This is so simple.

Step 1. Post from your mobile device.

That's it. 

Facebook likes mobile. In fact, they love it. They're all about mobile usage, mobile interaction and most important - for shareholders - mobile revenue. So, their EdgeRank formula is even giving some extra preference to a brand's post made from mobile devices. Posting from your phones can provide up to 39% more interaction. (Another thought could be that most mobile posts contain more images & videos, which help create more engagement.) 

Facebook also notes that mobile posts doesn't mean grreater reach. 

I would get into the habit of posting to your dealership pages from your phones all the time to take advantage of this opportunity. Plus, there's a better chance you'll capture something that's more engaging, personal and spontaneous when you're posting from your phone. (Besides being more efficient) 

Read more about mobile vs. non-mobile post results here.

Can you believe we're halfway through the year? I've always believed that while you're tracking your daily activities to stay on course and hit your monthly goals you still need to keep your finger on the pulse of the bigger trends. What's the industry direction? Where are things headed? What will shape our decisions for our activities and tactics?

I shared my thoughts, at the end of 2012, about a few topics and trends that I felt would be important for us as an industry.

"What are your thoughts? What other trends are you seeing develop?"

Seven Concepts That Will Define The Retail Automotive Business In 2013.

1. Changing Website Design Standards

The time has come for a new standard in website content design. The familiar template design we've all grown tired of needs to change. Website design standards are changing and we need to adapt to this as well. Where is it written that says car dealership websites must live within a static grid system of non-effective content boxes filled with random content? Look at what's happening with the user interfaces within the sites the average Internet user spends their time. Top visited sites such as Facebook, Pinterest, Instagram, LinkedIn, YouTube and Netflix are moving away from directing the user via standard navigation and letting the user control more of their experience.

Imagine your dealership website as a palette of interactive vehicle images and videos with interactive research and shopping tools augmented with social elements such as ratings and reviews. That's all the consumer wants - plus it would adapt to their mobile devices so much easier. This also opens the door for the next wave of mobile navigation controls as we move from clicks to gestures. This concept rests solely on the industry's website providers to push the envelope of creativity.

So far, I have seen a couple nice examples of websites that step away from the rigid cookie cutter style; I like what DealerFire is doing with their widescreen, multi-container approach within some of their new automotive websites. Keep the changes coming vendors, I believe shoppers will embrace these new experiences.

2. Separation of Internet Directors and Marketing Ninjas

This concept of an Internet Director who manages sales staff, sales activities and Internet Marketing needs to stop now. You don't ask your sales people to sell the car and also change the oil every 3000 miles, do you? We'll start to see a massive shift in the delegation of activities and the types of people hired into these roles as dealers become educated and understand their responsibilities.

In my dealership, I focused on one thing: managing our online presence. That's it. Someone else managed the sales activities. We worked together to create solid processes and manage the flow of activity generated from our online presence. The concept works well because it lets talented people work within their interests and passions. 

Not sure if this is changing quickly or I'm just giving it more attention, but the dealers I've been in contact with this year have made a direct shift towards dedicating more internal resources towards managing the marketing efforts. The emphasis on digital asset performance creates a strong need for dedicated resources.

3. Managing is out. Leadership is in.

Look for an intense focus on leadership in 2013 as deeper concepts of ownership take hold at the dealer principal, executive and corporate levels. Teams will move beyond simply managing activity, they will become experts in mastering concepts within their respective areas of expertise to create a waterfall of knowledge and learning experiences for their entire organization. These experiences will influence the behaviors and actions of the entire staff rather than just one person driving the activity. Process, structure and marketing understanding have paved the way for a new layer of leadership as industry thought leaders become more savvy. Mastering the art of telling your brand's story, retaining customers and employees for life via inspirational experiences, education and embracing the power of your data will transform today's managers into tomorrow's leaders. 

Leading your teams by example, providing an educational element and creating a culture of ownership is definitely "In" - managing by simply following a tick sheet and barking out orders is "out." Which side are you on?

4. Mobile Payments (& Behaviors) Will Shorten Buying Cycles

I'm not concerned so much with the actual solution, rather the actual concept of how our behavior will change as result of this solution. NFC, Square, Paypal apps, Passbook and others will continue to provide more options for consumers to learn a new behavior. And with this behavior will become a shorter buying cycle, pushing us closer to providing better solutions for your customers to connect and purchase - anything from parts, general services and even make down payments. I've said this before: customers don't need new ways of finding things to buy, but they do need more efficient ways of paying for things. This action alone changes the perception of the shopping experience. 

