No business owner likes to read negative reviews. On a personal level, they can be hurtful; you care about your business, and don’t like people speaking ill of it. And on a business level, negative reviews can take a huge bite out of your online reputation. It’s no exaggeration to say that a bad review on Facebook or Google can scare away customers and corrode your bottom line.

Still, bad reviews can happen. They may even happen to your used car dealership. The question is, if you spot some critical words on an online review site, what can you do about it?

We have five suggestions.

Step Away for a Few Minutes

It’s only natural to feel a little angry in the face of a bad review—but lashing out or responding in rage will only make things worse. Step away for a little while to make sure you can approach the review with a cool head. You may even wait a few days before responding.

Apologize

You may not think you did anything wrong—but the customer thinks you did, and it’s important to acknowledge that. Write a response and simply let them know that you are sorry they had a bad experience. Remember, most people who write bad reviews only want to be acknowledged.

Try to Make Things Right

A negative review is frustrating, but it is also a great opportunity to offer some customer service. Offer to make things right however you can—with some sort of discount, refund, or other special treatment.

Deescalate

One of the best things you can try to do is shift the conversation from a highly public forum to someplace more private. Let the customer know how much you want to help them, and invite them to either call or email you directly. That way, you can avoid airing too much of your dirty laundry in front of other potential customers.

Move On

Hopefully, these efforts to acknowledge the person and offer a solution will result in the review being amended or removed. But if it’s not? Well, there’s frankly not much you can do about it. You can’t have bad reviews purged, even if you think they’re fallacious. Better to move on and help other customers have a meaningful experience. And make sure you ask those customers to write you some positive reviews—balancing out that negative one.

What today’s dealers need to remember is that online reviews are key to the buyer decision-making process—so having a strategy to manage these reviews is crucial.

When it comes to marketing your used car dealership, there are a few practices that are non-negotiable. Facebook Ads, Craigslist, an SEO-ready website—these are the essentials, the things every dealership simply must do.

Once you get a handle on those tasks, there are a few additional strategies you might consider, all of which can augment the basics. One such strategy is starting your own dealership blog—the benefits of which can be considerable.

Here are just a few of the reasons why you might conside r launching a blog for your used car dealership.

It Helps Establish Trust

First and foremost, a blog can cast you as a knowledgeable and credible authority—someone who knows a lot about vehicle purchasing, financing, and maintenance, and is eager to help customers who have any related questions.

This makes it a lot easier for customers to trust you—because they see that you know what you’re talking about and are a good resource for guidance and information.

It Builds Customer Loyalty

A regularly updated blog also gives your buyers a reason to keep coming back to your website, even once their purchase is complete.

For example, if you regularly offer tips for vehicle care, they may follow along with your blog and remember your dealership the next time they are in the market for a vehicle.

It Provides Social Media Fodder

A Facebook Ads campaign is highly recommended for effectively marketing your dealership—but you can augment it with organic reach, regularly posting valuable content for your followers and fans.

And one way to develop that content? Blog often—and remember to share your posts through all your dealership’s social media channels.

It Offers SEO Value

Another reason to consider a dealership blog is that it can enhance your SEO efforts. For one thing, blogging is a good way to routinely update your website content—something Google tends to value.

Plus, each blog you post is its own listing for the search engine results page, meaning you can more ably fill the Web with positive, branded content.

Blogging can be especially helpful for localized SEO endeavors, too—potentially giving you a competitive edge over other dealerships in your area.

The Right Way to Blog

Of course, there are right ways and wrong ways to pursue a dealership blog—and if you really want to reap any of these benefits, it’s important that you focus on quality writing and value-adding content. Having a consistent blogging schedule is also important.

Ideally, your dealership website is like a 24/7 sales representative—constantly educating buyers, sharing your value proposition, and nurturing them through the sales funnel.

More specifically, a good used car dealership website is easily discovered by search engine users, and gives them the information they need to take the next step: Calling you to set an appointment.

But not every dealership website meets this high standard. If yours isn’t accomplishing what it should, it could be for any number of reasons.

Here are six of the most common dealership website fails—any one of which could be the root of your site’s poor performance.

