Epic Ways to Tell Your Brand Story

Storytelling is what sets your brand apart when it comes to communicating to your consumers what you’re really all about. Anyone can tell people what they do.  And anyone can tell shoppers what they sell.  The secret lies in telling your brand story—who you are, why you are, what you are—in a way that resonates and makes it all meaningful to consumers.  The WAY youtell your story will stick with people and determine the success of your business.  It’s up to you, and it’s all about the story youtell.

There is a Native American proverb that states, “Those who tell the stories rule the world.”  This rings true in business, especially as the marketplace becomes more crowded with businesses struggling to be seen by consumers.  Consider the likelihood that in many businesses or dealerships, the products and services being served up to the public are much thesame as those being offered by competitors, and if all else is equal, what is to make a business stand apart?

Stories define your dealership.

Stories form the backbone of all you are offering consumers as a collection of products, services, and capabilities; and bestof all the stories that are part of your dealership are unique to you.  By weaving together a picture of ideas and experiences,you are creating a meaningful relationship with customers that will help to form a bond built on loyalty and trust.  Rather than simply selling your wares, you are building a brand presence and gaining solid footing with customers who will find your business more credible and trustworthy because they feel a connection to you through your story. 

All that sounds great, but many may still be wondering how to go about the actual storytelling.  When you think about the factthat storytelling is a natural thing that has been around as long as we can remember, it helps to put things into perspectiveand make this whole “telling” and “resonating” thing sound a little more doable.  A story is the way a person (or business) chooses to tell about his or her journey, and it encompasses all the events and meaningful characters that have played a partalong the way.  Your story is what will compel shoppers to choose your dealership over the many others that are vying fortheir business. 

Storytelling has always been an intrinsic part of society.  It is the way we pass along information, remember history, and influence people—and when it comes to business, the art of storytelling is much the same.  When you consider how you willtell the story of your dealership, keep in mind the things you most want your customers to know.

Show them how you are unique.  What does your dealership do that is unique to make it stand out in the community?  Do yousupport local high school teams?  Do you regularly hold events like car-care clinics to help educate the public?  Are you activewith a local pet adoption program?  Share with your shoppers the things that make you a local original and be sure to inviteyour customers to join in when you sponsor events.  The best way to grow and be recognized is to continue to spread theword about the great things you are doing.  You aren’t like everyone else.  Your story is unique, so let it shine!

Use social media to broadcast your story. You probably don’t have too many customers who aren’t on social media, so if youwant your story to be heard, you’ll need to go where the people are.  Brush up your online skills, hone your brand voice, andtake to your online platform—because that’s where your audience is hanging out.  Start with Facebook and Twitter and besure to get visual.  Online audiences like pictures, videos, and infographics!

Inspire customers with your culture. When customers walk into a place of business that has a great culture, they know it. How?  They know it because they can feel it.  They are immediately greeted by engaged employees who are happy to be doing their jobs, and instead of walking into a dealership where everyone is simply going through the motions, they walk into a car-buying experience.  When the foundation of your dealership is a culture of excellence and engagement, it is evident to everyone who walks through the showroom doors.  This is part of your story, and it is told by the people who form the dealership culture every day.

Share your dealership’s history.  Is your dealership family-owned?  Does it come from a long line of proud, hard-working localmen and women?  Whatever the history of your dealership, be proud to share it with your customers.  They will find a bondwith the feeling of family and the reminder that you are a part of the hometown history they share. 

Offer to solve customer problems.  Customers appreciate it when you understand their frustrations.  You become a part oftheir story when you empathize and understand where they are coming from.  There aren’t many things as frustrating as car problems—from repairs to financing to maintenance—so when a dealership can step in and smooth the way, it is recognizedand appreciated.

Stand for something. What does your dealership stand for?  Does your maintenance department unequivocally offer the fastest tire rotations in town?  Then stand for that!  But if your dealership offers a customer experience that is out-of-this-world and amazing, then stand for that.  Whatever it is you stand for, make it known.  The thing you stand for should be woven into every part of your dealership; it is your story, so talk about it.

Tell it here, tell it there, tell it everywhere. Your story is something you are proud of; in fact everyone in your dealershipshould be proud of it.  It should be shared with everyone who sets foot in the dealership, and every employee should be encouraged to shout it from the mountaintops—or at least on Facebook and Twitter.  Your employees have a MUCH greater online reach than your dealership alone, so encourage them to spread your story and be proud of the dealership where theywork.  After all, it’s not just a dealership; it’s a story.

Listen to your customers’ stories.  From feedback to buyers’ angst to financing woes, whatever your customers are tellingyou is part of their story.  When your dealership becomes a good listener, it will help your bottom line.  You will be able tobetter receive and respond to feedback, both online and in person, and you will be able to react quickly to shopper needs and requests, allowing you to be a more responsive sales leader.  It’s a win-win when you become a great listener as well as agreat storyteller.

