We buy from brands when they align with our values and share our perspectives. We’re much more inclined to buy when we have a relationship with the seller, whether it’s the corner bike shop, local car dealer or an enterprise brand.  It’s simple: if we’ve had a good experience with them before or through their marketing, we feel they’re someone we “like” and we buy from them.  This alignment is what drives the Social customer and dealers should capitalize on it immediately.

Huffington Post Tech Blogger Bianca Bosker published a post recently saying, “We buy from brands, we don’t befriend them!”.  For dealers and their community managers, the “befriending” is a social way of communicating what’s unique about the store so that potential customers will find a connection with them.  With today’s Social customer, the “buy” only happens after that connection is established.  We buy from brands only after we “befriend” them!

Some may argue this point but when the GoDaddy CEO shot and killed the elephant last year just for sport, it changed my mind forever about where I register my domains.  When a local restaurant reached out to me to see how my meal was just because I checked-in on Foursquare, I was impressed and I’ll think of them next time I want vegetarian.  So whether we’re aware of it or not, we do make choices about the brands we buy from based on who they are.

The big announcements last week from Facebook are game-changers for dealers.  Facebook focused mainly on the big brands in their presentations that day.  I’m not so convinced that big brands who market to me are doing it to develop a relationship.  (Sorry, huge corporation, you just aren’t there for me when I need a friend).  The value for dealers and other small businesses is that Facebook is the ideal medium to “befriend”– to let your fans get to know the real you.  Post engaging content and interact with your fans, just like in real life, and people will want to connect with you on a personal level.

Facebook is the perfect platform for dealers to deliver info about who they are and why they do what they do.

This is the value of content marketing and the level and ease of our connectedness has never been greater.  Dealers can truly make their Facebook page reflect what’s happening in their real-life community.  Once someone likes your page, they’ve given you permission to market to them!  They’ve “opted-in” to see what you’re all about.  It’s a longer process than the “advertise/sell” routine that some stores are still trying to make work for them.

Social Media has changed the way people buy.

They fast-forward through commercials but they give brands a chance to earn the right to market to them.  You can’t retreat and go back to the fort.  You can only go forward.  Attract, Engage, Convert, Engage.  You can’t be short-sighted about it.  There is no quick sale anymore.  Customers are shopping and researching and deciding way before they contact you.  Social Media allows you to be part of that conversation, to provide great information that brings your store attention and compels the customer to think of you first!

I’ve mentioned ’70′s car dealer Cal Worthington here on this blog many times and once again, I have to point out his genius.  His commercials said, “Come see me first! Don’t drive around using your own gas. I’ll give you 10 gallons of gas, just see me first!”.  He broadcasted his message on TV (the go-to media of that time) and stayed connected.  Check out his commercial here.

Today is no different: posting and sharing valuable, interesting content is today’s 10 gallons of gas.  When it’s time to buy, you’ve stayed in constant contact (just like Cal did) through Social Media and your marketing messages resonate with your audience.  They will see you first!

Your turn: What content have you been sharing that’s causing buyers to see you first?

Kathi Kruse
Social Media Coaching & Training
www.krusecontrolinc.com
 

We buy from brands when they align with our values and share our perspectives. We’re much more inclined to buy when we have a relationship with the seller, whether it’s the corner bike shop, local car dealer or an enterprise brand.  It’s simple: if we’ve had a good experience with them before or through their marketing, we feel they’re someone we “like” and we buy from them.  This alignment is what drives the Social customer and dealers should capitalize on it immediately.

Huffington Post Tech Blogger Bianca Bosker published a post recently saying, “We buy from brands, we don’t befriend them!”.  For dealers and their community managers, the “befriending” is a social way of communicating what’s unique about the store so that potential customers will find a connection with them.  With today’s Social customer, the “buy” only happens after that connection is established.  We buy from brands only after we “befriend” them!

