The problem with so many web sites today is that they are built around an advertising model – but the wrong kind. As a result, business owners are throwing away money hand over fist when they could be pulling in tons of qualified, interested prospects and customers.
If you want your web site to capture more quality leads, this article is for you. You see, there are two types of advertising, but only one kind of web site. Unfortunately, most web site designers don’t seem to know this.
By Steve Finlay WardsAuto.com, Sep 5, 2008 8:38 AM
COSTA MESA, CA – Car dealers spend a bundle on conventional advertising, yet balk at small allocations for Internet marketing efforts.
That baffles Todd Stainbrook, even though he says he understands the dealer “mindset” after spending much of his Ford Motor Co. career in the field.
“Same-brand auto dealers at regional marketing meetings will approve millions of dollars on co-operative TV ads,” he says. “But then, when there’s a proposal to spend $25,000 on digital advertising, you’ve never heard so many skeptical questions.”
His job as digital integration manager for Ford, Lincoln and Mercury brands is to nudge dealers into the brave new world of digital marketing and make it a foundation of their ad plans.
“We’ve made a lot of progress but we have a lot to do,” he says at ENG’s annual automotive customer relationship management conference here. “There’s a lot of room for improvement.”
Stainbrook adds: “The days are changing from dealers saying, ‘I must have a TV (ad) plan, I must be in newspapers, I must do direct mailing, and, oh yeah, what about digital?’”
Still, he adds, many dealers have a last in, first out mentality when it comes to such marketing that ranges from online banner ads to search-engine marketing.
Digital marketing has become a $28 billion part of the ad industry. But at 11.5%, it accounts for the lowest portion of automotive advertising, Stainbrook says.
Still, many dealers – some faster than others – are “getting it,” he says. “I’ve seen a whole new perspective. Dealers today are much more receptive. You can’t escape that huge online presence. In a few years, there will not be a digital discussion anymore.”
Because Ford reaches 70% of its buyers online, “we want to make sure we are relevant to them,” he says.
Relevance is essential when dealing with the younger generation of Internet-savvy car buyers, he says. “Their expectations are high, they are focused on themselves and they are shocked if they get something that’s not relevant.”
As Internet marketing evolves, “we’re beyond, ‘Why digital?’’ he says. “Today, there is no arguing with it. Now, it is a question of what to do next.”
Also evolving are opinions on the best way for dealerships to interact with Internet customers. Responding quickly to their emails once was – and largely is – considered a must.
“But it’s not all about speed,” Stainbrook says. “The mantra used to be: ‘I’ve got to respond to their emails within five minutes.’ That helps. But consumers are looking for information. If all you are interested in is speed, you are missing out on opportunities.
“If consumers, who’ve done their homework, email you with questions, and you quickly reply, ‘When can you come into the dealership? I’m here until 9,’ that speedy response isn’t going to impress them.”
He cites what dealerships should do online to enhance the chances of a sale. Some of those “key drivers” are:
Show real interest.
Give pricing. That remains an issue with some dealerships, but Stainbrook says 72% of Internet users who readily get prices online end up buying.
Confirm vehicle availability. When that’s done, 75% of customers buy vehicles.
Make multiple contacts, including long-term follow ups. “The reality is that people are in the market a long time, so you need a robust CRM (customer relationship management) application that will follow up for a long time,” Stainbrook says.
by Adam Broomfield-Strawn on September 13 2008, 04:52
The 10 commandments were given as a set of guidelines as to how we should live our lives. The following 10 commandments are given as a set of guidelines as to how sales reps should live their sales lives. Reps: print them off and live by them. Managers: give them to your sales team. Business owners: whenever you get a new rep, hand them a copy. These commandments are designed to promote hard work, perseverance, honesty, integrity, well earned results and a higher level of service and if followed will do so.
Editor's note: When we published "Blogs Will Change Your Business" in May, 2005, Twittering was an activity dominated by small birds. Truth is, we didn't see MySpace coming. Facebook was still an Ivy League sensation. Despite the onrush of technology, however, thousands of visitors are still downloading the original cover story.
So we decided to update it. Over the past month, we've been calling many of the original sources and asking the Blogspotting community to help revise the 2005 report. We've placed fixes and updates into more than 20 notes; to view them, click on the blue icons. If you see more details to fix, please leave comments. The role of blogs in business is clearly an ongoing story.
