Connecting With Your Hispanic Consumer

Hispanic consumers in the U.S. have spoken; they are shopping for brands that affirm their culture and empower them as individuals. Over 56 million strong, this is a population that does not want to be sold to and highlighted, but rather included. Proud of a rich culture, background, history, and language, the Hispanic demographic is an economic powerhouse for businesses trying to reach new and growing markets, but as businesses and marketers know, creating relevant content for their Hispanic audiences is more easily said than done.

Marketing professionals have learned with the general market in the U.S. that there is no one-size-fits-all solution, and the same goes for the Hispanic population. The diversity that defines the Hispanic population of the U.S. is broad, and it can’t be defined simply with a word or with a language translation. It is a diversity that lives in Hispanic communities throughout the country and can be attributed to many things, such as country of origin, language of preference, age demographic, living circumstances, level of education, level of acculturation, and many other factors that form the layers of a culture. These nuances form the Hispanic culture marketers are targeting, and they are also the source of confusion for marketers who are trying to reach the Hispanic market. Some are hitting the mark when it comes to delivering relevant content—and many are missing by a long shot.

With $1.5 trillion in purchasing power, the Hispanic population is a force to be reckoned with in the market, and marketers who want to win with this demographic need to tune in to cultural relevanc

y in order to gain traction. Hitting a homerun with this market will require businesses to delve into what makes the Hispanic population tick, what their likes and dislikes are, and what drives them as a culture. The following ideas should point your business in the right direction:

Focus on Hispanic passion points. They typically differ from those of other consumers. For example, Hispanic consumers are typically interested in entertainment, music, sports, and news from their home countries. Provide content that is meaningful and relevant to their needs and interests, and you will get more traction with your posts.

Focus on language. While there are 16% of Hispanic individuals the U.S. who don’t speak Spanish, there are another 25% who don’t speak English. The rest possess some level of bilingualism. Your messaging plan should revolve around your target market and the preferred language of that market, which means you will need to do your homework in order to decide which language is best.

The landscape continues to change, and as marketers and businesspeople, we must change along with it in order to be successful. Hispanic communities around the country are attracting our attention, and rightly so, because of their booming numbers and their increased buying power. Not only are these consumers shopping and looking for new and varying products, but they are also influencing the purchases of others with their early adoption and frequent use of technology. It is integral to the success of growing companies and dealerships to get to know the Hispanic communities and consumers of today—they are growing, they are changing, and they are the demographic that is dominating the scene when it comes to buying power.

Connecting With Your Hispanic Consumer

Hispanic consumers in the U.S. have spoken; they are shopping for brands that affirm their culture and empower them as individuals. Over 56 million strong, this is a population that does not want to be sold to and highlighted, but rather included. Proud of a rich culture, background, history, and language, the Hispanic demographic is an economic powerhouse for businesses trying to reach new and growing markets, but as businesses and marketers know, creating relevant content for their Hispanic audiences is more easily said than done.

Marketing professionals have learned with the general market in the U.S. that there is no one-size-fits-all solution, and the same goes for the Hispanic population. The diversity that defines the Hispanic population of the U.S. is broad, and it can’t be defined simply with a word or with a language translation. It is a diversity that lives in Hispanic communities throughout the country and can be attributed to many things, such as country of origin, language of preference, age demographic, living circumstances, level of education, level of acculturation, and many other factors that form the layers of a culture. These nuances form the Hispanic culture marketers are targeting, and they are also the source of confusion for marketers who are trying to reach the Hispanic market. Some are hitting the mark when it comes to delivering relevant content—and many are missing by a long shot.

With $1.5 trillion in purchasing power, the Hispanic population is a force to be reckoned with in the market, and marketers who want to win with this demographic need to tune in to cultural relevanc

y in order to gain traction. Hitting a homerun with this market will require businesses to delve into what makes the Hispanic population tick, what their likes and dislikes are, and what drives them as a culture. The following ideas should point your business in the right direction:

Focus on Hispanic passion points. They typically differ from those of other consumers. For example, Hispanic consumers are typically interested in entertainment, music, sports, and news from their home countries. Provide content that is meaningful and relevant to their needs and interests, and you will get more traction with your posts.

Focus on language. While there are 16% of Hispanic individuals the U.S. who don’t speak Spanish, there are another 25% who don’t speak English. The rest possess some level of bilingualism. Your messaging plan should revolve around your target market and the preferred language of that market, which means you will need to do your homework in order to decide which language is best.

The landscape continues to change, and as marketers and businesspeople, we must change along with it in order to be successful. Hispanic communities around the country are attracting our attention, and rightly so, because of their booming numbers and their increased buying power. Not only are these consumers shopping and looking for new and varying products, but they are also influencing the purchases of others with their early adoption and frequent use of technology. It is integral to the success of growing companies and dealerships to get to know the Hispanic communities and consumers of today—they are growing, they are changing, and they are the demographic that is dominating the scene when it comes to buying power.

Social News for the Week of August 3, 2015

Google+ Gets Focused

With more and more people flocking to Google+, the site continues to improve the user experience.  With its latest improvements, Google is rethinking some things and making important changes to help users interact and use the site more efficiently.  Users can look forward to new features like Google+ Collections that will allow them to share posts organized by topic, a new Google Photos App that will house several elements from Google+ Photos, and newly-house location sharing in Hangouts.  With all of these changes happening in planned stages, users will notice a more engaging and easy-to-navigate Google+ over the next few months.  As Google+ shows off a more organized and user-friendly experience, dealerships will want to take note and be ready to take advantage of features like the photos app to share inventory and showroom news with customers.

LinkedIn Campaign Management Tool

Sponsored updates and text ads are getting a fresh, new face on LinkedIn.  The LinkedIn Campaign Manager has been redesigned and rebuilt, allowing customer the control and visibility they need throughout a campaign.  The new look and feel will be seen immediately by users, and there also are major tech considerations that have taken place behind the scenes, too, which will allow for future capabilities.  Several advertisers already have access to the newest version of the tool, and LinkedIn expects to allow all advertisers access in the near future.  Dealerships should take advantage of this updated LinkedIn tool to easily track and follow specific campaigns, as well as view the dynamic reporting that can be filtered to satisfy specific criteria.