Remember, your brand is your story.  And in order for a story to be interesting and engaging, there are several elements to consider.  Don’t forget the details and don’t forget your brand’s personality.  Remember to surround your customers with the experiences and culture of your dealership, and you will be giving them a way to emotionally connect with your brand.  By infusing your brand with personality, you are refusing to get lost in the sea of dealerships and marketing messages that areout there today, and customers will recognize your dealership for the clearly-defined brand story it provides.  Be epic in your storytelling and be authentic; your dealership will thank you for it.

Epic Ways to Tell Your Brand Story

Storytelling is what sets your brand apart when it comes to communicating to your consumers what you’re really all about. Anyone can tell people what they do.  And anyone can tell shoppers what they sell.  The secret lies in telling your brand story—who you are, why you are, what you are—in a way that resonates and makes it all meaningful to consumers.  The WAY youtell your story will stick with people and determine the success of your business.  It’s up to you, and it’s all about the story youtell.

There is a Native American proverb that states, “Those who tell the stories rule the world.”  This rings true in business, especially as the marketplace becomes more crowded with businesses struggling to be seen by consumers.  Consider the likelihood that in many businesses or dealerships, the products and services being served up to the public are much thesame as those being offered by competitors, and if all else is equal, what is to make a business stand apart?

Stories define your dealership.

Stories form the backbone of all you are offering consumers as a collection of products, services, and capabilities; and bestof all the stories that are part of your dealership are unique to you.  By weaving together a picture of ideas and experiences,you are creating a meaningful relationship with customers that will help to form a bond built on loyalty and trust.  Rather than simply selling your wares, you are building a brand presence and gaining solid footing with customers who will find your business more credible and trustworthy because they feel a connection to you through your story. 

All that sounds great, but many may still be wondering how to go about the actual storytelling.  When you think about the factthat storytelling is a natural thing that has been around as long as we can remember, it helps to put things into perspectiveand make this whole “telling” and “resonating” thing sound a little more doable.  A story is the way a person (or business) chooses to tell about his or her journey, and it encompasses all the events and meaningful characters that have played a partalong the way.  Your story is what will compel shoppers to choose your dealership over the many others that are vying fortheir business. 

Storytelling has always been an intrinsic part of society.  It is the way we pass along information, remember history, and influence people—and when it comes to business, the art of storytelling is much the same.  When you consider how you willtell the story of your dealership, keep in mind the things you most want your customers to know.

Show them how you are unique.  What does your dealership do that is unique to make it stand out in the community?  Do yousupport local high school teams?  Do you regularly hold events like car-care clinics to help educate the public?  Are you activewith a local pet adoption program?  Share with your shoppers the things that make you a local original and be sure to inviteyour customers to join in when you sponsor events.  The best way to grow and be recognized is to continue to spread theword about the great things you are doing.  You aren’t like everyone else.  Your story is unique, so let it shine!

Use social media to broadcast your story. You probably don’t have too many customers who aren’t on social media, so if youwant your story to be heard, you’ll need to go where the people are.  Brush up your online skills, hone your brand voice, andtake to your online platform—because that’s where your audience is hanging out.  Start with Facebook and Twitter and besure to get visual.  Online audiences like pictures, videos, and infographics!

Inspire customers with your culture. When customers walk into a place of business that has a great culture, they know it. How?  They know it because they can feel it.  They are immediately greeted by engaged employees who are happy to be doing their jobs, and instead of walking into a dealership where everyone is simply going through the motions, they walk into a car-buying experience.  When the foundation of your dealership is a culture of excellence and engagement, it is evident to everyone who walks through the showroom doors.  This is part of your story, and it is told by the people who form the dealership culture every day.

Share your dealership’s history.  Is your dealership family-owned?  Does it come from a long line of proud, hard-working localmen and women?  Whatever the history of your dealership, be proud to share it with your customers.  They will find a bondwith the feeling of family and the reminder that you are a part of the hometown history they share. 

Offer to solve customer problems.  Customers appreciate it when you understand their frustrations.  You become a part oftheir story when you empathize and understand where they are coming from.  There aren’t many things as frustrating as car problems—from repairs to financing to maintenance—so when a dealership can step in and smooth the way, it is recognizedand appreciated.

Stand for something. What does your dealership stand for?  Does your maintenance department unequivocally offer the fastest tire rotations in town?  Then stand for that!  But if your dealership offers a customer experience that is out-of-this-world and amazing, then stand for that.  Whatever it is you stand for, make it known.  The thing you stand for should be woven into every part of your dealership; it is your story, so talk about it.

Tell it here, tell it there, tell it everywhere. Your story is something you are proud of; in fact everyone in your dealershipshould be proud of it.  It should be shared with everyone who sets foot in the dealership, and every employee should be encouraged to shout it from the mountaintops—or at least on Facebook and Twitter.  Your employees have a MUCH greater online reach than your dealership alone, so encourage them to spread your story and be proud of the dealership where theywork.  After all, it’s not just a dealership; it’s a story.