First, the headline. Blogs were the heart of the story in 2005. But they're just one of the tools millions can use today to lift their voices in electronic communities and create their own media. Social networks like Facebook and MySpace, video sites like YouTube, mini blog engines like Twitter—they've all emerged in the last three years, and all are nourished by users. Social Media: It's clunkier language than blogs, but we're not putting it on the cover anyway. We're just fixing it.
Monday 9:30 a.m. It's time for a frank talk. And no, it can't wait. We know, we know: Most of you are sick to death of blogs. Don't even want to hear about these millions of online journals that link together into a vast network. And yes, there's plenty out there not to like. Self-obsession, politics of hate, and the same hunger for fame that has people lining up to trade punches on The Jerry Springer Show. Name just about anything that's sick in our society today, and it's on parade in the blogs. On lots of them, even the writing stinks.
Go ahead and bellyache about blogs. But you cannot afford to close your eyes to them, because they're simply the most explosive outbreak in the information world since the Internet itself. And they're going to shake up just about every business—including yours. It doesn't matter whether you're shipping paper clips, pork bellies, or videos of Britney in a bikini, blogs are a phenomenon that you cannot ignore, postpone, or delegate. Given the changes barreling down upon us, blogs are not a business elective. They're a prerequisite. (And yes, that goes for us, too.)
There's a little problem, though. Many of you don't visit blogs—or haven't since blogs became a sensation in last year's Presidential race. According to a Pew Research Center Survey, only 27%Some newer numbers: According to Forrester, 11.2% of online adults in the U.S. publish a blog at least once a month. Of the same group, 24.8% read a blog and 13.7% comment on a blog at least once a month. The numbers are higher for youths. Of online youths, 20.8% publish a blog, 36.6% read a blog, and 26.4% comment on a blog at least once a month. But I suspect the numbers are unreliable because many mainstream sites with millions of readers—celebrity site TMZ and gadget sites like Gizmodo—are actually blogs. But are all the readers aware of this? I doubt it. This is the blurring of the blog/mainstream divide, a theme we'll see again and again in these revisions. of Internet users in America now bother to read them. So we're going to take you into the world of blogs by delivering this story—call it Blogs 101 for businesses—in the style of a blog. We're even sprinkling it with links. These are underlined words that, when clicked, carry readers of this story's online version to another Web page. This all may make for a strange experience, but it's the closest we can come to reaching out from the page, grabbing you by the collar, and shaking you into action.
First, a few numbers. There are some 9 million blogs out there,Yes, there were 9 million, but how many of them were active? Probably only a fraction. In early 2008, says Technorati Chairman David Sifry, the search company indexes 112 million blogs, with 120,000 new ones popping up each day. But only 11% of these blogs, he says, have posted within the past two months. That means the active universe is closer to 13 million blogs. Kevin Burton, CEO of FeedBlog, argues that the number should be lower, from 2 million to 4 million blogs. with 40,000 new ones popping up each day. Some discuss poetry, others constitutional law. And, yes, many are plain silly. "Mommy tells me it may rain today. Oh Yucky Dee Doo," reads only one April Posting. Let's assume that 99.9% are equally off point.What we didn't see in early 2005 was the advent of the spam blog. These blogs, produced automatically, are designed to show up in search results and to attract Google advertisements known as Adsense. Sifry estimates that fully 99% of the blog posts reaching search engines are spam. So what? That leaves some 40 new ones every day that could be talking about your business, engaging your employees, or leaking those merger discussions you thought were hush-hush.
Give the paranoids their due. The overwhelming majority of the information the world spews out every day is digital—photos from camera phones, PowerPoint presentations, government filings, billions and billions of e-mails, even digital phone messages. With a couple of clicks, every one of these items can be broadcast into the blogosphere by anyone with an Internet hookup—or even a cell phone. If it's scandalous, a poisonous e-mail from a CEO, for example, or torture pictures from a prison camp, others link to it in a flash. And here's the killer: Blog posts linger on the Web forever.
Yet not all the news is scary. Ideas circulate as fast as scandal. Potential customers are out there, sniffing around for deals and partners. While you may be putting it off, you can bet that your competitors are exploring ways to harvest new ideas from blogs, sprinkle ads into them, and yes, find out what you and other competitors are up to.
