You’ve know employees can cost your company a significant amount—much more than most companies want to think about paying.  But what do you stand to gain when you put in the time and effort to truly engage your employees and establish a positive culture throughout your business?

The connection your employees have with your customers is a valuable tool for growing your brand.  The more employees are able to connect with your customers on an emotional level, the more they will be able to foster connections that will solidify your business partnerships.  A SocialChorus study shows one engaged employee can reach an audience ten times larger than what your brand alone is reaching—a transformative number when it comes to extending your reach and sharing your brand in a marketplace that’s currently undergoing many changes and disruptions.

That is the power of one.  When you take the time and effort to create engaged employee advocates who are excited to share your brand with their online social networks, you will be increasing your visibility tenfold.  And in today’s competitive market, that’s a big deal.

Most businesses love the idea of being able to provide better service, productivity, and higher customer satisfaction.  The same goes for increased sales and profit.  These are just a few of the things your business will enjoy when you leverage the power that comes with having engaged and happy employees.

Take a look at the two following teams, and decide which one your employees would prefer to be a part of:

Team A:  Employees in this workplace clock in and out automatically, they might undermine their co-workers, can’t wait until the day ends, and they practically run for the door on Friday afternoons.  This workplace never takes a timeout to have fun, and employees aren’t encouraged to interact with one another—it’s all business, all the time.

Team B:  Employees in this workplace show up for the day with their favorite coffee and get to work collaborating with their team, because they know their colleagues value their input.  This workplace occasionally takes time to celebrate the wins—big and small—and has special team-building days like “Fan Day Fridays” during baseball season.  They’re all highly invested in the success of the business, and achieving a good balance is important to them.

Which team would you want to manage?  Which team do you think would have the most productive workday?

Although Team B takes occasional breaks and builds in time for teambuilding activities, they get a lot more accomplished during their workdays.  With an engaged and happy team, there is more productivity and more willingness to participate in team projects and activities.  Customer service will be at its best, because these employees are proud of where they work and what they do—and they want to share that with their customers.  Additionally, you’ll notice your employees will invest more of themselves in ensuring your dealership is successful when they feel appreciated and recognized for their contributions.

According to TalentCulture, highly engaged employees are 38% more likely to have above-average productivity.  That alone is worth an extra coffee break or a Friday jeans day!

The Investment

It doesn’t take a large investment of either time or money in order to impact your team positively and re-engage your employees.  A simple commitment to focus on changing team behaviors is the pivotal action needed to create a positive and engaging workplace.  All you need is the desire to change your workplace into a workplace that engages its employees.

Be creative in the ways you choose to engage your employees.  Remember, you are deciding to increase your employee engagement AND boost your brand when you focus on creating a more positive employee culture.  There are several ways you can get started, but if you’re looking for some ideas, check out the list below:

• Encourage employees to work on personal projects for short periods of time.
• Encourage charity and volunteer projects.
• Announce themed office days.
• Remember to celebrate people and achievements.
• Plan teambuilding events and time away from the office.
• Assign new team members a buddy for the first few days to help their comfort level.

The Return on Your Investment

What you will get in return is priceless.  Not only will your employees thrive in an engaged workplace, they will begin to show a higher level of productivity and customer service, resulting in more positive business results for you.  The culture you create will grow into positive brand activism on the part of your employees.  They will be proud of where they work and what they do—and they will want to share that with those who are important to them.

Let the power of one work for you.  One engaged employee can positively impact your business by sharing with 10 times the number of people your brand is reaching.  Your engaged employees can fire up your business!

This Week in Social Media

Check out the audio!

News for the Week of October 3

Twitter Moments Now Available to All Users

Twitter’s latest enhancement, Twitter Moments, is now available to all users, allowing them to connect their favorite Tweets.  Previously open only to influencers and brands, this functionality is now available to all desktop users who want to create and share impactful stories by linking Tweets together.  Simply click on the Moments tab and select Create a New Moment.  Users will first be prompted to create a cover for their Moments, which they can do by selecting uploaded images or videos or selecting Tweets they’ve uploaded to Moments.  After adding the cover, users can select Tweets to add to their Moments by selecting Tweets they’ve liked, searching for Tweets, searching for specific accounts, or linking to specific Tweet URLs.  When everything’s selected for a specific Moment, users simply click Publish for viewers to their Moments, or select Finish Later to save and continue adding Tweets in the future.  Dealerships, consider creating Moments to share with your consumer audiences.  Storytelling is a very effective way to market your products and services, as well as convey to customers the personality of your business.  By sharing Twitter Moments, you can craft exactly the stories you want to tell and attract more shoppers to your lot.

Snapchat Becomes Snap Inc. & Offers New Spectacles

In a noticeable remarketing effort, Snapchat has renamed its company Snap Inc., in addition to entering the marketplace with its first hardware product, Spectacles.  Spectacles have been in development for a few years and are billed by Snap Inc. as a completely new type of camera.  Sunglasses with an integrated video camera, Spectacles now make it easier than ever for users to create Memories.  The glasses connect directly to Snapchat via Bluetooth or Wi-Fi and allow users to transfer Memories directly to the app in Snap Inc.’s circular video format.  The new circular video format offers a human visual perspective of a 115-degree field of view and plays full screen on any device, in any orientation.  Spectacles aren’t available quite yet, but Snap Inc. expects them to be up for grabs soon.  Dealerships, while you may not be able to visualize all your employees wearing Spectacles in the near future, it’s still important to focus on capturing Memories throughout your dealership to share with consumers.  Enlist your team to help you when it comes to sharing the best of your brand stories and staying in touch with customers via social.  The more you interact and connect on the platforms your consumers are using, the more relevant you’ll be.