Listen to your customers’ stories.  From feedback to buyers’ angst to financing woes, whatever your customers are tellingyou is part of their story.  When your dealership becomes a good listener, it will help your bottom line.  You will be able tobetter receive and respond to feedback, both online and in person, and you will be able to react quickly to shopper needs and requests, allowing you to be a more responsive sales leader.  It’s a win-win when you become a great listener as well as agreat storyteller.

Remember, your brand is your story.  And in order for a story to be interesting and engaging, there are several elements to consider.  Don’t forget the details and don’t forget your brand’s personality.  Remember to surround your customers with the experiences and culture of your dealership, and you will be giving them a way to emotionally connect with your brand.  By infusing your brand with personality, you are refusing to get lost in the sea of dealerships and marketing messages that areout there today, and customers will recognize your dealership for the clearly-defined brand story it provides.  Be epic in your storytelling and be authentic; your dealership will thank you for it.

Putting Social Media to Work at Your Dealership

There are two opposing schools of thought regarding social media and business; some believe social media can boost your brand into orbit, while others are steadfast in their belief that no amount of social media interaction will have an effect on your success. After reading this article, you’ll not only know why this argument exists, but you’ll also finally get an answer to your questions about whether social media really can work to boost your brand.

The purpose of social media is to be social. It’s all about sharing and having conversations and interactions with a community of individuals who share your interests. When it comes to your business, social media’s purpose is much the same. Your goals are to interact with others, build a community, find potential leads, and grow awareness of your brand. When your dealership decides on a game plan for implementing social media as a marketing tool, it is important to remember that, although it is a powerful way to reach an exponentially higher number of consumers, it must be done correctly in order for it to be successful.

For Brands, There’s a Right Way and a Wrong Way

The varying opinions regarding the success of social media for brand growth stem from the fact that dealerships everywhere take different approaches toward using social media outlets. Some businesses dive into the social realm without a plan and continually post memes or selfies as their way of updating a page. Other dealerships feel it’s in their best interests to bombard consumers with pictures of inventory and updated sales specials. A few take the time to lay out a well-planned platform that consists of a social media calendar, professionally curated content that is interesting to their potential consumers, and interact frequently by engaging consumers on popular social media forums like Facebook and Twitter. Any guesses as to which method is most successful?

If you guessed the dealership that is actively planning and interacting with potential consumers is the most successful, you are correct. While it’s easy to throw content onto social media, true engagement with your consumers requires careful planning and reflection regarding what is really important to your audience. There is a right way to do social and a not-so-right way to do social, and those who are speaking out and saying it doesn’t work for dealerships are likely not doing social the right way.

Doing Social Right

Dealerships already know they have an uphill battle to climb when it comes to gaining and maintaining a pristine reputation in the eyes of their consumers. After all, we’ve seen the slick car commercials that run on TV, and we’ve all received the “winning” scratch-off ticket in our mailboxes that promises a brand-new car if we just visit the local lot, right? So upstanding businesses that are working to gain consumer trust have a hard battle ahead of them when it comes to convincing people of their authenticity. Social media can be the key to engaging shoppers and strengthening relationships if it’s done right. So what is right? Check out some tips to get you started:

• Connect with shoppers. The majority of shoppers do online research before going to a dealership, and since you are working to build your brand, you need to be where the shoppers are. Get in front of potential sales by being online where the customers are and provide content, feedback, and interaction that is relevant. This will position you as the expert and keep you top-of-mind with shoppers.

• Post great content. Post professionally curated, relevant content that grabs the attention of your consumers. By positioning yourself as a subject-matter expert, you will be seen as the dealership to go to when it’s time to buy.

• Build relationships. By making your online interactions about your customers and potential customers, rather than solely about products, you will build valuable business relationships. Instead of just talking toward your audience, be sure to engage them in online conversations and interact with them.

• Respond to feedback. Negative online feedback is unavoidable, but no matter the feedback your business gets, be sure to respond to it in a professional manner and offer practical solutions to help in every situation. Remember, everything online is visible by potential customers, and the way you react and respond affects your future business.

• Be consistent. Once you develop an online following, your posts will be expected. Be sure to provide content on a regular basis to keep people coming back for more.

• Use images, videos, and infographics. Today’s world moves quickly, and online users prefer posts that are clear and concise; images help to make a post quickly understandable and also entertaining. Posts with images get more interaction!

• Personality is important. Build your online profile; whether it’s on Facebook, Twitter, or the myriad other social sites you can choose from, be sure to let consumers know who you are, what your business stands for, and how they can contact you.

