Social Media: Where do I Begin?

If you’re just getting started with your social media strategy, remember, there are many schools of thought and ideas floating around on how you can leverage this new and exciting media. Remember also that your ability to create long lasting relationships will deliver revenue in the end. That concept is nothing new in automotive.

Step One: Set expectations for the stakeholders involved. If the General Manager thinks that setting up a Facebook page is the new way to get metal over the curb quickly, he is sorely mistaken. Social Media is not a quick fix for an ailing sales department.   
 
Step Two: Set goals.  Your social media goals shouldn’t be based on units sold, but rather on establishing lasting valuable relationships with your customers for both sales and service.  As part of your overall set of goals, think about time management.  Don’t be concerned about constant content…think about quality content.
 
Step Three: Measure your success on your ability to drive users back to your website using some simple best practices. Use giveaways to keep people engaged with you after they become a fan.
 
Step Four: Realize that creating engagement leads to incremental sales and service business down the line.  What you can expect to accomplish with a persistent and productive social media strategy is top-of-mind awareness when your followers and fans are considering a new vehicle or service on their existing car.

Mike DeCecco, Director of Industry Relations, Dealer.com and can be reached at mike.dececco@dealer.com.

Webb: Economic Conditions Send Mixed Message to Industry
Gallup poll on U.S. retail sales citing household incomes suggests conflicting messages from a used-vehicle perspective, says Manheim's Tom Webb. Retail sales up, then down, suggesting lack of strong consumer confidence in a shaky economic recovery.
AutoRemarketing, June 28, 2010

Hyundai, Ford Increase Share of Market Interest on Kbb.com as Toyota, Honda Decline
Results from kbb.com for both new and used vehicles indicate rise in interest for Hyundai, Ford, GMC, Kia and Subaru as interest declines in Toyota, Honda, Pontiac, Dodge and Lexus. New-car interest for Hyundai increases 70 percent, Ford up by 10 percent.
PRnewswire.com, June 28, 2010

Ford May Signal Weakness Funding Retiree Health Care With Stock
Mandatory payment to VEBA retiree health plan for Ford of $859 Million could include as much as $610 million in stock, an option agreed to by the union last year, intended to save Ford from using up its cash in what is described as a "flat-lined" economy.
Bloomberg.com, June 28, 2010

Plug in, Turn On?
As automotive marketers and car buyers anxiously await the launch of well- publicized green cars like the Chevy Volt and Nissan Leaf, there's no clear path yet for major OEMs on which types of plug-in vehicles will have the most advantages.

It Wasn't Me, Officer! It Was My GPS
GPS-assisted navigation systems are increasingly sophisticated and regularly blamed for crashes resulting from following bad instructions.  No legal case law exists yet.  Drivers must remain in control of their vehicles in spite of bad instructions.

New Report Shows States Increasing Efforts on Distracted Driving
The Governors Highway Safety Association (GHSA) has released a new report listing state provisions to eliminate distracted driving by tackling it the same way they did drunken driving.  The report is available for download on the GHSA website.

AddOnAuto Helps Dealers Succeed

izmocars, a leading Internet business solutions provider for the auto retailing industry, studied 120+ dealerships that were using the company's AddOnAuto (AOA) in-store accessory solution with tremendous success -- seamlessly integrating accessories shopping and financing with the car purchase and eliminating need to carry excess inventory or contract 3rd-party reselles and installers. More info at www.izmocars.com.

Dealers: Access Inventory & Leads Outside the Store

The Liquid Motors Mobile Portal Service will allow dealers to access their inventory and their leads and lead generating activities in real-time away from the dealership. making access and lead response times greatly improved from any Internet-enabled mobile device -- offering new-found freedom off the lot. at auction, etc. Contact Liquid Motors for more info.

Fiserv Enhances Automotive LOS for Ease & Productivity

Fiserv, Inc, the leading global provider of financial services technology solutions, announces enhancements to the Automotive Loan Origination System (LOS) to provide lenders with improved functionality and help them better serve their customers. Simple, easy-access format, provides real-time access to key data throughout the entire funding process. For more information visit www.fiserv.com.

Fact-based Marketing
By Bob Moore

Over the past few years, through my involvement in the aftermarket, I have witnessed fundamental changes in our marketing "ecosystem." It started intuitively but became empirical as I observed a shift in the effectiveness of traditional marketing strategies and tactics. The nature of business in the aftermarket has changed to the point that marketing as practiced heretofore is rapidly diminishing in effectiveness.

This is the last in a series of reports on that shift, referring to the "new" approach as Next Generation Marketing (NGM). The more traditional approach to marketing in the aftermarket has perpetuated “what we have done” marketing over “what works now” marketing. The “what we have done” method relies heavily on techniques that have gone unchanged for decades. NGM demands and thrives on change. In a nutshell, Next Generation Marketing is about about being customer-centric,

NGM doesn't change the aim of persuasion; it only changes how we go about generating it -- which brings us to “fact-  based” marketing. Real value from a customer perspective is not ambiguous, but only the customer can define it. Once discovered, it is usable to powerfully persuade the customer toward either a product or a service, or both. NGM is based on facts, not opinions.

Today’s automotive aftermarket is too dynamic and fluid for guessing. Channel partners and customers have discernible expectations and needs that can be easily identified through research. The collection of that information is critical for the construction of an NGM program. As an associate of mine is fond of saying, “More dangerous than ignorance is the illusion of knowledge.” Next Generation Marketers must be clear about what they know and more importantly, what they don’t know.

Bob Moore, president of Bob Moore & Partners, a consulting firm that specializes in automotive aftermarket, can be reached at bob@aftermarkethink.com.  Click here to read this article in its entirety.

Successful service departments typically earn high net profits  - the guideline is 20 percent - while providing a value that exceeds customer’s expectations, says Jim Bernardi of AutomotiveDealersNetwork. Achieving quality work is only half the battle. The other half is the customer's perception of the work and establishing fair but competitive prices for the work that will bring customers coming back again and again. Click here or click on the image to gain more information on tools you can use that will put your service department over the top!

Advanced IV Information Lacking Among Consumers
Most Americans are unfamiliar with vehicle intelligent sensing features

Harris Interactive 2010 AutoTECHCAST study indicates knowledge of advanced vehicle intelligent sensing features is very low among American drivers, with fewer than one in ten indicating they are very familiar with the following features: blind spot and cross-traffic detection systems, night vision systems or parking assist systems.

Study conducted online among 12,225 U.S. adults ages 18 and over, who own or lease a vehicle model year 2005 or newer. The information collected would imply that most people don't want to include such in their purchase of a new vehicle because they don't understand the use of the technology. Read more... Visit Harris Interactive for more information.

5 Simple Steps to Improved Gas Mileage

Being environmentally in tune doesn't have to include trading in your current vehicle for a hybrid or EV. Instead, you can help your customers keep their cars properly maintained for optimum performance. The Car Care Council has a 5-step program to help protect the environment and save money at the pump. Click here for a print-out of the council's program to help drivers "go green". And then click on the image for a few pointers on environmental awareness.