Last updated 1 month ago
It can be hard to keep track of everything that happens in a week. That’s why we endlessly roam the Internet in search of some of the most interesting stories from the automotive and social media industries – so you don’t have to. Take a look at what we’ve found this week:
Survey: 90% of Customers Say Buying Decisions Are Influenced by Online Reviews
“According to a new survey conducted by Dimensional Research, an overwhelming 90 percent of respondents who recalled reading online reviews claimed that positive online reviews influenced buying decisions, while 86 percent said buying decisions were influenced by negative online reviews…”
Facebook Fans Just Went Up in Value: BMW Fans Are Worth $1,613, Starbucks $177, and Coke $70
“Don’t tell the people who sell Facebook ‘fans’ for pennies a piece, but Facebook fans have jumped almost 30 percent in value since 2010. So much so, in fact, that social marketing firm Syncapse says they’re worth hundreds of dollars each, depending on the industry and company. But Facebook fans who are worth over $1,600? How does that work?...”
Four Ways to Create an Army of Fans for Your Brand
“Rock stars and fans. They go together like peanut butter and jelly. Batman and Robin. Lindsay Lohan and house arrest… Well, you get the idea. So, why don’t more companies have fans like rock stars? If you said, ‘because everyone’s naturally a fan of music,’ you’d be partly correct. True rock stars do create products that are easy to be fans of. But it can’t be just about the product, because we have brands making extremely ‘boring’ products – industrial lubricants, diapers, and orange-handled scissors – that have armies of fans…”
Mobile Ads GPS Study: How Far Will You Drive for a Deal?
“We’ll drive 2.8 miles for a sandwich, but 7.1 miles for a great Italian restaurant. And while we may only go 3.6 miles for a coffee shop, we’ll easily go almost nine miles for just the right mall. Navigation services company Telenav knows a little bit about what people will drive for – and when it’s worth showing hyper-local ads to them…”
SEO Basics: 8 Essentials When Optimizing Your Site
“Basic search engine optimization (SEO) is fundamental. And essential. SEO will help you position your website properly to be found at the most critical points in the buying process or when people need your site. What are search engines looking for? How can you build your website in a way that will please both your visitors/customers, as well as Google, Bing, and other search engines?...”
Last updated 1 month ago
Exceptional customer experiences may be rare, but they can have a great impact on both the consumer and the business. One awesome experience can turn a casual customer into a loyal one – and there’s a good chance they’ll tell their friends, both on and offline. That means more referrals for the business, especially as more and more customers turn to online reviews and recommendations before making a purchase. How can your dealership deliver exceptional customer service? Read our tips below.
Be proactive, not reactive.
Rather than wait for a customer to bring up a potential issue, always be on the look out for ways to create customer value. Reward your frontline employees for taking initiative to delight a customer, and act in ways truly serve the needs of every person that enters your dealership.
Have a plan.
Exceptional customer experiences involve at least a little bit of planning. Set goals and work with your employees to reach them. Doing so can help you monitor your dealership’s progress in improving specific aspects of your sales or service experience. Look for ways to make processes more efficient and customers happier and provide a clear path to success.
Look for win-win solutions.
Great customer service is win-win, with both your customers and your dealership finding mutual benefit in the interaction. Strive to ensure every interaction exceeds the expectations of your customers and also those of your employees. Included in every customer service goal should be the desire to completely meet the needs of each individual who enters your dealership.
Understand customer needs.
Improving the customer experience means having an understanding of your customers and their wants, needs and problems. Thankfully, customers aren’t shy about telling businesses what they like. Social networks like Facebook and Twitter make it even easier for consumers to interact with companies. Listen! Take the time to carefully review comments from your online communities as well as those you receive at your dealership and look for ways to leverage that feedback for better customer service.
Always look for ways to improve.
For a truly exceptional customer experience, your dealership needs to be fully committed and prepared to the cause. That means every single person that has the potential to interact with a customer should be dedicated to the common goal. Empower employees to adapt to change, and always be on the look out for ways to surprise and delight customers.
How does your dealership exceed the needs of your customers? Share your tips in the comments below.
Last updated 1 month ago
Content marketing is about more than creating a blog. It also encompasses your dealership’s website, landing pages, and social channels. You've probably already heard that content marketing is important. So is having a content marketing strategy. That’s how you’ll ensure that you get your content in front of and consumed by your target audience – and ultimately, inspire your audience to take a desired action.
However, a lot can go wrong when building a content marketing strategy and working to create content that your customers won’t just enjoy reading – but will move them into action. Here are 5 common content marketing mistakes and how your dealership can avoid them.
You produce content without a goal.
Don’t just produce as much content as you can because you’ve heard that having content is great. You need to tailor each article you produce to a goal that relates either directly or indirectly to the overall goals of your dealership. For example, creating content that sparks debate or discussion online can help your dealership reach new potential customers, and ultimately increase traffic to your website. Similarly, sales focused content should be aimed at convincing readers to book a test drive of a specific vehicle, or reaching out to your sales team. Before you take the time to blog for your dealership, be sure you have a goal in mind that’s aligned with those of your dealership.
There’s no call to action.