Periscope Mute Button & Broadcast Stats

Not to be outdone in the updates and improvements category, Periscope also continues to improve its user capabilities.  Its newest updates for iOS, and soon to be available for Android, include a “Mute” option for notifications.  This allows you to mute individual Periscope users while still receiving their broadcasts in your feed; you simply won’t receive push notifications when they go live.  Additionally, Periscope has added broadcast stats via a pop-up panel which appears at the end of a broadcast.  Previously only available after stopping your broadcast, these stats are now always available.  With more shoppers being highly in tune with new online tools, dealerships should consider reaching customers via short Periscope broadcasts.

Facebook Security Checkup

The new Facenbook Sercurity Checkup tool offers users peace of mind and an easy way to enhance safety when it comes to their online experiences.  Boasting “dedicated teas and intelligent security systems working around the clock,” Facebook means business when it comes to protecting users from online breaches.  They also offer optional added protection controls, allowing users to decide which features they want to use.  Starting within the next few weeks, users will see a reminder in their newsfeeds, telling them to click to “Get Started.”

Twitter Event Targeting

Twitter recently introduced its Event Marketing capability, which activates around events that take place worldwide.  Including three primary tools, the event calendar, event insights, and event activation, users can quickly and easily learn about and plan for specific moments.  Event Targeting reaches audiences interested in various events and keeps them abreast of specifics as events progress.  Once users have identified events they wish to target via the event calendar, they can get more information about the specified events via insights.  Finally, after gathering all the necessary information regarding selected events and audiences, the event activation tool allows users to create campaigns targeting chosen events.  This is a great tool for dealerships that sponsor local events like charity fundraisers and workshops.  Consider Twitter event targeting to boost your online visibility and increase engagement!

Twitter Native App for Windows 10

Continuing with its updates, Twitter announces Windows users will have a newely-optimized experience.  Created especially for Windows 10, the app launches in tandem with Windows 10 for PCs and Tablets and gives users instant access to top tweets, pics, and videos without logging in.  Users will also be able to see tweets in live tiles from the Start menu.  Enhance your dealership’s posts with this newest Twitter experience by uploading up to four pics per tweet, sharing private photos with your customer base via Direct Messages, and even tweeting with Vine videos directly from your showroom floor.  

Fewer LinkedIn Emails

Users will be seeing fewer emails from LinkedIn due changes resulting from member feedback.  Now focusing on making emails more “infrequent and more relevant,” LinkedIn promises it has received the message being sent from consumers.  Instead of an overload of individual emails, users will now see a single weekly digest that contains invitations to connect.  In addition, users who subscribes to several LinkedIn Groups will see aggregated updates from all groups into a single email.  According to LinkedIn, for every 10 emails they used to send, these changes have resulted in removing 4 of those emails.  As you position your dealership a subject matter expert and build your credibility throughout the industry, your visibility on LinkedIn will help you make new connections and maintain the solid connections you already have.

Google Search Shows Busy Times for Businesses

Thanks to Google Search, everyone can now avoid long lines at their favorite venues.    Users can search millions of businesses worldwide and dertermine the busiest business times is selected, users will see how busy it gets during certain times throughout the day, allowing them to avoid the long lines and crowded waiting rooms.  As more consumers become aware of this app, your dealership can take advantage of busy times leveling out throughout the week, providing a steadier stream of business.

Google Dynamic Search Ads

Introduced three years ago, Google is enhancing their Dynamic Search Ads (DSA).  Now available to all advertisers globally, DSA is an indexing tool that searches your website and determines which searches should contain ads.  With its newest update, DSA organizes website content into recommended categories in order to target ads.  Offering extended reach and ease of use, the updated tool is powerful and boasts a less-than-10-minute-setup for a user’s first campaign.  The enhanced version of DSA allows users more transparency regarding how ads will show, and users will see samples of targeted search queries, as well as customer landing pages.  Your dealership can be more powerful than ever when you leverage the recommendations, insights, and previews offered by the newest Dynamic Search Ads.

Yahoo Livetext

Yahoo recently introduced Livetext for iOS and Android, a one-to-one video texting app.  Encouraging users to include real-time reactions in their daily text conversations, Livetext is billed as a new way to stay in touch.  Yahoo claims it “blends the convenience and ease of texting, with the immediacy and vividness of live video.”  Audio-free, Livetext allows users to include things like a smile, a smirk, or an eye roll into the middle of a text conversation.  Much like a real-life conversation, these snippets are quick and fleeting.  Dealerships on the cutting edge can consider integrating Livetext as they target specific customer lists.  Capture a smile or a wave and sent it your customers’ way!

Tip of the Week—Make Social Media Special

Although your dealership’s social media platform is an extension of your business, you’ll want to make it stand out and be unique for several reasons, one of the most important being the fact you want to increase your online reach and you want people to keep coming back for more.  When you give your followers something they can’t find anywhere else and something they enjoy when they visit your site, that’s exactly what they’ll do…they’ll keep coming back!  Here are a few tips to help you stand out, stay ahead of the competition, and shine when it comes to providing what your consumers are looking for:

You can only chew so much.  Or, there are numerous social media sites out there; the first thing you should do is choose the ones that are right for your dealership, and be sure to select a manageable number of platforms.  Once you start posting and updating your followers, they will expect you to continue on a regular basis.

Offer something fun.  Consider offering a variety of different things on your social media sites that are only available to those who follow you online.  Think about special coupons, offers, or even giveaways directed toward those who follow you on Facebook or Twitter.

Don’t be shy.  Don’t forget to reach out to people on social media and start conversations.  Remember, social media is all about being social, so have some fun, ask thought-provoking questions, get your audience involved and engaged.  By giving more to your audience, you will end up getting more.  It takes an investment of your time, but you’ll soon find consumers looking to you as a thought leader in your areas of expertise.