Facebook Updates Canvas

The Canvas ad experience is getting even easier for business, thanks to the latest updates.  To help marketers utilize Canvas even more extensively and boost brand awareness, the Canvas team has added more immersive features, such as 360-degree videos and links to other Canvas experiences.  Facebook is also providing users with Canvas templates to help them simplify the process and create more effective ads.  By adding 360-degree videos, Facebook is helping advertisers get more mobile consumers to interact and engage with their ads, creating a more memorable and meaningful experience.  Advertisers can now offer consumers multi-page experiences when they link Canvases, allowing them to give shoppers a more in-depth brand story.  Templates will soon be available, making the creation process even easier and helping marketers build ads with best practices in mind.  Dealerships, keep in mind the many avenues you have for reaching your consumers.  Canvas loads almost instantly and offers several features that make the viewing experience engaging for shoppers, as well as easy to use for you.  However you decide to reach out to consumers, remember Facebook remains at the forefront when it comes to sheer numbers of users—and that means it’s the place you’re likely to reach the most people.

Periscope Introduces VIP Program

Periscope is rolling out a new VIP Program to recognize top broadcasters who’ve been integral in helping shape the Periscope community.  The VIP Program is a tiered program that comes with a variety of perks.  It’s currently open for applications for those who meet the minimum requirements, which include 10,000+ Periscope followers, an average of 200+ live viewers per broadcast, broadcast at least twice per week, and produce broadcasts that meet the Community Guidelines.  If you’re a social whiz on another platform, Periscope may still want you in the VIP Program; they’ll help you kick start your Periscope profile if you have 10,000+ average views per video on another platform and 20,000+ followers.  The VIP Program includes benefits such as care packages, prioritization in search results, prioritized support, and more.  Dealerships, it’s time to get your Periscope game on point!  Every day, more consumers are turning to video to get information, entertainment, and share insights.  When you communicate with your customers in real-time, on the platforms they prefer, you’ll be more accessible, and you’ll build stronger relationships.

Meerkat Is Now Houseparty

For those of you who may be wondering what happened to Meerkat, wonder no more!  Meerkat has reinvented itself, and it lives on as the group chat app, Houseparty.  While some skeptics are wondering why the company might go to market with an app that’s so similar to what Skype and Google are already offering, it’s important to note Houseparty is already bigger than Meerkat ever was—so something is working.  A relatively simple app, users create a group chat link and invite others using SMS, WhatsApp, Facebook, or other social networks.  If friends are on the app, they can join instantly.  Now available on Google Play and in the App Store, users can check it out for themselves to see if Houseparty can actually save the day for the company that used to be Meerkat.  Dealerships, the story of the day is real-time connectivity and communication—both between you and your employees and you and your customers.  When you are able to effectively and efficiently communicate and share information, you’ll be able to provide the best service around.  Customers will be happy with you, they’ll spread the word, and your employees will be more engaged and eager to contribute to a positive and productive team environment.  Find the tools that work for you, but keep modern, innovative communication technology in your sites!

Periscope Introduces Curated Broadcast Channels

With Periscope’s curated broadcast channels on Periscope.tv, it’s even easier to discover live videos.  Curated channels will be driven by hashtags, enabling users to search for specific content that’s updated in real time.  With a list of suggested topics, Featured Channels, as well as a dedicated From the Editors section offering breaking news, there’s plenty of curated content for browsing.  For more specific topics, users can simply type keywords in the search bar at the top of the Periscope.tv page.  Dealerships, continue to deliver real-time updates to your consumers to keep them interested and tuning in to you.  If you’re looking for content, consider showing some of the flashy features of your newest vehicles and entice followers to come in for a test drive!

Tip of the Week – Check Out Your Competitors

You’ve heard the saying, “Keep your friends close; keep your enemies closer.”  It’s not that your competitors are necessarily your enemies, but it IS smart to keep your eye on what the competition is doing for several reasons:

• You can see what’s NOT working.  This is important, because when they do the trial-and-error work, it can save you a lot of grief.
• You can see what consumers LOVE.  On the flip side, when your competitors run across something that really resonates with shoppers, you’ll know.  They’ve done the research for you!
• You can socially listen to more consumers.  Social listening is key, so take this opportunity to check out what your competitors’ followers are saying.  You can glean helpful insights as you plan your own business strategies.
• You can generate leads.  Especially when customers are unhappy, it’s a good time to tactfully reach out and offer solutions that can help them before someone else does.

You can learn quite a bit by conducting a competitive analysis.  Alongside social media platforms, pay attention to websites, profiles, ad campaigns, and anything else you can find.  All of these offer insights regarding where your competition is gaining traction, what’s working for them, and how they’re impacting local consumers.  You’ll discover new and different ways to react quickly to marketplace changes, and you’ll be able to position your dealership for success in a highly competitive marketplace.  It’s not just smart to keep your eyes on the competition; it’s essential.

Social media marketing has exploded within the past few years. With the launch of Facebook in 2004 and its tremendous success, consumers have gotten in the habit of turning to their online social communities to shop, research, and compare products—as well as interact and share daily updates about their lives.  And with Facebook’s success, numerous other social platforms have emerged, all being used daily by consumers.  These social platforms have captured the attention of modern marketers who recognize the endless opportunities that exist when they build online relationships with these consumers.  Now, in fact, a full 59% of marketers use social media for 6 hours or more every day to connect with shoppers and convey their brand messages.

As a marketing tool, social media has become indispensable.  It has quickly risen to the top for those who want to extend their reach and connect with more potential customers, as well as strengthen relationships with existing customers.  After all, the internet is just about the biggest single audience you could tackle.  With approximately 2.3 billion active social media users, marketers could keep themselves busy for quite a while connecting with potential leads.  Over the past year alone, the number of social media users has risen by 176 million, with a full 1 million new active mobile social users being added very single day.  It’s an enormous audience, and smart businesses realize that with the right messages, they can tap into a market that’s eager to connect.

A fairly new job title for most companies is that of Social Media Marketer, but it’s now a must-have position for businesses looking to stay ahead in a marketplace that’s dominated by social consumers.  Consumers are not only spending time researching and shopping online, they are also engaging with the brands they love; and they expect quick responses and quality content from those brands.  70% of Twitter users expect a response from the brands they reach out to, and 53% of those want a response within an hour!  Without dedicated social media professionals working to build relationships with online consumers, many businesses would miss out on essential interactions.