We'll also see more contextual actions which integrate functionality from other social networks that help us complete actions based on our activity and those of our friends. Not only will we be alerted of a friend's upcoming birthday or newborn child, we'll also be able to find either products or retailers nearby based on our recent activity and interests. We'll also find relevant feedback and have the ability to purchase and ship within a few simple gestures as this all happens within our various mobile devices. 

More specifically, and within my favorite segment, location based services will not only hit a new level of awareness and understanding, but they will also achieve a new height of effectiveness with the introduction of better algorithms which learn and predict our habits, usage and interests - based on our permissions. Hype free, no spam and exactly what we want to see. Central hubs of our activity will exist, making it easier for us to stay connected to the key informational elements of our life - Grokr is a wonderful example of this new effective hub.

I'll admit this one is still a bit further out for our industry, however the concept and the activity is moving at incredible speeds for other sections of the retail industry. Square is on pace to process $15 Billion in mobile payments in 2013. Geo-fencing strategies and concepts are beginning to trickle down to more retail establishments; OEM's and large dealer groups are starting to experiment with these activities. We'll keep watching for more results and behavior data. I'm still betting big on this movement.

5. Niche Industry Events

The industry has spoken about macro events that happening just for the sake of having an event. Buying products based on sales pitches is out. Broad based integrated solutions based on awareness and education is in. It's time for dealership leaders to understand how the clock works rather than just being able to tell the time. The best example of this is next year's DrivingSales President's Club event headlined by Seth Godin. This will be a key niche event focusing on areas such as leadership, global economic impact, dealership M&A activity, industry regulations, and other retail industry insights which make up your key foundation assets.

While everyone at DrivingSales was a little cautious about the President's Club event it proved to be an overwhelming success based on the feedback from the attendees, the speakers and the vendors in attendance. Look for more of these events to provide a nice balance to the DrivingSales Executive Summit in the fall. Maybe an international event could be added to the mix?

6. Increased Mobile Video Presence and Effectiveness

Mobile video will become more helpful based on a couple of simple factors: Improved network infrastructure creating better connections on 4G and LTE networks and faster, more powerful chip sets within the devices constantly at an arms length away from us. Pictures will become old school, video will become the standard and keep an eye out for more practical uses of augmented reality as well.

Look for major improvements in mobile workflow solutions for all dealership departments, even better customer facing solutions, and especially new expanded solutions within your social media efforts with regards to real-time story telling. This all ties into shortening buying cycles, improving digital footprints and creating more effective social signals to help drive your local mobile search results.

Video continues it's charge. New devices such as the Samsung Galaxy S4, the iPhone 5S and others are positioning video as a core element of their experience. Vehicle merchandising tactics are also focusing on the importance of mobile. This one is a no brainer. Get on the mobile video train, the seats are filling up quickly.

7. Strong Focus on Professional Experiences and Personal Brands

As company leaders, Internet directors and marketing ninjas continue to be defined by their areas of expertise, so will the awareness of how important their individual brand is to the dealership's customers, staff and the industry. This is how the next wave of excellence and talent will be discovered within our industry. 

Tools like the DrivingSales dScore will help drive awareness around individual activity and relevant experience. Branding platforms such as About.me will continue to define your personal brands and provide greater context for our abilities and affiliations within the industry.

We've had some fun with the dScore so far this year. Every week someone else asks me about it, what it is, how it works and what it means. Another shift this year has been the changes Klout made with regards to introducing Klout answers. The ability to demonstrate relevant activity, authority and experience is important when building personal brands. Different solutions such as the dScore, Klout answers and Quora all help the cause.

Can you believe we're halfway through the year? I've always believed that while you're tracking your daily activities to stay on course and hit your monthly goals you still need to keep your finger on the pulse of the bigger trends. What's the industry direction? Where are things headed? What will shape our decisions for our activities and tactics?

I shared my thoughts, at the end of 2012, about a few topics and trends that I felt would be important for us as an industry.

"What are your thoughts? What other trends are you seeing develop?"

Seven Concepts That Will Define The Retail Automotive Business In 2013.

