With newspaper circulation shrinking, and the cost of traditional marketing on the rise, car dealership owners need to focus their marketing efforts (and dollars) on prospects and leads in the car market TODAY!

Newspapers, billboards, yellow pages, cable spots are all unfocused. You pay for exposure to a far-flung demographic, when you only want to reach potential car buyers.

Smart phone technology equips dealerships to pro-actively promote new products and previously-owned inventory, push coupons and other incentives, and simplify the process of connecting with high-quality leads.

Still Buying Leads? So Is The Competition.

It’s not unusual for dealerships and dealer groups to purchase leads from brokers – data collection agencies that identify prospects. But finding the right prospects out of that long list isn’t hard science.

Even worse, the competition buys those same lists, so you haven’t gained an advantage. Everybody’s after the same leads, and the quality of those leads is sometimes questionable, delivering a puny ROI for a lot of expensive marketing.

Digital Dealership Marketing: Right On Target.When you snag a smart phone number, or an email address, from a lead – whether online or on the lot – you now have the means to pro-actively market each smart phone owner, tablet owner, computer owner – and that’s pretty much everyone.Using cellular, and other digital marketing, enables you to market one-to-one, to keep prospects interested, and build a solid customer base that uses your services and comes back for their next vehicle.

Having a smart phone ready website.Using QR Tags, MS tags or bar codes, and the camera function of a digital device, your prospects snap a shot of each smart tag, which then triggers an appropriate action – everything from downloading vehicle information to the tablet or computer owner, to dialing the service department for a tune-up after your friendly reminder.

What Can Digital Marketing Do?

What else? Save You Money ! Improve the quality of leads. Tether a satisfied buyer to your dealership. Maintain customer goodwill through the use of incentives, provide informational content that actually saves customers money. (They like that.)

When used in conjunction with smart tags, which are free and programmable by anyone, you program a QR tag or MS tag to perform one of four main functions:

Download contact information. Add a smart tag to every business card. Websites built with <a href=’dealerplatform.com’>dealerplatform.com</a>come equipped with features that post a QR code with your contact page, ad listing page, and directions page. Prospects take a picture of the smart tag and all contact information is loaded in that smart phone’s contacts file. Simple.

Dial a telephone number. Take a picture of a smart tag and that smart phone automatically dials a sales desk. Or the service desk. The parts department, or other profit center within your dealership.

Make it easy to get in touch and more customers will get in touch.

Receive “push” information. Pro-actively send prospects, and existing customers, individualized information. New prospect? Send regular updates of new inventory. Existing customer? A coupon for a free tire rotation with an oil change. Or, how about an informational article on seasonal car care? No sales. Just information that creates goodwill.

Access your website. If your website isn’t accessible via smart phone, tablet or computer (of course), you’re not taking full advantage of what digital connectivity does. Delaerplatform websites are automatically enabled to detect the browsing platform and display accordingly.

Remember, buyers are no longer chained to their desktops. They get information on the go, and you should provide some of that information to close more leads and keep that client base growing each year.

Get smart with digital technology. Update your marketing to make digital the centerpiece. Get a website that speaks to smart phone users. It’s the way to reach the highest-quality leads and put your marketing dollars where they deliver the highest ROI.

Facebook is essential to building awareness about your dealership but knowing where it fits into the car-purchasing funnel is the key to successful lead generation for your company. This lesson was recently driven home for Jumpstart Automotive Group, an online solutions partner for advertisers and publishers in the automotive industry. Jumpstart, a division of Hearst Magazine, recently decided to change the way they use Facebook in their marketing strategy. After spending millions of dollars on Facebook display ads for their clients, the company decided to shift the advertising dollars toward the development of premium content, external online advertising, and event promotion and integrate it with their clients’ free Facebook business pages. The goal was to engage potential buyers in the Facebook environment with provocative, informative content, encourage user feedback and nurture a social realtionship. To get the car buyers, you must be where they are, and these considerations can help those in the automotive industry get there.

• Raise Awareness with Facebook.

Nick Matarazzo, Jumpstart’s CEO, recommends integrated marketing campaigns that include social media, but emphasizes the focus on development of the marketing content on your website, while using Facebook to build your brand and attract followers or a fan base. Similar to window shopping, Facebook provides consumers with a first glimpse of a company  or product and sets into motion the awareness process which is at the top of the purchasing funnel. Use Facebook to grab attention and lead consumers back to your website for more information.