By: Jody Stoehr, Director of Business Development and Partnerships, R2i
Being in the sales field, social network theory plays a significant role in how I interact and connect with other professionals. With the emergence and evolution of social media sites, we use many networking tools today to connect with others: LinkedIn, Facebook, etc. And, I often find myself asking this question: What is the right balance of cyber interaction versus face-to-face time?
In order to maximize social network tools, it is important to remain balanced, never underestimating the power of personal interaction. The “old school” way of networking is undoubtedly the key to making memorable connections and lasting impressions. But in order to maintain a good balance, keeping a social media presence can be invaluable. For instance, a connection that may have otherwise been unknown is easily brought to the surface. Social media has become a catalyst for these connections, acting as a facilitator or hub for networking. Working together, cyber space and face-to-face exposure assist in building a strong network of professionals. You really can’t have one without the other. Which leads me to my next question: How can we harness the power of these professional connections? Please share your ideas on this topic; I look forward to your hearing your opinions.
As part of my training and consultancy with OneCommand, a leading national automotive CRM marketing company with headquarters in Cincinnati, Ohio and Costa Mesa, California, I've produced a video titled " Simplifying Fixed Operations Marketing" based upon my recent White Paper by the same name. (a pdf copy of this White Paper is available for download on this Blog). This short 17 minute video highlights the key elements considered to be the basis of a truly solid marketing strategy within the service department of a U.S. automotive dealership.
A concurrent theme that comes out in all of videos and the White Paper is the need of sound management and processes within the service drive. Both videos that focus on the Service Drive, as well as the White Paper, key in on how important this is. From a consulting standpoint, a real depth of knowledge of processes is CRITICAL towards the success of a dealership's fixed operations department and goes hand in hand with having a depth of knowledge in marketing and CRM marketing systems and strategies.
A case in point would be Freeman Motors, a Toyota/Lexus dealership in Santa Rosa, California. Without selling flushes or other added-value chemicals, and without discounting their Oil, Lube and Filter services, they are able to maintain one of the highest customer retention rates in the country. (Based upon their monthly response analysis reports within their CRM software system). Dan McNamee, the Service Manager at Freeman Motors, speaks to processes in both videos.
Another individual interviewed for the Simplifying Fixed Operations Marketing video is Dominic Campanelli, Fixed Operations Director of the Sullivan Auto Group. A brilliant industry leader, Dominic has a clarity of understanding when it comes to micro-marketing (another acronym for segmentation marketing) and service drive processes.
As I approach people in the Car Business to discuss the Social Media happening in the world, I find that there is more skepticism than acceptance. Last year the Auto Industry in the US spent 12-15 BILLION dollars on advertising alone.
Do you know if it worked ?
Did you reach the audience you wanted or did much of fall on deaf ears and eyes and end up in the garbage can ?
You have 100 million of YOUR customers on Facebook alone and yet there is almost no presence in that space. What does this Automotive 2.0 cost you ? Almost nothing, just some time and a caring attitude.
Want your CSI to improve ?
Want to sell more cars ?
Then get involved or keep doing what already does not work ? Don't believe me just look at the results.
If you want to learn more call or email me and I will share with you what I know and how I can help you take advantage before the rest of the world wakes up !
The train has left the station. Wouldn't you like this to be your Dealership ? One of your customers lives right next store but he is now going to drive 30 miles based on the social network site Pricehub.com !
I bought my 2008 prius from JD Flakoll in walnut creek. I got package NW #6 with Floormats, Alloy Wheel Locks and leather. JD and his wife team up to provide Internet pricing. They were great to work with and were no hassle. I communicated with JD via email and when i went in to buy the car, they actually had it in stock and there were no tricks or extra charges. I got exactly what i paid for. Highly recommend him - low pressure and does what he says he is going to do.
Do you have JD Flakoll's email or contact info? My wife and I are looking to buy a Prius. We're over in San Mateo but willing to go anywhere in the Bay Area if we can get a better deal.
Btw, when you went in to the dealer, how long did it take you before you drove off the lot with the Prius?
I have been very involved in the sustainable food movement for several years now. Events in my life in 2009 caused me to meditate and reflect on what I could do to give my body and mind the best food possible. The conclusion was that the only diet that makes sense is a Vegan one. Easier said than done in our society and now I am dedicated to changing the landscape a person at a time. You can contact ,me through this blog or by email or mobile.
abird7820@gmail.com
415-717-5079
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Walnut Creek Toyota - JD Flakoll 
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