It’s Too Slow

These days, consumers just don’t have the time or the patience to wait around for your website to load. If it takes more than two or three seconds for your site to load completely, you’re almost certainly losing traffic. Make sure your site loads quickly, across all device types and Internet browsers.

You Don’t Have a CTA

A good dealership website should spur action. It should push your visitors to pick up the phone and call you. That requires a clear and concise call to action. In fact, we’d recommend having a CTA on every single page.

Your Site Lacks NAP Info

When we talk about NAP, we’re talking about your dealership’s name, address, and phone number. This contact information should appear on every page of the site. For one thing, it’s an important local SEO factor. For another, it makes it easy for visitors to connect with you.

The Content’s Too Flimsy

A good dealership website will educate and inform; it will help the buyer to feel more confident in making that appointment with you. Some good, detailed information about your inventory and your F&I products helps. A dealership blog can also be valuable.

You Don’t Offer Any Trust Signifiers

Along the same lines, a good  dealership website should make it easier for buyers to trust you. That’s something you can accomplish by offering social proof, in the form of reviews or testimonials. Information about warranties, guaranties, awards, or professional affiliations can also be good.

There’s No Keyword Optimization

Finally, a good dealership website should be optimized for the search algorithms—and one way to make that happen is by ensuring you have keywords placed in all the right places. You don’t have to stuff them into every sentence; just make sure you have a keyword in your meta description, keywords in your titles and headings, and perhaps a few keywords in the body of your website content.

A good dealership website should help boost your visibility and increase conversions. If yours doesn’t do that, maybe it’s time for a tune-up. 

Happy Selling Driving Sales fam! 

We all know the stereotypes people have concerning used car dealerships. Used car dealers are often assumed to be sketchy or shady—an unfair cliché that nevertheless makes many buyers reluctant. It’s critical to the success of any dealership to dispel this cliché, and to convey real trustworthiness and credibility.

One way to do that is through your used car dealership website. The question is, does your dealership convey credibility? Here are a few ways to tell.

Signs of a Credible Website

1. Testimonials and reviews. The quickest way to help your customers feel confident and comfortable is to show them that others have bought cars from you and enjoyed the experience. Testimonials and reviews from past clients can be an invaluable form of social proof.
2. No ads. While some smaller dealerships may be tempted to run third-party ads on their site—boosting revenues—this ultimately causes your dealership to look desperate and unprofessional. Ditch the ads to boost your credibility!
3. Regular updates. Sites that feel like they haven’t been updated in weeks, months, or even years tend to appear less credible. Make sure to refresh your website content at least once a year, and update your dealership blog often!
4. Contact information. Where can buyers get a hold of you if they have a question or need to resolve an issue? If you don’t have clear contact information somewhere on your site, it makes it seem like you have something to hide!
5. A fast loading time. Want your website to come across as totally professional? Make sure it loads quickly—ideally in three seconds or less. This is an important and oft-overlooked way to boost credibility.
6. About Us information. Another way to make your dealership seem more trustworthy is to humanize it. That means including a robust About Us page, ideally with bios and photos of your team members.
7. Trust seals. Guaranties, warranties, money-back offers—if you have any of these offers in place, make sure they are positioned prominently on your dealership website! They give buyers a lot of peace of mind!
8. BBB accreditation. If you are affiliated with the BBB or any other area business organization, make your membership known! Again, it’s an easy way to give your buyers peace of mind.

The bottom line for dealers is that earning trust is critical—and it’s something you can do with a well-designed website. 

Landing pages can be invaluable to your dealership’s digital marketing approach—yet all too often, these key pieces of online real estate are underutilized, if not altogether ignored.

Maybe you’ve never even heard of a landing page. Basically, it’s a Web page that’s highly targeted to get the user to take one specific action—buying a particular product, signing up for an email newsletter, downloading an e-book, or something similar.

Dealerships often use landing pages to capture leads from Craigslist or from a Facebook ad. Say a user clicks on a listing regarding used BMWs. You might direct them to a landing page that’s all about BMWs, as opposed to your main company home page. This is an effective way to guide traffic through your sales funnel without losing those leads.

