How many brains do you have? Trick question, I know. Your biology teacher said you have one. However, according to Dr. Mark Goulston your brain has three layers that evolved over millions of years. There’s the reptile layer, the mammal layer, and the primate layer.  Let's take a deeper look into these layers and ways you can tap into these parts of the brain in your sales presentation, customer service, or just everyday life.

Reptilian Brain: This is the most basic of the layers. It taps into your natural instinct of “Fight or flight.” Here, the brain acts and reacts without a lot of thinking going on. Your body is hard-wired to react to stress in ways meant to protect you against threats from predators and other aggressors. It can also leave you frozen in a crisis like the unfortunate deer in the headlights.

Mammal Brain: This is your inner drama queen. This layer of your brain takes hold of the powerful emotions in your life---love, joy, anger, jealousy, grief...

Primate Brain: This is where your logic comes in. Here your brain weighs a situation logically, rationally, and generates a plan of action. This part of the brain collect data from the lower parts of the brain, analyzes it and makes practical decisions.

How is this information useful to you? Simple: you cannot get your message through any other layer but the Primate brain. If you notice someone is reacting illogically or emotionally to your statements stop all together.  You’ll be wasting your time. In this instant you need to talk a person up to the rational primate brain.  You need to understand what the person is going through and try to mirror them. Effectively mirroring a person will create one of the most potent tools you’ll have in getting through to someone.

Like what you've read? There are more tips on marketing, social media, and the automotive industry here!

We know the difference between empathy and sympathy right? To empathize with your customer means that you have a deep emotional connection to their feelings, situation, or problems. To show sympathy with your customer is more of general setback with them because you are not taking the time to acknowledge their feeligns. Given this case, we all want to empathize with someone, not just show sympathy. So why not apply empathy to your marketing tactics as well as your customer service? Read more here to find out how to implement empathy today! 

Does your dealer live chat provide the ability to chat in different languages? Can you speak at least two different  languages? It is no surprise that due to globalization and the Internet, human beings are more interconnected than ever. It is simply not just a perk or advantage that you know another language, it is becoming a must!

At ActivEngage we provide dealer live chat that translates into 16 different languages, from Arabic, to Catanese, and French. It doesn’t stop there either, 37% of our employees are proficient in at least two different languages with Spanish being one of them.  Why is this important? Spanish is the country’s unofficial second language. With more than 40 million Hispanics in the US today and an estimated annual growth rate of 4.65, the Latino community will add 1.7 million people to its population every year. In addition, being bilingual has its advantages:

• Being able to learn new words easily
• Being able to use information in new ways
• Coming up with solutions to problems
• Good listening skills
• Connecting with others easily and quickly

Probably, one of the most important aspects of being bilingual is that we are better at multitasking. As Ellen Bialystok a cognitive neuroscientist states, “There’s a system in your brain, the executive control system. It’s a general manager. Its job is to keep you focused on what is relevant, while ignoring distractions. It’s what makes it possible for you to hold two different things in your mind at one time and switch between them.”

Why partner with a dealer live chat provider that doesn’t offer the ability to translate a conversation into different languages or outsource to a dealer live chat provider that doesn’t meet the demographics you need in order to communicate with your site visitors without a translator? You wouldn’t refuse to hire a salesperson that’s fluent in Spanish if you live in an area where a majority of Hispanics reside, would you? Then why is it not the same case with your dealer live chat? Partner with a dealer live chat company that can meet your dealership’s needs and expectations.

Instagram is undoubtedly the most popular photo sharing site in the world. So how can your dealership capitalize on this App , engage users, and gain more followers? I’m here to tell you, of course! =)

There are 5 easy steps your dealership can take to gain more followers on Instagram :read more here

There's a rumor that Facebook is creating a "want" button. What does this mean for your dealership if this comes into fruition? Read more to find out!

Facebook Want Button Rumor

As more consumers are using the web to research and communicate with dealerships before they decide to purchase a vehicle, it is important to understand the value of live chat and the power behind establishing a relationship between the chatter and your dealership. Keep in mind that although your potential customer has access to countless forms of information online, one thing hasn’t changed: until someone gets in a car and drives it, they can’t be sure of their purchase.

There is plenty of literature on the Web that establishes the best practices of live chat for automotive dealers. Watch out for these articles, if they are not from credible sources! Here are some common misconceptions that are found online about live chat and the real facts to help your dealership master the art of chat.

