Kershner's back to the dealer diary

[Jeff Kershner]

One of the smaller projects that I've wanted to tackle here at the dealership is a Digital Appointment Board. Seems like something easy enough to do but if you work for a dealership - Will It Sell Me More Cars is often the question that comes into play and places a big roadblock in the way of the project.

Before I went down the route of asking for a budget to get this done, I took inventory of what we already had laying around not being used. Just so happens, I got extremely LUCKY. Years ago, it was mandatory for all MB dealers to have a special supplied 42” touch screen monitor that ran an interactive program and running footage for customers to engage with on the showroom floor. It just so happened that our dealership still had theirs tucked away in the brochure closet (where I’m sure most are) not being used.

I pulled this baby out, cleaned it off and fired up the supplied HP mini computer running Windows XP. After some toying around I was able to bypass the installed MB program and access the main Windows screen.

Downloaded Firefox browser since the version of IE on the computer wouldn’t even load up.

Next up – what easy online program could I use to display a welcome message for incoming appointments?

What’s easier and more accessible than Google Drive/Apps? Using a Google slides presentation published to a URL, all managers and myself can access (from anywhere) Google Slides and quickly edit or add a new Welcome Slide to the Presentation.

MBH welcomes you to its new Digital Appointment Board

 

[Jeff Kershner]

Alight Refresh Community, I need your opinion. I've been working hard to take our Merchandising Videos to the next level, but not only is it a lot of work, I can't seem to find that sweet spot of efficiency and effectiveness, at least not in my mind.

Allow me to clarify what I mean by "Merchandising Video" - A professional walk-around video of a vehicle in your current inventory that is hosted and viewed by the shopper on your dealership website, 3rd party listing website and video sites like YouTube. This is NOT a personal One to One / Lead Response vehicle video walk-around.

My goal is to move away from the stitched image video and produce a more professional walk-around video, in-house.

Here is what I'm currently using to accomplish this...

1. iPhone6
2. Z-PRIME wide angle lens attachment by ZTYLUS - read about it here
3. LanParte HHG-01 3-Axis Motorized Handheld Gimbal - read about and order it here
4. AutosOnVideo (AOV) Platform and mobile app

I have the recording per vehicle with light editing and upload at just under 6 minutes for a walk-around video play time of 2 and a half minutes (on average.)

Below is a video of a pre-owned 2011 MB G Wagon that i shot in-house using the listed items above. Take notice to and feel free to share your feedback on the following...

1. Length of the video (time - though this one is longer than my average)
2. Angles and movement
3. Transitions
4. Music w/ NO voice over
5. Overall quality

Note: this video is a bit longer than most, over 3 minutes. IGNORE the exit portion of the video (last 5 seconds) I'm still working on the lighting and staging area but it's what I have to work with at the moment.



VS stitched image video




Which of the 2 videos do you prefer?
Does the In-house true walk-around video NEED a voice over that points out the vehicle specifics?
Does a voiceover take away OR add to the quality of the the video?

Before you comment - I copied this post over into it's own thread so the discussion can be it's own and not part of my Back to the dealer diary.

 

[Jeff Kershner]

Shame on me for not updating this more frequently. No good excuse really, other than keeping busy and purposely preventing myself from using this as a rant board.

So many things to rant on about, but where does that get you? Bite my tongue and keep pushing forward.

Someone define "digital agency" for me or heck, just "agency." It's 2016 (about to be 2017,) why would they be seperate? Why would a dealership have a traditional marketing agency AND a digital marketing agency?

My experience working with marketing agencies (traditional and/or digital) has rarely been an overly positive one. But then again, working as or for an agency to dealers is equally as frustrating. Many dealers will wear a good agency out until they submit and say UNCLE. Turning that once passionate agency into a "what-ever-you-want-mr.-dealer" work shop.

 

[Jeff Kershner]

Diving back into Lead Scoring. I'm always back'n forth with it. IHS/Polk has some great data but I don't always agree with how they present it to dealers.

Either way...

I have all of our leads filtering through AutoHook (formally HookLogic) and being "scored". IHS/Polk looks at several data points and assigns a "score" to the lead. A score of 1-10 with 10 having the highest probability of being in the market to purchase a vehicle.

Through contract, Polk isn't allowed to represent the actual score through AutoHook, BUT you can build filters that represent a particular score while assigning different incentive amounts to each. I break it up into 3 filters Good, Better, Get YOUR ASS on this lead, NOW!!

Example: after a lead going through a filter and receiving a score of "Get YOUR ASS on this lead, NOW!!"

Voucher Code: 22215-6489
Name: John Doe
Email:[email protected]
Telephone: XXX-969-XXXX
Offer: $100 Prepaid Visa® virtual account
Initiative: MB Hagerstown $100 Offer - Polk + Geo

I get a copy of this in my email and from there I copy and paste into eLeadCRM as a note and comment on the that days follow-up, more importantly, I get with the sales person right away.

Someone said "If you're gonna cherry pick leads (and humans do,) cherry pick the right leads."

We don't cherry pick leads here at MBH because we're a smaller dealer and every lead counts. BUT, I need my team to be efficient and not get "Lead Fatigue". Which happens to the best of us.