Post like it’s your job.  The more visible you are on social media, the more people will seek you out and want to interact with you.  If you commit to engage people on your social media channels, go ahead and plunge into the deep end—engage on a daily basis!  Be the person everyone counts on seeing when they login to their accounts.

By following just a few quick tips, you’ll soon start to feel more comfortable creating your dealership’s social media presence, and you’ll also notice people starting to look to you as a thought leader in your industry.  Your social media platforms should serve as a reflection of your dealership as a whole, but they should also have their own flair that helps your dealership extend its reach even further.  Engage, Share and Get Social!

Social News for the Week of August 3, 2015

Google+ Gets Focused

With more and more people flocking to Google+, the site continues to improve the user experience.  With its latest improvements, Google is rethinking some things and making important changes to help users interact and use the site more efficiently.  Users can look forward to new features like Google+ Collections that will allow them to share posts organized by topic, a new Google Photos App that will house several elements from Google+ Photos, and newly-house location sharing in Hangouts.  With all of these changes happening in planned stages, users will notice a more engaging and easy-to-navigate Google+ over the next few months.  As Google+ shows off a more organized and user-friendly experience, dealerships will want to take note and be ready to take advantage of features like the photos app to share inventory and showroom news with customers.

LinkedIn Campaign Management Tool

Sponsored updates and text ads are getting a fresh, new face on LinkedIn.  The LinkedIn Campaign Manager has been redesigned and rebuilt, allowing customer the control and visibility they need throughout a campaign.  The new look and feel will be seen immediately by users, and there also are major tech considerations that have taken place behind the scenes, too, which will allow for future capabilities.  Several advertisers already have access to the newest version of the tool, and LinkedIn expects to allow all advertisers access in the near future.  Dealerships should take advantage of this updated LinkedIn tool to easily track and follow specific campaigns, as well as view the dynamic reporting that can be filtered to satisfy specific criteria.

Periscope Mute Button & Broadcast Stats

Not to be outdone in the updates and improvements category, Periscope also continues to improve its user capabilities.  Its newest updates for iOS, and soon to be available for Android, include a “Mute” option for notifications.  This allows you to mute individual Periscope users while still receiving their broadcasts in your feed; you simply won’t receive push notifications when they go live.  Additionally, Periscope has added broadcast stats via a pop-up panel which appears at the end of a broadcast.  Previously only available after stopping your broadcast, these stats are now always available.  With more shoppers being highly in tune with new online tools, dealerships should consider reaching customers via short Periscope broadcasts.

Facebook Security Checkup

The new Facenbook Sercurity Checkup tool offers users peace of mind and an easy way to enhance safety when it comes to their online experiences.  Boasting “dedicated teas and intelligent security systems working around the clock,” Facebook means business when it comes to protecting users from online breaches.  They also offer optional added protection controls, allowing users to decide which features they want to use.  Starting within the next few weeks, users will see a reminder in their newsfeeds, telling them to click to “Get Started.”

Twitter Event Targeting

Twitter recently introduced its Event Marketing capability, which activates around events that take place worldwide.  Including three primary tools, the event calendar, event insights, and event activation, users can quickly and easily learn about and plan for specific moments.  Event Targeting reaches audiences interested in various events and keeps them abreast of specifics as events progress.  Once users have identified events they wish to target via the event calendar, they can get more information about the specified events via insights.  Finally, after gathering all the necessary information regarding selected events and audiences, the event activation tool allows users to create campaigns targeting chosen events.  This is a great tool for dealerships that sponsor local events like charity fundraisers and workshops.  Consider Twitter event targeting to boost your online visibility and increase engagement!

Twitter Native App for Windows 10

Continuing with its updates, Twitter announces Windows users will have a newely-optimized experience.  Created especially for Windows 10, the app launches in tandem with Windows 10 for PCs and Tablets and gives users instant access to top tweets, pics, and videos without logging in.  Users will also be able to see tweets in live tiles from the Start menu.  Enhance your dealership’s posts with this newest Twitter experience by uploading up to four pics per tweet, sharing private photos with your customer base via Direct Messages, and even tweeting with Vine videos directly from your showroom floor.  

Fewer LinkedIn Emails

Users will be seeing fewer emails from LinkedIn due changes resulting from member feedback.  Now focusing on making emails more “infrequent and more relevant,” LinkedIn promises it has received the message being sent from consumers.  Instead of an overload of individual emails, users will now see a single weekly digest that contains invitations to connect.  In addition, users who subscribes to several LinkedIn Groups will see aggregated updates from all groups into a single email.  According to LinkedIn, for every 10 emails they used to send, these changes have resulted in removing 4 of those emails.  As you position your dealership a subject matter expert and build your credibility throughout the industry, your visibility on LinkedIn will help you make new connections and maintain the solid connections you already have.

Google Search Shows Busy Times for Businesses

Thanks to Google Search, everyone can now avoid long lines at their favorite venues.    Users can search millions of businesses worldwide and dertermine the busiest business times is selected, users will see how busy it gets during certain times throughout the day, allowing them to avoid the long lines and crowded waiting rooms.  As more consumers become aware of this app, your dealership can take advantage of busy times leveling out throughout the week, providing a steadier stream of business.

Google Dynamic Search Ads

Introduced three years ago, Google is enhancing their Dynamic Search Ads (DSA).  Now available to all advertisers globally, DSA is an indexing tool that searches your website and determines which searches should contain ads.  With its newest update, DSA organizes website content into recommended categories in order to target ads.  Offering extended reach and ease of use, the updated tool is powerful and boasts a less-than-10-minute-setup for a user’s first campaign.  The enhanced version of DSA allows users more transparency regarding how ads will show, and users will see samples of targeted search queries, as well as customer landing pages.  Your dealership can be more powerful than ever when you leverage the recommendations, insights, and previews offered by the newest Dynamic Search Ads.

