Should We Change How We Look At Advertising

[Jeff Kershner]

Is the answer to split the budget into Lead Gen and Branding as AJ suggests? It makes some sense.

That was the answer for me and continues to be when looking at my marketing budget.

In my budget and ILM reports I separate marketing by lead gen vs branding. And for sites like AutoTrader and Cars (depending on the package), a percentage goes towards online branding vs lead gen.

Display advertising? All branding in my reports and budget. I don't even give 2 shits about the CTR (most of the time) but I do focus on our website traffic swings with each "online branding" campaign (as much as I possibly can).


I agree with John. There is opportunity for a dealer to brand a positive image within the community - using several marketing/advertising mediums. But it really only counts once the customer is at the dealership and your able to follow through.

 

[john.quinn]

It really occurs to me that this conversation is deeply intertwined with Alex's post on the blog yesterday. How your "branding" will be your actual deeds and actions -- sales, and probably even more importantly, service. Your "pull" will be the praises sung by your clients, for their lifespans are no longer limited to the few seconds spoken at the dinner table or on the phone.

Which in one way, is good news -- even for Doug: Social costs next to nothing, although as Social's relevance becomes more widely understood and variances and striations occur -- as it gains more "depth" and therefore "value," there inevitably will be a price-tag association.

I can remember our entire e-commerce budget in 1998: $199 for a website, and $20 a lead for Auto-by-Tel. So about $800 per month. I can see "Social" following a similar curve.

BTW -- were not we just calling "Social Media" "Content Marketing" at Exact Target's Connections convention last year or the year before?

 

[john.quinn]

Today, I chose an item that cost $150 more than the item the clerk recommended, because I had a positive perception of the Brand. No other reason to spend $300 vs. $150 than my perception of this particular brand had it superior to it's competing brands.

Even in a car dealership, image/branding has to play some type of roll....

 

[mmayberry]

I have been in the automotive industry for over 20 years and I sat in a webinar last Friday from a company called RedBumper and they showed me a new innovative product that I have never seen before that is going to blow my dealers way in helping them track everything their customers do in the market especially when they are in a market for a vehicle. This program will even help my dealers with their CSI and it is the most innovative lead generator I have ever seen.

 

[john.quinn]

I have been in the automotive industry for over 20 years and I sat in a webinar last Friday from a company called RedBumper and they showed me a new innovative product that I have never seen before that is going to blow my dealers way in helping them track everything their customers do in the market especially when they are in a market for a vehicle. This program will even help my dealers with their CSI and it is the most innovative lead generator I have ever seen.

Wow. Really sounds like an unbiased 3rd-party endorsement of a revolutionary new product. Do tell, do tell!

 

[mmayberry]

I am actually very unbiased and I am not endorsing any product. I am giving my opinion on something I seen and was very impressed with because I know this will help my dealers in today's market. I just wish I had this technology several years ago when I was an internet director. The only way you will see the full effect of the capabilities is to sit in on one of their webinars and you can judge for yourself. The person I spoke with was James.

 

[john.quinn]

I am actually very unbiased and I am not endorsing any product. I am giving my opinion on something I seen and was very impressed with because I know this will help my dealers in today's market. I just wish I had this technology several years ago when I was an internet director. The only way you will see the full effect of the capabilities is to sit in on one of their webinars and you can judge for yourself. The person I spoke with was James.

OK, fair enough. RedBumper The inventory management tool?

 

[mmayberry]

Yes, It's not just a management tool anymore. Just ask for James and he can set you up to attend a webinar. It last about 20 to 30 minutes. After you see it then let me know your thoughts.

 

[Alex Snyder]

Wow. Really sounds like an unbiased 3rd-party endorsement of a revolutionary new product. Do tell, do tell!

I'm suspicious too. Over the past two weeks RedBumper has certainly earned the "spamming DealerRefresh" award. Thank your mod team for sparing you from all of it.

 

[ryan.leslie]

I'm suspicious too. Over the past two weeks RedBumper has certainly earned the "spamming DealerRefresh" award. Thank your mod team for sparing you from all of it.

I'm still advocating for that "DealerRefresh Wall of Shame" to post all of the Vendors acting badly posts. It could be the gag reel for product puking (see what I did there? )...