But not all landing pages are created equal; the question is, how can you make yours as effective as possible? Here are a few landing page design tips for every used car dealership to keep in mind.

Designing Landing Pages for Your Used Car Dealership

• Get right to the point. Remember that a landing page is meant to be highly focused and action-oriented—so there’s no need to beat around the bush. The mere fact that you attracted users to the page means you’ve won their attention. Keep your landing page brief and devoid of fluff.
• Design for readability. The best landing pages have short sentences, short paragraphs, bullet points (whenever appropriate), and minimal distractions. A few good product images can be helpful but avoid a page layout that’s too cluttered.
• Minimize choices. An effective landing page encourages the reader to take one specific action. Avoid laying out too many options—calling, emailing, looking at other vehicles, etc. Focus on the one primary thing you want users to do.
• Don’t provide too many navigational options, either. Again, you want things to be streamlined and focused. Providing 10 different links, to different parts of your dealership website, will only dilute the effectiveness of your landing page.
• Always include a strong call to action. Make it very clear how you want your reader to proceed. A good landing page will have at least one strong call to action, maybe even more. Try to include a good CTA above the fold, too—that is, make it visible without the user having to scroll down.
• Focus on benefits. As for the content of your landing page, always ask: What’s in it for your customer? Detail some of the top benefits of the service or product in question. Again, avoid fluff—just get to the good stuff!

Craigslist is your used car dealership’s secret weapon—an invaluable tool for showcasing your inventory and connecting with motivated buyers. After all, Craigslist shoppers tend to make decisions quicker, and generate higher overall conversion rates, than the average consumer. But of course, getting the most bang for your Craigslist buck requires more than just scattered posts. It takes a real strategy. Here are some tips to help you get started.

Making the Most of Your Craigslist Ads

1. Only advertise the best-selling vehicles for your market. One of the most common questions that dealers ask is, which vehicles should I advertise on Craigslist? Certainly, we recommend being selective, curating the cars you display based on local trends and buyer personas. To ensure your Craigslist dollars aren’t wasted, don’t spend them on second- or third-tier inventory.
2. Sell your dealership, not just your cars. Your ads should do more than just lay out the technical specs for the vehicle in question. They should also make note of financing options, monthly promotions, and other services you provide at your dealership. Remember that you’re not just trying to sell a car; you’re trying to build your brand.
3. Don’t forget a strong call to action. You’d be amazed how many used car dealerships write Craigslist ad copy but forget to include a strong call to action. Always use motivational language and crisp verbs to encourage shoppers to call or email you. And make sure to include the right contact information!
4. Include some good photographs. One of the great things about marketing automobiles is that they’re so naturally photogenic; it’s not hard at all to take some good, compelling photos that make people want to learn more. One tip we can offer is to take pictures somewhere away from your dealership. A nice, green, outdoorsy backdrop feels more personal and inviting than the inside of your showroom.
5. Automate! The best Craigslist advertising campaign is one that runs largely on its own. Of course, there will always be a need for some human input, but using a program like Get My Auto’s Craigslist Wizard can make the entire process smooth and streamlined.

As always wishing you great success with your dealership's endeavors! Happy Selling. 

o you feel the need for speed? If not, you should—at least where your website is concerned. It’s always been important for your dealership website to load quickly and efficiently—but it’s just become more pressing than ever. In this post, we’ll explain why, and also show you how you can repair a slow or laggy website.

Why Website Speed Matters

The main reason why your website speed matters is customer experience. You probably know first-hand how frustrating it is when you’re trying to load a website, but it’s moving at a painstakingly slow speed. Well, if it’s frustrating for you, it’s bound to be annoying for your customers and potential leads, too. In fact, studies show that if your website takes more than three seconds to load, most users will simply abandon it altogether.

But there’s another reason why website speed matters—and that’s SEO. Google has always said that performance is a key ranking factor. Now, they’ve rolled out their Speed Update, which really proves their commitment to quick-loading sites.