• Think culture and engagement. When you build a culture every employee is proud of, you’ll end up with a dealership full of engaged employees, and that means every employee will want to share things on social media. Encourage that and leverage the power of positive social word of mouth. Your employees are a valuable tool, and engaged employees will be excited to help grow the business.

• Authenticity is key. Remember to be yourself and reflect your brand when you reach out to customers via social media. You will be reminding your audience your dealership is unique, is present where they are shopping and researching, and is the expert in the subject matter they are researching.

It makes sense that people disagree regarding whether or not social media works for building business, because the truthful answer is actually complicated. Social media will do amazing things for your business…if it is done right. If it’s not done right, it will fall flat. Overloading consumers with content that isn’t relevant or that doesn’t resonate with their current needs will end up getting you unfriended faster than you can click the refresh button. However, if you take the time and plan content that truly speaks to consumer needs, and if you engage consumers with topics that interest them, the time you spend planning your social media marketing will be well spent. You will end up building your customer base, increasing loyalty, and positioning yourself as the expert in your area. Simply stated, social media works if it’s done right.

Putting Social Media to Work at Your Dealership

There are two opposing schools of thought regarding social media and business; some believe social media can boost your brand into orbit, while others are steadfast in their belief that no amount of social media interaction will have an effect on your success. After reading this article, you’ll not only know why this argument exists, but you’ll also finally get an answer to your questions about whether social media really can work to boost your brand.

The purpose of social media is to be social. It’s all about sharing and having conversations and interactions with a community of individuals who share your interests. When it comes to your business, social media’s purpose is much the same. Your goals are to interact with others, build a community, find potential leads, and grow awareness of your brand. When your dealership decides on a game plan for implementing social media as a marketing tool, it is important to remember that, although it is a powerful way to reach an exponentially higher number of consumers, it must be done correctly in order for it to be successful.

For Brands, There’s a Right Way and a Wrong Way

The varying opinions regarding the success of social media for brand growth stem from the fact that dealerships everywhere take different approaches toward using social media outlets. Some businesses dive into the social realm without a plan and continually post memes or selfies as their way of updating a page. Other dealerships feel it’s in their best interests to bombard consumers with pictures of inventory and updated sales specials. A few take the time to lay out a well-planned platform that consists of a social media calendar, professionally curated content that is interesting to their potential consumers, and interact frequently by engaging consumers on popular social media forums like Facebook and Twitter. Any guesses as to which method is most successful?

If you guessed the dealership that is actively planning and interacting with potential consumers is the most successful, you are correct. While it’s easy to throw content onto social media, true engagement with your consumers requires careful planning and reflection regarding what is really important to your audience. There is a right way to do social and a not-so-right way to do social, and those who are speaking out and saying it doesn’t work for dealerships are likely not doing social the right way.

Doing Social Right

Dealerships already know they have an uphill battle to climb when it comes to gaining and maintaining a pristine reputation in the eyes of their consumers. After all, we’ve seen the slick car commercials that run on TV, and we’ve all received the “winning” scratch-off ticket in our mailboxes that promises a brand-new car if we just visit the local lot, right? So upstanding businesses that are working to gain consumer trust have a hard battle ahead of them when it comes to convincing people of their authenticity. Social media can be the key to engaging shoppers and strengthening relationships if it’s done right. So what is right? Check out some tips to get you started:

• Connect with shoppers. The majority of shoppers do online research before going to a dealership, and since you are working to build your brand, you need to be where the shoppers are. Get in front of potential sales by being online where the customers are and provide content, feedback, and interaction that is relevant. This will position you as the expert and keep you top-of-mind with shoppers.

• Post great content. Post professionally curated, relevant content that grabs the attention of your consumers. By positioning yourself as a subject-matter expert, you will be seen as the dealership to go to when it’s time to buy.

• Build relationships. By making your online interactions about your customers and potential customers, rather than solely about products, you will build valuable business relationships. Instead of just talking toward your audience, be sure to engage them in online conversations and interact with them.

• Respond to feedback. Negative online feedback is unavoidable, but no matter the feedback your business gets, be sure to respond to it in a professional manner and offer practical solutions to help in every situation. Remember, everything online is visible by potential customers, and the way you react and respond affects your future business.

• Be consistent. Once you develop an online following, your posts will be expected. Be sure to provide content on a regular basis to keep people coming back for more.

• Use images, videos, and infographics. Today’s world moves quickly, and online users prefer posts that are clear and concise; images help to make a post quickly understandable and also entertaining. Posts with images get more interaction!

• Personality is important. Build your online profile; whether it’s on Facebook, Twitter, or the myriad other social sites you can choose from, be sure to let consumers know who you are, what your business stands for, and how they can contact you.

• Think culture and engagement. When you build a culture every employee is proud of, you’ll end up with a dealership full of engaged employees, and that means every employee will want to share things on social media. Encourage that and leverage the power of positive social word of mouth. Your employees are a valuable tool, and engaged employees will be excited to help grow the business.