Yahoo Livetext

Yahoo recently introduced Livetext for iOS and Android, a one-to-one video texting app.  Encouraging users to include real-time reactions in their daily text conversations, Livetext is billed as a new way to stay in touch.  Yahoo claims it “blends the convenience and ease of texting, with the immediacy and vividness of live video.”  Audio-free, Livetext allows users to include things like a smile, a smirk, or an eye roll into the middle of a text conversation.  Much like a real-life conversation, these snippets are quick and fleeting.  Dealerships on the cutting edge can consider integrating Livetext as they target specific customer lists.  Capture a smile or a wave and sent it your customers’ way!

Tip of the Week—Make Social Media Special

Although your dealership’s social media platform is an extension of your business, you’ll want to make it stand out and be unique for several reasons, one of the most important being the fact you want to increase your online reach and you want people to keep coming back for more.  When you give your followers something they can’t find anywhere else and something they enjoy when they visit your site, that’s exactly what they’ll do…they’ll keep coming back!  Here are a few tips to help you stand out, stay ahead of the competition, and shine when it comes to providing what your consumers are looking for:

You can only chew so much.  Or, there are numerous social media sites out there; the first thing you should do is choose the ones that are right for your dealership, and be sure to select a manageable number of platforms.  Once you start posting and updating your followers, they will expect you to continue on a regular basis.

Offer something fun.  Consider offering a variety of different things on your social media sites that are only available to those who follow you online.  Think about special coupons, offers, or even giveaways directed toward those who follow you on Facebook or Twitter.

Don’t be shy.  Don’t forget to reach out to people on social media and start conversations.  Remember, social media is all about being social, so have some fun, ask thought-provoking questions, get your audience involved and engaged.  By giving more to your audience, you will end up getting more.  It takes an investment of your time, but you’ll soon find consumers looking to you as a thought leader in your areas of expertise.

Post like it’s your job.  The more visible you are on social media, the more people will seek you out and want to interact with you.  If you commit to engage people on your social media channels, go ahead and plunge into the deep end—engage on a daily basis!  Be the person everyone counts on seeing when they login to their accounts.

By following just a few quick tips, you’ll soon start to feel more comfortable creating your dealership’s social media presence, and you’ll also notice people starting to look to you as a thought leader in your industry.  Your social media platforms should serve as a reflection of your dealership as a whole, but they should also have their own flair that helps your dealership extend its reach even further.  Engage, Share and Get Social!

Millennials as Social Influencers: DO Talk to Strangers

Despite the instruction of their parents, today’s youngsters have discovered that talking to strangers may not be a bad idea. Now in their mid-teens to mid-30s, millennials have grown into adult consumers and discovered that the most valuable information about products and services comes from the very people they were warned about—strangers.

Millennials shop for cars differently than any other generation. They make up the largest generation in the United States and have an estimated purchasing power of $1.68 trillion, higher than any other generation. Effectively marketing to today’s youngest consumers means understanding how they research, who they trust, and how to make them trust your dealership. Soon your dealership will depend on them.

Research Habits

Because they were raised during the birth of social media, they are constantly connected to their friends, acquaintances, and even to strangers. Out of the millennial generation, about 80% use Facebook, 49% use YouTube, 18% use Twitter, and 25% use Google+. They are more likely to share both positive and negative car-buying experiences with brands via social channels rather than complaining directly to the dealership, which makes it even more imperative that your dealership be in tune with this generation via social media. Curious about what others are doing, buying, and enjoying, 84% of millennials report that user-generated content (UGC) from strangers has influence on what they buy. Only 3% of millennials say UGC has no influence on their purchase decisions.

This new way of learning about products and services is the reason 71% of millennials share opinions about products and services online. With so much of their time and energy going into research before car buying, they know their opinions will be an influence on others’ purchase decisions.

In addition, 64% of millennials feel companies should offer more ways for them to share their opinions online. Believing this fosters an environment for authentic content, 62% of millennials say they are more likely to purchase a product if the brand asks for their opinion. They view companies that include customer feedback on their websites as honest and credible sources, and the majority also say they feel more loyal to brands that take the time to ask their opinions.

Distrust in the Market

About 51% of millennials say they are influenced more by user-generated content produced and posted by strangers, compared with recommendations from friends, family, and colleagues. This feeling of trust toward strangers’ opinions is attributed to the fact that 65% of millennials believe user-generated content offers a more honest and genuine product or service review. 86% believe the content from these posts is a good indicator of brand quality, service, or products because strangers don’t have a reason to misrepresent the products or services they review.

The majority of millennials do not trust businesses. 71% of millennials say companies care about customer opinions simply because they impact how other consumers will view the brand, rather than truly caring what their customers think. Only 1% of millennials said a compelling advertisement would make them trust a brand more.

Win Millennials Over

Winning over millennials takes a new approach to selling, and it starts with access to authentic information. Millennials value authenticity more than content itself when consuming news. As a result, they rely on new ways to consume media, with fewer than 3% ranking television news, magazines, and books as decision-making influencers. They have been exposed to a variety of information, facts, and opinions from an early age, and with ease of access to information comes the ability to spot inauthentic advertisements and edited reviews fairly quickly, which is why truthful and transparent advertising is a must. By providing straightforward advertising that speaks to millennials in an authentic way, your dealership will be on the road to winning with this generation.

Dealerships can also implement a forum on their website where customers can freely discuss and share opinions about products and services. This is an indication that a dealership is confident in the products and services offered and is not worried about the possibility of a disgruntled customer posting a bad review. It creates opportunities for consumer opinions to be voiced but also for concerns or bad experiences to be promptly addressed by the dealership. Seeing how customers view your product, services, and dealership experience is a perfect opportunity to prove to millennials, and all other demographics, that your business is one that cares about the consumer.

When it comes to creating a lasting relationship with your consumers, being a brand people can trust is imperative to your success. Establishing trust with millennials means creating an amazing product, offering stellar service, and fostering authentic consumer discussions. Doing all of these things will lead to satisfied millennial customers and a plethora of positive user-generated content for your dealership.