Some may argue this point but when the GoDaddy CEO shot and killed the elephant last year just for sport, it changed my mind forever about where I register my domains.  When a local restaurant reached out to me to see how my meal was just because I checked-in on Foursquare, I was impressed and I’ll think of them next time I want vegetarian.  So whether we’re aware of it or not, we do make choices about the brands we buy from based on who they are.

The big announcements last week from Facebook are game-changers for dealers.  Facebook focused mainly on the big brands in their presentations that day.  I’m not so convinced that big brands who market to me are doing it to develop a relationship.  (Sorry, huge corporation, you just aren’t there for me when I need a friend).  The value for dealers and other small businesses is that Facebook is the ideal medium to “befriend”– to let your fans get to know the real you.  Post engaging content and interact with your fans, just like in real life, and people will want to connect with you on a personal level.

Facebook is the perfect platform for dealers to deliver info about who they are and why they do what they do.

This is the value of content marketing and the level and ease of our connectedness has never been greater.  Dealers can truly make their Facebook page reflect what’s happening in their real-life community.  Once someone likes your page, they’ve given you permission to market to them!  They’ve “opted-in” to see what you’re all about.  It’s a longer process than the “advertise/sell” routine that some stores are still trying to make work for them.

Social Media has changed the way people buy.

They fast-forward through commercials but they give brands a chance to earn the right to market to them.  You can’t retreat and go back to the fort.  You can only go forward.  Attract, Engage, Convert, Engage.  You can’t be short-sighted about it.  There is no quick sale anymore.  Customers are shopping and researching and deciding way before they contact you.  Social Media allows you to be part of that conversation, to provide great information that brings your store attention and compels the customer to think of you first!

I’ve mentioned ’70′s car dealer Cal Worthington here on this blog many times and once again, I have to point out his genius.  His commercials said, “Come see me first! Don’t drive around using your own gas. I’ll give you 10 gallons of gas, just see me first!”.  He broadcasted his message on TV (the go-to media of that time) and stayed connected.  Check out his commercial here.

Today is no different: posting and sharing valuable, interesting content is today’s 10 gallons of gas.  When it’s time to buy, you’ve stayed in constant contact (just like Cal did) through Social Media and your marketing messages resonate with your audience.  They will see you first!

Your turn: What content have you been sharing that’s causing buyers to see you first?

Kathi Kruse
Social Media Coaching & Training
www.krusecontrolinc.com
 

“Change before you have to.” ~Jack Welch

What a day it was.  I was having a nice Wednesday morning: clearing email, writing my next blog post and getting ready for the Facebook Marketing Conference in NYC.  I set up Livestream and within moments I realized I was “not in Kansas anymore”.

To say these changes to Facebook Business Pages are monumental is an understatement.  Whether you felt it or not, there was a Facebook “off the Richter Scale” earthquake yesterday and it means life as we know it has changed forever.

One main theme rose above all else for me during the conference: engagement is what drives Facebook success and awesome content is how you do that.  Before I make my point however, here are some of the highlights that are key to dealers and their community managers:

