Do you REALLY want to DIY?

[MikeFitzpatrick]

• Pick a high profile CMS as a platform (i.e. wordpress).
• Create standards for your platform that address our industry (i.e.catalog navigation, branding, ADFs, local SEO, etc)
• Invite Independent WordPress architects into your "dealer marketing system" (templates sell for $1000's, not $19)
• Certify and resell their work via a WP template commerce system (certify revenue, resale commissions)
• Dealers can choose from your certified template library
• Your team is only allowed to install templates and make sites ready for public use.
• Dealers that want template mods can search templates who's authors are prepared to do custom work (some may not want to)
• eCarlist has it's own templates along side of the indies
• Allow use of WP widgets
• Content comes via DIY, Agency or eCarList's Turn Key Program.

This opens many new opportunities like Fast Microsites

Joe, this already exists at CarDealerPress.com and is open for anyone, including dealers to build site themes or widgets and place them for sale.

Over the last few years of using WordPress as a CMS for websites we are starting to see a change in dealership mentality. Now dealers are hiring true marketing managers that are taking full advantage of the tools and widgets available in WordPress websites. We recognize that having full control of a website isn't for everyone, but the number of dealerships that want to have the control that WordPress offers is growing by the day.

 

[Chris Cachor]

Terrence, I'm thinking something like Shopify. Perhaps a central "app-store" as well. You provide the integration (call tracking, lead reporting/scoring, inventory processing, rebate data, licenses assets) and let them do what they want with it. Fully modularized. I'm not sure how large the market is for the level of work involved as well as the learning curve on DIY. I've thought about it a lot.

 

[joe.pistell]

Terrence, I'm thinking something like Shopify. Perhaps a central "app-store" as well. You provide the integration (call tracking, lead reporting/scoring, inventory processing, rebate data, licenses assets) and let them do what they want with it. Fully modularized. I'm not sure how large the market is for the level of work involved as well as the learning curve on DIY. I've thought about it a lot.

Thats the model I am thinking of too Chris. Apple & iTunes is another example.

The Web vendor is the "Apple" and the web platform has an iTunes like entrance that empowers all kinds of creative flexibility.

Web vendor would have its own inhouse crew to make it turn-key (brainless). If the dealer wanted faster or more creative services, the dealer could DIY, or go to a list of "certified" players and get their own rent-a-geek to do the work for them.

 

[Chris Cachor]

Web vendor would have its own inhouse crew to make it turn-key (brainless). If the dealer wanted faster or more creative services, the dealer could DIY, or go to a list of "certified" players and get their own rent-a-geek to do the work for them.

Exactly. Web vendor provides the integration and the "platform" while say the dealer groups advertising agency for example would handle the day to day updates, creative, etc. What's happened is the websites have become too complicated for an agency to handle (especially inventory issues) so they outsource to a vendor but are left with little to no control.

I've been working away at this for a while. I have some screenshots I can show off, but some of the biggest obstacles (inventory, reporting) is still a work in progress. Maybe I'll post something tomorrow afternoon to see what type of response I see so far.

 

[MikeFitzpatrick]

I'm not sure how large the market is for the level of work involved as well as the learning curve on DIY. I've thought about it a lot.

Chris, This is one of the great things about WordPress. Just about every marketing company has WordPress developers on staff so it doesn't have to be do it yourself. Plus the fact that you can find WordPress developers just about anywhere you go (as Joe mentioned).


As far as WordPress themes go we have found that using a framework like Genesis is a great starting point. They give a theme developer most of the functionality that a website needs other than the look and feel. So the theme developer can create a child theme, add automotive specific functionality and have a stable site right out of the gate. If you look around there are 10 to 20 solid parent themes or frameworks that have a strong following of developers. This would give you one more level of security just in case the developer that is hired is no longer available. A new developer can jump right in where the last one left off much easier than trying to figure out a fully custom site.

 

[Chris Cachor]

Chris, This is one of the great things about WordPress. Just about every marketing company has WordPress developers on staff so it doesn't have to be do it yourself. Plus the fact that you can find WordPress developers just about anywhere you go (as Joe mentioned).

Very true. For CarDealerPress, do you manage leads centrally or is this all stored in a wordpress install for the given site? Maybe it makes sense to keep this data in a separate reporting tool and let Wordpress just handle the CMS side of things?

 

[MikeFitzpatrick]

For CarDealerPress, do you manage leads centrally or is this all stored in a wordpress install for the given site?

I am not 100% what you are asking, but... For all of the static page email forms, e.g. service request, parts, etc. we use Gravity Forms. It is a very powerful form building tool that can be configured to send into ADF format and send the user to a pre-defined exit page for tracking. For email forms within the inventory that is all handled by our inventory hosting tool with the same types of control. ... please let me know if that answers your question.

Maybe it makes sense to keep this data in a separate reporting tool and let Wordpress just handle the CMS side of things?

There are CRM tools for WordPress, but nothing that I have found that would be usable for the automotive industry yet. My feeling is to let WordPress just handle the CMS since that is what it does best, and keep inventory and CRM/ILM separate.

 

[Chris Cachor]

I am not 100% what you are asking, but... For all of the static page email forms, e.g. service request, parts, etc. we use Gravity Forms. It is a very powerful form building tool that can be configured to send into ADF format and send the user to a pre-defined exit page for tracking. For email forms within the inventory that is all handled by our inventory hosting tool with the same types of control. ... please let me know if that answers your question.

Mike, yes this answers my question. Gravity Forms is pretty powerful too! I took a look at your product site and think the different plugins are pretty cool! How are they licensed? On a per-site basis?

 

[MikeFitzpatrick]

Thanks for the feedback Chris. If you have any suggestions or things that you would like to see please don't hesitate to let me know. The goal with the site is to offer tools that help dealers reach their online marketing goals with the consultants and other companies that they use.

How are they licensed? On a per-site basis?

The licensing varies per plugin and service, here are a couple examples.

The Inventory API plugin for WordPress is powered by the DealerTrend Vehicle Marketing System the licensing is really for that. So the licensing for the Inventory plugin is; up to 3 sites per roof top. The AIS rebates and incentives add-on is also per roof top as that is the licensing model from AIS. The automotive mobile plugin is a one time fee per roof top.

There are more on the site and more that will be added over time. In each case the licensing will be base off of the type of product/plugin/theme/etc. and the desire of the developer.