Google Places.  Facebook.  Twitter.  Foursquare.  Etc.  All free.  Car dealers have to love that price, right?

My caution is not about whether to use these services, as YOU MUST USE THEM.  It’s not an option any longer—it’s just a matter of when you can get to using them with the attention they deserve for the result you need.

My caution IS, however, about knowing what you’re getting with “Free”.   With “Free”, you have no contract , you have “Terms of Use”.  And you don’t have a platform you bought with agreed-to deliverables and some controls, you have a service you are gaining whose deliverables CHANGE.  And whose data presentation and on-screen arrangement is NOT up to you!

The latest case in point is Google Places.  Your GOOGLE business reviews are prominently displayed there, but previously your business “star rating” included 3^rd Party review stars.  You might agree with Google’s business decisions on changing that, but it still impacted dealers who went from hundreds of reviews in the star rating to a handful.  Dealers who invested in 3^rd Party sites for their reputation, and dealers who could use their 3^rd Party sites in their burgeoning “Reputation MARKETING” efforts, were left out of the direct impact of the Google Rating Stars.

SEO, for example, has been like this for years, constantly changing, and so that has made SEO companies viable because there’s always a new twist to getting the dealership high in the search rankings.  So, it appears this story is not new, right?  Except you bought SEO services to chase this rabbit around Google’s “free” search engine race track, and it was always a fight to the top.  With Google Places, now it’s also—VERY importantly—a fight for reviews in a system that the shopper sees on SERP ONE but that are arranged in a presentation YOU DON’T AND CAN’T CONTROL.  And that changes without notice:  Talk to some dealers who have had their Google Places “pulled” because GoogleBots thought they were gaming the system.  YES, Google, this dealer really has SEVEN manufacturers under one address (more than five categories), and YES they all share the same main phone line.  And so on.  Well, maybe you've won that one for now—until something else in this “Free” service changes, whether for information, presentation, search results, or reviews.  Or whatever else becomes “Free”.

You can only stay on top of this part of your advertising if you dedicate the time to use them AND to get and stay educated on what all these “Free” services are doing.  And what they may be planning.  PCG Consulting (Brian Pasch) is on top of it.  Tier 10 (Ralph Paglia) is on top of it.  And there are more educators and consultants that I don’t know about who are on top of it.  They can educate you, but in the end be sure YOU are on top of it.  And that you get what you need from it.

Because “Free”, like Freedom, Ain’t Free!

by Keith Shetterly, www.keithshetterly.com
Copyright 2011, All Rights Reserved
keithshetterly@gmail.com

To me, we’ve all clearly moved past the Reputation Management phase:  Now, it’s “Reputation MARKETING”.  Before I explain that, let’s talk about where we have been so far with Reputation Management.

Reputation Management is the ability to monitor and defend your online reputation.  And, although folks gaming the system have been rightly and roundly condemned, some companies still try and sell some type of “review ballot-box stuffing” service much like Black Hat SEO companies still try and sell their schtick.  I think we all know, or can learn now, however, how to get the best reviews ourselves from our customers.  And, SURPRISE, they can do the review at the dealership.  I see it done every day, even for Google Places.  In my case, Presto Reviews (which we still use) taught me that.

Reputation Marketing, as they say, “begins at home”:  Are you pressing folks to your review sites and your Google Places throughout your media efforts?  Does your print point to the review site, does your TV/radio mention it, and are you making efforts on your website, review site, and Google Places to show videos, pics, and positive customer reviews?  And do all your email efforts—from responding to Internet Leads to email blasts—have a link to all your best online reputation?  Finally, but more importantly than you realize, are you marketing your reputation to your social media like Facebook?  Do you capture short videos of happy customers to share?  

So, put your reviews on your social media and website.  Blog about them.  Talk about them in your print, TV, Radio, and email efforts.  Marketing makes online and store traffic through hope-inducing advertising—REPUTATION Marketing makes you and your advertising look REAL to your shoppers.  After all, other real customers said real things about you. 

We will all still certainly manage to a positive reputation, but to get "bang for the buck" we must now MARKET the result.  Don’t just let your online reputation sit there to be found as part of an SEO strategy, advertise it!  Blow your horn, folks, and let it be known:  NOBODY in your market sells better or treats customers better.

And Reputation Marketing will make sure everyone knows that!

by Keith Shetterly, Copyright 2011

keithshetterly@gmail.com

www.keithshetterly.com

To me, we’ve all clearly moved past the Reputation Management phase:  Now, it’s “Reputation MARKETING”.  Before I explain that, let’s talk about where we have been so far with Reputation Management.

Reputation Management is the ability to monitor and defend your online reputation.  And, although folks gaming the system have been rightly and roundly condemned, some companies still try and sell some type of “review ballot-box stuffing” service much like Black Hat SEO companies still try and sell their schtick.  I think we all know, or can learn now, however, how to get the best reviews ourselves from our customers.  And, SURPRISE, they can do the review at the dealership.  I see it done every day, even for Google Places.  In my case, Presto Reviews (which we still use) taught me that.