1. Changing Website Design Standards

The time has come for a new standard in website content design. The familiar template design we've all grown tired of needs to change. Website design standards are changing and we need to adapt to this as well. Where is it written that says car dealership websites must live within a static grid system of non-effective content boxes filled with random content? Look at what's happening with the user interfaces within the sites the average Internet user spends their time. Top visited sites such as Facebook, Pinterest, Instagram, LinkedIn, YouTube and Netflix are moving away from directing the user via standard navigation and letting the user control more of their experience.

Imagine your dealership website as a palette of interactive vehicle images and videos with interactive research and shopping tools augmented with social elements such as ratings and reviews. That's all the consumer wants - plus it would adapt to their mobile devices so much easier. This also opens the door for the next wave of mobile navigation controls as we move from clicks to gestures. This concept rests solely on the industry's website providers to push the envelope of creativity.

So far, I have seen a couple nice examples of websites that step away from the rigid cookie cutter style; I like what DealerFire is doing with their widescreen, multi-container approach within some of their new automotive websites. Keep the changes coming vendors, I believe shoppers will embrace these new experiences.

2. Separation of Internet Directors and Marketing Ninjas

This concept of an Internet Director who manages sales staff, sales activities and Internet Marketing needs to stop now. You don't ask your sales people to sell the car and also change the oil every 3000 miles, do you? We'll start to see a massive shift in the delegation of activities and the types of people hired into these roles as dealers become educated and understand their responsibilities.

In my dealership, I focused on one thing: managing our online presence. That's it. Someone else managed the sales activities. We worked together to create solid processes and manage the flow of activity generated from our online presence. The concept works well because it lets talented people work within their interests and passions. 

Not sure if this is changing quickly or I'm just giving it more attention, but the dealers I've been in contact with this year have made a direct shift towards dedicating more internal resources towards managing the marketing efforts. The emphasis on digital asset performance creates a strong need for dedicated resources.

3. Managing is out. Leadership is in.

Look for an intense focus on leadership in 2013 as deeper concepts of ownership take hold at the dealer principal, executive and corporate levels. Teams will move beyond simply managing activity, they will become experts in mastering concepts within their respective areas of expertise to create a waterfall of knowledge and learning experiences for their entire organization. These experiences will influence the behaviors and actions of the entire staff rather than just one person driving the activity. Process, structure and marketing understanding have paved the way for a new layer of leadership as industry thought leaders become more savvy. Mastering the art of telling your brand's story, retaining customers and employees for life via inspirational experiences, education and embracing the power of your data will transform today's managers into tomorrow's leaders. 

Leading your teams by example, providing an educational element and creating a culture of ownership is definitely "In" - managing by simply following a tick sheet and barking out orders is "out." Which side are you on?

4. Mobile Payments (& Behaviors) Will Shorten Buying Cycles

I'm not concerned so much with the actual solution, rather the actual concept of how our behavior will change as result of this solution. NFC, Square, Paypal apps, Passbook and others will continue to provide more options for consumers to learn a new behavior. And with this behavior will become a shorter buying cycle, pushing us closer to providing better solutions for your customers to connect and purchase - anything from parts, general services and even make down payments. I've said this before: customers don't need new ways of finding things to buy, but they do need more efficient ways of paying for things. This action alone changes the perception of the shopping experience. 

We'll also see more contextual actions which integrate functionality from other social networks that help us complete actions based on our activity and those of our friends. Not only will we be alerted of a friend's upcoming birthday or newborn child, we'll also be able to find either products or retailers nearby based on our recent activity and interests. We'll also find relevant feedback and have the ability to purchase and ship within a few simple gestures as this all happens within our various mobile devices. 

More specifically, and within my favorite segment, location based services will not only hit a new level of awareness and understanding, but they will also achieve a new height of effectiveness with the introduction of better algorithms which learn and predict our habits, usage and interests - based on our permissions. Hype free, no spam and exactly what we want to see. Central hubs of our activity will exist, making it easier for us to stay connected to the key informational elements of our life - Grokr is a wonderful example of this new effective hub.

I'll admit this one is still a bit further out for our industry, however the concept and the activity is moving at incredible speeds for other sections of the retail industry. Square is on pace to process $15 Billion in mobile payments in 2013. Geo-fencing strategies and concepts are beginning to trickle down to more retail establishments; OEM's and large dealer groups are starting to experiment with these activities. We'll keep watching for more results and behavior data. I'm still betting big on this movement.