• Authenticity is key. Remember to be yourself and reflect your brand when you reach out to customers via social media. You will be reminding your audience your dealership is unique, is present where they are shopping and researching, and is the expert in the subject matter they are researching.

It makes sense that people disagree regarding whether or not social media works for building business, because the truthful answer is actually complicated. Social media will do amazing things for your business…if it is done right. If it’s not done right, it will fall flat. Overloading consumers with content that isn’t relevant or that doesn’t resonate with their current needs will end up getting you unfriended faster than you can click the refresh button. However, if you take the time and plan content that truly speaks to consumer needs, and if you engage consumers with topics that interest them, the time you spend planning your social media marketing will be well spent. You will end up building your customer base, increasing loyalty, and positioning yourself as the expert in your area. Simply stated, social media works if it’s done right.

Consistency is Key: Branding with Purpose

Bruce Springsteen once said, “Sustaining an audience is hard. It demands a consistency of thought, of purpose, and of action over a long period of time.” Although he was referring to his journey to fame, his thoughts are very applicable to maintaininga consistent brand. Establishing brand consistency within a dealership is about more than just creating rules and setting the standards. Keeping a consistent brand image means you must uniformly brand yourself to your potential customers andcurrent, loyal buyers. Brand consistency significantly impacts your brand recognition and leading to more sales. There are two ways dealerships can demonstrate brand consistency—cultivating a social culture and delivering customer experience.

Social Culture Strategy

To achieve consistency, successful brands are careful to deliver messages that build familiarity. Whether it’s social media or a print ad, a strong brand will have a consistent look, feel and tone. The modern automotive dealership must begin branding from the inside out.  Focused efforts to cultivate a social culture and leverage the influence of employees begins with effectively communicating the core mission, vision and values of your brand.  Engaged leaders and their employees have the power to create a credible and authentic marketing channel.  A dealership culture of engaged employee advocates will reach a far broader audience than you could ever gain from paid advertising!  

Think of the brands who have gained your loyalty.  What kind of employees work for them?  Are they passionate about the brand and do they share what’s great about the brand they represent?  Brands like Southwest Airlines, Starbucks, Zappos and more place the highest value on creating a social culture and the proof is in the bottom line.

Although dealerships may not work exactly like the brands mentioned above, they can still improve the way they present themselves to customers by investing in their employees, offering tools for engaging with consumers at the top of the sales funnel and empowering them with consistent communication so they feel connected to the mission of your brand and excited to share it! Dealerships who want to stay competitive in the digital age must invest in the people they’ve charged with carrying out their growth strategies and goals.  It is no longer enough to buy a bigger ad or have cooler business cards.  Branding begins inside the dealership and from there it is carried forward by the people behind it.  

Customer Experience

Creating a consistently excellent customer experience is essential to a dealership’s success. In the automotive industry, consumers can find the same cars anywhere they search, but customer experience is what sets dealerships apart. Consistency on the customer journey is an important predictor of overall customer experience and loyalty. A customer journey spans all elements of a company and is most directly impacted by the level of employee engagement. To maintainconsistency, dealerships need tools and teams in place that allow them to quickly respond to customer needs and concerns.  Proper training ensures employees know their role in the customer experience, and the right tools provide them with effective strategies for stepping in when needed. When you have done the work of cultivating a social culture, every employee will know how, and have the tools to deliver a consistently excellent customer experience because they understand the values and mission guiding them.  Trust is gained or lost in every customer interaction, so empowering teams to meet customer needs is critical. When customers know what to expect, or better yet, know the people who work for a dealership, they will demonstrate loyalty. 

Customer experience is driven by the combination of promises made and promises kept by a dealership. Brands must deliver on the promised values of their brand in addition to the deals and promotions they advertise.  This will require a proactive strategy for sharing content that highlights the goals of the brand and the delivery of brand promises. 

Since a customer journey often touches different parts of the organization, companies need to rewire themselves and re-engage from the top down.  Everyone in your dealership must understand how they contribute, either positively or negatively, to the customer journey from beginning to end. Dealerships that miss the opportunity to invest in employees as step one on the customer journey department will undoubtedly expend unnecessary resources to improve the customer experience, without realizing the cost.

Creating brand-consistent customer experiences are critical to a dealership’s influence and bottom line success. Cultivating a social culture is the lynchpin for great customer service. When every lead is a referral, trust is easily established enabling your dealership to sustain continued growth.

Author is Kristin Huntley, Director of Content & Marketing for Motofuze powered by Fuzecast

Consistency is Key: Branding with Purpose

Bruce Springsteen once said, “Sustaining an audience is hard. It demands a consistency of thought, of purpose, and of action over a long period of time.” Although he was referring to his journey to fame, his thoughts are very applicable to maintaininga consistent brand. Establishing brand consistency within a dealership is about more than just creating rules and setting the standards. Keeping a consistent brand image means you must uniformly brand yourself to your potential customers andcurrent, loyal buyers. Brand consistency significantly impacts your brand recognition and leading to more sales. There are two ways dealerships can demonstrate brand consistency—cultivating a social culture and delivering customer experience.