1. Timeline for Pages deadline is March 30th. You can preview and publish now if you want to but you’ll need to work out your Page’s marketing strategy before you do that. Read on.
2. Cover Photo. This new image located at the top of the Timeline offers you a great chance to include some strong, creative branding on your page. However, your new Cover cannot contain:
•    Price or purchase information, such as “40% off” or “Download at our website”.
•    Contact information such as web address, email, mailing address or other information intended for your Page’s About section.
•    References to user interface elements, such as Like or Share, or any other Facebook site features.
•    Calls to action, such as “Get it now” or “Tell your friends”.
(See, I told you it was rocking our world!)
3. Death of the Landing Page. For years now I’ve been preaching about greeting your visitors right with a Welcome Page. Good News! Those of you who didn’t do it are off the hook. Bad News? In the past you could set a landing tab for your page (Welcome page, Fan Gate) to attract attention, grow the fan base and collect contact info (leads) for follow up. Well, you can forget that now because there is no such thing as a landing tab anymore.
4. Premium on Facebook. This new ad offering includes the Reach Generator tool that enables you to select your most engaging Page posts to be featured as a premium ad. You also get Offers, a new way to advertise your specials. Premium allows you to distribute the ad 4 ways: 1) the Facebook homepage to the right of the News Feed, 2) in the News Feed on desktop, 3) in the News Feed on mobile, and 4) in the logged-off experience.  Facebook says it could maximize reach to 75% of your fans and double engagement. We’ll see.
5. Real-Time Insights. You can now access data and metrics for engagement on your Page in real-time. This gives you the ability to quickly supplement a campaign with paid media or additional posts to capitalize on post performance and maximize audience reach.
6. Pinned Posts. You’ll be able to “pin” a post to the top of the timeline which is a great way to spotlight important marketing content and drive awareness and engagement with any people visiting the Page. A pinned post can stay pinned for up to seven days.

There are a lot more changes, enhancements and new features so be sure to stay informed.

Content marketing is now your most important tool in Facebook marketing. With the loss of landing tabs, you’re going to be forced to consistently supply your fans with quality content.  If you’re a regular reader of this blog (of course you are!), you know that I talk a lot about creating internal processes inside the store to foster awareness with your customer.  Now more than ever, you’ll need the content collaboration and contributions from your employees.  They are on the front lines talking with your customer. They are your insurance policy on engagement.

The lasting effect of all these new Facebook marketing changes will reveal itself in the weeks/months to come.  Get a jump on your competitor and make the necessary moves now.  If you don’t have a dedicated person to handle Social Media, grow your own NOW.  If you have one, make sure they are trained and ready to go.  The only thing constant is change. Take action, build your fan base and engage them with content that communicates who you are and what your store stands for.

Your Turn: How will you handle these massive new Facebook marketing changes?

Kathi Kruse
Social Media Coaching & Training
www.krusecontrolinc.com
 

“Change before you have to.” ~Jack Welch

What a day it was.  I was having a nice Wednesday morning: clearing email, writing my next blog post and getting ready for the Facebook Marketing Conference in NYC.  I set up Livestream and within moments I realized I was “not in Kansas anymore”.

To say these changes to Facebook Business Pages are monumental is an understatement.  Whether you felt it or not, there was a Facebook “off the Richter Scale” earthquake yesterday and it means life as we know it has changed forever.

One main theme rose above all else for me during the conference: engagement is what drives Facebook success and awesome content is how you do that.  Before I make my point however, here are some of the highlights that are key to dealers and their community managers:

1. Timeline for Pages deadline is March 30th. You can preview and publish now if you want to but you’ll need to work out your Page’s marketing strategy before you do that. Read on.
2. Cover Photo. This new image located at the top of the Timeline offers you a great chance to include some strong, creative branding on your page. However, your new Cover cannot contain:
•    Price or purchase information, such as “40% off” or “Download at our website”.
•    Contact information such as web address, email, mailing address or other information intended for your Page’s About section.
•    References to user interface elements, such as Like or Share, or any other Facebook site features.
•    Calls to action, such as “Get it now” or “Tell your friends”.
(See, I told you it was rocking our world!)
3. Death of the Landing Page. For years now I’ve been preaching about greeting your visitors right with a Welcome Page. Good News! Those of you who didn’t do it are off the hook. Bad News? In the past you could set a landing tab for your page (Welcome page, Fan Gate) to attract attention, grow the fan base and collect contact info (leads) for follow up. Well, you can forget that now because there is no such thing as a landing tab anymore.
4. Premium on Facebook. This new ad offering includes the Reach Generator tool that enables you to select your most engaging Page posts to be featured as a premium ad. You also get Offers, a new way to advertise your specials. Premium allows you to distribute the ad 4 ways: 1) the Facebook homepage to the right of the News Feed, 2) in the News Feed on desktop, 3) in the News Feed on mobile, and 4) in the logged-off experience.  Facebook says it could maximize reach to 75% of your fans and double engagement. We’ll see.
5. Real-Time Insights. You can now access data and metrics for engagement on your Page in real-time. This gives you the ability to quickly supplement a campaign with paid media or additional posts to capitalize on post performance and maximize audience reach.
6. Pinned Posts. You’ll be able to “pin” a post to the top of the timeline which is a great way to spotlight important marketing content and drive awareness and engagement with any people visiting the Page. A pinned post can stay pinned for up to seven days.