These marketers spend their days finding new ways to reach out, and they work to put together strategies to build the strongest possible presence on social media.  For at least 6 hours per week, they are soaking up information, looking for current trends, monitoring likes and shares on their content, creating new content, and searching for posts and reviews others have shared about their company. They’re continuously on the lookout for new ways to appeal to their audience, and they’re ready to respond quickly to social trends in order to stay relevant to consumers.  It’s a hefty job, but businesses that realize the real-time, ongoing value of building relationships with online audiences are reaping the rewards.

Social media platforms have changed the way businesses, consumers, and individuals in general interact with one another. Now, everything from everyday interactions and conversations to shopping, brand researching, and purchasing takes place on social platforms.  Even more complicated processes like financing and loan paperwork are beginning to find a place online as fast-paced consumers demand quicker processes for every aspect of their lives.  For businesses, the amount of time spent on social media marketing has a direct correlation to the benefits of social media marketing.  Or, simply stated, the more you put in, the more you get out. A strong social media marketing strategy takes time and effort, but it pays off in the end when it results in strong business-consumer relationships that lead to increased sales and retention.

Even a small amount of social interaction has benefits, however. Any time marketers spend on social media building their online presence is time well spent. Many marketers spend 5 hours or fewer per week on social media, and while most see benefits from this time, it’s not as significant as that being seen by dedicated social media marketers. It’s important to have some sort of online presence, and even if your dealership starts small, you’ll gradually see an increase in consumer interaction with your content over time.  Focus on consistency and provide relevant content, while steering clear of sales pitches, and consumers will see the value you’re adding to their feeds.  When you are able to dedicate more time and offer up more content, you’ll see even greater results.

The younger crowd holds a great deal of buying power today, millennials in particular, with $200 billion available for spending. Coincidentally, this generation is also very active on social media.  It’s their immediate go-to for shopping, spending free time, product research, and product reviews—and for smart businesses that want to reach these consumers, a strong social media marketing strategy is a must.

With social media, you’ll get out of it what you put into it.  The more time spent building an awesome social media presence, the more benefits you’ll see, including word-of-mouth recognition, a larger audience, more traffic to your website, and even an increase in sales.  Your efforts won’t be wasted when you build relationships with your consumers via social media; after all, a little time spent on your strongest platforms could result in a big boost in sales.  A majority of your consumers are social, and they’re waiting to connect with you!

The modern car-shopper journey has changed.  It’s no longer about spending an entire day—or even multiple days—scouring a variety of dealerships for the right vehicle; instead, it’s about consumers doing smart research, knowing what they want, and determining who can best provide it for them.  Once shoppers have done their online detective work, you can bet they won’t visit many dealerships before making their selections and driving off into the sunset with their purchases.  In fact, today’s average shopper only visits two dealerships before purchasing a car.  So how do you compete?  How can your dealership get in early on the modern car-shopper journey and make a meaningful impact?

Get Invited on the Trip

Shoppers begin their journeys far removed from the dealership setting, and in order to make an impact on them, you’ll need to go to them, rather than waiting for them to come to you.  Because their shopper journeys have changed, your dealer journey must change as well in order to stand out as a business that’s ready to meet their needs.  Essentially, they are online collecting insights and data about you, formulating opinions regarding whether or not you’re the dealership that can meet their needs.  And you need to be doing the same thing.  By collecting consumer data and finding out what shoppers are looking for, you’ll be able to pinpoint exactly what it is you can do to rank above your competitors.

Since shoppers no longer spend days scouring every dealership in town and doing in-person comparisons, it’s important you change your strategy to meet them exactly where they’re spending their time: online.  By building relationships with consumers early in their shopping journeys, you’ll stand out as a dealership that’s invested in their needs and in improving the buying experience, and you’ll be in the right place at the right time to be able to offer interaction and insights that can tip the scales in your favor.  You’ll have a much better chance of consumers inviting you along for the rest of their shopping journeys.

Consumers are in control of today’s shopping landscape—and they are fast-paced, know what they want, and with a marketplace full of stiff competition, they’re able to be very selective.  The first step to winning in this environment is understanding shoppers and the important factors driving their decisions to research and shop the way they do.  Throughout your earliest conversations with them, keep in mind they are very invested in:

• Convenience.  Modern shoppers are on the move, and they are accustomed to near-instant gratification.  In an economy where most goods and services are available for purchase online, car shoppers are becoming more interested in dealerships that can help them complete at least a portion of the purchasing process online.  A recent CDK Global survey found 80% of shoppers would like the ability to configure payments online, while over half of those surveyed said they would configure payments and begin the credit application process online.  When you think of ways to streamline your process for modern shoppers and share those early in your conversations, you’ll get more consumers on your side.

• Time.  Customers want to save time in order to get more done.  Dealerships that can streamline in-house processes and help shoppers move more quickly through their journeys will stand out and gain approval.  Look at platforms to address dealership-specific communication and collaboration needs and ensure everyone is on the same page, helping information travel smoothly from one department to the next.  You’ll enjoy the increase in efficiency and customer satisfaction!

• Service.  Customer service is the one thing that will stand out in a sea of businesses that can promise top products, as well as the best driving experiences.  When every department of your dealership comes together to provide outstanding service, it will enhance everything else you offer.  Your efforts to make customers comfortable, happy, and satisfied throughout their interactions with your dealership will be remembered—and likely shared with friends and acquaintances.

• Value.  It’s not all about the price, but rather about the overall value shoppers get when they turn to you.  Today’s shoppers are savvy, and they’re looking for perks and packages; but they’re also looking at how quickly you answer their questions, respond to their online inquiries, and support them throughout their buying journeys.  Your value begins by meeting them where they engage and research online, and it doesn’t stop after the initial sale.  It’s a continuous process that, if done well, will carry through to future sales.

• Connection.  Today’s shoppers don’t just want to walk in and buy a car; they want to feel connected to your brand and what you stand for.  Your brand is your personality, and when everyone at your dealership embodies your purpose and strives to convey quality, the importance of customer care, and a deliberate focus on building trust, you’ll reap the rewards.  Customers who feel connected to your dealership early in their journeys are more likely to return for service and maintenance, as well as repeat purchases; and they’re more likely to share their great experiences with others.

