is currently expensive. For those of you reading this (especially vendors who can do it ;) ), I'd like to build an "Intranet" that combines a FaceBook/MySpace environment with LinkedIn for employees to build their own "professional" space - this page could be public facing, but public facing on a permission basis by the user with an approval check-off by an admin. As for the "Intranet" part, I'd like to see a forum, and an Instant Chat piece that wasn't accessible to people outside of the "Intranet". We use Microsoft Exchange, so I'd like to see it compatible with that system to manage users. I'll try to detail those three initial parts a little more.

Personalized FaceBook/MySpace/LinkedIn page: public facing with a simple url like http://www.checkeredflag.com/alex.snyder. There would be a library of graphics the dealership provides (this could help with compliancy), but users would be able to upload their own pictures too. If a user decides to make his/her space public, then an email is sent to an admin to approve the content before it actually shows outside of the "Intranet".

Instant Chat: I think this is self explanatory. It should be standalone and automatically start when a user logs in. It should link to their profile in the "Intranet" and the name should be derived from their name in the Exchange Server: ex. alexsnyder, alex.snyder, asnyder, johnsmith1, etc.

Forums: these can be whatever the dealership wants to do with them. I'd like to use them as a meeting place. Post an idea on the forum and see what comes out of the postings. Then have a second portion of the forum where people can chat about their favorite places to order lunch from or whatever.

Reporting: usage reports. Yeah....I want to know if John Smith the parts stocker (who is paid hourly) is spending 2 hours a day playing in here while stock orders are piling up. Maybe there is a way to limit time spent in this area?

Hopefully I'm not getting too detailed, but this is something I've thought about for years. We tried doing an internal PHP forum in the past, and it got great traction with a few employees - but I think we were a little ahead of the times for the rest. I think we're at a point where we can give this a go again, but I need more than just a simple forum now. I need something management will pay for to get buy-in.....but not too expensive!.....ha ha.

Please - everyone on Dealer Refresh - criticize, build on, and polish anything I've posted here.
 
#22
Hi Everyone,
Working with these networks on a regular basis on the SEO and SEM side of the automotive industry, its not just about getting the sales staff an immediate sale (maybe in a perfect world) but to achieve improved organic placements and increase avenues for consumers to learn about the dealership, its staff and provide positive internet exposure. The end result leading to more sales and lowering the cost per lead and making your internet advertising dollars go a little further.

Ron Northbird
Dealer Fire
 
#23
Alex:
The program you described which linked a company intranet and the various social networks is possible. Facebook has a programming interface for building apps that connect with or run on their social network. The real key though is the new initiative by Google called Opensocial, it provides a programming interface that allows one application to run on different social networks or to connect different social networks. Two of Google's biggest partners in this initiative are MySpace and Linkedin, so the tools exist to build such an application. At least in theory, I'm not a programmer myself but from what I've read it certainly seems possible.
 
#24
Thanks for the heads up James - I'm looking forward to something like that for my own personal SNing.

Google Apps aren't the most secure things, so I'm hesitant to use something along those lines for our company. I also don't want our well-branded name to be associated with MySpace or FaceBook - I want something we can brand ourselves. I assume this is going to be a free solution? Don't let my boss hear this, but I'd like to pay for something. This way we can hold a company accountable and then management will want to see it succeed. When it is always free, it is too easy to forget about it.
 
#26
Alex, I thought you in particular might find this article appealing: Facebook to License its Social Networking Platform

If I understood your goal correctly, maybe this is just the break you have been looking for...now all you need is someone to build your platform and you can run facebook style apps on it.

I also thought I would throw my two cents in on the subject as well. I think that any dealership or dealership employee who uses social networking tools are on the right track. Dealership employees, salespeople especially, seem to rely solely on the dealer's efforts (I know this is a generalization, so I will tread lightly...certainly nobody paying attention to DealerRefresh is guilty!!!) to generate leads and sales. It is the proactive and the progressive ones who can be successful with this type of marketing tool.

There are only two reasons to advertise: to generate leads, and to generate brand awareness. Thats it. The salespeople who understand that building their own "brand: me" is important, will take advantage and be successful with these great new tools.
 
#27
Amen Tim to the point on branding....Now if we could get the garden variety dealer to accept it.

The artice from ABC spells out in better detail what the "programming interfaces" provide you the capabilities to do. Facebook, Google and others provide the technical details of how it could be done for free. This part is for your boss Alex, the cost comes from paying a programmer or company to take that knowledge and turn it into a working application. The costs can vary from minimal to "HOLY COW!". Since you pay to for the development though, you get to brand it as your own.

I've have a Facebook account and the applications developed so far that tie into Facebook are branded by that company. A dealership that developed something that Alex described would be able to maintain and protect their brand while extending their marketing reach into various social networks. Try a Google search for "Facebook applications" to see some applications already developed using the API/ programming interface, most of the ones developed so far are geared toward teens/twenty-somethings. If your boss or co-worder asks what your doing...just tell them its "Marketing Research".

Happy Holidays - James
 
#29
Great comments and grasp of what it takes to succeed. As the feedback above states mypace and facebook are not designed to brand dealerships or sales people. CarFolks.com is going to do just that. It is an automotive social network designed to build brand recognition for sales people, their dealerships and the manufacturers.

Consumers can come in and search not for a vehicle, but for the best sales people in a given market. Now that's building the brand. Consumers will also be rating dealerships, sale people and any other point of contact they had in the dealership.

Hard working and customer focused sales people, its now time to rejoice. Fast talking, "what's it gonna take to put you in a car today" sales people. . . your days are numbered.

Sales people who want a jump start on their peers can pre-register now at www.bestcarsalesperson.com

More info at CarFolks.com
 
#30
Great Initiative Dubis. This is going to be huge. Sales 101, people buy you (the salesperson) first and to date no one out there gets that as it is difficult even today to find a face and name on the web besides the Internet Sales Manager on 60% or more Dealer sites. The Hard working good guys get the shaft at the dealership because they have no competitve advantage to reach new prospects. www.carfolks.com (Social Networking for Autmotive) this is going to be huge! After all Social Networking is about people (folks) and relationships not about the object or vehicle.
Good luck Mark. If i sold cars, i would sign up today, to get my face and name in front of as many people as i could.>>>

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