Reputation Marketing, as they say, “begins at home”:  Are you pressing folks to your review sites and your Google Places throughout your media efforts?  Does your print point to the review site, does your TV/radio mention it, and are you making efforts on your website, review site, and Google Places to show videos, pics, and positive customer reviews?  And do all your email efforts—from responding to Internet Leads to email blasts—have a link to all your best online reputation?  Finally, but more importantly than you realize, are you marketing your reputation to your social media like Facebook?  Do you capture short videos of happy customers to share?  

So, put your reviews on your social media and website.  Blog about them.  Talk about them in your print, TV, Radio, and email efforts.  Marketing makes online and store traffic through hope-inducing advertising—REPUTATION Marketing makes you and your advertising look REAL to your shoppers.  After all, other real customers said real things about you. 

We will all still certainly manage to a positive reputation, but to get "bang for the buck" we must now MARKET the result.  Don’t just let your online reputation sit there to be found as part of an SEO strategy, advertise it!  Blow your horn, folks, and let it be known:  NOBODY in your market sells better or treats customers better.

And Reputation Marketing will make sure everyone knows that!

by Keith Shetterly, Copyright 2011

keithshetterly@gmail.com

www.keithshetterly.com

Made you click from the title or the picture, didn't I?  Well, this article is about Pay-Per-Click (PPC), but a short story first to explain my point:  When I had my entertainment company ten years ago, we always laughed at the long-standing joke that naming a band “Free Beer!” would make all the honky-tonk signs read “Free Beer Tonight!”—ensuring strong attendance.  I still grin at it, because it’s so damned true.  And impossible to do, because no bar would book you. 

PPC campaigns that focus only on Click-Thru-Rate (CTR) are a very similar “high click attendance” effort, but they’re no joke.  Just a few years ago, people fought for audience, and anybody clicking your ad was a win:  It was All About the Click. All about yelling "Free Beer!" for attendance.

NOT true any more.  It’s all about “conversion”.  Want to have some PPC companies turn as white as a sheet?  Ask about conversion.  And also know that saying “conversion” is like saying “religion”:  Which one do you mean?  Conversion is divergent the same way. 

So, back to the start here, what do we want for a CTR?  I’ve had everything now from one percent to OVER FIVE percent, depending on the line of cars I presented.  And the offer, of course, and the inventory.  So, essentially, for CTR it depends.  If a PPC company trashes another PPC company I’m using based only on CTR, then they get shown the door.  CPM (cost per thousand impressions) is a very handy number, too, but don’t just talk to me about that, either. 

The Click-to-Conversion-Rate (CCR) is now my clearest measurable of the PPC campaign.  Of any PPC campaign I run.   And my PPC vendors know it.  What should a good CCR be?  I'm tracking that data for my campaigns right now, and I'll let you know in a future article.

For conversions, ask yourself and your PPC vendor these questions:  Do you have a compelling text ad relevant to the search you’re targeting?  Once shoppers click to your conversion page, do you have a strong offer for them and show them the inventory—and with real pictures, not stock?  Do you have aggressive pricing (or a clear “Call for Best Price!” might work in your area) on your conversion page inventory, with a sense of urgency to contact and/or print the car they want and bring that with them? 

Ask all that and more.  CTR isn’t the “thing” any more, it’s CCR.  And it sounds very sad to write it, but for PPC, remember . . . 

No More Free Beer!

by Keith Shetterly, Copyright 2011
All Rights Reserved, keithshetterly@gmail.com
www.KeithShetterly.com

Made you click from the title or the picture, didn't I?  Well, this article is about Pay-Per-Click (PPC), but a short story first to explain my point:  When I had my entertainment company ten years ago, we always laughed at the long-standing joke that naming a band “Free Beer!” would make all the honky-tonk signs read “Free Beer Tonight!”—ensuring strong attendance.  I still grin at it, because it’s so damned true.  And impossible to do, because no bar would book you. 

PPC campaigns that focus only on Click-Thru-Rate (CTR) are a very similar “high click attendance” effort, but they’re no joke.  Just a few years ago, people fought for audience, and anybody clicking your ad was a win:  It was All About the Click. All about yelling "Free Beer!" for attendance.

NOT true any more.  It’s all about “conversion”.  Want to have some PPC companies turn as white as a sheet?  Ask about conversion.  And also know that saying “conversion” is like saying “religion”:  Which one do you mean?  Conversion is divergent the same way. 

So, back to the start here, what do we want for a CTR?  I’ve had everything now from one percent to OVER FIVE percent, depending on the line of cars I presented.  And the offer, of course, and the inventory.  So, essentially, for CTR it depends.  If a PPC company trashes another PPC company I’m using based only on CTR, then they get shown the door.  CPM (cost per thousand impressions) is a very handy number, too, but don’t just talk to me about that, either. 