5. Niche Industry Events

The industry has spoken about macro events that happening just for the sake of having an event. Buying products based on sales pitches is out. Broad based integrated solutions based on awareness and education is in. It's time for dealership leaders to understand how the clock works rather than just being able to tell the time. The best example of this is next year's DrivingSales President's Club event headlined by Seth Godin. This will be a key niche event focusing on areas such as leadership, global economic impact, dealership M&A activity, industry regulations, and other retail industry insights which make up your key foundation assets.

While everyone at DrivingSales was a little cautious about the President's Club event it proved to be an overwhelming success based on the feedback from the attendees, the speakers and the vendors in attendance. Look for more of these events to provide a nice balance to the DrivingSales Executive Summit in the fall. Maybe an international event could be added to the mix?

6. Increased Mobile Video Presence and Effectiveness

Mobile video will become more helpful based on a couple of simple factors: Improved network infrastructure creating better connections on 4G and LTE networks and faster, more powerful chip sets within the devices constantly at an arms length away from us. Pictures will become old school, video will become the standard and keep an eye out for more practical uses of augmented reality as well.

Look for major improvements in mobile workflow solutions for all dealership departments, even better customer facing solutions, and especially new expanded solutions within your social media efforts with regards to real-time story telling. This all ties into shortening buying cycles, improving digital footprints and creating more effective social signals to help drive your local mobile search results.

Video continues it's charge. New devices such as the Samsung Galaxy S4, the iPhone 5S and others are positioning video as a core element of their experience. Vehicle merchandising tactics are also focusing on the importance of mobile. This one is a no brainer. Get on the mobile video train, the seats are filling up quickly.

7. Strong Focus on Professional Experiences and Personal Brands

As company leaders, Internet directors and marketing ninjas continue to be defined by their areas of expertise, so will the awareness of how important their individual brand is to the dealership's customers, staff and the industry. This is how the next wave of excellence and talent will be discovered within our industry. 

Tools like the DrivingSales dScore will help drive awareness around individual activity and relevant experience. Branding platforms such as About.me will continue to define your personal brands and provide greater context for our abilities and affiliations within the industry.

We've had some fun with the dScore so far this year. Every week someone else asks me about it, what it is, how it works and what it means. Another shift this year has been the changes Klout made with regards to introducing Klout answers. The ability to demonstrate relevant activity, authority and experience is important when building personal brands. Different solutions such as the dScore, Klout answers and Quora all help the cause.

By now you've heard Yahoo announced they plan on aquiring micro-blogging platform Tumblr for $1 Billion. The news made CEO David Karp a very wealthy 26 year old, it scared off a few die-hard Tumblr fans and probably makes Yahoo shareholders a little nervous. 

But, what does this signal for the future of social media and user generated content? Whether or not this deal proves to be fundamentally sound, it does point to the perceived importance of user generated content, how we interact with it and how the market perceives the value of this platform. (Tumblr only generated $13 million in revenue last year.) 

The theme here is that Yahoo is fearful of becoming the older, out-of touch player in a new world of social and content. Yahoo's power hungry CEO Marissa Mayer is placing a sizable bet on the fact that Tumblr's younger, more socially active user base can inject a cool and edgy lifeline back into it's veins. 

It all comes down to content. The media giants need it; users want to create it and they need a place to consume it. This is today's Internet and the next wave of Internet users are going to change  the platforms and distribution methods faster than what we're already familiar with happening. It took Twitter six years to go mainstream - six years could eventually become the entire lifespan of a billion dollar company from start to finish at the rate mega brands are swallowing up high valuation start up companies. 

Consider the content you're creating, the platforms you're using and who's using them. Content discovery is changing and so is the way brands are marketing to these users. Watch for these new alternatives to present themselves and consider how they can help your dealership. 

Does your dealership use Tumblr for creating content? Here's an old example of how I used Tumblr at my dealership to create hundreds of interviews with our twitter followers and customers.

By now you've heard Yahoo announced they plan on aquiring micro-blogging platform Tumblr for $1 Billion. The news made CEO David Karp a very wealthy 26 year old, it scared off a few die-hard Tumblr fans and probably makes Yahoo shareholders a little nervous. 

But, what does this signal for the future of social media and user generated content? Whether or not this deal proves to be fundamentally sound, it does point to the perceived importance of user generated content, how we interact with it and how the market perceives the value of this platform. (Tumblr only generated $13 million in revenue last year.) 