By getting to know consumers before they set foot in your dealership, you’ll become part of the shopper journey earlier than ever before—and that’s what it will take to capture the attention of savvy consumers who are fast-paced, mobile-driven, and largely self-serve.  They are turning to online sources to do their research, ask questions, and discuss potential purchases, and for dealerships, that means actively becoming part of a new kind of shopper journey in order to build relationships and have a greater impact on modern consumers. 

After all, it’s not just a shopper journey; it’s a dealer journey, too—one that will lead to success and sales when handled well. 

This Week in Social Media

News for the Week of September 26

Check out Audio!

LinkedIn Desktop Redesign and New Messaging Feature

LinkedIn is the go-to destination for online professionals, and now it’s offering a more intuitive desktop experience that more closely resembles its mobile app.  The biggest redesign since LinkedIn began, this new look and feel offers a simpler way for users to access jobs, information, and insights; and professionals can more easily utilize available features to prepare for meetings or learn more about skills they’d like to acquire.  Originally previewed by journalists, LinkedIn’s newest redesign will be available to all members soon.  Additionally, LinkedIn continues to build on the momentum that’s been created with professional messaging by previewing messaging bot technology.  A way of offering a type of personal concierge or assistant, bots will serve as schedulers that can help with things like setting appointments and identifying meeting times.  Dealerships, take advantage of all the new features LinkedIn will soon be offering to connect with even more industry professionals and share the things your dealership is doing to reach out and build your customer base.  You’ll not only be able to enjoy new desktop designs, but you’ll also be able to build social relationships with the younger professional generations as you utilize the latest tools being designed to appeal to them.

Hello, Google Allo

Google just introduced Allo, its new smart messaging app for Android and iOs.  It was announced as a privacy-first solution at the Google I/O Conference in May, and since then, Google has topped its original plan by delivering an app that offers even more.  Google Allo can help users make plans, find information, and express themselves more easily via chat—and even better, the more they use it, the smarter it gets.  The app offers Smart Reply, which allows users to reply to messages with a single tap, incorporating high-usage phrases and improving over time to adjust to each user’s response style.  With Allo chat, users can easily resize emojis and text by dragging the send button up or down, personalize pics with scribbles before sending, and use any of the 25 custom sticker packs that are included with the app.  Google Allo will also introduce users to their own personal assistant via Google Assistant, where they can share information, get ideas, or search for things like restaurants or shops.  Simply by typing @google, the Assistant can be brought into any chat to help and interact.  Finally, don’t forget to check out the Chat in Incognito mode that comes with Allo.  When users choose Incognito mode, messages have end-to-end encryption and added privacy features like discreet notifications and message expiration.  Dealerships, check out just one more way you can connect and interact with both your customers and your team.  When you’re able to answer questions and interact with consumers on a regular basis, they’ll feel more confident turning to you when it’s time to buy.

YouTube Heroes Moderate Forum

YouTube has recently adopted a new way of moderating and improving the viewer experience for everyone—YouTube Heroes.  It’s recognizing its global community of volunteer contributors, and enabling them to flag inappropriate videos via the YouTube Trusted Flagger Program, add closed captions and subtitles to videos, and share knowledge with other YouTubers via the YouTube Help forum.  YouTube Heroes are able to unlock rewards when they reach different levels of participation, with Level 5 offering cool perks like pre-release product testing and the ability to apply to attend the Heroes Summit.  Currently in Beta, the YouTube Heroes Program will be open to those with a valid YouTube channel, who are of legal age and sign up to participate in the program.  Dealerships, it’s time to get your YouTube game on point!  70% of car buyers who went to YouTube for research were influenced by what they saw.  That means you have the power to reach a vast number of consumers and get content to them about your dealership when you embrace the power of video.

Save as Draft Feature Available for Instagram

Instagram users can now begin creating posts and finishing them later with the new Save as Draft option.  After uploading a portion of photo or video posts and adding effects, filters, or captions, users can back up to the filtering and editing step and select Save as Draft to come back to it later and put on the finishing touches.  It’s important to note, users must edit, tag people, or add a caption or location in order to save posts as drafts.  When going back to edit posts, simply tap Library, and posts will appear under Drafts at the bottom of the screen.  Dealerships, now it’s easier than ever to feel confident about your Instagram posts.  In addition to giving you more time to ensure your posts are up to your standards, you can also plan more posts with a wider variety of elements and save them as drafts, posting when you’re ready to share with your audience.  Instagram doesn’t yet offer a native scheduling option, but with its new Save as Draft feature, users are sure to invent their own flexibility.

Facebook Offers Dynamic Ads for Retailers

Facebook is testing dynamic ads for brick and mortar retailers, which would allow retailers to run smarter, more targeted campaigns directed specifically at consumers in their immediate locations.  While many businesses already use Facebook ads to target shoppers, dynamic ads would allow businesses to customize creative for every store location based on product availability, pricing, and promotions—directly impacting consumers within the vicinity of individual locations.  For example, if a business runs a promotion on a specific product company-wide, when an individual location runs out of that product, the ad would self-adjust, no longer promoting the product where it’s unavailable.  Ads would also suggest nearby locations where the promoted item is still available.  Dynamic ads include availability indicators, product summaries, similar product suggestions, as well as shopper actions such as being able to contact the store, buy online, or save the product for future reference.  Dynamic ads are currently being tested with large retailers like Macy’s, Pottery Barn, and Target, and will be made more widely available in the coming weeks.  Dealerships, keep in mind, today’s consumers, especially millennials and Gen Z, are on the lookout for an excellent online experience.  No matter what you’re focusing on—whether it’s ads or pricing on your website or any other form of content—it’s imperative to ensure you’re using the smartest, most dynamic tools, as well as optimizing for every format to ensure you reach the broadest audience possible.

Tip of the Week – Ask and You Shall Receive

If you haven’t yet tried one of the many easy-to-create online polls to get feedback from your online followers, do it.  Do it now.  Seriously, it’s easy and you can get in-the-moment, quick answers that can benefit your business.  In addition to immediately engaging your consumers, you’re letting them know you care about their opinions and input; plus, BONUS, you can even have some fun along the way and build stronger relationships with potential shoppers.  Many consumers are eager to share their opinions and preferences with you, and sometimes all you have to do is ask—and they’ll share their thoughts.