Millennials as Social Influencers: DO Talk to Strangers

Despite the instruction of their parents, today’s youngsters have discovered that talking to strangers may not be a bad idea. Now in their mid-teens to mid-30s, millennials have grown into adult consumers and discovered that the most valuable information about products and services comes from the very people they were warned about—strangers.

Millennials shop for cars differently than any other generation. They make up the largest generation in the United States and have an estimated purchasing power of $1.68 trillion, higher than any other generation. Effectively marketing to today’s youngest consumers means understanding how they research, who they trust, and how to make them trust your dealership. Soon your dealership will depend on them.

Research Habits

Because they were raised during the birth of social media, they are constantly connected to their friends, acquaintances, and even to strangers. Out of the millennial generation, about 80% use Facebook, 49% use YouTube, 18% use Twitter, and 25% use Google+. They are more likely to share both positive and negative car-buying experiences with brands via social channels rather than complaining directly to the dealership, which makes it even more imperative that your dealership be in tune with this generation via social media. Curious about what others are doing, buying, and enjoying, 84% of millennials report that user-generated content (UGC) from strangers has influence on what they buy. Only 3% of millennials say UGC has no influence on their purchase decisions.

This new way of learning about products and services is the reason 71% of millennials share opinions about products and services online. With so much of their time and energy going into research before car buying, they know their opinions will be an influence on others’ purchase decisions.

In addition, 64% of millennials feel companies should offer more ways for them to share their opinions online. Believing this fosters an environment for authentic content, 62% of millennials say they are more likely to purchase a product if the brand asks for their opinion. They view companies that include customer feedback on their websites as honest and credible sources, and the majority also say they feel more loyal to brands that take the time to ask their opinions.

Distrust in the Market

About 51% of millennials say they are influenced more by user-generated content produced and posted by strangers, compared with recommendations from friends, family, and colleagues. This feeling of trust toward strangers’ opinions is attributed to the fact that 65% of millennials believe user-generated content offers a more honest and genuine product or service review. 86% believe the content from these posts is a good indicator of brand quality, service, or products because strangers don’t have a reason to misrepresent the products or services they review.

The majority of millennials do not trust businesses. 71% of millennials say companies care about customer opinions simply because they impact how other consumers will view the brand, rather than truly caring what their customers think. Only 1% of millennials said a compelling advertisement would make them trust a brand more.

Win Millennials Over

Winning over millennials takes a new approach to selling, and it starts with access to authentic information. Millennials value authenticity more than content itself when consuming news. As a result, they rely on new ways to consume media, with fewer than 3% ranking television news, magazines, and books as decision-making influencers. They have been exposed to a variety of information, facts, and opinions from an early age, and with ease of access to information comes the ability to spot inauthentic advertisements and edited reviews fairly quickly, which is why truthful and transparent advertising is a must. By providing straightforward advertising that speaks to millennials in an authentic way, your dealership will be on the road to winning with this generation.

Dealerships can also implement a forum on their website where customers can freely discuss and share opinions about products and services. This is an indication that a dealership is confident in the products and services offered and is not worried about the possibility of a disgruntled customer posting a bad review. It creates opportunities for consumer opinions to be voiced but also for concerns or bad experiences to be promptly addressed by the dealership. Seeing how customers view your product, services, and dealership experience is a perfect opportunity to prove to millennials, and all other demographics, that your business is one that cares about the consumer.

When it comes to creating a lasting relationship with your consumers, being a brand people can trust is imperative to your success. Establishing trust with millennials means creating an amazing product, offering stellar service, and fostering authentic consumer discussions. Doing all of these things will lead to satisfied millennial customers and a plethora of positive user-generated content for your dealership.

De-Mystifying Your Consumer One Demographic at a Time

The modern dealership faces most of the same challenges of other brands in a competitive marketplace. And although it might sound daunting to figure out how to connect with every consumer, discovering your market is critical to helping your dealership market more effectively.  Knowledge isn’t just power, it has the potential to sell more cars, so let’s dive in and discover your market!

You already know you offer a great product, and you’ve got an outstanding sales team, and a fully-staffed service center that boasts highly-trained professionals. So now what do you do? How do you effectively spread the word about what makes your dealership great in a way that impacts your bottom line?

Discover Your Market to Win

If a store in the Midwest were to try to sell hurricane shutters, chances are, they wouldn’t fare very well simply due to geographic considerations. This is a simple example of how knowing your market can impact your sales. Buyer personas are helpful as you discover your consumer and the experience they seek when shopping for a vehicle. Developing buyer personas will help you focus your marketing efforts on every channel, and help avoid wasting marketing dollars on strategies that will never reach your consumer. Some of the consumer traits you’ll want to discover for each buyer persona in your market will include the following:

Geographic region. Do you live somewhere that requires drivers to use 4-wheel drive vehicles often? Are there close-by rural areas or work sites that would necessitate trucks or heavy-duty vehicles? Create a buyer persona for this customer. Imagine a day in the life of this consumer, and see if you are doing all you can to connect with this market segment.

Demographic growth and/or shifts. Is your dealership in an area where a change in demographics is impacting your market? Demographics shift as families grow, when certain businesses come and go, ethnic groups shift, and communities change. Consider whether you have a strategy for meeting the needs of bi-lingual consumers in your area. Is there a need for that? Or, is your dealership in a city with lots of commuters? Do the consumers in your area lean toward luxury or high-performance vehicles?

Shopper attitudes. By looking at consumers’ overall views regarding life, work, and purchases like homes and vehicles, you’ll be able to understand more about what’s driving their purchasing decisions. Do your consumers tend to be outdoorsy? Maybe a 4-wheel-drive is in their future. Are you in an eco-conscious city? Your shoppers may be looking for hybrids.

