This Week in Social Media

News for the Week of July 18

Improvements for YouTube Ads

Google recently announced improvements for YouTube ads, which will give retailers more control over the branding experience for viewers.  Available globally wherever TrueView for shopping is available, the new features will help shoppers pinpoint what they’re looking for, as well as help brands stand out.  Companion banner is an interactive banner that will appear next to a video that’s being played, allowing viewers to scroll through products at the same time they’re watching the video, giving them more in-depth product information while watching videos. Product picker is another enhancement that will aid advertisers on YouTube, allowing them to prioritize and decide which products are featured for specific campaigns.  With product picker in place, retailers are still able to elect to let the format dynamically choose feature products.  Dealerships, don’t discount YouTube as a great source for reaching your customer base.  With 6 BILLION hours of YouTube watched per month, it’s a good bet your customers will see what you’re doing and follow you.  Video is leading the way when it comes to reaching consumers, so if you haven’t yet, give YouTube a try.

Twitter Improves Emoji Support

Always on top of its growing emoji collection, Twitter recently announced support of the newest emojis on the Twitter website.  Early in the year, 72 new emojis were released by Unicode, and they all now display on Twitter.com.  They’ll be coming soon to TweetDeck and the Twemoji repository as well.  Just in time for World Emoji Day, which was July 17, the latest update to Twitter makes it the first major platform to include new emojis like Drooling Face, Nauseated Face, Lying Face, and ROFL.  Emojis have become the norm when communicating online or via mobile, with some messages being written solely in emoji speak, so dealerships, jump into the phenomenon and toss some emojis into your posts to liven things up.  They’ll humanize your messages and resonate with consumers who are accustomed to seeing them in their everyday messages.

Periscope Editors’ Picks

Periscope continues to bring new ideas to the forefront, and its Editors’ Picks channel does exactly that by allowing users to more easily browse for unique moments and ensure they don’t miss anything they want to view. A human-curated stream, this newest channel can be found under Suggested Broadcasts and displays a Featured tag.  According to Periscope, this newest channel will be particularly useful to users who are new to the platform and may not know what they should be watching.  Dealerships, your customers are flocking to live streaming, and that means once you get into the game, you’ll reach more people than ever before.  “What’s the draw?” you may ask.  It’s all about real-time engagement and letting your customers in at the very beginning when you’re presenting new ideas or offering special deals.  Being in-the-moment with your consumers is priceless, because today’s shoppers are looking for dealerships that are responsive and engaged.

Larger GIF Size for Twitter

Web users can now use GIFs up to 15 MB on Twitter, opening up the creative possibilities for GIF-lovers everywhere.  While mobile users are still restricted to the 5MB size, the larger size for web users allows a bit more flexibility in posting.  This enhancement aligns with Twitter’s recent updates to increase the length of Vine videos from 30 seconds to 130 seconds, as well as the expected update that will not include @names and media attachments in the 140-character Tweet limit.  Dealerships, experiment with GIFs every now and then to lighten your posts and add some fun.  Remember, GIFs are an important part of social culture for today’s online consumers, so throw some lighthearted posts their way, and you’ll be sure to get engagement and interaction.

3D Touch for Facebook Messenger

Facebook Messenger recently rolled out support for 3D Touch for Messenger on iOS, allowing iPhone 6s and 6s Plus users to preview things like contacts, conversations, photos, videos, stickers, links, and locations while using the app.  Additionally, users can access shortcuts by pressing the app icon on the home screen, allowing them to quickly access conversations or even go to a new message screen.  With the app, users can either “Peek” into conversations by pressing on them or “Pop” fully into conversations by pressing harder.  Additionally, links and photos are available for preview within the app, or users can press harder to view full content.  With every update, it’s easier than before to find and stay in touch with clients and potential customers, so dealerships, be open to interacting with shoppers and building relationships on this platform.  When you make yourself available to answer questions, participate in conversations, and maintain a presence for shoppers, you’ll end up building an online audience that will seek you out in the marketplace.

Tip of the Week –  Hold Up Your End of the Conversation

More and more conversations between businesses and consumers are taking place online, and for your dealership, not only does that mean you have to be present, but it also means you have to be engaged and invested in holding up your end of the conversation.  Because if you don’t, today’s fast-paced shoppers will move on to someone else.  When consumers are looking for answers, they’ll be most impacted by the businesses that are attentive and able to give them in-the-moment feedback and information.

Check out a few quick tips to help you be on your toes and available for shoppers—wherever they may be:

• Build your community. 25% of people say they engage with brands because they want to get involved with a community of brand fans.  Focus on your online platforms like Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and any others where you may be building a presence; your fans there will interact with newcomers even when you’re not physically online and interacting.

• Depend on your champions. Your employees and brand influencers are your dealership’s brand champions.  You can’t be online interacting every minute of the day.  That’s why you need to lean on your trusted influencers to reach out and interact on your behalf.  They’ll boost your dealership’s presence and take some of the burden off of you.

• Check into live chat. Today’s shoppers want answers nearly immediately after they’ve posed their questions, and live chat can help you give that to them.  Set up specific times when you—or a representative from your dealership—will available to answer questions and give feedback in a live setting.  This will help you offer the 24/7 support shoppers have come to expect throughout the marketplace.

• Offer knowledge & content. You can build a presence for your dealership by staying on top of the things your consumers want to learn about and then posting great content to share.  Even when you can’t be present, your content can reassure consumers you’ve been there recently and you’re thinking about the things that matter to them.  Post frequently and on a regular schedule to build your audience.

• Reply efficiently. Whether it’s an email request, online feedback, or a question that’s Tweeted to you, the key to keeping customers content with your level of engagement is responding quickly.  Don’t wait weeks or even days to respond, but instead, make a habit of regularly checking all your platforms for questions and comments and replying as quickly as you can.