Check out just 5 of the ways online polls can help you boost your business and increase interaction with consumers:

1. They’re convenient.  Your followers can opt in or out as their schedules permit, and social polls are usually short, taking no longer than a couple minutes to complete.

1. You’ll save money.  Rather than paying for longer, more time-consuming surveys, you can opt for a quick poll on Twitter or Facebook and pay nothing.

1. You’ll get quick results.  Many times, you can monitor your poll in real time, and when it’s all said and done, you’ll see the end results in days, rather than the weeks it might take with more formal, paid surveys.

1. You can have fun.  In addition to seeking out serious data, you can have fun with your followers with more lighthearted polls.  Since it’s free, consider engaging your audience with occasional entertaining polls, for example:

Which team’s gonna win tonight?

□ Chicago Cubs…all the way!

□ Pittsburgh Pirates…the only choice!

1. You’re being relevant.  A majority of today’s consumers both research AND leave feedback online, so when you post quick and easy polls asking for their opinions, you’re showing you care about reaching them in ways that matter to them.

However you decide to set up your polls, be sure they’re seen by consumers by getting them on the top social sites.  In just 12 years, Facebook has piled on the numbers, accumulating approximately 1.59 billion monthly active users, so make this your stand-out platform for connecting and gaining insights.  Twitter has also made things super-easy by allowing users to add polls directly from the Compose box.  Run a 24-hour poll and get feedback and interaction from your followers across this platform; after all, 320 million active monthly users is still a pretty good crowd.  And depending on where you see the most traffic, keep other platforms like Google+ and LinkedIn (create a poll within a group) in mind.

Online social polls don’t replace in-depth traditional research and analytic studies, however, they can give you great insights as to what your consumers are thinking in the moment; and they’re a great way to stay involved in conversations and let your customers know you’re listening!

For most people, buying a car isn’t a regular, everyday activity.  It’s an occasion that doesn’t come around all that often, and when it’s time to shop for a new car, consumers expect a great dealership experience.  After all, next to a home purchase, it’s likely the second most expensive purchase for most individuals in the U.S.  Customer expectations and experiences drive their purchasing decisions, as well as word-of-mouth recommendations from peers.  In fact, positive interactions with businesses are even more influential for shoppers than businesses that are able to offer the most innovative products.  Paul Greenberg, author of CRM at the Speed of Light said it well:

If a customer likes you and continues to like you, they will do business with you.  If they don’t, they won’t.

You need your customers to like you, and they’re going to like you if you give them the best experiences—from the moment they set foot onto your lot until the final paper is signed, and even afterward when they return for service.  Your reputation is on the line, and every interaction with your customers is a chance to show what your dealership is made of.

Given this opportunity, it seems logical every dealership would jump at the chance to make customer care their top priority, right?  But we’ve all heard the stories and read the online reviews about dealerships that miss the mark, and you’ve probably cringed at a few especially scathing pieces of shopper feedback.  No one wants to be on the receiving end of bad reviews.  After all, it looks bad on the dealership and even feeds into negative perceptions some shoppers have about the industry as a whole.

Technology offers shoppers and businesses the ability to communicate quickly and get messages out to countless people via social media, which means both good and bad experiences are being shared with your potential customers.  Shoppers want to talk about their experiences—making it even more important they have great things to say about your dealership.  Word of mouth travels quickly, and when shoppers share stories about exceptional experiences in your dealership, it will pique the interest of potential future customers.

Keep in mind, your employees are a tremendous asset when it comes to fine-tuning critical points of the customer experience.  When you equip them with the right tools and mindset to provide excellence for every shopper, you’ll build strong relationships and secure word-of-mouth feedback, as well as future sales.  Your staff can be the first line of defense in making sure your customers like you.  They can ensure great dealership experiences and help you stand out to shoppers.  Here’s how:

• They offer great customer service. Dealerships have historically created loyal customers by offering high-quality products and a great driving experience, but today’s shoppers require even more.  Your team can help you take things to the next level by creating an environment that makes your customers feel important and prioritized.  With their follow-through and attentiveness, they can help you turn your dealership into a guest services business, rather than focusing solely on pushing sales.

• They monitor feedback. Online reviews get more attention now than ever before. Review sites are growing in popularity, and consumers turn to them to research products and services—and your customers are leaving candid feedback there.  Your team can keep an eye out for new reviews, as well as help you respond appropriately.  And with customer-centered professionals on board, you can ensure you’re receiving great feedback on top review sites.

• They build relationships. Lean on the expertise of your team to help build solid relationships with your customers that will carry past their initial purchases.  When your professionals provide superior service, you can be sure customers will return and contribute to the parts and service department.  Get your pros excited about helping boost the area of your dealership where you see a majority of gross profit margin, and they’ll work their magic to ensure the best dealership experience for every customer.

• They help build loyalty and trust.  Your team can help you build lasting relationships with customers by getting to know more about their vehicle needs.  And when you know what your customers need, you’ll be able to proactively deliver exactly what they’re looking for.  Studies show it costs 6 to 7 times more to acquire a new customer than it does to retain an established customer, so by enlisting your team to create excellent dealership experiences, you’ll be well ahead of the game.

It’s time to make sure your customers like you.  Sure, it’s great to have the best vehicles on your lot, but the experiences you offer when shoppers walk into your dealership will stick with them long past their initial purchases.  Get your entire team on board and make the customer experience part of your overall strategy.  You’ll you end up with happy shoppers who are eager to share the great service they’ve received—and you’ll attract new and repeat customers to your dealership.

Busy millennials are crunched for time. They rush by in a blur, barely stopping to look at anything for more than a couple seconds—so getting and keeping their attention is difficult, no matter who you are. When it comes to online ads, this generation doesn’t think twice about skipping them altogether.  In fact, a full 60% of millennials block ads, and thanks to ad-blocking technology, it’s as easy as adding a browser extension and clicking a button.  But why the aversion to ads?  And what, if anything, are businesses doing to change the way consumers feel about viewing ads?