Shopper behavior. The way shoppers make the rest of their buying decisions can tell you a lot about what they will do when it comes time for their next vehicle purchase. Does your dealership engage consumers online via social media or a blog? Are you answering questions consumers as on your website? Do your homework to find out if shoppers tend to be brand-loyal or if they are adopters of new products when benefits or perks are offered.

Personas: The First Step to Discovering Your Market

After you’ve done your initial homework and discovered the various broad consumer groups that surround your dealership, it’s time to take your efforts a step further and evaluate how your products and services meet the specific needs of your customers.  The best way to do this is to develop buyer personas.  A persona is a detailed customer archetype, created by doing interviews with real customers, using research and drawing from your experience to better understand their process and decision points on the way to purchase.

A buyer persona is an incredibly powerful tool for many reasons.  Well-developed personas reveal the secrets to connecting with consumers as they evaluate your products, services and approach to doing business, on their own terms.  Personas tell you what your consumer wants, values and needs…and knowing this will help you deliver information about your dealership and services more effectively.

Below is a very simple buyer persona to use as a jumping off point as you begin to discover and define your market.  There are many more useful questions to ask and answer when you’re developing personas, and you might even want to include a quote to sum up the key traits of this consumer.

Sample Buyer Persona #1 – 

Customer: Sam Smith

Demographic: Young, urban male professional [age 25-35]

What does a day in the life of this persona look like? Sam works full-time at a bank downtown. He has a 30-45 minute commute from the suburbs every day. He takes his lunch from home and only eats out now and then. He is married with two children and spends as much time with his family as he can. On the weekends they like to take day trips or go to soccer games and other kid-focused activities.

What does this persona value above all else? Time. Sam wants to spend more time with his family. His weekends are very important to him, so he does a lot of research online before he makes any kind of purchase. Sam has bought everything from a wrench to a ladder on Amazon just to save time and avoid a trip to the store.

What are this persona’s pain points? Sam doesn’t like to negotiate. He is not a salesperson and doesn’t like dealing with them because he always worries he is not getting the best deal possible. He dreads having to shop for a car, so he wants his automotive shopping experience to be quick and painless. He doesn’t want to spend all day at the dealership. He will go where he is sure he’ll get a good deal, but he demands a certain customer experience and will defect to the brand that understands his priorities.

How does this persona get information for making a purchase? Sam does a lot of research online, particularly on his phone during his lunch break or at the kids’ soccer practices. He is active on social media and will likely post about his upcoming purchase or message his friends to ask for a recommendation before he buys. He knows the makes and models that fit his lifestyle. He doesn’t listen to TV or radio commercials. Sam has a DVR and streams his music or podcasts on his commute, so word of mouth and targeted digital interactions are the only way to reach him.

After the Personas, Evaluate

By now you’re probably beginning to see how helpful it can be to create personas.  Taking the time to discover and organize what you know about your customers will help you be more effective in capturing and keeping their business.

After you’ve developed at least 3 key personas, take an honest look at your marketing strategy and determine the best ways to reach each one of them to see if your current marketing spend makes sense. Are you effectively sharing the things about your dealership/brand that matter to your personas, or are you just blasting ads and hoping they stick? In a customer-centric economy you can’t afford not to continually re-evaluate what makes your brand fit into the story of your customer.

By defining your personas, and how your dealership solves their problems, you are setting your dealership firmly on the path to success and long-term growth. The days of the one-size-fits-all marketing plan are gone, but the good news is, the digital marketplace allows you the opportunity to continually put a human face to your dealership by sharing what you are doing in the community and demonstrating your understanding of your customer and what matters to them.

Every business, including automotive dealerships, can learn from brands like Adobe, Southwest Airlines, Starbucks, Zappos, Dell, IBM and many others who have discovered the powerful reach of their employees and the benefits of strategy aimed at authentic moments of connection.

De-Mystifying Your Consumer One Demographic at a Time

The modern dealership faces most of the same challenges of other brands in a competitive marketplace. And although it might sound daunting to figure out how to connect with every consumer, discovering your market is critical to helping your dealership market more effectively.  Knowledge isn’t just power, it has the potential to sell more cars, so let’s dive in and discover your market!

You already know you offer a great product, and you’ve got an outstanding sales team, and a fully-staffed service center that boasts highly-trained professionals. So now what do you do? How do you effectively spread the word about what makes your dealership great in a way that impacts your bottom line?

Discover Your Market to Win

If a store in the Midwest were to try to sell hurricane shutters, chances are, they wouldn’t fare very well simply due to geographic considerations. This is a simple example of how knowing your market can impact your sales. Buyer personas are helpful as you discover your consumer and the experience they seek when shopping for a vehicle. Developing buyer personas will help you focus your marketing efforts on every channel, and help avoid wasting marketing dollars on strategies that will never reach your consumer. Some of the consumer traits you’ll want to discover for each buyer persona in your market will include the following:

Geographic region. Do you live somewhere that requires drivers to use 4-wheel drive vehicles often? Are there close-by rural areas or work sites that would necessitate trucks or heavy-duty vehicles? Create a buyer persona for this customer. Imagine a day in the life of this consumer, and see if you are doing all you can to connect with this market segment.

Demographic growth and/or shifts. Is your dealership in an area where a change in demographics is impacting your market? Demographics shift as families grow, when certain businesses come and go, ethnic groups shift, and communities change. Consider whether you have a strategy for meeting the needs of bi-lingual consumers in your area. Is there a need for that? Or, is your dealership in a city with lots of commuters? Do the consumers in your area lean toward luxury or high-performance vehicles?

Shopper attitudes. By looking at consumers’ overall views regarding life, work, and purchases like homes and vehicles, you’ll be able to understand more about what’s driving their purchasing decisions. Do your consumers tend to be outdoorsy? Maybe a 4-wheel-drive is in their future. Are you in an eco-conscious city? Your shoppers may be looking for hybrids.

Shopper behavior. The way shoppers make the rest of their buying decisions can tell you a lot about what they will do when it comes time for their next vehicle purchase. Does your dealership engage consumers online via social media or a blog? Are you answering questions consumers as on your website? Do your homework to find out if shoppers tend to be brand-loyal or if they are adopters of new products when benefits or perks are offered.