• Make a plan. No one can be everywhere at once, and that’s why it’s important to make a plan.  Especially with social media, it’s easy to get pulled in many different directions, so be sure to stick to your schedule, use the time you’ve allotted for each platform, and utilize the people on your team who can help you reach out and provide excellent customer service.

When you prove to today’s shoppers your dealership is ready and willing to communicate, answer questions, and get the job done in a timely manner, you’ll gain customers for life.  In a society that’s driven by efficiency and quality, your dedication to ensuring shoppers get the best of both of those will shine through.  It only takes a little planning on your part to be the dealership that’s always there, giving attentive and thoughtful feedback—exactly when it’s needed.

Communication and engagement go together like biscuits and gravy, like macaroni and cheese, like bacon and eggs. Most of the time, it’s pretty hard to have one without the other. (Who wants a dry biscuit anyway?) Now that everyone is hungry, it’s time to take a look at the many ways communication is at work in your dealership and how you can use it to boost employee engagement, in turn, boosting performance, improving profitability, and increasing customer loyalty.

“All that from communication?” you may ask. The answer is yes, and here’s why.

Communication Is Contagious

Communication is not only a skill; it’s an art form. It is something that requires practice and coaching, but when it is done effectively throughout an organization, its impact can create a contagious culture of trust, loyalty, and positivity. Great communication serves as a catalyst to employee engagement because of its ability to unify and connect everyone, as well as keep everyone on the same page and working toward similar goals. In a nutshell, communication is powerful stuff.

Once you get everyone moving in the same direction with communication, you’ll start to see all-around improvements in your dealership environment. If your business could use a boost in engagement and a cultural makeover, take a peek at some of the great ways you can work to improve your internal communication:

• Define communication. If everyone on your staff were asked to give their ideas regarding the concept of successful communication, you would end up with enough ideas to fill a shopping cart. That’s why it’s important to start by defining what communication means to you and everyone in your dealership before moving forward and implementing a new plan. If your dealership is looking at new technology like AutoAlert’s Pando to help you streamline communication and engage your entire team, it’s a great idea to share that early and get employees excited about the possibilities.

• Begin at the top. Start by defining high-level dealership goals and ideals so employees have a marker they can use to gauge their levels of success when it comes to communicating and interacting within their changing culture. By outlining the overall business expectations first, you’ll be setting up a framework for the tone of all employee communication. If employees understand the dealership’s goals for communication, it will be easier for them to understand how to implement communication strategies for specific departments and between individuals.

• Set an example. Employees will gain confidence and be more willing to exercise their growing communication skills when they dealership leaders demonstrating great communication in action. Since communication is a skill that requires practice, individuals will be likely to join in and participate in the changes happening throughout the dealership when you provide a solid example for them to follow.  Especially if new technology is involved, it’s important to frequently utilize the tools you’ve invested in and encourage your employees to do the same.Your communication style is something employees can look to when the time comes for their own professional interactions.
• Encourage interaction. Once you’ve introduced an improved communication style for your dealership, follow through by encouraging increased interaction between all employees. Employees who are able to comfortably interact with each other will be able to de-escalate conflicts in the workplace and work through day-to-day issues more effectively. This is another skill that requires practice, so when employees come to you with issues that need to be solved, encourage them to work together as supportive team members to find solutions that benefit the dealership. Your guidance will help reassure them they are, indeed, strong communicators.
• Plan your content. Much like the content you plan for your consumers, you should focus on delivering information to your employees in relevant and compelling ways. Be sure you clearly present the goals of your content when you communicate to employees—whether via email, group meeting, or one-on-one touch base. It’s important they understand the message you are delivering and the intent behind your communication. When you get to know your audience and focus on the intended outcome of your communication, employees will be more engaged.

Great communicators have a gift. Everyone reading this can likely call to mind someone who has made an impression as a gifted communicator. Most of us, however, have to work to improve in the area of sharing and interacting with others—not only so that we are able to get our own ideas across, but also so that others feel comfortable sharing their ideas with us.

If you are working toward becoming a better sharer, a better communicator, a better teller of your dealership story—then you are on your way to engaging a group of advocates that will also be willing to share your brand. Communication and engagement work together, and when your employees feel included and knowledgeable about what’s going on with the business, they’ll be excited to share great things about your dealership with their online social circles. The way you communicate directly affects your dealership’s success, and when you make the decision to improve the way your entire dealership shares information, you’ll be making the decision to improve engagement, enhance customer service, increase brand recognition, and rev up your sales. Communication truly IS contagious, and when your dealership catches it, you’ll be well on your way to greater success.

This Week in Social Media

News for the Week of July 11

New Snapchat Memories Feature

The new Snapchat Memories feature is a way for users to save Snaps and Stories on the popular app, allowing them to create personal collections of favorite moments.  Memories will show up right below the Camera screen, allowing for easy access simply by swiping up to open.  Users will find it easy to sort through stories and memories by using keywords to find exactly what they’re looking for, and they can even create new Stories from Snaps that have already been taken or combine already existing stories to make longer moments.  Stories that were created more than a day prior to the posting date will appear with a frame that displays the posting date, so viewers will know it’s from the past.  And to make things even better, it’s super-easy to remove Stories or mark My Eyes Only to avoid potential embarrassing situations.  Memories will be rolling out within the next month, and in the meantime, users can begin thinking of all the creative ways they can start saving their favorite moments with this latest Snapchat feature.  Dealerships, consider the latest Snapchat feature to enhance your social media outreach.  Create Memories you can share with customers that show off what your dealership is doing in the community or events that are happening on your lot.

Instagram Adds Comment Moderation for Business

In an effort to clean up its comments section, Instagram has added comment moderation for business pages, allowing businesses to block comments with words or phrases that are often reported as offensive.  Users can access this feature via Settings on accounts that have turned on the Business Page option.  For brands and advertisers, a cleaned up comments section offers the ability to reach a broader audience—without worrying about posts being polluted with offensive content.  Dealerships, take advantage of consumers’ interest in Instagram by telling visual brand stories and capturing their attention with fun images that will draw more people to your dealership.  To boost engagement, consider hosting a photo contest that gets both shoppers and employees involved.