• Build Relationships Locally.

  Today’s savvy consumers want to comparison shop, and know the price and vehicle specifications before making a car purchase. Eighty percent of those who include the internet in their car-shopping process eventually turn to a third-party website before they make a purchase. But just having a third-party site for validation is not enough; the site must be rich with valuable information and effective marketing and be able to convert the shopper into a buyer during this critical stage of the purchasing funnel.

• Generate Buzz with Facebook.

  Facebook is effective for creating the buzz that can lead excited consumers to your website and generate activity in the interest and conversion phase of the buying funnel. In 2010, Ford Motors launched a one-day Facebook-only advertising promotion using display ads with the familiar “like” button to introduce the new 2011 Ford Explorer. The ad buy was designed to reach more than 50 million Facebook users and led to a 104 percent increase in consumer information searches for the vehicle and more than 30,000 Facebook likes. By targeting only Facebook users, Ford made them feel special and invited then to participate in an exclusive online event.

With all of the buzz about social media and the targeted advertising that Facebook offers, dealerships that recognize how to use Facebook in their current  sales cycle will benefit the most from this dynamic marketing channel. It’s clear that the conversation that takes place on Facebook is important to the car-buying decision but it’s at the top of the purchasing funnel. To get the most out of their marketing dollars, dealers need to re-evaluate their current ad spending and strategies with Facebook and focus on their external advertising channels and third-party websites that have more impact on the purchasing decision. Car dealers should also take advantage of the free Facebook business pages and develop content there as well as on their own websites.  Now more than ever, it’s critically important that your website content be aligned with all of your promotional and social activities and carry the right marketing message to convert an inquiry to a contact or sale.

Resource:

Facebook Marketing Advice from Jumpstart Automotive Group 

Everyone knows that Google is the leader in the search-engine business. And now Google has developed Google Comparison Ads For Autos, a new product in the testing phase in the San Francisco market that will generate qualified leads for car dealers at the local level. It’s a unique platform that will have car dealers competing for vehicle listings on a special sponsored advertising page.

How will the comparison product work?

It’s simple: Shoppers will enter their desired make and model of the vehicle in the browser search bar and Google will return the sponsored ad, which will contain a list of matching vehicles, pricing and the number of dealers in the area.

To narrow the search, Google then presents a page that includes the in-stock inventory from area dealers within a preset distance from your location. The page also requires the selection of features such as paint and trim color, engine type and any additional options or packages the shopper may want on the vehicle. With their selections made, the shopper is presented with a pricing detail page which includes the suggested MSRP, average regional price and ancillary fees or destination charges. Shoppers then click Contact Dealer, which brings up a list of dealers whose inventory meets the search criteria.

Once on the contact a dealer page, the shopper will be able to communicate with the dealer of their choice directly or anonymously. When contacting the dealer directly, the prospect information will be passed on to the dealer only if the prospect agrees to do so. When contacting the dealer anonymously, Google will act as an intermediary and provide an anonymous email or callback phone number protecting the prospect’s identity.

What does this mean to auto dealers who are alreadyselling their cars online?

Car dealers that are already marketing online now have a new way to interact with potential buyers. It also means that dealers will need to review their online advertising programs and decide how much they’ll want to pay for the clicks and leads. Car dealers that are currently using Google AdWords to promote their businesses will have to adjust their ad spending to test the new platform and measure the results. While Google claims that dealers will be receiving better qualified leads, the conversion data has yet to be seen.

Another area of concern for dealers is price transparency. While it’s not exactly clear how the average price for the vehicles is being calculated, it’s been reported that the figure is based on the available data from the DMVs and dealers within each state. While price transparency is good for the customer, it can be a sensitive topic for dealers as it’s a number that’s not usually shared.

What about the user experience?

The new Google platform certainly has its benefits for the dealers, but the user experience may come up a little short. For the price-conscious shopper this is a great research tool. Knowing what the fair market price and availability of a vehicle is before you visit or contact a dealer has great value, but not seeing what you are actually buying may be a little confusing.