Personas: The First Step to Discovering Your Market

After you’ve done your initial homework and discovered the various broad consumer groups that surround your dealership, it’s time to take your efforts a step further and evaluate how your products and services meet the specific needs of your customers.  The best way to do this is to develop buyer personas.  A persona is a detailed customer archetype, created by doing interviews with real customers, using research and drawing from your experience to better understand their process and decision points on the way to purchase.

A buyer persona is an incredibly powerful tool for many reasons.  Well-developed personas reveal the secrets to connecting with consumers as they evaluate your products, services and approach to doing business, on their own terms.  Personas tell you what your consumer wants, values and needs…and knowing this will help you deliver information about your dealership and services more effectively.

Below is a very simple buyer persona to use as a jumping off point as you begin to discover and define your market.  There are many more useful questions to ask and answer when you’re developing personas, and you might even want to include a quote to sum up the key traits of this consumer.

Sample Buyer Persona #1 – 

Customer: Sam Smith

Demographic: Young, urban male professional [age 25-35]

What does a day in the life of this persona look like? Sam works full-time at a bank downtown. He has a 30-45 minute commute from the suburbs every day. He takes his lunch from home and only eats out now and then. He is married with two children and spends as much time with his family as he can. On the weekends they like to take day trips or go to soccer games and other kid-focused activities.

What does this persona value above all else? Time. Sam wants to spend more time with his family. His weekends are very important to him, so he does a lot of research online before he makes any kind of purchase. Sam has bought everything from a wrench to a ladder on Amazon just to save time and avoid a trip to the store.

What are this persona’s pain points? Sam doesn’t like to negotiate. He is not a salesperson and doesn’t like dealing with them because he always worries he is not getting the best deal possible. He dreads having to shop for a car, so he wants his automotive shopping experience to be quick and painless. He doesn’t want to spend all day at the dealership. He will go where he is sure he’ll get a good deal, but he demands a certain customer experience and will defect to the brand that understands his priorities.

How does this persona get information for making a purchase? Sam does a lot of research online, particularly on his phone during his lunch break or at the kids’ soccer practices. He is active on social media and will likely post about his upcoming purchase or message his friends to ask for a recommendation before he buys. He knows the makes and models that fit his lifestyle. He doesn’t listen to TV or radio commercials. Sam has a DVR and streams his music or podcasts on his commute, so word of mouth and targeted digital interactions are the only way to reach him.

After the Personas, Evaluate

By now you’re probably beginning to see how helpful it can be to create personas.  Taking the time to discover and organize what you know about your customers will help you be more effective in capturing and keeping their business.

After you’ve developed at least 3 key personas, take an honest look at your marketing strategy and determine the best ways to reach each one of them to see if your current marketing spend makes sense. Are you effectively sharing the things about your dealership/brand that matter to your personas, or are you just blasting ads and hoping they stick? In a customer-centric economy you can’t afford not to continually re-evaluate what makes your brand fit into the story of your customer.

By defining your personas, and how your dealership solves their problems, you are setting your dealership firmly on the path to success and long-term growth. The days of the one-size-fits-all marketing plan are gone, but the good news is, the digital marketplace allows you the opportunity to continually put a human face to your dealership by sharing what you are doing in the community and demonstrating your understanding of your customer and what matters to them.

Every business, including automotive dealerships, can learn from brands like Adobe, Southwest Airlines, Starbucks, Zappos, Dell, IBM and many others who have discovered the powerful reach of their employees and the benefits of strategy aimed at authentic moments of connection.

Social Media News for the Week of July 27, 2015

New Facebook Video Tools for Businesses

This week Facebook delivered updates to make up for some of the limitations released earlier in the year. The new video library gives users a centralized location to store and organize videos.   Improved upload flow now offers users the ability to customize video distribution options in order to reach a more targeted audience. For automotive dealerships, this offers yet another opportunity to reach a specific audience when it comes to sharing straight-off-the-lot news and updates.

Facebook Secret Videos

Users now have the added capability to add secret videos accessible only through a direct URL and aren’t searchable on Facebook. This is great for users who want to use Facebook to host videos to embed on third-party site, or share them with anyone who has the URL.  Direct your audience to a private video containing special offers or upcoming events without having to post it anywhere else on Facebook.

Facebook for Business Creative Spotlight

Facebook is busting out tools for business, and we love it!  The numbers don…your consumers are engaging your brand using their mobile phones more often than not, so video marketing is a tool every brand must leverage to stay competitive.  This week Facebook introduced a ‘best of’ showcase highlighting brands getting it right.  Check out Castrol’s cool Mustang video topping the list in the Automotive category this week. Dealerships looking for creative ways to engage consumers via video advertising stand to gain valuable knowledge from the monthly updates.

YouTube 360-Degree Video Ads

YouTube has taken video ads to the next level with their new 360-degree video ads. This feature offers companies a new way to engage consumers with a true video experience.  This feature is activated by dragging your mouse or moving your phone in order to shift the point of view.  The 360-degree feature offers a different experience with every movement. Available in Chrome or on Android and iOS, this capability promises to deliver an unparalleled user experience. Imagine being able to give showroom shoppers the power to pan through a complete 360-degree view of the spotlight inventory you’re showing off in your video!

SlideShare Improvements for Lead Generation

Dealerships may not have considered SlideShare for lead generation, but now might be the time for you to take advantage of SlideShare’s 70 million unique visitors per month.  Slide Share hosts visual content, including videos and with SlideShare’s LinkedIn integration, a business profile may be one more way to connect with existing and potential customers.  SlideShare can serve as a host for articles featuring your dealership in local publications, presentations and more, and delivers SEO value as an added benefit.  Check out SlideShare and create targeted content for your audience. Business plans allow you the option to gather lead generation information before consumers view or download your content, providing one more way for you to deliver a positive customer experience.