Facebook Messenger Account Switching

Account switching is finally here for Facebook Messenger, and it’s making life pretty great for small business owners, social media managers, and anyone else who has to switch back and forth between accounts.  Available on Android since February, this functionality is now available for the entire Facebook app family for iOS, so there’s no more logging in and out for users who need to access multiple accounts.  Simply look for options under Profile > Switch Account, then click the plus sign to add account.  Dealerships, stay in touch with your followers on Facebook and remember to make it personal by responding to questions, interacting, and initiating conversations.

Twitter Launches Sports Livestream

Twitter recently launched its first sports livestream broadcast at Wimbledon, with livestreaming services appearing with commentary along the side, much like YouTube and Twitch.  Tweets with an associated hashtag appear alongside the video, and users can tweet along with the stream without opening another window.  While feeds can’t yet be filtered to see only Tweets from specific followers, they can be paused or muted for viewer convenience. Consider livestreams via Twitter to engage more of your followers and help consumers feel a part of your dealership’s activities.  Instead of a static feed from a single location, try walking around and showing what’s going on at an event to spark interest and entice viewers to visit you in person.

Tip of the Week – Twitter Deserves Your Attention

With over 100 million users logging in daily, Twitter is a social media platform that deserves your attention.  Whether you’re looking to boost your personal brand or elevate your dealership and gain more followers, there are several simple things you can do on Twitter to gain traction and ensure you’re going in the right direction:

• Tweet every day. With Twitter’s short content structure, it’s easy for Tweets to pile up—and likewise, it’s easy for your content to get lost in the swirl of everything that’s getting posted.  When you schedule Tweets, post regularly, and offer up consistent content, you’re more likely to be noticed by your followers.

• Include images. You may be accustomed to including images with Facebook and on your website, but don’t underestimate the power of images on Twitter either.  Your followers are more likely to share your posts when you include captivating images.

• Reuse & repurpose. If you’ve gotten great traction from a post in the past, it’ a good idea to post it again to get even more mileage out of it.  Evergreen content is content that is perpetually relevant, so if you’ve got posts your followers will enjoy, go ahead and share them…more than once!

• Keep it short. Especially for Tweets with images, keeping posts to about 20 to 40 characters gets more traction.  Your followers will appreciate it when you’re able to say more using fewer characters.

• Utilize hashtags. But use them strategically and don’t overwhelm readers with them.  Keep the audience focused on the important content of your Tweets and use a couple of powerful hashtags to call out relevant keywords and help them with future searches.

• Show your human side. As with any social media platform, your Twitter followers will appreciate you when you show the different things that make up your brand personality.  Don’t be afraid to mix in a little humor along with your day-to-day interests and regular content, and strike up conversations to show your followers you’re the real deal.

When you use a few simple tips and tricks to help you with your Twitter posting, you’ll be able to expand your audience and reach more people with your great content.  By focusing on a few things that truly matter to your online audience, you’ll end up having more meaningful online conversations, and they’ll get a truer glimpse of your dealership’s brand.

When you think of all the things that go into making your dealership a success, communication ranks at the top of the list. In fact, without good communication—both inside the dealership and with your customer base—you’ll likely suffer unnecessary losses in sales, employees, and customers. And while it’s one of the most integral pieces to your success, great communication can also be one of the most difficult things to achieve. Why? Because your dealership is a complicated machine with many constantly-moving parts, and that makes it tough to ensure everyone stays on the same page.

The goal of any great businessperson is to communicate well with those in our professional circles, however, it’s common for everyday issues to get in the way of delivering clear, concise messages to everyone who should receive them. George Bernard Shaw once said, “The single biggest problem with communication is the illusion that it has taken place.”

Communication is a fluid thing, meaning it is constantly in motion, so when it comes to your dealership, it’s important to ensure everyone understands what is being shared. If employees are expected to share dealership news, specials, and messages with customers, it’s imperative you ensure they first have a complete understanding of exactly the message you want to convey.  If not, it’s likely incorrect information will get passed along, resulting in possible misunderstandings between customers and employees. 21% of communicators admit to using too much jargon, also making it difficult for customers to understand. Part of sharing information with customers is ensuring they understand the words and ways you explain to them, avoiding any misunderstandings.

Your employees and customers look to you as the authority when it comes to information regarding your dealership. It’s a tough job, but when you create a pattern of clear and open communication between yourself and your employees, as well as your dealership and your customer base, you’ll notice happier employees, more content customers, and a stronger bottom line that is the result of the trust you are building. Consider the following reasons for focusing on communication as a skill throughout your dealership:

Communication builds trust. One of the most important things for your employees and customers is trust, and good communication is the foundation of trust. 71% of customers stated that they bought their vehicle because they trusted and respected the salesperson. By communicating openly and honestly about what’s going on throughout the dealership, you’ll be cultivating a culture of trust for your employees and your customers—something that will keep everyone coming back for more. Hopefully, you’ll get to share good news more often than not, but even when the news is unpleasant, be forthright and honest, as this will continue to build trust for your dealership.

Communication encourages performance. Communication is an important factor for many reasons, but one of the most important is the fact that it drives performance. Productivity increases 20-25% in organizations that have connected employees and communication channels that make it easier to connect with one another. When your employees feel included and part of the dealership team, they’ll want the responsibility of ensuring the dealership succeeds. They’ll take more pride in their work and strive to do their best, with the interests of the business in mind. Be sure to show a genuine interest in ensuring every employee is included in dealership meetings so that everyone is aware of potential changes and updates.

Communication reinforces team unity. When you ensure everyone gets dealership updates and information, you’ll create a sense of unity. Everyone feels a part of the same team when they are included in information downloads, process updates, and weekly wrap-ups. If you don’t already, make a habit of gathering all employees for brief meetings to update them regarding dealership news. You’ll be opening communication channels and creating a sense of equality by involving every professional on your team, and when everyone feels included, they’ll be motivated to share positive news with potential customers.