Google is using the manufacturers’ photos as the images in the sponsored ads. And while this isn’t a deal breaker, it’s not the same as visiting the dealer website and inspecting the car online or stopping by the showroom and kicking the tires. The savvy shopper will also need to visit the website of the dealer that they’ve selected and see the vehicle for themselves. It puts an extra step in the buying process, but one that’s absolutely necessary for the diligent shopper.

Like anything new, it’s a wait-and-see proposition on whether Google’s Comparison Ads For Autos will be the hottest new thing for car shoppers, dealers, or both.

Resource:

Google Testing Lead Generation System for New Car Sales

- Blumenthal’s Blog, August 14, 2012

Advancements in web and digital technology have paved a new way for dealers to communicate with customers and prospects. From e-mail notification and social media, to search engine optimization and mobile technology, new doors are opening every day for dealers to improve their customer interaction and build better relationships. The local community is online and it’s up to dealers to get the attention of potential and existing customers on the street and in the virtual world.

What’s the Buzz about Multiple Channels?

Multi-channel advertising programs improve key areas critical to car dealerships and are necessary in developing relationships with the customer. The three areas of interest are:

• - Customer retention
• - Customer value over time
• - Customer satisfaction

Businesses that don’t employ multi-channel strategies quickly fall behind in these areas. This means that businesses that are not engaged with customers and prospects in the virtual world have lost valuable time in online interaction, developing relationships, and promoting their brands.

So What is Multi-Channel Marketing?

Simply put, it means using more than one form of media to promote a dealership. With a marketing world that has gone online, it is critical to make use of all the available tools to generate qualified leads. For example, you probably already have a website; try adding a blog that provides useful information about simple car care, travel preparation tips or green technology and introducing hybrid cars. These posts should be trending topics that draw the attention of local web users and potentially new customers, engaging them in a two-way conversation that becomes a critical point of contact. These are the building blocks of the new customer relationship.

The success of a multi-channel program requires a strong and consistent message across a wide spectrum of media, including:

• - Outdoor display
• - Newspaper advertising
• - Coupon mailers
• - Coupon magazines
• - Direct mail
• - Broadcast television
• - Radio
• - Search engine marketing (SEM)
• - Search engine optimization (SEO)
• - Google AdWords
• - Banner advertising networks
• - Social media
• - Company blogs
• - Chat
• - Online video promotions
• - Mobile technology
• - E-mail notification
• - Company web sites

Social Media Is The New Water Cooler

Social networks such as Facebook and Twitter have become the new gathering places where people share their lives and experiences . When your company decides to make the move to social media, take the time meet your new neighbors and make friends before filling your wall with services, products and special offers.  Just like the conversation at the cooler, it’s very easy to turn people off by promoting your business too aggressively. And with the addition of mobile technology, social sites are a prime target for a paid advertising programs. Here, dealers can promote rebates, list available pre-owned cars and introduce the latest new hybrid auto coming onto the market, complete with video and testimonials. When customers make a purchase and have a good experience, they’ll proudly show their new car to friends and followers through social networking and give the dealership an invaluable word-of-mouth recommendation or review.

The Power Behind Expansion

Expanding marketing efforts into four or more channels has the potential to increase your website traffic. With more customers visiting your website, the opportunity to convert traffic into qualified leads is now greater than ever.

Adding channels to an existing marketing program will require more effort and strategy. It will involve the use of special website tools and a strong commitment to social networking. If this type of work is not your area of expertise, you can make use of online advertising management programs or contact marketing agencies that specialize in multi-channel marketing for the automotive industry. If you already have online strategies in place like search engine optimization, search engine marketing or reputation management, then making the jump to multi-channel marketing will be a natural extension for your marketing team.

Resource:

Multichannel Marketing Increases Sales and Retention- Dealer Refresh, August 17, 2012

If you’re like many local auto dealers, then you’re likely thoroughly confused with the latest changes from Google Places to Google Plus Local. We covered this transition in our previous blog post titled “The New Google Plus Local.”

The first thing you will notice is that the old Google Places isn’t being pulled up any more in the Search Response Pages (SERP’s). Instead, you’ll find a Google Plus Local page that has all of your Google Places information. Or does it? Many people in the Google Places Forum are complaining about missing data. Also, if you take ownership of your new Google Plus Local page, it redirects you to the old Google Places information input page without your existing Google Places data loaded. That’s right – it’s a completely new platform that doesn’t have any of your Google Places information loaded.

