Motofuze
Growing Trend: Web Based Software
If you are still using server-based software at your automotive dealership, then you are way behind. Right now the growing trend in software is web-based software. There are many advantages to web-based software. It is easier, safer and more accessible than traditional server-based software.
To begin with, you don’t have to install any CDs, download any software or worry about upgrades. There is no need for an IT person because you don’t have to worry about technical difficulties. All of that is handled by the software provider. All you need to focus on is your work!
Also, web-based software is more secure than traditional software for several reasons. First of all, with traditional software employees often have to save things to their laptops, USB drives or portable hard drives. These items may get stolen. With web-based software everything can be saved on the secured website, preventing any hacking of information. Another reason that web-based software is safer is that many personal computers are not updated with the latest security packages. The web-based software is always updated. Finally, with server-based software, information has to be backed up. When it’s on the web, it stays there - without the need to be backed up.
Finally, web-based software is more accessible. Since it is on the web, it can be accessed from any computer. That means if you are out of town, you can still access it from your personal computer. That way you can always tap into your dealership’s inventory, sales or individual salesperson’s daily tasks from any location, anytime.
Another feature your web-based software should have is the ability to pull up the software on your mobile phone. Most web-based software today has a mobile URL so that users can open it on their Smartphones. This comes in handy when you are working on the sales floor and a customer asks you if you have something in stock. Instead of going back to the computer, you can just pick up your mobile phone and check.
Remember, the easier the software, the more you can focus on your job of selling.
Motofuze
Have you ever tried to buy one of your own cars?
I know that trying to buy one of your own cars sounds like a huge waste of time, but you just might learn something about your dealership and its buying process. You may find that you have some ridiculous policies that only make the process slow and tedious. Or, maybe you find out that it asks you for your driver's license information three separate times - wasting the customer's time and, in the long run, pushing the customer away from your dealership.
There are many things to be learned from this simple task. To go even further on this, try submitting an Internet lead to yourself. Again, you may learn that you're directing calls to the wrong receptionist. All these things will only discourage your customers from coming back to your store. The customer expects you to spoon feed them - so the first sign of something going wrong, they tend to freak out.
The best thing is to just make sure that everything runs as smoothly as possible. This ensures that the customer is very comfortable and enjoys the buying process. So, please give this best practice a try and see if it doesn't teach you something about your store and its buying process.
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Motofuze
Create an Emotional Connection with your Community through Twitter
Last Wednesday a marketing employee from New Media Strategies, Chrysler’s former marketing company, mistook the Chrysler Twitter account for his personal account and posted on the Chrysler Twitter page, ““I find it ironic that Detroit is known as the #motorcity and yet no one here knows how to drive.” Between “to” and “drive” was an unfortunate word. The impact was felt immediately when followers began to retweet the post. Chrysler quickly responded by posting “Our apologies-our account was compromised earlier today. We are taking steps to resolve it.” The automotive giant also followed up their quick Twitter response with the firing of the employee and the nonrenewal of their contract with the social media agency responsible. Chrysler will work with the agency, New Media Strategies, in the transitional period until they name a new agency.
If you’ve been keeping up with the latest in marketing strategies then you already know that joining the social media world is a must. However, to avoid backlash, knowledge of Twitter and information on how to make this site work for you is crucial.
Among the various social media sites, Twitter ranks among the top. Twitter is a website which offers social networking and microblogging services. This is done by posting "tweets,” which are text-based posts up to 140 characters in length that you post to your profile. Others can view them publically. As a user, you can subscribe to other users' tweets. This is known as "following.” If you are following somebody, their posts appear on your page. When others subscribe to your tweets, they are following you. When used properly, this social networking and microblogging service can make your business boom. Take care to double check your tweets before posting. Read below for some more tips on how to make Twitter work for your automotive dealership.
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1.) Be part of the local conversation. Follow your local sports teams: high school, college, semi-pro and pro. Retweet local sports news. This will keep your business’s name in the heart of local sports lovers. They will be more likely to recall the name of your dealership when they are considering a new car. Also, keep up with your local news sources: print, radio and television. Retweet major local news stories to gain a maximum number of followers. Another way to stay alert on the local pop culture is to follow a local celebrity, such as an athlete. Retweet what they post. Also, to instantly connect with followers, spread the word about local philanthropic events, such as fundraisers. By promoting local events like these, you can get more involved in the community and give back. The more your posts emotionally connect with your audience, the more fans will love and follow you.
2.) Build a reputation. Use Twitter to brag about your business. What new cars are available? Are there any promotions going on? Get the word out and see what people have to say. You can search Twitter by keyword, so you can track comments made by others about your dealership(s).
3.) Offer support. Wonder what problems people have had with your dealership? Like many other social media sites, Twitter can be used to track complaints by keyword searching your dealership. Then, you can use Twitter as a public forum to answer the complaint, thereby eliminating bad press.
4.) Offer information. Engage users by offering useful car-related information like, for example, how to change the oil in a particular car. Information providing gives followers an incentive to pay attention to what you post. Remember, the more followers, the more your name is out there.
5.) Follow your followers. Follow everybody who follows you. Look for opportunities to connect with your followers by paying attention to what they are saying. Retweet their posts, make related posts and connect!
Twitter is a free and fast way to market your auto dealership by being a part of mainstream conversation. Now that you know how to make Twitter your new marketing tool, you can proceed. Remember: the more followers, the more press on your dealership, so tweet away and see what happens! But take care to double check your posts before posting them.
Glossary of Twitter Terms:
@
The @ symbol is a way of addressing another Twitter user. For example, @SamSmith means you're either sending a message to Sam Smith or you're talking about him in your message. On your Twitter home page, you'll find a linked search where you can see people mentioning your username with an @ before it. This is how you find other people's replies to you.
Direct Message
Whereas replies are completely public, a direct message is a private message that you send through a discussion board. You can only send a direct message to someone who is following your account. Send a direct message by prefacing your tweet with "DM username."
Follower
While Facebook requires that all relationships be reciprocal, Twitter allows for one-way relationships. If you find Twitter users who are interesting, you can "follow them" by subscribing to their tweets. They do not necessarily have to follow you back, though hopefully most will.
Hash Tags or #
Hash tags are words or acronyms that begin with the number sign. They are used to group conversations where people are tweeting about the same topic. The number sign groups the comments together so that users can see what other people are posting about the same topic. For example, if I wanted to start a hashtag about VinSolutions, I could post a comment preceded by #vinsolutions. If anybody wanted to add to the conversation, they would write something like “#vinsolutons - their products are great.”
Reply
Reply is when you respond to a tweet from a certain user. To reply to any given Twitter community member where it's placed in the public feed (everyone can see what you are saying) is called a Reply. Most Twitter clients (and Twitter itself) preface their tweets with "@username." If you wanted to send a message to me, for example, you would tweet, "@SamSmith How are you today, Sam?"
Retweet
A retweet - or RT - is when you share the tweet of another user with all of your Twitter followers. If you are following a Twitter news feed and they post a link to a story that you feel should be shared, you can "retweet" it. If you see a quote or a funny saying that you like, you can also retweet it. For instance, if I (Sam Smith) tweeted, "VinSolutions products http://www.vinsolutions.com,” you could retweet it as “RT@SamSmith: VinSolutions products http://www.vinsolutions.com.” Retweeting is a great way to gain followers and to also give credit to other users for their tweets. Don’t copy other people’s tweets and try to pass them off as your own. Give credit where credit is due.
Tweeps
These are Twitter people who follow each other from one social media/network to another.
Tweet
This is the term for each of your posts on Twitter.
Twitterverse
This is the term used to describe the Twitter Universe.
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