There are a lot more changes, enhancements and new features so be sure to stay informed.

Content marketing is now your most important tool in Facebook marketing. With the loss of landing tabs, you’re going to be forced to consistently supply your fans with quality content.  If you’re a regular reader of this blog (of course you are!), you know that I talk a lot about creating internal processes inside the store to foster awareness with your customer.  Now more than ever, you’ll need the content collaboration and contributions from your employees.  They are on the front lines talking with your customer. They are your insurance policy on engagement.

The lasting effect of all these new Facebook marketing changes will reveal itself in the weeks/months to come.  Get a jump on your competitor and make the necessary moves now.  If you don’t have a dedicated person to handle Social Media, grow your own NOW.  If you have one, make sure they are trained and ready to go.  The only thing constant is change. Take action, build your fan base and engage them with content that communicates who you are and what your store stands for.

Your Turn: How will you handle these massive new Facebook marketing changes?

Kathi Kruse
Social Media Coaching & Training
www.krusecontrolinc.com
 

If you’re a car salesperson, you need Social Media. You need an online network just like you do your customer list. You need referrals through word-of-mouth because you know those relationships are the most profitable.  Getting started may seem overwhelming because you most likely view Facebook as something your “kids do for fun”.  Well, it’s a lot more than that–you can generate leads online.  That’s right: You can sell cars on Social Media!

It’s not surprise that Social Media will consume your greatest asset: Time.  However, having been on the line myself, we all know there’s downtime during the day that you can put to better use. Here’s a pretty remarkable reason to start:

You @ 200 contacts

Those 200 @ 200 contacts = 40,000 prospects

You can easily build your Facebook up to 200 contacts.  Your 200 contacts have 200 contacts so that means you have the potential of reaching 40,000 prospects on Facebook.  40,000 people that may need a car or know someone who needs a car and they know you.  So it’s time to get started on Social Media.  If you follow these 5 steps, you’ll build your network in no time at all.  Soon you’ll be engaging and attracting potential customers and selling cars.

1.  Create Your Profile. If you already have a Facebook profile then you’re one step ahead. If not, simply sign up for Facebook and walk through the simple steps to create your profile. Keep in mind that you’re now a car sales professional on Facebook so act accordingly.  You can share info about yourself but always keep in mind that you’re presenting a brand called YOU.

2.  Set Your Goals. Who do you want to attract? What do you want to say them? Where do your customers live and work? When will you post content? How will you execute your goals? One of your goals could be to get 200 contacts in a week.  Use the “Find Friends” app on Facebook to look for people you know.  Start asking your customers if they’re on Facebook and put out a friend request to them. Make sure you mention they “like” the store’s Facebook page too!

3.  Create Content. Content is what you post on your Facebook wall to engage your customer.  My motto is “Share or Solve…Don’t Shill” Shill means pitch.  You want your content to be three things: Relevant, Recent and Local.  You can search 1000′s of blogs out there that deliver great information all the time.  You can share video testimonials.  You can share your store’s content.  It’s ok to post this week’s ad but remember to share or solve 80% of the time and “sell” 20% of the time.

4.  Execute Your Plan. Make every attempt to post 2-3 times per day.  This may sound like a lot at first but once you get the rhythm going it will become second nature.  You want to post regularly because Facebook’s algorithms are set to constantly facilitate engagement.  If you don’t engage, your posts will not appear on others’ walls and you won’t maintain those relationships.

