How Does Social Media Fit Into A Dealer's Digital Marketing Plan?
Complete Responses are in the January issue of Auto Dealer Monthly.
There are huge opportunities and it is a matter of getting the right people in place to use their time effectively, so we may take advantage of something that costs us nothing but time. - Courtney Cole, Vice President, Hare Automotive, Indianapolis, Ind.
This isn't a place we focus a ton of time on, but it is something that we deem important to our work week. -Tony Hanley, Internet Manager, Cook Ford, Texas City, Texas
Social media fits into Auction Direct USA's digital marketing plan as an element of our branding, traffic driving and as an extension of the open communication we foster within our showroom. - Eric Miltsch, IT/Web Director, Auction Direct USA, Victor, N.Y.
It fits into the budget under staffing, as we have turned to our employees to help engage the social media conversations. There isn't a vendor or service we stroke a check to, as we handle our social media ventures in-house. - Alex Snyder, Director of e-Commerce, Checkered Flag, Virginia Beach, Va.
Social media is not necessarily a marketing tool, but it should absolutely be a part of a dealer’s overall marketing plan. Today more than ever it’s important for a dealer to be a member of their online community. - Joe Turner, Vice President of Marketing, TK Carsites, Orange, Calif.
How will social media fit into your digital marketing plan in 2010?
There are huge opportunities and it is a matter of getting the right people in place to use their time effectively, so we may take advantage of something that costs us nothing but time. - Courtney Cole, Vice President, Hare Automotive, Indianapolis, Ind.
This isn't a place we focus a ton of time on, but it is something that we deem important to our work week. -Tony Hanley, Internet Manager, Cook Ford, Texas City, Texas
Social media fits into Auction Direct USA's digital marketing plan as an element of our branding, traffic driving and as an extension of the open communication we foster within our showroom. - Eric Miltsch, IT/Web Director, Auction Direct USA, Victor, N.Y.
It fits into the budget under staffing, as we have turned to our employees to help engage the social media conversations. There isn't a vendor or service we stroke a check to, as we handle our social media ventures in-house. - Alex Snyder, Director of e-Commerce, Checkered Flag, Virginia Beach, Va.
Social media is not necessarily a marketing tool, but it should absolutely be a part of a dealer’s overall marketing plan. Today more than ever it’s important for a dealer to be a member of their online community. - Joe Turner, Vice President of Marketing, TK Carsites, Orange, Calif.
How will social media fit into your digital marketing plan in 2010?
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by John Caudell on -
In social media people will not care how much you know until you show them how much you care
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Permalink Reply by Tom Gorham on
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Social media is a way to engage with your customer in ways not possible using other marketing tools. It's a way to put a human face on a business, provide interesting conversation/information and develop trust. It's also a branding tool that puts your name in front of countless new (prospects). As a direct marketing tool, it must be used in a subtle manner that engages as it sells. I particularly like using Twitter to drive traffic to our blog. The only downside is that it's all very time-consuming.
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Permalink Reply by Gary May on -
Good article Harlene but the question is not how it will fit but how the other (older, if you would) methods will support the primary position of social media. Social media is the most pure form of CRM or customer relationship management. Dealers: social media is already, read: already, the platform of outreach, branding, monitoring, mediation and so much more.
The days of what our company calls 'push marketing' are done. Engage people in the conversation and have them assist in the expansion of your brand and bring others with them. There is no debate on whether automotive retail should be in social media. If you are having an internal debate, I'm truly sorry for you. What does need to be decided on are the most important items left behind due to decades of just above bland advertising and having the factory deliver customers to you: brand, process and integrity.
Aside from social media, no other medium allows your business to see how things work real time: engagement, results, clicks, conversations, calls and more.
If it's not the primary part of your digital marketing after your website, along with blogs, press releases and events* at your dealership, you will have a TON of catching up to do. Chances are you already do.
*Events, long gone the way of the dodo bird, are those times at the dealership that you have people come in without the primary goal of selling them. These can be new owner clinics, ride and drives (yes, your own), family events like drawing contests, classic car shows, sponsoring the local youth sporting events and bringing your cars over, etc. Many have disappeared unlike the large blow up animals on the rooftops and sidewalks of multimillion dollar facilities (I've still never figured that one out) due to budgets and other 'reasons'. Your opportunity is to find ways to get people involved. Social media is the best way to do that, heck even to find them in the first place.
Can't do it? Find someone. Find a company. Ask them what they've done. How successful were they? Unlike resumes, if they were effective you should be able to go to good 'ol Google and SEE the results. Then you'll have to deal with the real questions: How do we integrate everything we do? How can we survey our customers more effectively? How can we get people here quickly without spending thousands of additional dollars we don't have? and on, and on, and on...
Wishing you success,
Gary May
IM@CS
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Permalink Reply by Charley Pompey on
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I'll take a slightly contrarian approach here...
Just because you double your friends, followers or connections in your social networking efforts, does not mean you will double your sales. Social networking in all its forms, need to be part of an integrated marketing strategy. The fact that millions of people are partaking globally, will not automatically translate into sales of any kind, or dollars for you and your business.
In fact, I'll go as far as to say, I believe that overemphasis in the "latest and greatest" thing has had a distracting effect on some dealers. Your marketing efforts have to be justified by results at some point, or why do it?
Social marketing has a place in your overall marketing, just don't lose sight of the bullseye.
Charley Pompey, for free BHPH web site info, www.digapsblog.com
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