When it comes to online ads, consumers either click away from them if they’re not interested; or, when the rare, relevant ad pops up, they click on it.  A majority of millennials are taking things a step further by actively blocking ads as they browse, with one exception: social media ads.  When it comes to social, millennials find these ads more helpful and relevant to their needs than ads they find anywhere else.

Why Social Ads?

Social media is the go-to destination for sharing, interacting, and—now, more than ever—gaining insights about brand preferences.  People share more personal information via social media than anywhere else online, and this means there’s a LOT of relevant data out there for savvy businesses to pick up on…if they’re paying attention.  And that’s how the most meaningful, relevant ads are ending up on social.  Smart businesses are realizing they, too, can turn to these platforms to interact and learn about their consumers, and in turn, target them with ads they don’t want to ignore.

In short, social ads stand out to millennials for a couple of reasons.  They offer:

• Improved targeting.  Ads that are personalized have more appeal to millennial shoppers.

• Increased relevance. Ads are more relevant because businesses have more access to personal information and preferences via social media.

Paid ads on other sites, however, don’t necessarily have specific consumer insights backing them up, sending them straight to the “blockable” category for young, busy consumers.

Millennials block search ads for a few really good reasons:

• The ads simply aren’t for them.  Generalized ads aren’t relevant and just take up space on their screens.  Millennials don’t want to be interrupted by things that aren’t pertinent to their needs.

• Ads can slow things down.  When unexpected ads pop up and hinder speed or ease of browsing, users get frustrated and can even end up resenting the brand or product being represented.

• They dislike annoying formats.  While most ads are formatted to be appealing, those that pop up with video or sound, block a user’s view of the original screen, or generally make it difficult to focus are the ads that intrude on the user experience.  Fast-paced millennials simply don’t want or have time for this content. 

To avoid ad-blocking and to ensure your dealership hits its mark, especially with younger consumers, keep the following in mind:

• Target through social.  Just about everyone is connected via social, so be sure to leverage these platforms to help you better target consumers.  Learn what they like, what they avoid, as well as what appeals to them when it comes to content.  Then create ads that lean into the insights you’ve gathered.

• Optimize for mobile and social sites. Be sure your ads can be viewed seamlessly across all platforms.  After all, millennials have the highest mobile usage of any age group in the U.S., with 97% saying they consume content via mobile and approximately 20% saying they are mobile-only consumers.  Your ads must work where millennials are spending their time.

• Be sure ads are relevant.  Millennials pay attention when they see things that resonate to their wants and needs—and this is where you have an opportunity to put all the great insights you’ve gathered to work.  Deliver targeted and creative content that aligns with consumer interests, and you won’t be ignored.

Millennials are choosy when it comes to how they spend their time, and they have high standards for the brands they trust.  They enjoy the internet for the interesting and unexpected places they can discover, but they are frustrated by ads that are placed in their paths by companies that don’t get to know them.  By taking the time to create relevant, interesting content, you’ll be upping your chances for success with this generation—and you’ll be much less likely to get blocked!

Consumers are looking for an authentic brand experience, and for your dealership, this means it’s time to get real.  What does it mean to ensure authenticity in your brand?  How do you convey your dealership’s genuine ideals, the ways in which you deliver on your promises to consumers?  For many businesses, it can be a tricky concept, but when you come up with the perfect recipe, you’ll know, because consumers will look at you just a little differently.  They’ll see you in a whole new light, and you’ll feel their trust, loyalty, and even their willingness to be advocates for your brand.

Think of the brands you trust.  In fact, think of the brands that stand out globally as the most authentic.  Among consumers, the following come out on top:

• Disney
• BMW
• Microsoft
• Amazon
• Apple

How do these companies do it?  They connect with customers and provide an unparalleled consumer experience.  And that’s what you need to do, too, if you want to stand out in today’s competitive marketplace.  Your shoppers have changed over the past few years—and they’ll continue to change—making it essential for you to reach out to them and get to know exactly what they’re looking for in their dealership experiences.

For most shoppers, authenticity means knowing a business is truthful and honest, as well as transparent and genuine in their transactions.  Your dealership will be able to present its most authentic self by recognizing the changing consumer landscape and continually finding new and innovative ways to interact with your audience.  There are a few great ways you can capture consumer attention and ensure your dealership brand stands out as its most authentic self:

• Tell your story.  Make sure your brand story is well-known, both by employees and consumers.  Be proud of the values your dealership stands for and the foundation upon which your brand is built.  When you share the inspiration behind your brand, consumers will have an even stronger reason to connect and do business with you.

• Be transparent.  Strive to make every transaction seamless, ensuring shoppers feel included and informed throughout the buying process.  It’s essential to offer transparency in order to build trust in your dealership.  In fact, in a recent Edelman Trust Barometer, 55% of respondents said transparency is key to developing trust in a company. 

• Get connected. A majority of consumers are connecting via social media platforms, and when you meet them and build relationships where they are interacting, you’ll become a part of their community.  By investing in online connections and working to grow relationships with consumers, you’ll be sharing insights to your brand personality.

• Get personal.  Modern consumers place a great deal of importance on personalization.  When you take the time to get to know them and zero in on specific needs, offering content, deals, and even events intended especially for them, you’ll make their shopping experiences more meaningful.

• Empower employees.  Your employees are some of your most influential advocates, so be sure they are empowered to speak up on your dealership’s behalf and interact with consumers to build relationships.  They can help you offer a consistent brand presence, especially on social platforms.

• Listen attentively.  Your customers want to give you feedback and offer insights, so be sure to fine-tune your social listening skills, as well as your in-person listening skills.  Every review is an opportunity for your dealership to show off your great customer service skills, so it’s essential to respond effectively and efficiently to each one.

Authenticity is the stand-out characteristic that will grab consumer attention in a marketplace that’s already crowded with consumers and competition.  In fact, most shoppers now consider authenticity an essential component when it comes to choosing companies and spending their money.  When your dealership is able to convey your brand ideals, deliver on your promises to consumers, and offer meaningful engagement, you will gain the trust and business of more shoppers.