Remember that goal we just talked about? Customers need you to make it clear to them what you’d like them to do after consuming your content. Use a call to action to encourage customers to act on the purpose of your article. If it’s discussion you’re after, ask for comments. If you’re looking for a sales lead, encourage potential customers to enter their email address, or contact your dealership directly. Never be afraid to ask customers to comment, like, or share your content.
You’re not experimenting with different media formats.
There are plenty of ways to create content – and different formats may appeal to different communities and members of your customer base. When thinking about your content strategy, don’t just think about written articles. Look for ways to include images, video, slideshows, infographics, and podcasts to maximize your reach, and showcase different sides of your dealership’s personality.
The content is missing a story.
Whatever you’re writing about, the story you tell your customers is important. People love a good story – in fact, that’s what most often drives the online engagement so many brands are looking for. As customers read through your content, strive to get them emotionally invested and show them why they should care. That will help your dealership to get the likes, retweets and shares your dealership is looking for on social media channels.
You’re focusing on you, not your customers.
In your story, the hero is always your customer. Focus your content on how they can benefit from your vehicles, your service department, or doing business with your dealership. Instead of talking about yourself, refocus your attention on how you’re able to solve common customer problems, improve their lifestyle or make a process more efficient.
What is your dealership doing to ensure that your content reaches the right people at the right time? Share your tips in the comments below.
Last updated 1 month ago
It can be hard to keep track of everything that happens in a week. That’s why we endlessly roam the Internet in search of some of the most interesting stories from the automotive and social media industries – so you don’t have to. Take a look at what we’ve found this week:
15 Insider Tips for Creating a Content Creation Machine
“I can’t tell you how many times people have asked me, ‘How the heck does HubSpot crank out such a high volume of content?’ Well, content lovers, today I’d like to share some of our content tips and secrets with you, so you too can create a well-oiled content machine…”
Mobile Marketing: Connecting With Your Audience on the Move
“Imagine having a computing chip in your toothbrush to count the number of strokes you’ve racked up so it can alert you when you need a new toothbrush. And as a marketer, what if you can access that data so you can deliver an email to that person’s mobile phone, alerting them of a sale on toothbrushes. This is a dream use case of digital marketers today, as their ultimate goal is – and has always been – to reach the right person with the right message at the right time. Mobile marketing is bringing consumers and marketers closer to that dream…”
The New SEO = Social Engagement Optimization
“SEO is not dead. As with all living things, SEO is always evolving. While many in the search community are witnessing and acknowledging the evolution, they cling to the notion that SEO only stands for ‘Search Engine Optimization…’”
57% of Consumers Rely on Product Videos
“If your brand doesn’t produce videos, start now. Consumers are watching them, viewing them, and making purchase decisions on e-commerce sites because of product videos. About 57% of consumers said that product videos make them more confident in a purchase and less likely to return an item, up from 52% a year ago, according to a white paper from e-commerce services company Invodo, surveying more than 1,000 consumers in the fourth quarter on their online shopping habits…”
5 Reasons Businesses Should Care About Hashtags
“Earlier this month, Facebook announced they were going to begin supporting hashtags, joining the ranks of Twitter, Google+, Pinterest, Instagram, YouTube and other networks. These are keywords or phrases with the prefix ‘#’ in front of them…”
Last updated 1 month ago
In order to stand out from the other auto dealership’s in your community, your dealership needs to differentiate itself. How can you do that, you ask? You need to define your brand. That means evaluating your strengths and weaknesses, and digging into the overall goals of your organization and the emotions that you want customers to experience when they walk into your showroom. In order to build a brand identity for your dealership, ask yourself the following questions:
What are your dealership’s goals for the future?
Consider how you want your customers to describe your dealership, what’s unique about doing business with you compared to other auto dealerships in the area, and where you want your dealership to be five years down the road. Think about what you do now only in terms of how you can build or improve upon it for the future. Set goals.
What does your dealership do now?
Think about what your dealership does well right now – primarily, why customers purchase from you and not your competition. What guide’s your approach to car sales or servicing customer vehicles?
What kinds of people make up your dealership’s target audience?
Who are your regular customers? Who makes up your dealership’s existing online community of fans and followers? You need to understand who your target audience is so that you can ensure your communications will resonate with those key individuals.
What emotions do you want customers to experience when they think about your dealership?
This is an important, as it relates to your dealership’s personality and ultimately, the tone of any content that you create. Are you serious? Lighthearted? Fun? If your brand was a person, consider what adjectives you’d like your customers to use when they describe you. Don’t forget to include the emotions your customers experience after receiving their new vehicle, or getting their car serviced by your technicians.
What do you do that sets you apart from the competition?
Think about what makes you different from other dealerships in your area, and frame it in a way that makes customers take notice. Why should your target customers care about your vehicles, your service department, and your dealership? Consider both your customers and your overall brand values here.
Once you’ve clearly defined your brand, your dealership is ready to better target customers and build an engaged community with relevant website, social media and email marketing content. That’s because you want every piece of content you create, curate and share to link back to your overall brand identity.
How does your dealership differentiate itself in your community? Share your tips in the comments below.