5.  Analyze Your Results. It’s essential to monitor your success.  You want to see which content is getting the best reactions from your network. You can do this easily in the beginning by just reviewing daily what your results were.  Once you get a larger Social network you’ll need monitoring tools.  There are a bunch of free Social Media monitoring tools out there that will help you measure your results.

The best way to get started is to try.  After you’ve put together your plan, jump in!  It’s not enough to “dip your toe in” so make the commitment to yourself and your future customers.  Social Media is not instant gratification.  It takes time like all business relationships so be patient and don’t forget to have fun!

Are you a car salesperson who uses Social Media to sell cars? I’d love to hear your feedback.

Kathi Kruse
Automotive Social Media Coaching & Training

www.krusecontrolinc.com

If you’re a car salesperson, you need Social Media. You need an online network just like you do your customer list. You need referrals through word-of-mouth because you know those relationships are the most profitable.  Getting started may seem overwhelming because you most likely view Facebook as something your “kids do for fun”.  Well, it’s a lot more than that–you can generate leads online.  That’s right: You can sell cars on Social Media!

It’s not surprise that Social Media will consume your greatest asset: Time.  However, having been on the line myself, we all know there’s downtime during the day that you can put to better use. Here’s a pretty remarkable reason to start:

You @ 200 contacts

Those 200 @ 200 contacts = 40,000 prospects

You can easily build your Facebook up to 200 contacts.  Your 200 contacts have 200 contacts so that means you have the potential of reaching 40,000 prospects on Facebook.  40,000 people that may need a car or know someone who needs a car and they know you.  So it’s time to get started on Social Media.  If you follow these 5 steps, you’ll build your network in no time at all.  Soon you’ll be engaging and attracting potential customers and selling cars.

1.  Create Your Profile. If you already have a Facebook profile then you’re one step ahead. If not, simply sign up for Facebook and walk through the simple steps to create your profile. Keep in mind that you’re now a car sales professional on Facebook so act accordingly.  You can share info about yourself but always keep in mind that you’re presenting a brand called YOU.

2.  Set Your Goals. Who do you want to attract? What do you want to say them? Where do your customers live and work? When will you post content? How will you execute your goals? One of your goals could be to get 200 contacts in a week.  Use the “Find Friends” app on Facebook to look for people you know.  Start asking your customers if they’re on Facebook and put out a friend request to them. Make sure you mention they “like” the store’s Facebook page too!

3.  Create Content. Content is what you post on your Facebook wall to engage your customer.  My motto is “Share or Solve…Don’t Shill” Shill means pitch.  You want your content to be three things: Relevant, Recent and Local.  You can search 1000′s of blogs out there that deliver great information all the time.  You can share video testimonials.  You can share your store’s content.  It’s ok to post this week’s ad but remember to share or solve 80% of the time and “sell” 20% of the time.

4.  Execute Your Plan. Make every attempt to post 2-3 times per day.  This may sound like a lot at first but once you get the rhythm going it will become second nature.  You want to post regularly because Facebook’s algorithms are set to constantly facilitate engagement.  If you don’t engage, your posts will not appear on others’ walls and you won’t maintain those relationships.

5.  Analyze Your Results. It’s essential to monitor your success.  You want to see which content is getting the best reactions from your network. You can do this easily in the beginning by just reviewing daily what your results were.  Once you get a larger Social network you’ll need monitoring tools.  There are a bunch of free Social Media monitoring tools out there that will help you measure your results.

The best way to get started is to try.  After you’ve put together your plan, jump in!  It’s not enough to “dip your toe in” so make the commitment to yourself and your future customers.  Social Media is not instant gratification.  It takes time like all business relationships so be patient and don’t forget to have fun!

Are you a car salesperson who uses Social Media to sell cars? I’d love to hear your feedback.

Kathi Kruse
Automotive Social Media Coaching & Training

www.krusecontrolinc.com