Misconceptions of automotive live chat:

1. Dealers can sell a vehicle during a chat conversation.

• FACT: The notion that you can turn a chat into a sale right then and there is ridiculous. Carol Marshall, Director of Virtual Sales at ActivEngage states, “Unlike other commodities, like shoes and clothing, a car is something people need to drive and to ‘experience.’ This cannot be achieved online.”

     2. Asking for contact information too early in the chat

• FACT: By asking for contact information (full name, email, phone number..etc) too early in the chat you are basically, “closing too early.” And as all Sales Managers know this can be detrimental in the sales process. Instead, you need to be proactive in understanding what the chatter wants as well as their preferences.

    3. Never ignore questions

• FACT: Around 24% of shoppers online actually buy the vehicle they inquired about. Many questions aren’t black or white and neither are the answers. Ask to clarify the questions instead so your salespeople, the experts, can answer them. Marshall added, “We make them aware of their need to come to the dealership through relative questions. We ask questions in order to get clarification on their request and then, when appropriate, go for a tentative appointment.”

     4. Be persistent by offering promotional materials, direct mails of offers, or by calling them.

• FACT: Online customers do not want to be bombarded by promotional materials. They want to be contacted to get answers to their questions. By ignoring what they are truly asking for, you are ignoring the customer and negating the 9 + min conversation they had with your online assistant, the VSA.

     5. While chatting, watch your tone in your responses.

• FACT: Its about grammar, professionalism, and the length of responses that create the “tone.” Every word matters in a chat conversation.

We view our live chat services as more than just a lead providing machine, so we task ourselves with building a relationship with the customer for your dealership so that visitors feel tied to your dealerships. “We are handling the ‘meet and greet’ and some needs analysis, allowing the dealership to do what they do best - sell cars,” Marshall commented.

I've mentioned numerous times how having a Pinterest account is vital to your social media plan and makes your dealership more likeable as a whole. Well, I found a study online by EyeTrackShop which highlights where the user’s eye is drawn to on a Pinterest page. While most websites draw the users to the left side of the page, on Pinterest it is shifted from the top to bottom.

The study, used the webcams of 600 participants to track their eye movements as they looked at top category and brand Pinterest pages for 10-second intervals. They answered a quick survey about each page after viewing it.

Here are some more interesting results from the study:

• Top pins pop. Pins that were front and center were seen by the highest percentage of viewers.
• Faces attract attention. As with most social media sites, respondents looked at faces on Pinterest at more than objects.
• Profile information isn’t always as noticeable as profile content. Profile image and information may dominate attention on Facebook, but on Pinterest fewer people noticed it than those who noticed content.
• The percentage of people who looked at profile information at the top of brand pages in the study was the same or lower than that of the pages’ most-looked-at pins. On average, this info was looked at second, not first.
• Brand pages are just as popular as category pages. Participants were slightly more likely to say brand pages made them want to repin stuff, recommend the page to friends and tell their friends about it. More of them also said the pages were definitely inspiring and had good pieces of advice.
• People like brands better after viewing their Pinterest pages. The majority of participants said that viewing a brand’s page improved their opinion about the brand and said they were more likely to purchase something from it.

What do you think? Do you have a Pinterest account for your dealership? If not, why? If yes, share your Pinterest link below and ActivEngage will follow your boards! =) 

In a recent blog post of mine, I highlighted some research done on mobile ads and if it is worth a dealership to spend money on it. Today, I am here to tell you why you should have a mobile site for your dealership (if you don’t already). Some 12.6% of total website traffic was generated via mobile device in the fourth quarter of 2011, up 102% from the 6.3% recorded a year earlier, according to the Walker Sands Quarterly Web Traffic Report.  Additionally, according to AD:60, having a mobile site is a must and they have compiled an infographic that lists 10 Reasons Why You Need a Mobile Site. “The list should obliterate any reasons against putting mobile at the top of your digital must-haves,” Alex Matjanec said, partner and CMO of AD:60.

So here are the top 10 Reasons you need a mobile site:

1. 8% of all digital traffic comes from smartphones and tablets

2. Most mobile phones in America will be smartphones by the end of 2012

   3.    More and more users are making purchases on their phones

4. The proportion of mobile-only users is even higher in developing countries

5. Mobile commerce is growing fast

6. Smartphone users cover a wide range of demographics

7. Couch Commerce is rising

8. Smartphone users have a higher than average income

9. Mobile sites are important for both physical and digital stores

10. Your normal site is not  thumb friendly!

Still not interested? Well, mobile search queries already account for roughly 15% of all Google search volume across categories, according to Google.
So what are you waiting for? By creating experiences that connect, convert, and engage your audiences you will be sure to attract your tech savvy shoppers as well as provide better services to existing customers. Therefore, in saying that, set up a user-friendly mobile website ASAP! Thumbs are the new fingers!

