What do Honda and Justin Bieber have in common?

[joe.pistell]

Mitch is right (again

If your dealership does FaceBook, then you're always digging for non-salesy content so you don't piss off your readers (aka bieber). You just re-puke that FB noise out into your email.

Now that's how you sell cars! </sarcasm>

 

[john.quinn]

It's not an illusion, it's really what's going on. It has little to no value to me and you, but to someone who thinks Beebs is the shit, they're all over it like a chubby kid on ice cream.

Are you calling me fat???

But that's not what I'm talking about. VB specifically said "readership of that article will be low." So I'm wondering why we intentionally include "non-engagement" content.

I'm with you on "soft" but enjoyable content. If your client is in an outdoorsy bucket, send an article about fishing, etc. (Need a GREAT CRM system). But I'm curious why VB would include that piece when admittedly it won't get read.

A couple possible reasons:

1. Create the illusion that this is in no way about sales.
2. Hope and pray that the Bieber attracts some eyeballs.
3. CRM system can't differentiate between Beiber Boppers and Lumberjacks.
4. We contract with a newsletter service and this is what we get.

I would challenge you or VB that if you are "settling" for content that is less than engaging (admittedly), that while your premise for sending soft newsletters is absolutely valid, execution can be better and more meaningful for you clients.

 

[Mitch Gallant]

I would challenge you or VB that if you are "settling" for content that is less than engaging (admittedly), that while your premise for sending soft newsletters is absolutely valid, execution can be better and more meaningful for you clients.

I love being challenged ! If there's anything I've learnt about web marketing, it's that you don't have to rely on your gut or opinion. As much as I don't care for Beebs, who knows how much of our audience does. There's no crystal ball saying what is meaningful to our clients but a newsletter company, if they're worth their weight in salt damn well have the research to know what kind of content is engaging. We pay them so I should give them a little trust that they know what works. THEN, someone on my team or I can call up our rep and see if and how it works, dial things in by using the data at hand, and make a more relevant newsletter for our clients. I can't tell you how many times I've had an "OH SHIT" or "FOR REAL!?" moment when looking at our analytics. I can't imagine a newsletter will end up much different.

I'm with you on the better and more meaningful, that's why we packed it with videos from the dealership, articles about our staff and reviews, specials on things people need this time of year, winter tires content etc...

 

[Mitch Gallant]

All the usual horsesh*t, CRM calls, direct mail, CRM emails and carpet bombing TV.

After they hit the 24 month mark, we throw their name back into the monthly email sales campaigns.

Now that's how you sell cars! </sarcasm>

What would happen if you puked this noise, and people liked it, and you kept engaging them. Keep them riding your unicorn (to butcher a quality quote I heard somewhere).

If you could touch these people and give them a quality experience during the 2 years before you started trying to force that audience into the purchase funnel, don't you think you'd get a better result? Wouldn't those customers think about getting your product in a different light?

Of course we can get away without all the fairies, unicorns and pixie dust but as the market gets more and more competitive and margins become skinnier and skinnier, isn't this the way to become the place they would buy from, no matter what? Yes that's a huge stretch from the original Bieber conversation, but it all ties in. For us it's part of a strategy to touch clients and make their ownership experience a quality one. (like the sales rep ownership & follow up calls that don't get done consistently) This is just a more electornic version of that, and relationships sell shit.

 

[Mitch Gallant]

This lens might not be all that relevant but Joe, if you starting selling shit tomorrow, I'd be buying. I've met you once in person, but after all the value you put into this community that's a solid relationship that's ripe for the milking! AND I'd trust you because my perception is you wouldn't be a milker, you'd be working for something that makes sense and you'd have a ton of integrity. Is that true, I really don't know but it's what I fill the holes in with because you've done such a great job here.

It's a stretch to say this is similar to a newsletter, i get it, but it's in the same vein of thought in my head. Am I too off kilter with that?

 

[terrencegordon]

From the analytics I'm going to deffer to Brian on this... we had 11 people read the article

Those must have been your TRUE Bieber Fever fans

 

[ddavis]

Not exactly an impartial opinion...

My opinion as a consumer: when NewEgg starts interjecting bullshit about celebrities in their emails to me I will filter all mail from them directly into the trash.

Absolutely, I filter it with the spam filter or worse, I opt out, when given the opportunity.

 

[john.quinn]

PRIZM Cluster Code Appending | Database Marketing | Enertex Marketing Has anyone ever played with Prizm Cluster-Code demographics? I always thought it was an interesting concept. We used a CRM system that automatically placed consumers into a Cluster Code. And although my store never got around to this actual level of execution, what we've mentioned on this thread is relevant: sending more relevant content based on database segmentation.

Idea being that the Beiber piece would go to the demographic that's more relevant than, say, the Shotguns and Pickups segment or Blueblood Estates segment, who might get a Hunting piece or a Real-Estate piece.

Like I said, I agree with the "soft" concept, but sending the same piece to everybody is too "shotgun" of an approach for my taste.

 

[malinda.terreri]

Terrence, you had asked about technology advances. I'd like to share a few we include:

1) ROI Reporting
We go well beyond clicks and opens and detail when your customer opened the newsletter, what stories they clicked on, and then the date, the vehicle purchased and the gross profit and/or the date and RO total of their service work.

2) Personalized content
Not just with the customer's name but with their salesperson's info (great incentive for salespeople to capture emails), the vehicle they own, etc.

3) Dynamic content
We're currently testing this. An example would be the footer banner promoting a service coupon would show a different offer based on how long it has been since the person was in for service. Someone who has been in for service in the last 30 days might see a $24.95 oil change offer while someone who hasn't been in would see $14.95.

4) Data parsing
Here's one example. Each of our newsletters includes a monthly trivia contest to win a free oil change with questions such as:

Approximately what percentage of American homes have turkey for Thanksgiving?

• [*=1]117%[*=1]90%[*=1]0.9% (Oops, that looks more like our special new vehicle interest rate that may or may not be available because I don't have the space for all of the legal notices.)

In addition to injecting some humor and engaging the reader, the reason we include the trivia contests is because the last question always asks:

And as long as we are asking questions, are you currently in the market for a vehicle?

• [*=1]Yes, I'd like info on your new vehicles.[*=1]Yes, I'd like info on your pre-owned vehicles.[*=1]No, I'm good for now.

Those replies are parsed so that replies asking for more info are automatically forwarded as leads and include a full customer profile pulled from the DMS with the person's contact info as well as vehicle owned, current mileage and date of last vehicle service.

Looking down the road, I think data-mining options will only continue to increase.

 

[malinda.terreri]

The other debate on this thread has been on content.

We take a simplified approach. Each newsletter begins with a short note from the GM (which also includes their salesperson's name) and is followed usually by just five segments:

1. Something going on at the dealership
2. An automotive related how-to video/article
3. A brand-related video or article.
4. A funny YouTube video or story, relevant for all ages. In the sample below it is our Thanksgiving Divorce story. (Another tech note: in the story, the city the father calls from is dynamically changed to the customer's city to keep delivering a personalized message.) In looking at the social sharing metrics, this segment generates a lot of viral exposure.
5. The trivia contest for generating sales leads

Consistently, our dealers see about a 30% click-through rate.

Here is a link to a sample November newsletter: Newsletter