Shoppers will perceive true authenticity in your brand when you set selling aside for just a moment.  Of course, the bottom line will always require your focus, but when you change your perspective and place importance on authenticity as well, you’ll end up selling even more!  Because of your genuine interest in customers and their needs, you’ll end up with more repeat shoppers and word-of-mouth traffic to the dealership.

As today’s consumers continue to evolve, dealerships must do the same. Since brand authenticity is the most sought-after component in business interactions today, dealerships must work hard and focus on offering a genuine experience for every customer—every time.  After all, an authentic dealership experience for your customers equals a better bottom line for you!

This Week in Social Media

Check out the Audio!

News for the Week of September 19

Instagram Improves Call-to-Action Buttons and Video Links

Instagram is making improvements to its ads, updating the ways in which consumers can interact with them.  The latest enhancements include several updates to the call-to-action buttons.  Now, when users show interest in an ad, by resting on or around it or tapping on the profile name, the button will be highlighted.  Additionally, the call-to-action button can now be extended into the comments section, allowing advertisers to include information like pricing, URLs, and ratings.  Links in video ads can also now redirect to the destination URL, allowing shoppers to explore at the same time they continue to watch the ad video at the top of the screen.  Viewers can also dismiss the video and opt to strictly browse the web page once they’ve been directed there.  Dealerships, keep in mind all the ways consumers are looking to connect and interact with you online.  Be creative and find ways you can post to your social platforms, like Instagram, and drive traffic via call-to-action buttons directly to your website.  Consider sharing in-house events and specials to increase engagement and encourage more consumers to explore what you have to offer on your site.

Twitter Adjusts Character Count Again

Twitter recently announced it will stop counting media attachments like images, GIFs, videos, polls, and quoted Tweets in the character limit.  These items will no longer reduce user character counts, so get ready to see some longer Tweets starting immediately.  Additionally, when they appear at the beginning of replies, usernames will no longer be added into character counts.  Dealerships, continue to connect with your customers via this platform and offer social customer service whenever possible.  Remember, today’s shoppers are highly mobile, and they are digitally-driven, so when you connect with them via the platforms where they interact and share, you’ll make bigger strides toward earning their trust.

Twitter Adds Customer Support Details for Businesses

Twitter continues to stay up to date by adding some helpful new customer support details for businesses, allowing businesses to stay connected with customers by letting them know important information about services offered, like the help that’s provided on Twitter, Direct Messaging options, and hours of availability.  These new features add valuable information to business profiles on Twitter, and now, when businesses indicate they provide support via Twitter, that information is added to suggestions when users search for a business, @mention a business in a Tweet, or search for a business in Direct Messages.  Other valuable information, like offering hours of availability helps to curb consumer expectations by letting them know ahead of time when they’ll likely receive responses and interaction from the businesses they’re contacting.  Businesses can access and activate these newest updates via the Customer support settings page on the Twitter Dashboard website.  Dealerships, whenever you’re given the opportunity to offer more information and updated business access to potential shoppers, be sure to take full advantage of it!  With Twitter’s latest updates, be sure to add information about your availability, as well as how you can help them via social.  When you communicate and reach out to consumers proactively, you’ll stand out from the crowd.

Pinterest Adds Promote Button

A brand-new Promote button now allows businesses to quickly and easily launch campaigns on Pinterest.  According to Pinterest, users are able to set up a Promoted Pin in as little as 9 seconds—as well as see impressive results in traffic increase.  In addition to the Promote button, Pinterest is also offering its newly-released quick reference to help users set their goals, create the best possible Pins, and attract the biggest audiences.  Dealerships, don’t discount Pinterest when it comes to your social media plan.  With 110 million active monthly users, it’s expected to grow to 200 million by March 2017, so it’s worth your time to make a plan and see what Pinterest has to offer.

Facebook Messenger Updates

With the Facebook Messenger Platform v1.2, brand-new updates have been added, allowing brands to more easily be discovered via Messenger.  New features include the capability for Messenger to act as a destination for News Feed ads.  This means advertisers can add a call-to-action, like “Shop Now,” to their ads when they select Messenger as their destination for News Feed ads, allowing ads to directly open up a Messenger thread when clicked.  Additionally, the enhanced mobile website in Messenger (currently in Beta), will allow users to more seamlessly interact with businesses via their mobile websites within Messenger.  Payment and checkout experiences will also be simplified, improving the online customer experience.  By the end of the year, Facebook expects to offer businesses the capability to sell products and services via Messenger, with payments fully integrated into messages, streamlining the entire process and ensuring customers never have to leave the app.  Dealerships, online transactions are about to get even easier for businesses everywhere, and although you may not be completing entire transactions online, it’s important to get creative with your thinking in order to meet modern consumer needs.  Consider offering online appointment setting or financing, and lean in to conveniences today’s consumers are looking for in order to be their top choice in the marketplace.

Custom Keyword Moderation Keeps Instagram Safe

Instagram users can now filter any words they consider offensive or inappropriate via the platform’s new Keyword Moderation Tool.  In an effort to promote a safe and secure culture across the social platform for all members, this latest update allows every user to list words they personally find offensive—effectively blocking posts containing those words.  This feature can be found by tapping the gear icon under the user profile; from there, a new Comments tool will show up.  This is where users can list words that are to be hidden from their posts.  Users can compile their own custom word lists or they can use the default words provided by Instagram.  Dealerships, keep your eyes on all the great new tools coming out to help you keep your social feeds fun and customer-friendly.  You may not be able to have your eyes on every post all the time, but by utilizing easy updates like Instagram’s Custom Keyword Moderation, you can ensure your feed remains free of words you want to avoid.

Tip of the Week – Quality Beats Quantity

One of the reasons many people become overwhelmed with building and maintaining their social media platforms is they think it’s necessary to post about everything—all the time.  And that’s not the case.  You want to be relevant, and you don’t want to bombard your followers with online sales pitches.  So you look for a range of topics of interest.  But what if today’s top news stories cover everything from gasoline shortages to Loch Ness Monster sightings to snowfall in the Andes to brand-new knitting patterns for holiday gifting?  You gather ALL the things and post them across ALL the platforms, right?  Wait just a minute.  It’s time to step back and make a plan!