Good communication kills bad communication. Gossip, secrets, and back-stabbing—all the ingredients you need to cook up a workplace disaster. You can quickly wipe out these ugly types of communication simply by empowering your employees with real, honest-to-goodness information and up-to-date news about what’s going on in the dealership. Cut misinformation off with straightforward communication, and your employees will thank you for it. In exchange, you’ll have a staff of professionals who are eager to share the great things that are happening throughout the dealership with customers, with their social circles, and with other employees. You will have to worry less about the negative when you focus on implementing more positive communication.

Think about the ways you currently communicate throughout your dealership and then consider ways to improve upon the tools you have. If you have an antiquated system, or if several employees are frequently left out of the loop because they don’t have individual dealership email accounts, it’s time to consider upgrading to newer technology that will facilitate better communication for ALL your employees. The expense will be more than worth the cost you would be paying in disengaged employees and potential turnover due to poor communication. Technology, like AutoAlert’s Pando, offers solutions that are tailored specifically for the challenging and multi-faceted dealership environment, and by taking advantage, you’ll ensure you don’t get left behind in today’s fast-paced marketplace.

Start improving your communication today and ensure everyone’s in the loop by implementing these 3 super-easy steps:

1. Introduce it.Let employees in on the dealership’s newly-improved communication process. Change can be shocking for many, and it’s a good idea to have a meeting to get employees on board and let everyone know how things will look in an open-communication culture. Give examples of exactly what your new style will look like so everyone will be prepared for a more connected environment.
2. Practice it.As a leader, be sure you not only show employees examples of great communication in action, but you also give them plenty of opportunities to practice sharing and communicating—with each other and with customers. Great communication is a skill, and as with any skill, it improves with practice.
3. Reward it.Be on the lookout for employees who are doing an outstanding job of communicating and call them out for their excellent skills. When someone does a great job explaining a product or service to a customer—or using new technology—let everyone know about it. Others will be quick to catch on when they see the positive reinforcement given to their peers.

Once everyone’s on the same page, your dealership will reap the rewards. Achieving communication success is critical to developing improved relationships, both internally with employees and throughout the community with potential customers. Remember, just as with any skill, it takes practice in order to master effective communication, so continue to focus on the skills you’ve put into play and look for new and engaging ways to encourage others to connect and communicate. By continuously seeking improvement and motivating others to improve their skills, you’ll be creating positive habits that will reinforce the culture of trust you are building.

It’s no surprise social media continues to surge as a means of keeping in touch, sharing information, and comparing product feedback.  Now, more than ever, companies are turning to video to reach consumers for one very compelling reason: it works. It’s estimated 71% of companieswill increase their video marketing budgets this year, and that’s because video has become the single most popular form of online sharing, connecting individuals, companies, and brands like never before.

Facebook alone gets, on average, 8 billion video views every single day, a no-brainer for dealerships that want to get their brands out there and interact with consumers on a platform that’s relevant and engaging. When your dealership focuses on delivering high-quality content in a format users enjoy, you’ll automatically capture more attention.  Add to that the fact you’re boosting your social presence and interacting on a regular basis, and you’ll build trust and brand loyalty.

A Look at Video Content

Mobile users dominate today’s market, constantly on-the-go and accessing endless information. And video continues to climb to the top when it comes to the content type that’s accessed.  In fact, YouTube reports that mobile video consumption rises a full 100% every year! Additionally,92% of consumers who watch videos online report sharing those videos with others, and 64% of video watchers say they are likely to purchase a product after watching a video online.  When it’s all said and done, making an online presence for yourself is essential when it comes to reaching your customers.

One third of online activity is spent watching videos, capturing the attention of a huge chunk of today’s market. When given the choice between watching a video or reading an article, both containing the same information, most people will choose to watch a video.  In the eyes of consumers, videos are easier, more appealing, and less time consuming—plus you’ll be able to draw them into your brand with more engaging, informative updates that will keep them paying attention to you rather than the competition.

Showing It Works

BuzzFeed has recently created its own video production company, creating around 50 videos a week. They have since launched other video sites, such as Tasty, and gained almost 50 million fans on Facebook and over 8 billion views on their cooking videos.

Mic, a news media site, launched their own video department last year. In just 6 months, they were reaching 34 million views and are now, due to their videos’ success, working on creating new franchises and shows related to their video content. After starting only 4 years ago, the company has now grown to be worth over $100 million.

Dove US makes inspirational video campaigns. They started making videos around 4 years ago and now have 140,816,414 views on their campaign videos. That is a huge increase in a short amount of time.

Whatever the content you’re creating, when you create for your particular audience and focus on their interests and content needs, video has the potential to be wildly successful for your brand.

Getting It Out There

While it may seem daunting to roll out a new marketing strategy, trust me on this: video is worth your time.  And it really doesn’t take a whole lot to get you started in the right direction.  Always keep in mind a solid strategy and direction are important in order to deliver the results you’re looking for, but then, check out some of the following to get you rolling:

• Look at what others are doing. Check out the brands and individual campaigns that are getting a lot of traction and attention.  They’ll be your best guides regarding what to do and what NOT to do.

• If you’re brand-new to video, it’s a great idea to get in some practice before you go live.  Be sure you know how to work the program you’re using and how to interact during your post so you end up with a seamless piece your viewers will want to watch.

• Decide on your stories. What stories do you want to tell?  You’ll compel more people to watch your videos if you share authentic moments, stories about people (and not just products), and when you add a human side to your dealership’s brand.

• Consider your content. Demonstrations, tutorials, and testimonials tend to perform well among consumers, so utilize these to boost interest, especially when you have new makes and models to show off or to share timely maintenance advice.

• Check your length. You’re not creating a trilogy; it’s just a quick video.  Make sure you create videos your consumers will actually want to watch by keeping the length manageable, especially while you’re building your viewership and proving you have great things to share.