The Click-to-Conversion-Rate (CCR) is now my clearest measurable of the PPC campaign.  Of any PPC campaign I run.   And my PPC vendors know it.  What should a good CCR be?  I'm tracking that data for my campaigns right now, and I'll let you know in a future article.

For conversions, ask yourself and your PPC vendor these questions:  Do you have a compelling text ad relevant to the search you’re targeting?  Once shoppers click to your conversion page, do you have a strong offer for them and show them the inventory—and with real pictures, not stock?  Do you have aggressive pricing (or a clear “Call for Best Price!” might work in your area) on your conversion page inventory, with a sense of urgency to contact and/or print the car they want and bring that with them? 

Ask all that and more.  CTR isn’t the “thing” any more, it’s CCR.  And it sounds very sad to write it, but for PPC, remember . . . 

No More Free Beer!

by Keith Shetterly, Copyright 2011
All Rights Reserved, keithshetterly@gmail.com
www.KeithShetterly.com

Here we finally have a car dealership using Groupon for CAR DISCOUNTS (Cadillac and Groupon).  People can purchase an amount off the car later for buying a coupon for a lesser amount now.

I tried to get four separate dealers to try this last year. I'll get the same push-back here, perhaps, as I did from them, but this guy quoted in the article gets it:  It's not a coupon, it's ADVERTISING.

$199 buys you $500 off a car purchased this year.  The customer commits to buying from you by spending money NOW, and you apply this as an advertising expense.  Really, how much do most of you spend now per vechicle to get the phone to ring, leads/emails to come in, and to get walk-in traffic?

It's going just like pricing did:  We used to hold all the cards for brochures and price, and some of us played games in the newspaper.  Nowadays, if you're asked a price in a lead, you answer with a price (as well with calls to action and enticements, but you send a price).  THAT began when the first dealer sent a price and got business when others did not.  It will be the same here, if this works out, and I think it will.  It's just the first.

by Keith Shetterly, keithshetterly@gmail.com
www.keithshetterly.com
Copyright 2011, All Rights Reserved. 

Here we finally have a car dealership using Groupon for CAR DISCOUNTS (Cadillac and Groupon).  People can purchase an amount off the car later for buying a coupon for a lesser amount now.

I tried to get four separate dealers to try this last year. I'll get the same push-back here, perhaps, as I did from them, but this guy quoted in the article gets it:  It's not a coupon, it's ADVERTISING.

$199 buys you $500 off a car purchased this year.  The customer commits to buying from you by spending money NOW, and you apply this as an advertising expense.  Really, how much do most of you spend now per vechicle to get the phone to ring, leads/emails to come in, and to get walk-in traffic?

It's going just like pricing did:  We used to hold all the cards for brochures and price, and some of us played games in the newspaper.  Nowadays, if you're asked a price in a lead, you answer with a price (as well with calls to action and enticements, but you send a price).  THAT began when the first dealer sent a price and got business when others did not.  It will be the same here, if this works out, and I think it will.  It's just the first.

by Keith Shetterly, keithshetterly@gmail.com
www.keithshetterly.com
Copyright 2011, All Rights Reserved. 

Grand Theft Auto - Customer:  It’s not a video game—it’s your real profits.  How do other dealers steal your customers?

They park a PPC campaign on your dealership name.  They use your dealership name in their SEO work.  They hijack your Google Places results (just found and undid one of those!).   And your Bing.  And Yahoo. And so on.  All because you’re not watching your digital presence and stopping it.

And you cooperate as theft victim, as well.  You push your customers to review you on third-party review sites that sell ad space around your reviewsto your competitors.  You pay to drive your customers to online inventory sites that lead shoppers off to other offers.   And I’ve even seen links within a dealer’s Internet Autoresponder that invite customers to visit these sites to get stolen by competitors!  In one particular case,  a dealer’s Autoresponder was sending the shopper to a review site where they had 2-star reviews…

And this is all before these other competing dealers make any honest effort to reach out via a marketing campaign to conquer your customers in your area.  And perhaps you help, as well, by not reaching out to your sold customers to get them in to your service drive—and your competitor has a strong customer retention program that keeps them once they get them.

So grab your Google Places, Yahoo, Bing, etc.  Get ready for Google’s new “+1” strategy.   Protect your dealership name with trademark and/or vigorous efforts as you can, plus SEO/PPC efforts of your own and (perhaps) a letter or two from a lawyer.  Give great customer service and get great reviews from your customers in both sales and service.  Get your sold customers in to your service drive.  Set up a great customer retention program.

And stop being a victim of Grand Theft Auto - Customer!

by Keith Shetterly, Copyright 2011
keithshetterly@gmail.com
www.keithshetterly.com
Come see me at Brian Pasch's PCG PitStop!  www.pcgpitstop.com
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