Before I decide to make a purchase on any big ticket item,  I search the company’s name in Google and see the rating  the business received. I also read a couple of the customer reviews. I, like most shoppers, am turned off by bad reviews. Shoppers are using the Web now, more than ever to research and review companies.

Which rating service should dealerships pay most attention to? Google and here’s why:

I googled a local dealership here in Orlando, and the first rating I see is that of Google 22/30 which is great! Notice their Dealerrater.com (4.5 rating) review is ranked in the Google search below Yelp (1.5 rating)  and Autotrader. If you did this exercise for any dealership, you would find the results would be about the same.

So, how can you boost your star/rating power and in turn, gain more traffic to your dealership and potentially increase sales?

Communicate for engagement:

• Solicit reviews from customers within 48 hours of working with them.
  • By creating and implementing a feedback program, you initiate a conversation with your customers, helping them to become truly involved in your brand.
• Talk with disgruntled customers to solve problems in a timely manner, just don’t ignore them.
  • If one of your customers has a poor experience with your dealership and decides to go with your competition, there is little point in contacting that customer three months later.
  • Crisis management and customer service are examples of priority responses. Countering negative comments and reinforcing the positive will only grow in importance.
  • Look at the positive: a complaint is free intel—much cheaper than the research you pay outside vendors to conduct.

Understand Google Rating as well as other rating services:

• Google accepts only internally generated reviews, not those forwarded to them by other websites. It’s important for dealerships to direct customers to Google through links on their website.
• Google, since the purchase of Zagat, has gone from rating business with stars to scoring customer reviews on a 30 point scale. Here is the new scoring guide:

My point?Better reviews could mean more sales for your dealership! You can also ask specific follow-up questions in addition to having customers fill out a Google or DealerRater review. Doing this, can help create solutions for customer issues that will improve your business and keep future customers from having the same concern. By following these suggestions, you should be able to get a 5 star or 30/30 rating in no time!

What do you think? Are Google reviews vital to the success of your brand? Or does your dealership focus on another rating platform? Do you have any suggestions to improve your Google rating?

After watching this 60 Minutes bit on The Age of Millennials, I thought to myself- oh great, apparently we are the doom of civilization. Being born in the 80’s lumped me into the Generation Y category, but I felt insulted when we were described as narcissistic praise-hounds that didn’t know how to cope with reality (and losing). We are apparently the Go Nowhere Generation, that would rather be on Facebook than get their drivers licenses and move out of state.

Just as Mad Men’s Jaguar episode doesn’t represent the automotive industry and where it is today, I’m here to say that this 12 minute segment doesn’t represent ALL of my generation. I agree with some things that were mentioned in this video, such as we do have it easier than our parents. My father for example, had to hitchhike in order to go to his college classes (took him about 2 hours to get to school) and he did this up until his Masters in Biology. I don’t think anyone would ever do such a thing nowadays.

Here’s a thought:
What this video and article failed to mention are the demographics behind the kids moving back in with their parents. If they are part of a collective culture, (Hispanic, Asian, etc.) this is seen as a norm. My mother would tell me that the girl wouldn’t move out of the house until they were married. I laughed at that statement, saying that wasn’t possibly true, but whenever my mother tells her friends that I bought my own condo and already moved out, they simply reply with, “Tan joven!” (so young).

But let’s get back to this “Go Nowhere Generation” label and disprove it (on my part at least):

When I turned 15, the first thing I did was get my permit. By 16, I had a part time job, a credit card (as per my father’s advice), was on the high school soccer team, and took AP classes. While in highschool I received  a scholarship for school, and continued working throughout my whole college career. In my senior year of college, I had an internship at a non-profit, a part time job, and I went to school full time. I graduated debt free with no student loans.

Does that sound lazy? I didn’t want to move out of state because I grew up moving every 3-4 years and was tired of it. While in the process of buying my condo, lenders believed that I didn’t have good credit because I was so “young”. “Oh wow, you have great credit and you’re so young!” they would say. Is 24 too young to have good credit?

My point?
Don’t discredit me because I’m young and don’t discredit your young consumers either. We aren’t all going nowhere and we aren’t all glued to our cell phones and tablets. We do like to stop and smell the roses, and we notice there is a world outside of the Internet. So, as I’ve mentioned before in previous blogs, each customer is unique and you shouldn’t lump us all into a collective pot and treat us all the same.

What do YOU think? Is Gen Y the doom of civilization?