Social Culture Strategy

To achieve consistency, successful brands are careful to deliver messages that build familiarity. Whether it’s social media or a print ad, a strong brand will have a consistent look, feel and tone. The modern automotive dealership must begin branding from the inside out.  Focused efforts to cultivate a social culture and leverage the influence of employees begins with effectively communicating the core mission, vision and values of your brand.  Engaged leaders and their employees have the power to create a credible and authentic marketing channel.  A dealership culture of engaged employee advocates will reach a far broader audience than you could ever gain from paid advertising!  

Think of the brands who have gained your loyalty.  What kind of employees work for them?  Are they passionate about the brand and do they share what’s great about the brand they represent?  Brands like Southwest Airlines, Starbucks, Zappos and more place the highest value on creating a social culture and the proof is in the bottom line.

Although dealerships may not work exactly like the brands mentioned above, they can still improve the way they present themselves to customers by investing in their employees, offering tools for engaging with consumers at the top of the sales funnel and empowering them with consistent communication so they feel connected to the mission of your brand and excited to share it! Dealerships who want to stay competitive in the digital age must invest in the people they’ve charged with carrying out their growth strategies and goals.  It is no longer enough to buy a bigger ad or have cooler business cards.  Branding begins inside the dealership and from there it is carried forward by the people behind it.  

Customer Experience

Creating a consistently excellent customer experience is essential to a dealership’s success. In the automotive industry, consumers can find the same cars anywhere they search, but customer experience is what sets dealerships apart. Consistency on the customer journey is an important predictor of overall customer experience and loyalty. A customer journey spans all elements of a company and is most directly impacted by the level of employee engagement. To maintainconsistency, dealerships need tools and teams in place that allow them to quickly respond to customer needs and concerns.  Proper training ensures employees know their role in the customer experience, and the right tools provide them with effective strategies for stepping in when needed. When you have done the work of cultivating a social culture, every employee will know how, and have the tools to deliver a consistently excellent customer experience because they understand the values and mission guiding them.  Trust is gained or lost in every customer interaction, so empowering teams to meet customer needs is critical. When customers know what to expect, or better yet, know the people who work for a dealership, they will demonstrate loyalty. 

Customer experience is driven by the combination of promises made and promises kept by a dealership. Brands must deliver on the promised values of their brand in addition to the deals and promotions they advertise.  This will require a proactive strategy for sharing content that highlights the goals of the brand and the delivery of brand promises. 

Since a customer journey often touches different parts of the organization, companies need to rewire themselves and re-engage from the top down.  Everyone in your dealership must understand how they contribute, either positively or negatively, to the customer journey from beginning to end. Dealerships that miss the opportunity to invest in employees as step one on the customer journey department will undoubtedly expend unnecessary resources to improve the customer experience, without realizing the cost.

Creating brand-consistent customer experiences are critical to a dealership’s influence and bottom line success. Cultivating a social culture is the lynchpin for great customer service. When every lead is a referral, trust is easily established enabling your dealership to sustain continued growth.

Author is Kristin Huntley, Director of Content & Marketing for Motofuze powered by Fuzecast

Take Back Your Brand: How Your Service Department Can Tell a Great Brand Story

As the automotive industry continues to evolve and look toward the future, it is clear that service departments are an integral piece of every dealership’s overall success. For varying reasons, consumers are looking to dealerships to provide outstanding service, both during the upfront sale of a vehicle and throughout its life on the road. While it is comforting to know the service department is on hand during the purchase of a new vehicle, it is imperative a dealership have knowledgeable professionals available to help maintain, repair, and service vehicles throughout their life cycle.

Take Back Your Brand: Deliver a Service Story Worth Sharing!

Few things are more frustrating than the inconvenience of a car breaking down—except possibly realizing that your go-to repair shop is either booked solid, closed when you need them, or unable to help with the problem at hand. Customers in today’s rushed society look for and appreciate dealerships that have outstanding parts and service shops that can keep up with their needs. In order to make the grade, not only will your dealership have to be top-notch, but your service shop will need to demonstrate the following qualities to attract and bring back customers:

Make a good first impression. Ensure that a friendly professional greets customers quickly and by name. After getting details regarding the nature of their visit, give accurate details regarding the time required for service or repairs. Customers who know exactly what to expect feel secure about the service choice they have made.

Over-the-top customer service is a must. Of course your professionals are knowledgeable, but today’s consumers demand even more than that; they want personable service with a smile. They are looking for friendliness and great communication, things that will continue to drive growth for your dealership by making customers happy and bringing them back for more.