If this describes your experience, then your next step is filling out all your Google Plus Local information again in Google Places. I know it’s confusing, but stay with me – we are about to get to the good stuff. Consider this a good time to start over and get your Google information setup right.

Here are the 5 mistakes most local auto dealerships makewhen setting up their Google Places:

1) Adding city or keywords to your business name: Unless your legal business name has your city or a keyword in the name, then don’t add it to your business name on your profile. It is against Google’s guidelines to do this and it will actually reduce your rankings as a result. This tactic includes adding your domain name, phone number or any other descriptor that is not your legal business name. Google will cross-reference your data with citation sources and/or online Yellow Page listings to verify the validity of the information that you’ve submitted. If there are discrepancies, then you’ve just hurt your rankings.

2) Using a P.O. Box or a mailbox plus address in the address field: Maybe you are just outside the city limits or in one of those weird zones that has a different address other than the city you want to rank for. You might be tempted to use a rent-an-address service to fool Google. Don’t do it! Google cross references their data sources with government public records such as business registrations, telecom data, and past Yellow Pages listings. Plus they have all the addresses of the rent-an-address sites. This is a tactic that spammers use and Google is on to it.

3) Making up your own categories over Google’s preferred categories: Many local dealers will only configure one or two categories for their business. This is a huge ranking factor for local search results so you will want to fill out all five categories. Also, remember to use Google’s categories that “best” match what you do. You can create more descriptive categories after you run out of the pre-formatted categories. This allows your listing to fit into the Google mold they want everyone to fit in. If you are the odd ball that makes up all of your own categories then guess what – you get back of the bus rankings.

4) Using a different number other than your main line: Never put a toll free number or even a secondary phone line as your main number on your profile page. Many businesses will try to track their calls by inputting a remote call forward number for tracking purposes. This sounds great from a marketing perspective but it’s against Google’s guidelines and will cause a negative ranking signal when Google verifies your phone number.

5) Failing to fully complete your listing information: This sounds like a pretty basic no-no, but believe it or not, many don’t realize that to fully complete your listing information you will need to fill out every field and upload 10 pictures and five videos. If you don’t have any videos, find videos on YouTube that have the likes of “auto dealer,” “car dealer” or city specific keywords in the title and simply put the URL in the video field. Just make sure you aren’t linking a video that’s been put together by a competitor.

Remember to stay within Google’s guidelines and stay away from the above pitfalls and you should see an improvement in your rankings versus your competitor that is likely to have one or more of these mistakes in their profile.

Even though your Dealer Platform website is optimized for your local area many searches still produce a Google Places listing in the top 10 results.  Taking ownership and maintaining your Google Plus Local page (formerly Google Places) is vital to your local search engine rankings.

If you haven’t heard, there were big changes in the Google Plus world that affects how Google Places listings are being displayed. And if your auto dealership was listed in the Google Places directory you’ll now find that listing under the Google Plus Local tab in Google Plus.

Google has integrated its popular Google Places with Google Plus Pages allowing customers to search locally with richer content and greater functionality. Google Plus Local is quickly becoming the local search destination and rising social media platform. Now customers can find your dealership faster through targeted search results and get the information that they need, quickly. Dealerships can now interact with local customers and build a relationship online. This will improve the customer experience, service and process, and ultimately lead to better customer satisfaction.

So what does this mean for your auto dealership website?

If you haven’t been to your Google Places page lately, now is the time to update your company information and convert it to a Google Plus page (if you don’t have either it’s time to make one and it will only take a few minutes of your time) and improve your page ranking in the Google Plus Local search results. Search optimization means everything when you are creating an online listing or business page. And by following these tips, you can help your dealership appear higher in search results.

Use these steps to improve your Google Plus Local Results Ranking:

Step 1: Fill out your Google Plus Local (Google Places Page) completely

Step 2: Fill out all 5 category fields.  Stick to Google’s recommendations for your categories before making a custom category.