• Research the platforms that are available to you. Facebook is a great place to post, but be open to platforms like YouTube, which performs well in Google search results, and don’t forget to post on your own website.

When you offer your online followers great content that is useful, easy to understand, and relevant to their everyday needs, you’ll make great progress toward building a solid audience.  Video is the way to go with today’s mobile-driven consumers, and your dealership can take command of this arena with thoughtful, consumer-focused content.

When shopping for anything, especially big-ticket items like cars, shoppers compare prices. It’s natural to try and find the best deal and save as much money as possible, however, times have changed, and the best price is no longer the sole determining factor when it comes to where and when consumers purchase. The ability to comparison shop online has made it necessary for dealerships to compete in areas other than price alone.  Instead, they must specialize in many of the other things that are gaining the attention of today’s empowered consumers.

While a rock-bottom price is tough to beat, there are a few priorities that help to round out the list of necessities for car buyers.  Competitive pricing speaks volumes, but check out 5 things your customers are really looking for when they set foot in your dealership:

1. Customer service will always remain at the top of the list in any business. Especially when it comes to larger purchases, consumers are looking for an experience that reassures them they’re in the right place to spend their hard-earned money. Expectations are high, and from the moment shoppers walk into your dealership, everything matters—from the smallest details to the biggest gestures.  It’s not surprising to note your competition is already putting the shine on the experiences they offer customers, so to stay competitive, that’s what you’ll need to do as well.  You can meet and exceed shopper expectations by first putting yourself in their shoes.  Think of comfort and convenience; and then think of ways your dealership can meet those needs to show shoppers you’ve got their best interests at heart.  Whether it’s free wifi, quick check-ins, or early maintenance hours, your customers will appreciate the things you do to make the dealership experience better for them.  Imagine this: if you have the best service and the best prices, shoppers will turn to you every time.

1. Honesty is your best friend in today’s marketplace. Shoppers arriving at your dealership are well-educated and already know quite a bit about the vehicles they want to buy, so it benefits you to ensure your sales team is on the up-and-up about prices, products, financing, and all the other details involved in the car-buying process.  Customers will pick up on your forthrightness, and you’ll earn their trust by offering genuine answers and insight.  Along that same note, when in doubt, be sure to find the correct answers instead of guessing.  It’s always better to take a little more time and pass along accurate information in order to build trust. It also helps to remind your sales team to give clear, concise information that’s easily understood; your shoppers will see your efforts at great communication, and you’ll build better, stronger relationships that stand the test of time.

1. Product knowledge is also high on the list importance. When your sales team demonstrates in-depth knowledge of the vehicles they’re selling, they will instill confidence in potential buyers. A vehicle purchase is likely the second largest purchase many consumers will make, and although shoppers come in having done quite a bit of research on their own, NADA confirms a full 90% of consumers find dealership visits to be the most important source of information during the buying process.  This means your sales staff can make all the difference by anticipating questions and being prepared with the right answers to inform and educate shoppers. Dealerships that take advantage of technology like AutoAlert’s FuzeCast can easily access on-the-lot comparisons and reviews to ensure customers get the answers they need without having to look to outside resources. A knowledgeable and tech-savvy sales staff can ensure your dealership succeeds in reaching customers and sharing important product information that will ultimately help you sell more cars.

1. Consistency can be easily overlooked, but it’s an important aspect in building and maintaining your customer relationships. By kicking off your relationships with a bang and providing top-notch service, you’ll leave customers with a great impression; but it’s equally important to follow up and be consistent throughout the course of the relationship. That new-car shine makes everything exciting, so it’s pretty likely most buyers will leave your dealership in high spirits. In order to build a relationship, however, it’s important to ensure that trend continues by carrying the service well past the sale.  Be sure your sales team is well versed in post-transaction service, including follow-up calls, helping new customers schedule maintenance, and answering any questions that may come up in a timely fashion.  When the performance and responsiveness of your team remains exceptional, customers will continue to turn to you when it’s time to buy, repair, and maintain their vehicles.

1. Long-term attentiveness lets customers know you will be there for them weeks, months, and even years after their vehicle purchases. By being accessible, open, and great at communicating, you’ll make customers more comfortable in doing business with you. Work toward creating great social platforms, an interactive and easy-to-use website, and exceptional follow-up plans for your team—and customers will know they can reach out to you at any time and receive the same level of interest and attentiveness as they received on Day 1.  That kind of service is priceless, and it will pay off for your dealership’s bottom line.  It’s important to keep in mind customers are willing to invest in shopping experiences that will last for years to come.

While a low price is important, it’s also essential to build relationships with your customers that let them know you’ll be there for the long haul—not just in the moment of purchase.    Your attentiveness, product knowledge, and superior service will guide them when it’s time to consider future purchases, and they’ll be more likely to share their great experiences with friends and family.  Shoppers have spoken; and they’re letting us know price is only a portion of the big picture when it comes to earning and keeping customer trust.

Part III: Gather Data to Dominate

Hopefully you’re already convinced social selling has a lot to offer your dealership.  In fact, dealerships that want to win in today’s marketplace will need to get social—and fast—if they want to keep up with the competition.  In addition to building relationships with consumers and becoming a top-of-mind resource, by amping up your social media presence, your dealership can glean plenty of useful data that will come in handy when it’s time to make a sale.

In Part III of this 3-part series, we’ll take a look at the ways social selling can help you access valuable consumer data you can utilize to help you sell more cars.  And selling more cars is the goal, right?

Consumers share an inordinate amount of information about themselves via social media platforms—whether it’s on their profiles, during interactions with acquaintances and friends, or when they involve their favorite brands in discussions.  And savvy businesses are utilizing the information that’s available to them on social media and putting it to good use as they build relationships with potential customers.  Why?  Because in a sea of competition, you’ll stand out when customers feel like you can offer them a personalized experience.