You need a plan for several reasons:

• It will save you time.  Every post on every platform takes up your valuable time—and you already divide your time between managing a dealership, selling cars, and marketing to consumers, along with numerous other necessary dealership activities.  If a post won’t bring positive ROI, it’s not worth your time.  Skip it and save your energy for something your audience is really looking for.

• You’re building your brand.  In order to get your customers to zero in on your brand identity, you must first be able to present a cohesive picture of what your brand stands for.  A variety of content is great!  But a variety of content that’s all over the board and serves no purpose to engage, educate, or increase brand awareness is an exercise in spinning your wheels.  Instead, focus on sharing messages and content that will capture consumer attention and drive them to your dealership.

• You’ll earn street cred.  Your followers are more likely to share content that’s relevant and valuable to them, positioning you as a thought leader they turn to often for insights and industry updates.  Spend time building trust with your content—and don’t worry about extraneous posts that won’t garner traction for your brand.  It’s great to share content from other sources; just remember to give credit and make sure it’s relevant to your audience.

• It will help you gain staying power.  While it’s true hundreds of posts about every topic under the sun will make your name pop up in your followers’ feeds more often, quality posts will offer you evergreen content, AND keep you top of mind with consumers who are looking for trustworthy, interesting content.  Focus on developing content that encourages engagement and interaction and maintains the attention of your online followers.

It’s great to keep your social platforms robust and full of great content!  Absolutely do that.  But keep in mind, it’s more valuable to supply relevant, trustworthy content that supports your brand and distinguishes you from the competition.   Online platforms are already full of content; in fact, they’re practically bursting at the seams.  You’ll stand out by offering information consumers want, while interacting and building back-and-forth online dialogue—and you’ll have a better opportunity to get to know exactly what shoppers are looking for, both online and when they get to your dealership.  When it comes to the content you deliver, quality trumps quantity—so remain focused on delivering excellent content, and you’ll end up developing stronger relationships with your online consumers.

Created in 2006, Twitter is a unique social platform that’s grown in popularity, largely because of its 140-character limit, in which thousands quip, snip, and detail about their lives.  In addition, Twitter users can accumulate a lot of followers—giving them a sense of social popularity—at the same time they combine news, celebrity updates, and just about anything else you can think of alongside their social posts.  It’s a pretty sweet setup, and millennials are especially intrigued by it, with a full 61% of Twitter users falling into this generational category.

Millennials are known as the digital generation, and they are quick to turn to convenient and intriguing tech platforms to interact, share, and research products they’re interested in.  Consumers in this generation are early adopters of technology, so look for them to show excitement whenever there’s an innovative way to connect.  Successful businesses aren’t shy when it comes to connecting via social sites and apps either, because they know this is exactly where they’ll find their younger consumers.

As far as Twitter goes, millennials have embraced it for a few specific reasons:

• To learn about currents trends. Millennials want to know what’s going on, and they want to be up to date. They suffer from a condition known as FOMO (fear of missing out). But this isn’t necessarily a bad thing, because it keeps them in tune with the most current trends, the latest gossip, the hottest fashions, and the newest technology. Twitter gives them all of this in a concise, fast-paced format.

• To cure boredom and get a good laugh. Entertainment value is one of the big draws that brings millennials to Twitter.  Highly attached to their phones—in fact, some go so far as to say addicted—these young consumers turn to their mobile devices to cure boredom by watching videos, reading funny posts, and sharing GIFs—all of which abound on Twitter. By definition, this generation is redefining downtime, and rather than long weekends and after-5:00 gatherings, they are turning to shorter bursts of online entertainment, dubbed “micro-leisure.”  This keeps them in touch, yet still allows them to keep up with their busy, on-the-move lifestyles.

• To utilize hashtags at live events. A way of documenting live events and tracking current stories, millennials are leaning on hashtags to help them stay connected and follow important updates by others who may be at the same venues.  Attendees can tag each other in tweets and pics when they are posted, ensuring everyone stays looped in to the most up-to-date action.

Your Dealership Can Benefit

When it comes to your dealership, millennials, and Twitter, there are a few things to keep in mind.  First and foremost, this won’t be your biggest advertising platform; after all, social platforms are for socializing.  So, focus on building engagement with your audience by listening, sharing, and participating.  This is what will drive these young consumers to your website, and eventually, to your dealership.

It’s true Twitter is a short-format platform, and with this in mind, you’ll need to plan your posts accordingly.  You’ll likely build stronger connections and garner more interaction when you include images, videos, and plenty of ways to participate and interact with your dealership.  In addition to giving users an easy way to find you, be sure to offer great content that keeps them coming back.  A few tweets may seem like a small thing to you, but here’s why they’re actually a BIG deal:

• There are 313 million monthly active Twitter users.
• The average Twitter user follows 5 businesses.
• 80% of Twitter users have mentioned a brand in a Tweet.
• 54% of Twitter users have either visited a website, searched a brand, or retweeted content after seeing it mentioned on Twitter.
• Businesses that use Twitter for social customer service have seen a 19% increase in customer satisfaction.

Millennials do just about everything online, especially shopping, researching, and even job hunting.  And speaking of job hunting, don’t forget to mention openings at your dealership on Twitter if you’re looking to catch the attention of today’s youngest professionals.  Both millennials and Gen Z are looking to social platforms to find out about and apply for positions, so be sure to include links that take them to your employment page, where they can find more information and complete the application process.  When you modernize your processes and streamline things for the younger generations, you’ll capture the attention of both shoppers and job hunters—a double bonus!

Twitter is full of content that’s posted and shared every day.  Be sure you stand out to your youngest audiences by engaging them creatively.  Twitter gives them a way to communicate directly with their friends, as well as the brands they love—so be sure you’re there and ready to connect when they’re looking for you. Post regularly and highlight the best of your brand, and you’ll make great connections with your millennial audience.