Step 3: Place your company in a broader primary category. Don’t restrict your business to the “car dealership” category, especially if you sell trucks or SUVs, or want to promote your dealership’s automotive repair services. By placing your business in the category of “automotive”, your company will appear more often in search results.

Step 4:  Upload at least 5 pictures and preferably 10 and at least 2 videos.  If you don’t have a video then link to a video on Youtube that has your keywords in the title of the video.

Step 5: Post a coupon.  This has more to do with interacting with your visitors and is a good way to generate a lead or call.  A good coupon should have a call to action like “Call now to receive a no money down trade in offer”  or “visit our website for financing options”.  Use your own existing promotions to show consistency among all advertising channels.

Step 6:  Get reviews.  Google will rank higher a Google Plus Local page that shows interaction with it’s users.  The more reviews you get over time the higher your page will rank.

Step 7:  Get Followers.  Just like reviews – the more people that follow your Google Plus Local page and the more interaction your page receives the more trustworthy your site will appear to Google and as a result Google will rank your page higher.

By updating your Google Plus Local properly along with your locally optimized Dealer Platform website,  you will stand a better chance to  increase your visibility in local search, driving quality leads and customers to your website and dealership.

There is a reason they call it “social media.” It is the equivalent of walking door-to-door to sell your wares. Over 30 percent of car purchases come from via car dealer websites. Companies such Ford have taken social media and learned how to put it to work to sell cars.

Fuel the Buzz

Make the most out of the social media buzz created by car manufacturers. Scott Monty, head of social media for Ford, explains the concept of creating a buzz. With the Fiesta Project, Ford gave away 100 cars to “socially vibrant” individuals. Monty states that one buzz campaign actually had a greater impact than a Super bowl Ad. Dealerships can take advantage of social media advertising coming from car manufacturers to help fuel the buzz and sell new models before they come out.

Take Your Sales Online

Take a multimedia approach to selling cars by creating at least one YouTube Channel. This one social media tool can link to Facebook, Digg, Twitter, Pinterest and car dealer websites. Post videos on your channel of each used car available, buzz about new car models, even the service department can utilize a video channel.

Integrate Resources

Set up a blog that does something other than sell cars such as provide repair or travel tips. In order to be successful in the world of social media, companies need to integrate resources. A blog links to all the social networking pages, RSS feeds car dealer websites. The company’s Facebook status should update to reflect a new blog post. Use one site to promote another and expand your online presence to sell your brand.

Hashtag Whispers

Twitter started the trend and businesses have taken it to the next level. Drop a whisper on blogs, Facebook news feeds and other social media sites. The whisper is like a coupon for Twitter. When a potential customer sees a whisper hashtag, they go to Twitter and do a search to get their treat. The treat might be a promotion for a discount, chance to see a new model pre-release or a sweepstakes for a car.

Interact

Social media is not a one-way street. Keep your social media social. If customers feel like there is no one on the other line, they will drop you fast. Participate in the virtual conversation. Post new entries on social networking sites daily. For some, such as Twitter, you should be making entries several times a day. Monitor blogs and respond to comments. Be an active participant in all social media ventures.

Used car dealers, like all businesses, depend on customers to make sales. When you launch a website, the first thing that must be taken into consideration is how to make sure consumers can find your site. This is done typically through Search Engine Optimization (SEO).  SEO for car dealer websitesis crucial since there is more competition than ever before and because the number of used cars on the market mean that consumers have numerous choices.

Understanding SEO

Search engine optimization accomplishes two things: First, it allows potential website users to find your website. This is accomplished by targeting specific phrases that a customer may be looking for. In the case of SEO for car dealer websites this may include ‘used cars, inexpensive used cars, high quality used cars, etc.’.  The second purpose of search engine optimization allows a search engine to identify the primary focus of your website. For example, a used car dealer website would not want to rank in the search engines for “purebred dogs”. This is one of the reasons that SEO is so critical to a website.

SEO and credibility

Google has recently made some changes to how search results are calibrated. One of the many things that they are using as a measure of a websites value is credibility. Website owners need to make sure that their website ranks well for appropriate keywords. Credibility issues can occur if the SEO for car dealer websites is handled improperly. Once a website is downgraded by Google (or other search engines), credibility is hard to regain.