All-around vehicle knowledge instills customer confidence. The professionals in your service department should leave no doubt in customers’ minds that they are competent and capable of completing the service requested. Ensure staff members continually update training and certifications and encourage them to clearly communicate technical information to customers to instill a higher level of confidence.

Guarantee your work. Consumers feel more confident they are receiving quality service when shops guarantee the work being done. Be sure to include all important information with the guarantee, for example whether or not the guarantee is prorated and whether or not the guarantee is transferable if the vehicle is sold.

The little things matter. A clean, neat service department that offers a comfortable waiting area with customer amenities is likely to earn loyalty from patrons. Consider offering fresh coffee, updated magazines, and plenty of seating to make waiting customers more comfortable.

Service Makes or Breaks a Brand

The importance of a top-notch service department is critical to your dealership in order to thrive in today’s economy. Currently, the average vehicle age is 11 years old, and shopping trends don’t show this changing dramatically anytime soon. Couple this with the fact that certain manufacturer warranties are becoming shorter, and we are left with consumers who are shopping for the best service providers in order to keep their vehicles maintained and drivable for the longest possible periods.

Additionally, a recent trend among car buyers is the long-term car loan, with close to a third of loans stretching to 74 months and longer. Used as a way to get consumers into a more expensive car at lower payments, these longer-length loans produce even more buyers who will hold onto vehicles longer—another reason to offer top-notch service and repairs at the dealership.

Much the same as on the car lot or closing a car deal, shoppers want to get in and out when repairs are needed. Looking for an immediate-gratification experience doesn’t change with the setting, and today’s consumers continuously seek efficiency combined with competency. By providing legendary customer service combined with transparency, fair prices, and high-quality professional knowledge, you can guarantee a growing customer base. The future of dealerships lies with the quality and performance of service departments, as they will drive the repeat business, customer loyalty, and revenue that comes with providing service throughout the life of a vehicle. A successful service department that is committed to retaining customers and expanding new business is essential to the overall success of the dealership.

Take Back Your Brand: How Your Service Department Can Tell a Great Brand Story

As the automotive industry continues to evolve and look toward the future, it is clear that service departments are an integral piece of every dealership’s overall success. For varying reasons, consumers are looking to dealerships to provide outstanding service, both during the upfront sale of a vehicle and throughout its life on the road. While it is comforting to know the service department is on hand during the purchase of a new vehicle, it is imperative a dealership have knowledgeable professionals available to help maintain, repair, and service vehicles throughout their life cycle.

Take Back Your Brand: Deliver a Service Story Worth Sharing!

Few things are more frustrating than the inconvenience of a car breaking down—except possibly realizing that your go-to repair shop is either booked solid, closed when you need them, or unable to help with the problem at hand. Customers in today’s rushed society look for and appreciate dealerships that have outstanding parts and service shops that can keep up with their needs. In order to make the grade, not only will your dealership have to be top-notch, but your service shop will need to demonstrate the following qualities to attract and bring back customers:

Make a good first impression. Ensure that a friendly professional greets customers quickly and by name. After getting details regarding the nature of their visit, give accurate details regarding the time required for service or repairs. Customers who know exactly what to expect feel secure about the service choice they have made.

Over-the-top customer service is a must. Of course your professionals are knowledgeable, but today’s consumers demand even more than that; they want personable service with a smile. They are looking for friendliness and great communication, things that will continue to drive growth for your dealership by making customers happy and bringing them back for more.

All-around vehicle knowledge instills customer confidence. The professionals in your service department should leave no doubt in customers’ minds that they are competent and capable of completing the service requested. Ensure staff members continually update training and certifications and encourage them to clearly communicate technical information to customers to instill a higher level of confidence.

Guarantee your work. Consumers feel more confident they are receiving quality service when shops guarantee the work being done. Be sure to include all important information with the guarantee, for example whether or not the guarantee is prorated and whether or not the guarantee is transferable if the vehicle is sold.

The little things matter. A clean, neat service department that offers a comfortable waiting area with customer amenities is likely to earn loyalty from patrons. Consider offering fresh coffee, updated magazines, and plenty of seating to make waiting customers more comfortable.

Service Makes or Breaks a Brand

The importance of a top-notch service department is critical to your dealership in order to thrive in today’s economy. Currently, the average vehicle age is 11 years old, and shopping trends don’t show this changing dramatically anytime soon. Couple this with the fact that certain manufacturer warranties are becoming shorter, and we are left with consumers who are shopping for the best service providers in order to keep their vehicles maintained and drivable for the longest possible periods.

Additionally, a recent trend among car buyers is the long-term car loan, with close to a third of loans stretching to 74 months and longer. Used as a way to get consumers into a more expensive car at lower payments, these longer-length loans produce even more buyers who will hold onto vehicles longer—another reason to offer top-notch service and repairs at the dealership.