Defining the Data You Need

Today’s customers want to feel like you know them.  And what better way to get to know them than to form relationships where they interact, shop, and do research?  Social media has become the go-to for a majority of consumers, and that means your dealership needs to be there, too.  Facebook, Twitter, and other popular platforms aren’t just places to go when you’re looking for cute cat pictures or funny baby videos; instead, consumers and businesses alike have found there is valuable information to be found on social platforms that can facilitate both the shopping and selling processes.

Consumer sentiments and preferences abound on social platforms.  When you keep your eyes open and remain aware, you’ll find things like reviews, feedback and comments on product forums, chats, likes, and shares.  All of these things contribute to the big picture of what people are saying about the brands they like and trust—and even the brands they may be frustrated with.

Additionally, when you build relationships with online consumers, you’ll have visibility to data regarding life changes, which can affect how and when vehicles are shopped.  For example, if shoppers post updates about getting married, having a baby, or even having vehicle trouble, your presence in their social circles will give you exclusive insights that will help you provide the right communication at just the right time.

Finally, dealerships are leveraging data-mining intelligence and opportunities like AutoAlert’s Proactive Portfolio Management to help them reveal online trends and consumer behaviors, generate more leads, and increase their bottom lines.  By using every outlet at your disposal, you’ll be able to glean important data that will guide you in providing exactly the experiences your customers are looking for.

Taking the Daunting Out of Data

For many businesses, the idea of tackling consumer data is overwhelming, but when you leverage social media to get a good portion of what you need, it becomes easier.  Social media helps you understand your customers and get to know their needs in the marketplace, but once you’ve collected data, there’s another step you have to take in order to make it matter:

Data + Analysis = Valuable Insights

For the data you collect to be worthwhile and helpful to your dealership, you must not only aggregate it; you must analyze it, too.  This is the part that can seem daunting.  Whether you’re collecting data via social platforms or from other data sources, once it’s organized, you’ll find the most helpful insights come from the information you’ve thoroughly analyzed.

Many dealerships are choosing to power up their CRMs in order to get the most mileage out of their internal data.  Tools like AutoAlert’s ProfileFuze deliver insights letting you know exactly what customers are looking for, what shopping intensity they’re displaying, and even if they have existing social connections within your dealership.  When looking at new technology, stay focused on the number of actionable insights you’ll be offered, as this is the information that will guide your sales professionals toward potential shoppers who are ready to buy.

For external data, establishing a strong social presence is key.  You’ll be surprised at the amount of information you’re able to accumulate simply by interacting, engaging in conversation, and building strong online relationships with consumers.  At the same time you’re able to build recognition for your brand, you’ll be able to gain valuable insights you can put to work in order to help you sell more vehicles.

While it may seem daunting to analyze and calculate the numbers behind consumer behavior, everyone can be active on social media and take note of trends in order to effectively evaluate what shoppers are looking for.  The more attention and focus your dealership dedicates to understanding what shoppers need, the more effectively you’ll be able to create compelling messaging that draws shoppers onto your lot.  By leveraging the power of social media, your dealership can build solid relationships with consumers and gain innumerable insights regarding what they’re looking for in the marketplace.

This Week in Social Media

News for the Week of June 27

Twitter Adds Live Button

Twitter recently added a new button for both iOS and Android that will allow users to broadcast on Periscope from Twitter.  Now users can go live simply by tapping a button in Twitter—without switching apps.  When starting a new Tweet, users will see the Periscope live button as an option in the media picker, and to make things even more convenient, if users don’t already have the app, it will immediately be offered when the button is tapped.  Geared toward getting more new users to give Periscope a try, all users will enjoy a quicker way to broadcast live video. Dealerships that are already working on their live streaming skills can now reach their followers even faster by accessing the Live button via Twitter.  Whether you’re on the lot or the showroom floor, give video a try.  Your audience will gravitate toward a new format that’s personal and in real time.

Updates to Facebook Messenger

Facebook Messenger is making some changes to its app to make is easier for users to find their most recent conversations, as well as their most frequently messaged contacts, more quickly.  Users will still see their most recent conversations at the top of their screens, and in addition, they’ll notice the addition of a Favorites section, which highlights the people they message most frequently.  Messenger also highlights users who are Active Now so others can be prompted to interact in the moment.  Additionally, helpful tools like birthday reminders are being added to help users remember important information.  Dealerships, Facebook Messenger offers you a quick way to provide instant, personal customer service—right where your customers are spending time.  By ensuring dealership representatives are available to answer questions and participate in conversations, you’ll build your brand presence and gain loyal followers.

Pinterest Offers New Targeting Tools

Pinterest just rolled out more powerful targeting tools, letting marketers and businesses better gain the attention of their audiences by combining their own data with the data collected by Pinterest.  Businesses can target based on user interests, keywords, devices, location, and more; but now, with even more powerful technology in play, they can combine the information they have with the data Pinterest has about potential customers.  By using the Pinterest Ads Manager, users can create and target in three new ways, including customer list targeting, visitor retargeting, and lookalike targeting.  Throughout testing, some businesses saw clickthrough rates increase by as much as 3x by utilizing retargeting, and lookalike targeting boosted clickthrough rates by up to 63%.  Dealerships, keep your eyes on Pinterest for new and innovative ways to reach consumer groups.  As many as 80% of millennials use Pinterest to help them find things they want to buy, and that means being visible and interacting on this platform could help you form valuable relationships with one of the youngest groups of consumers.

Facebook Store Locator Is Here

Facebook recently launched a brand-new feature that will help businesses drive shoppers to their stores, as well as track the number of store visits and sales that follow mobile ads.  While 45% of all shoppers lean on mobile to contribute to their shopping journeys, the majority of purchases are still completed in brick and mortar stores.  With this latest technology, businesses will be able to measure exactly how impactful their online advertising campaigns are in driving traffic to their physical store locations.  Consumers already lean on technology that helps them locate stores, and by leaning into this technology and pairing it with the ability to measure foot traffic to those locations, Facebook Locator will can tell businesses when their ads are working effectively to bring customers—and sales—to their storefronts.  Dealerships, when reaching out to consumers online—whether it’s via social networks or your website—be sure to check your contact information and keep it updated and easy to find.  When shoppers can easily find and contact you, it’s more likely they’ll seek you out for their needs.