The theme here is that Yahoo is fearful of becoming the older, out-of touch player in a new world of social and content. Yahoo's power hungry CEO Marissa Mayer is placing a sizable bet on the fact that Tumblr's younger, more socially active user base can inject a cool and edgy lifeline back into it's veins. 

It all comes down to content. The media giants need it; users want to create it and they need a place to consume it. This is today's Internet and the next wave of Internet users are going to change  the platforms and distribution methods faster than what we're already familiar with happening. It took Twitter six years to go mainstream - six years could eventually become the entire lifespan of a billion dollar company from start to finish at the rate mega brands are swallowing up high valuation start up companies. 

Consider the content you're creating, the platforms you're using and who's using them. Content discovery is changing and so is the way brands are marketing to these users. Watch for these new alternatives to present themselves and consider how they can help your dealership. 

Does your dealership use Tumblr for creating content? Here's an old example of how I used Tumblr at my dealership to create hundreds of interviews with our twitter followers and customers.

What are you working on today that is helping you build something meaningful for tomorrow?

Or, does your day consist of going through motions that are essentially exercises in futility? If so, why is that? Is it simply a result of not having a plan? Are you doing what you truly love? Do you feel that you don't have the resources available to you?

We all have our core responsibilities - the daily grind. But this doesn't mean you can't build on something bigger with regards to your personal and professional development? You need to bake in value with everything you're doing, doing so inspires those around you while also raising the level of service you're providing.

Awareness, education and skills building is the new cool. The ability to find and consume helpful resources has never been easier.

Whether you want to learn how to improve your tennis game, understand the mechanics of the long term supply curve and economic profit from Khan Academy or if you want to beef up your automotive digital marketing skills, there are plenty of trusted sources that can help you improve to stand alone in this crowded space.

Don't be average. Be awesome. 

What are you working on today that is helping you build something meaningful for tomorrow?

Or, does your day consist of going through motions that are essentially exercises in futility? If so, why is that? Is it simply a result of not having a plan? Are you doing what you truly love? Do you feel that you don't have the resources available to you?

We all have our core responsibilities - the daily grind. But this doesn't mean you can't build on something bigger with regards to your personal and professional development? You need to bake in value with everything you're doing, doing so inspires those around you while also raising the level of service you're providing.

Awareness, education and skills building is the new cool. The ability to find and consume helpful resources has never been easier.

Whether you want to learn how to improve your tennis game, understand the mechanics of the long term supply curve and economic profit from Khan Academy or if you want to beef up your automotive digital marketing skills, there are plenty of trusted sources that can help you improve to stand alone in this crowded space.

Don't be average. Be awesome. 

Last week I hosted a webinar for KPA marketing called "40 Tips in 40 Minutes." This was an updated version of a DrivingSales Executive Summit workshop held last fall. 

A major theme today is process, but as your proceses begin to tighten and your experience grows, you still need to be aware of new tools and tactics to continue improving and stay in the right frame of mind.

So, my goal of the webinar was simple - give visitors as many helpful takeaways as possible to add them to your current routines. 

Check out the deck and hopefully you'll walk away with at least one item that can help you and your marketing efforts within your dealership. If you want even more context around each item and to listen the full recording of the webinar, contact Becky Ross at KPA and they'll help you with the info.

And of course, if you ever have a question, feel free to shoot me an email or follow me on twitter @emiltsch 

All links in the presentation are live - click through for more info.

Last week I hosted a webinar for KPA marketing called "40 Tips in 40 Minutes." This was an updated version of a DrivingSales Executive Summit workshop held last fall. 

A major theme today is process, but as your proceses begin to tighten and your experience grows, you still need to be aware of new tools and tactics to continue improving and stay in the right frame of mind.

So, my goal of the webinar was simple - give visitors as many helpful takeaways as possible to add them to your current routines. 

Check out the deck and hopefully you'll walk away with at least one item that can help you and your marketing efforts within your dealership. If you want even more context around each item and to listen the full recording of the webinar, contact Becky Ross at KPA and they'll help you with the info.

And of course, if you ever have a question, feel free to shoot me an email or follow me on twitter @emiltsch 

All links in the presentation are live - click through for more info.

Great leaders know how keep their sales people motivated. They understand both their individual and professional needs. Do you know the best ways to motivate your staff for the best results possible? 

Click to enlarge