Instagram Search on the Web

Recently, Instagram began offering internet users the capability to search on the web for people, places, and hashtags. It had previously added this feature to its smartphone app and is now offering it as a function for every platform.  Read our previous article on using hashtags to grow your brand and let hashtags fuel your dealership’s search engine results.

Tip of the Week—Responding to Complaints on Social Media

If you own a business, it’s only a matter of time before you read the first complaint about your brand on social media.  Social media call-outs are different than in-store complaints for one major reason: they have a much broader reach. So when it happens, and it will, here’s what to do to ensure your dealership earns social street cred:

Face the feedback head-on. Whatever you do, don’t ignore the complaint. Consumers appreciate being heard, and this is your moment to demonstrate you care.  Be authentic.  Apologize if you are wrong and offer to make it right.  Build credibility with a direct approach.

Respond quickly. If you aren’t monitoring your social media channels for consumer feedback, get a plan to start.  The longer a complaint goes unaddressed, the more opportunity it has to adversely impact your brand.  By monitoring your online reputation, you demonstrate your desire to connect with consumers where they are, in order to deliver on your brand promise.

Learn from experience. When you receive negative feedback, view it as an opportunity.  You’ve essentially been given a second chance to win your customer!  Negative feedback also offers the opportunity for leaders to re-engage employees and discover what needs to happen in order to avoid repeating the problem.

Explain your solution. Everyone wants to feel heard and understood.  Show your customer you are listening by clearly stating how you will address their concern.  When you clearly communicate your intentions and deliver results, you will earn the respect of everyone watching and hopefully, win back your customer.

Move forward. Finally, move past the error and continue to monitor your brand and engage your customers online. Respond to both positive and negative feedback and thank individuals for their input. Remember, everyone makes mistakes; it’s all about how you handle them that shapes the image consumers have of your dealership.

Social Media News for the Week of July 27, 2015

New Facebook Video Tools for Businesses

This week Facebook delivered updates to make up for some of the limitations released earlier in the year. The new video library gives users a centralized location to store and organize videos.   Improved upload flow now offers users the ability to customize video distribution options in order to reach a more targeted audience. For automotive dealerships, this offers yet another opportunity to reach a specific audience when it comes to sharing straight-off-the-lot news and updates.

Facebook Secret Videos

Users now have the added capability to add secret videos accessible only through a direct URL and aren’t searchable on Facebook. This is great for users who want to use Facebook to host videos to embed on third-party site, or share them with anyone who has the URL.  Direct your audience to a private video containing special offers or upcoming events without having to post it anywhere else on Facebook.

Facebook for Business Creative Spotlight

Facebook is busting out tools for business, and we love it!  The numbers don…your consumers are engaging your brand using their mobile phones more often than not, so video marketing is a tool every brand must leverage to stay competitive.  This week Facebook introduced a ‘best of’ showcase highlighting brands getting it right.  Check out Castrol’s cool Mustang video topping the list in the Automotive category this week. Dealerships looking for creative ways to engage consumers via video advertising stand to gain valuable knowledge from the monthly updates.

YouTube 360-Degree Video Ads

YouTube has taken video ads to the next level with their new 360-degree video ads. This feature offers companies a new way to engage consumers with a true video experience.  This feature is activated by dragging your mouse or moving your phone in order to shift the point of view.  The 360-degree feature offers a different experience with every movement. Available in Chrome or on Android and iOS, this capability promises to deliver an unparalleled user experience. Imagine being able to give showroom shoppers the power to pan through a complete 360-degree view of the spotlight inventory you’re showing off in your video!

SlideShare Improvements for Lead Generation

Dealerships may not have considered SlideShare for lead generation, but now might be the time for you to take advantage of SlideShare’s 70 million unique visitors per month.  Slide Share hosts visual content, including videos and with SlideShare’s LinkedIn integration, a business profile may be one more way to connect with existing and potential customers.  SlideShare can serve as a host for articles featuring your dealership in local publications, presentations and more, and delivers SEO value as an added benefit.  Check out SlideShare and create targeted content for your audience. Business plans allow you the option to gather lead generation information before consumers view or download your content, providing one more way for you to deliver a positive customer experience.

Instagram Search on the Web

Recently, Instagram began offering internet users the capability to search on the web for people, places, and hashtags. It had previously added this feature to its smartphone app and is now offering it as a function for every platform.  Read our previous article on using hashtags to grow your brand and let hashtags fuel your dealership’s search engine results.

Tip of the Week—Responding to Complaints on Social Media

If you own a business, it’s only a matter of time before you read the first complaint about your brand on social media.  Social media call-outs are different than in-store complaints for one major reason: they have a much broader reach. So when it happens, and it will, here’s what to do to ensure your dealership earns social street cred:

Face the feedback head-on. Whatever you do, don’t ignore the complaint. Consumers appreciate being heard, and this is your moment to demonstrate you care.  Be authentic.  Apologize if you are wrong and offer to make it right.  Build credibility with a direct approach.

Respond quickly. If you aren’t monitoring your social media channels for consumer feedback, get a plan to start.  The longer a complaint goes unaddressed, the more opportunity it has to adversely impact your brand.  By monitoring your online reputation, you demonstrate your desire to connect with consumers where they are, in order to deliver on your brand promise.

Learn from experience. When you receive negative feedback, view it as an opportunity.  You’ve essentially been given a second chance to win your customer!  Negative feedback also offers the opportunity for leaders to re-engage employees and discover what needs to happen in order to avoid repeating the problem.

Explain your solution. Everyone wants to feel heard and understood.  Show your customer you are listening by clearly stating how you will address their concern.  When you clearly communicate your intentions and deliver results, you will earn the respect of everyone watching and hopefully, win back your customer.

Move forward. Finally, move past the error and continue to monitor your brand and engage your customers online. Respond to both positive and negative feedback and thank individuals for their input. Remember, everyone makes mistakes; it’s all about how you handle them that shapes the image consumers have of your dealership.