YouTube Director Is Here

Businesses are increasingly aware that video speaks volumes to today’s consumers, and YouTube is right there to offer what’s needed to help them create it.  The newly launched YouTube Director allows businesses to create video ads directly from their phones, and the popular social platform has made it quick and easy.  Available now for iPhone throughout the U.S. and Canada, users can create video ads directly from their phones—even if they have no video editing experience.  Users can download the app from iTunes and get started making ads that will resonate with their customers right away.  With 4 billion video views per day on YouTube, there’s plenty of room to make a mark and be seen by consumers via video ads.  Dealerships, the combination of video and the ever-popular social platform, YouTube, will give you nearly an unlimited playing field when it comes to getting your brand message out to interested shoppers.

Twitter Emoji Targeting

Twitter recently introduced emoji targeting, allowing advertisers to target users based on particular emoji sentiments they have expressed.  Emoji activity has continued to grow on social networks and can be seen as a view into individuals’ moods or mindsets—information that is quite valuable to businesses.  With this latest update, brands can now connect with individuals based on a particular expressed sentiment, target people who Tweet food emojis, and reach individuals based on their passions.  To get started with an emoji targeting campaign, businesses can reach out to Twitter Official Partners, AdParlor, Amobee, HYFN, Perion, SocialCode, or 4C.  Dealerships, whether it’s an ad or a couple of posts, give emojis a try.  Remember, for some of your more casual communications, your followers will appreciate a change in style that catches their eye.  After all, the word of the year in 2015 was  , which pretty much says it all.

Tip of the Week – Get Personal

With social media, it’s all about creating a unique, personal connection with consumers that will, in turn, encourage them to turn to your dealership when it’s time to purchase or service their vehicles.  Social media platforms allow you the freedom to build one-on-one relationships with potential customers by interacting, learning what your followers like, and also what they don’t like.  You’ll be able to go beyond selling and gain a better understanding of your audience when you lean take the time to get to know your online consumers and interact with them on a personal level.

Check out a few simple ways to make things more personal:

• Address customers by name. Using a customer’s name during interactions, especially in emails or any online interactions, shows you actually took the time remember them. This makes them feel more comfortable during their time with you and really makes them feel appreciated.

• Invite a reply. Getting a response when reaching out to customers is hard enough as it is. To provide them with more comfort and a more personalized experience, provide them with the name, title, and contact info of an actual person they can get in touch with whenever they feel the need. This gives them the feeling they have their own personal assistant who’s available at their discretion.

• Personalize your response. Receiving a message from a customer means that they took the time to read your message and respond. In return, it is important to take the time to send a timely response, using their name and letting them know their issue is being handled. Even if it can’t be answered right away, a quick response lets them know that you are working on it and are paying attention to their needs. 

• Share common interests. Social media is the best place to share what you like and find interesting. Sharing your common interests with customers makes them feel more connected to you. It shows them you’re a regular person like them and makes the connection and overall experience that much more personal.

When working on building relationships with customers, creating a personal experience is a huge factor in determining whether the interaction will be a success. Increasing the personal factor increases the chance of building a life-long relationship. Whatever interactions occur between you and your customers, ensure to take that extra time to make it personal for them—and it will definitely pay off in the end!

Part II: Increase Employee Engagement

When dealerships are focused on social selling, they’ll be able to increase employee engagement, as well as boost their bottom lines.  Most businesses already know increasing employee engagement is important, because engaged employees are more dedicated, motivated, and committed to helping them succeed in their overall endeavors.  You’ve heard quite a bit about how social selling can boost your profits, but it also plays an integral role in employee engagement, ensuring your dealership is one that thrives and delivers top-quality experiences to every consumer.

In Part II of this 3-part series, you’ll learn how you can utilize social selling and boost employee engagement, essentially leveraging the benefits of both to increase brand recognition and profits for your dealership.

What Is Employee Engagement?

Employee engagement is a way of measuring the level of commitment an employee has to his or her company.  An engaged employee is one who will go above and beyond to get the job done, strive to perform at the highest possible levels, and put forth the effort necessary to make a positive difference in his or her workplace.  These are the employees you want, because they will consistently go past what is expected and do things that will surprise you!

Engaged employees have the power to determine the success of your dealership by sustaining a culture of trust, cooperation, and collaboration.

Social Selling Leads to Employee Engagement

By empowering employees to act as the voice of your brand, you’ll be building trust in their abilities to interact with online consumers and speak up on behalf of your dealership.  You can build a culture that celebrates employee engagement by ensuring you communicate every employee is invited—and encouraged—to participate as you work together to reach more online consumers.  Remember, employees who are engaged with their work and feel valued will end up being some of the strongest advocates for your dealership—and that’s great news, because employees actually have 10 times more reach on social media than businesses alone.

When you harness the power of social selling by encouraging your employees to act as advocates for your dealership, you’ll be empowering them to be proponents of your brand—and their workplace.  The trust you place in them and their abilities to reach out to consumers will build their confidence and bolster employee engagement throughout your dealership.

It’s a Win-Win

More employee engagement means more employees will want to advocate for your dealership—and the more you encourage them to advocate, the more they’ll feel engaged.  This way of thinking benefits your dealership’s bottom line in several ways, and in case you still need a bit of convincing, check out the following stats to discover all the benefits behind building your brand by increasing employee engagement and encouraging social selling:

• One third of millennials say social media is their preferred method of communicating with businesses.
• 70% of the U.S. population has at least one social media profile.
• 90% of young adults ages 18-29 use social media.
• 57% of consumers say they would be influenced by positive online reviews.
• 90% of consumers say they trust recommendations from personal connections, while only 33% say they trust recommendations from brand messages.
• Engagement increases 8x when shared by employees vs. when shared by brand channels.