Much the same as on the car lot or closing a car deal, shoppers want to get in and out when repairs are needed. Looking for an immediate-gratification experience doesn’t change with the setting, and today’s consumers continuously seek efficiency combined with competency. By providing legendary customer service combined with transparency, fair prices, and high-quality professional knowledge, you can guarantee a growing customer base. The future of dealerships lies with the quality and performance of service departments, as they will drive the repeat business, customer loyalty, and revenue that comes with providing service throughout the life of a vehicle. A successful service department that is committed to retaining customers and expanding new business is essential to the overall success of the dealership.

Most dealers know by now how important it is to have a social media presence to develop and build relationships with current and potential customers. Some dealers know that Facebook has made it difficult for dealer content to be seen by the majority of their Facebook fans without paying to promote posts and advertise. In fact, according to a recent study by KISSMetrics, only about 4.5 percent of a page’s fans will see the content that gets posted organically. 

While it’s important to constantly get engaging content out, it’s pretty much pointless if no one is going to see it. However, there is a simple way to increase that reach to nearly 40 percent without having to pay for it. That secret is your employee advocates.

Employee advocates are your employees who actively engage with and share your content to their networks. You may even already have some promoting your content; just look to see who is engaging with and sharing your content. The more engagement your page gets, the more exposure it will receive and the further your reach will be.

Employees, especially salespeople, serve as the voice of your business. They should be informed of what’s going on and share that with their network. And it’s not just about selling; this is also a great way to get your fans engaged in your community involvement.

Additionally, people will trust what their friends have to say about a company over what a company presents itself to be, so by having your employees vouch for your company, you become more credible to their network of friends.

An example of the power of employee advocates is Gary Crossley Ford in Liberty, Missouri. They partnered with the Midwest Animal ResQ for an adoption event in December. Through engaging Facebook posts and the power of employees sharing the content, Gary Crossley Ford was able to pull off an extremely successful event that was even written up in an article in the Kansas City Star. That’s exactly the kind of exposure that helps develop relationships with Facebook fans — they love to hear what dealers are doing for the local community.

So how do you get your employees to serve as advocates for your company? The first step is making sure all of your employees “like” your Facebook page and list your dealership as their place of employment. Your employees should be proud to openly say on social networks that they work for you. To get an idea of how many of your employees show that they work at your business, just search for “people who work at” followed by your company name in Facebook open graph search bar and view the people listed. You may be surprised how few show up. If that’s the case, it might be a good time to find out why.

Some simply may not know they can list that information. Others may be worried that liking your page will give you access to their personal page — it won’t; you will only see what their privacy settings allow. Getting them involved in your social strategy will increase their feeling of involvement and get them more excited to help spread the word about what’s going on.

Most dealers know by now how important it is to have a social media presence to develop and build relationships with current and potential customers. Some dealers know that Facebook has made it difficult for dealer content to be seen by the majority of their Facebook fans without paying to promote posts and advertise. In fact, according to a recent study by KISSMetrics, only about 4.5 percent of a page’s fans will see the content that gets posted organically. 

While it’s important to constantly get engaging content out, it’s pretty much pointless if no one is going to see it. However, there is a simple way to increase that reach to nearly 40 percent without having to pay for it. That secret is your employee advocates.

Employee advocates are your employees who actively engage with and share your content to their networks. You may even already have some promoting your content; just look to see who is engaging with and sharing your content. The more engagement your page gets, the more exposure it will receive and the further your reach will be.

Employees, especially salespeople, serve as the voice of your business. They should be informed of what’s going on and share that with their network. And it’s not just about selling; this is also a great way to get your fans engaged in your community involvement.

Additionally, people will trust what their friends have to say about a company over what a company presents itself to be, so by having your employees vouch for your company, you become more credible to their network of friends.

An example of the power of employee advocates is Gary Crossley Ford in Liberty, Missouri. They partnered with the Midwest Animal ResQ for an adoption event in December. Through engaging Facebook posts and the power of employees sharing the content, Gary Crossley Ford was able to pull off an extremely successful event that was even written up in an article in the Kansas City Star. That’s exactly the kind of exposure that helps develop relationships with Facebook fans — they love to hear what dealers are doing for the local community.

So how do you get your employees to serve as advocates for your company? The first step is making sure all of your employees “like” your Facebook page and list your dealership as their place of employment. Your employees should be proud to openly say on social networks that they work for you. To get an idea of how many of your employees show that they work at your business, just search for “people who work at” followed by your company name in Facebook open graph search bar and view the people listed. You may be surprised how few show up. If that’s the case, it might be a good time to find out why.

Some simply may not know they can list that information. Others may be worried that liking your page will give you access to their personal page — it won’t; you will only see what their privacy settings allow. Getting them involved in your social strategy will increase their feeling of involvement and get them more excited to help spread the word about what’s going on.