What makes you different from your competition? Do your customers know?

#localsearchgroup #jimflint #operationaladvertising #dealerships

The Ro' is back! We talk live events and how dealers can capitalize. 

Listen to the full episode here: http://bit.ly/automotiveadvertisingpodcast

Or watch on YouTube: http://bit.ly/watchepisode15

#automarketing #cardealer #dealerships #dealers #automotive #eventmarketing #liveevents #houstonautoshow

Are you growing with your consumers? Listen as I break down the importance of operating on your customer's terms.
#localsearchgroup #jimflint #digitalretailing #dealerships 

As we chase customers, we are starting to chase our tails.

Not smarter than the average pup or kitten that wants to catch up to a non-achievable experience. We want leads. We want form fills. And to be fair, unlike our animal brethren we think we know what we would do if we catch one.

However, it’s precisely the behavior that occurs when we land a lead that keeps pushing our customers further and further away. We follow with an instant e-mail which more than likely doesn’t answer the questions the consumer asked. It does, admittedly, stop the clock.

Then we follow with another e-mail from a BDC rep that’s a 50-50 jump ball on whether or not we answer the consumer's actual question. And then we just want to get the customer in. Don’t worry about the price—"We never lose a deal to price.”—or so the story goes.

In most cases, the consumer is accustomed to hitting submit and having Uber arrive 5 minutes later, or having Door Dash drop food off an hour later. Push the submit button on Amazon and the transaction is finalized with a clean receipt and an estimated time of arrival. Hit another app and you have your Fantasy Football score with a live feed of the game.

Is it any wonder consumers struggle with our clunky configurations of pricing, trade valuations, service schedulers, model types, and accessory additions?

The digital retailing technology is there, we just have to stop chasing our tails.

How important is culture? Watch as I break down LSG's team dynamic, and how it plays a part in what we do for our clients #localsearchgroup #connecting #clientsandculture #automotiveretailing #dealerships

What does your social media profile say about your dealership to customers? We answer this question and more on the Automotive Advertising Podcast.

Join us --> http://bit.ly/automotiveadvertisingpodcast

#socialmedia #facebook #instagram #marketing #dealers #dealership

What is your website saying to consumers? #localsearchgroup #website #digitalmarketing #automotiveretailing #garyveechallenge #dealerships 

Here’s the challenge. Is your website a Welcome Center or a Detention Center?

My reasoned hypothesis – unless you’ve done a recent, major overhaul is that it’s a detention center.

A Detention Center is defined as -- a jail or prison, a facility in which inmates are forcibly confined and denied a variety of freedoms.

So shut down your laptop, turn off your 50” dual screen monitor and go to your website via a smartphone and think about what’s happening –from a customer perspective. Or even ask them.

Here’s what I believe is compromising our operational execution--so much energy has gone into lead forms left, lead forms right and lead forms center. Lead forms for cars. Lead forms for price. Lead forms for service.

Lead forms even for test drives?

Take test drives for a moment. Customers can schedule flights on apps, but we want a customer to submit a form to schedule a test drive?!?

The majority of these forms don’t satisfy a scheduling requirement. They just send an email to the dealership's CRM. If that’s the case at your dealership, it’s time to re-think your internet service provider and what operational, advertising commitments you’re trying to execute on your website.

So, if you’re also not actually able to schedule service appointments, then you really are confusing what you want with what the customer wants to do. And that’s a huge disconnect in a world where people can use the same Amazon App to watch shows like Jack Ryan or to have groceries dropped off at their house.

The pursuit of form fills—despite customer dislike—creates a Detention Center experience. It's time to start building Welcome Centers for our customers.

Is your website welcoming? Listen as I discuss the importance of having the right tools for your consumers to use on your website.

#localsearchgroup #welcomeconsumers #automotiveretailing #garyveechallenge #dealerships #website

Step aside Detroit, Houston is on the move. With the Detroit Auto Show moving to the summer months, the Houston show now is looking to step in and up to this amazing opportunity. Tune in this week's episode of the Automotive Advertising podcast as we're joined by RoShelle Salinas, the Executive VP of the Houston Automobile Dealers Association.