With consumers turning so much time and attention toward online social sites, it makes sense to ensure you have an all-hands-on-deck mentality when it comes to communicating and staying in touch via social media.  Shoppers want to interact with businesses, and they are looking for feedback and reviews before they buy—so be sure your dealership establishes a strong social presence and enlists the help of your team to reach even more consumers.

Your employees can propel your dealership to the next level when it comes to gaining brand recognition and traction online.  As with consumers in most industries, automotive consumers are increasingly turning to online avenues to seek out information, and when your pros use their social sharing skills to engage potential customers and build relationships, they’re more likely to bring them into your dealership.

In today’s fast-paced marketplace, more dealerships are turning to apps like AutoAlert’s FuzeCast for solutions that boost engagement, reach more consumers, as well as get employees involved.  When you leverage the reach of every employee and offer professionals the opportunity to speak up on behalf of your dealership, you’ll not only be getting more bang for your marketing buck, but you’ll be increasing employee engagement throughout your business.

By leveraging the social power of your employees, you can tackle several important issues at the same time.  You can gain exposure and visibility for your dealership, boost employee engagement, and ensure your dealership is building valuable relationships with consumers throughout the marketplace.

Part I: Social Selling and Your Bottom Line

There’s serious hype about social selling in every industry, but do you know what it means for your dealership?  Do you know how it can impact your sales, your employee engagement, and ultimately your bottom line?

If not, it’s time to take a look.  There are several ways social selling can dramatically impact your dealership, and in Part I of this 3-part series, you’ll gain insights that will help you leverage social media to make the greatest possible impact on your bottom line and set your dealership up for continued success with today’s consumers.

What Is Social Selling?

Social selling is the idea of using social media to interact with consumers via online social platforms—like Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and more—in order to gain brand recognition and build relationships, ideally culminating in consumers seeking out your dealership when they are ready to purchase.

If you haven’t taken a look at the facts, you might be surprised.  Social selling is garnering attention for a few reasons, namely because it works—exceptionally well—and it won’t break the bank when it comes to your marketing budget.  In addition, social selling can help your dealership reach an extremely large audience in a fairly short amount of time.  In fact, when you enlist the help of your employees and get them on the social selling bandwagon, you’ll reach even more consumers than your dealership alone could ever reach.

Social selling can make a huge difference in your dealership’s performance when you have a plan and tackle things the right way.  It may seem counterintuitive at first to encourage your employees to become active on social media while at work, however, it will pay off for your dealership in the long run.  To bolster your confidence in the whole idea, keep in mind 73% of sales reps who are active social sellers end up outperforming their colleagues. Leveraging your social channels in the right way can help your team hit their goals and help your dealership rise to the top.

In the age of social selling, the idea of making friends takes on an important meaning for businesses. Getting to know your customers, building a recognizable brand, and focusing on growing relationships will greatly increase your chances of bringing shoppers into your dealership.  And that makes it more likely you’ll create customer relationships that could last a lifetime.

Interact and Connect

It’s important for sales professionals to connect with consumers via social platforms; after all, that’s where a majority of today’s shoppers research and get feedback before they even think about visiting a dealership in person.  Rather than solely focusing on the content, it’s beneficial for your sales team to schedule time to interact with online consumers.  When businesses take time to answer questions, reply to feedback, and respond to posts on their sites, they’ll end up building solid relationships—and followers will come back for more.

92% of buyers will delete emails and ignore missed calls and voicemails from people they do not recognize. For this reason alone, it’s essential to be recognized and accepted by consumers.  Interacting with potential customers on social media will not only allow you to get to know them and what they are looking for, it will also enable you to connect with them on a deeper level and form relationships that will ultimately bring them to you for their car-buying needs.

Finding prospects is a key element in the success of your sales team. Without leads on potential customers, the list of people they’re selling to becomes very short.  Savvy dealerships and salespeople are looking toward social selling to break the ice and build their prospect lists.  82% of prospects can be reached on social media platforms, making it vitally important for your employees to become active and reach out to consumers by sharing relevant information that will position your dealership as a leader in the industry.

When your dealership professionals find and interact with prospects in the places where they research, seek feedback, and learn about products, they’ll be perfectly positioned to share valuable insights and build trust in your brand.  By being easily accessible, potential customers won’t have to look hard to find them, and they’ll be top of mind when it’s time for shoppers to buy.

Get Social to Meet Your Goals

Goals and quotas are a way of life for nearly every salesperson.  In place to ensure individuals perform well and everyone does their part to contribute to the whole, sales goals can be daunting without a steady stream of opportunities coming in.  An important note for modern sales professionals is the fact that those who do not use social media miss their quotas 15% more often than peers who are frequent social media users. Social selling increases the number of leads, improves customer relationships, promotes brand awareness, and allows for ease of access to potential customers—all of which adds up to your team being able to make more sales and hit more goals.

A Few Quick Tips

A constant presence is needed to ensure your social selling strategy becomes a success. It won’t work if it’s treated with a “set it and forget it” attitude; instead, keep the following Do’s and Don’ts of Social Selling in mind, and you’ll be golden:

• You don’t have to create your own content every day.
• Do read consumer posts and be a good online listener.
• Do respond appropriately with content that brings value to the conversation and shows your interest.
• Do leave comments, like posts, and interact whenever possible.
• Do offer industry insights that may be helpful to consumers.
• Don’t use social media to oversell. In fact, most of your posts should be for the purpose of interacting, not selling.
• Do be easy to find by making your presence known and offering multiple access points across a variety of platforms.

Social selling will take your dealership to the next level when it comes to building your brand recognition, growing your customer base, and increasing your bottom line.  Most consumers turn to social media to interact and share feedback, and dealerships that find new ways to build relationships in a market that is constantly changing will reap the most benefits. When you build relationships and focus on social selling, your dealership will break through to a whole new level of success.