SEO for leads

While many people do not see the relationship between SEO and leads, it is really fairly simple to understand. If a customer is looking for a “red Toyota Camry” and your site ranks well for “used red Toyota Camry’s” then you have potentially attracted a customer. Always keep in mind that photographs and descriptions increase the likelihood of a potential customer finding your site. Lead generation with SEO begins with understanding what will attract a reader to stop at your website. Identifying the right keywords, understanding how to integrate them naturally into your website and making sure that your content is reader-friendly is critical to generating new leads.

Used car dealers are facing stiffer than ever competition with the glut of used cars available on the market. Finding methods of standing out from the other guys is more important than ever. Use of effective SEO for used car dealer websites can make the difference between attracting new users and turning them into customers.

Search engine optimization is not rocket science, but failing to use SEO effectively for new leads can harm your long-term sales.

It used to be that car dealers relied heavily on traditional marketing techniques to reach customers…techniques such as television, radio, newspapers, billboards, inserts, etc. – but were never really being able to quantify their effectiveness.

The advent of mobile marketing and access to car dealer websites has resulted in a fundamental change in which the way automobile dealers do business, and conversely, the way in which consumers do business with car dealers.

It is estimated that over $119 billion in business will be conducted over mobile phones by 2015. A number of studios also show that a large percentage of that business will take place within the automotive industry.

But first, some statistics.

• 61% of smart phone users make local searches from their devices
• 48% of those with web-enabled devices will conduct their initial research into vehicles.
• 44% will compare prices at different dealerships while actually on a dealer’slot.
• 32% will find a dealer with their smart phone.
• 23% will contact a dealership using their mobile device.

Further, by the end of 2012 smart phones will replace both PC’s and laptops as device of choice for accessing the internet…of the 6.8 billion people on the planet – 5.1 billion own a cell phone… and 91% of all the people in the US keep their devices within reach 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

The importance to and effectiveness of mobile marketing and mobile car dealer websites cannot be overemphasize. Lets explore the mobile marketing and  advertising currently available to car dealers.

Short Message Service (SMS)

Far and away, the most essential tool in the arsenal of mobile marketing for car dealerships is text message marketing. Everyone, even those with the most rudimentary cell phone, has the capability to send and receive text messages. SMS has become incredibly popular since its introduction in 2001.

Location Based Service (LBS)

Offered by some networks, LBS, usually in conjunction with a GPS chip built into the smart phone, is a way to market to cell phone subscribers based on their current geographical location.

Quick Response code (QR code)

You’ve seen them everywhere… those black square patterns on white backgrounds encoded with virtually any form of information. Recently QR codes have become exceedingly popular as a result of the fact that they can be incorporated into traditional as well as digital marketing techniques.

Mobile Car Dealer Websites

When a consumer on a smart phone visits the main website of a car dealer it is vital that the website automatically displays a mobile version of the website without the user clicking through to the mobile version.  Some experts say that mobile car dealer websites can be more important than the main site as mobile shoppers are usually out shopping right now.  There is no question that mobile marketing, and specifically for the automotive industry, has and will continue to change how the internet is used by both the consumer and the car dealer. Mobile marketing is no longer a ‘trend’, and car dealers can no longer take a ‘wait and see’ position.

Historically, car dealers spend an average of $1,000 on advertising for each unit sold. Mobile marketing  now offers an opportunity to reach consumers at a fraction of that cost, while at the same time providing the consumer with a quick, easy and accurate experience.

You might think that with the economic outlook being so bleak that dealers would be having cars on their lots begging for buyers. However, according to Edmunds, this is simply not the case. In fact, the Prius C made by Toyota is being sold on average only three days after it hits the lot. This is fairly first turn around.

The Prius isn’t the only car moving at this rate, in fact, Toyota hybrid models are moving on average nearly two times faster than any other car. This is great news for car dealers who are worried about cars sitting on their lots for long periods of time.

There is another advantage for those who have car dealer websites, you can display these hot sellers and get more buyers interested in visiting your website and your lot meaning you have a greater potential for making a sale.

Keeping consumers updated on what cars you have available for sale while gas prices are high is important. More consumers may be considering downgrading to a more economical car including hybrids. Do not risk losing out on sales because your competitor has a website and you do not. Remember, with more consumers looking for more cost effective vehicles, the chance to make a sale is now.