The Speed Update is Here

But what is the Speed Update, exactly? It’s a new algorithmic addition to mobile searches, wherein sites that load too slowly will actually be penalized—meaning they may not show up in search queries!

How slow is too slow, exactly? Google hasn’t offered any specific metrics, but you can probably fall back on that three-second standard we offered above. If your site takes much longer than that to load, there’s a chance you could be seeing some drop-off in your Google rankings.

Checking Your Speed

If you’re worried about your site speed, now’s a good time to check it. You can just do this informally, loading your site on various browsers and devices to see how long it takes. Or, for a more scientific approach, just do a search for “speed tests” and find some of the resources available. Google even has its own speed test you can run.

And what happens if your site doesn’t load quickly enough? There are a number of potential issues, some of which may be obvious—like an overabundance of big, complex files, such as video and images. It could also be an issue with your server speed or even your server location.

If you can’t find an obvious fix, it may be worthwhile to address things with either your Web developer or your host.

No matter how robust your dealership marketing is, you’re ultimately going to need a sales team to help close the deal and facilitate conversions. Not all sales reps are created equal, of course—so how can you identify the real stars? In this post, Get My Auto will highlight six of the most important traits of skilled used car sales professionals.

Are You an Effective Used Car Sales Rep?

1. Great reps understand that all buyers are different. Your buyers will arrive at the dealership with different needs, varied pain points, diverse goals, and myriad budgets.The way you win over one buyer won’t necessarily work with the next. It’s always important to tailor and personalize your sales techniques, and to respect the diversity of your clientele.
2. They also understand that the people in your dealership want to buy a car. In today’s world, most people truly need cars—and they may as well buy them from your dealership. If someone comes down to your showroom to shop, it’s because they fundamentally want to make a purchase. Your job is simply to help them get to a yes.
3. They recognize the importance of online research. Today’s used car consumers do plenty of online research before they ever visit a dealership—so most will probably know what kind of car they want and how much they can expect to pay for it. Sales reps need to acknowledge that today’s buyers tend to be very well-informed.
4. Effective sales reps are always honest. If you don’t know the answer to a question, be willing to admit it. And if you know your buyer is going to have to wait for half an hour while you talk to the finance team, don’t tell them it will just be 10 minutes. The minute you lie to a buyer, you lose their trust—plain and simple.
5. Good reps are ready to be tested. Some buyers may ask you questions that seem pretty random—and that’s because what they’re really doing is testing you. Make sure you know your inventory inside and out—and again, if you don’t know an answer, be honest about it, then ask someone who does know the answer.
6. Good reps build relationships. There are plenty of dealerships where your buyer can find a cheap, used Honda Accord—so why should they buy from you? Because you take the time to establish trust and to foster goodwill. Because you take seriously the relationship you have with each buyer. That, ultimately, is the sign of a smart used car sales rep.

As you consider ways to step up your sales game, keep these hallmarks in mind. To learn more about empowering your sales staff with a robust marketing strategy, reach out to the experts at Get My Auto today.

Facebook can be an invaluable platform for connecting with buyers and establishing your dealership’s credibility. Of course, it can also be a time-waster and a money sink. It all comes down to how well you use Facebook—what you do on the platform to generate results.

So what should your used car dealership be doing with its Facebook budget? What should your social profile look like? Here’s a guide from the automotive marketing experts at Get My Auto—six things we recommend every used car dealer do on Facebook.

They make it easy for buyers to contact them.

We’ll start with an easy one: Your dealership’s Facebook page should make it easy for interested buyers to pick up the phone and call you. Make sure your profile clearly lists your phone number as well as your hours of operation. Also include direct links to your dealership website.

They provide helpful content.

There are some who say that organic Facebook reach is dead, but we disagree. Your dealership can still earn the trust of its buyers by sharing valuable articles—vehicle buying guides, vehicle maintenance tips, information about vehicle financing, etc.

They run paid ads.

With that said, organic reach is no longer enough to make your dealership website effective. Using the Facebook Ads platform is an important way to reach buyers and send them to your dealership to view your inventory.

They use Facebook Ads’ targeting features.

What’s more, dealers should be using the advanced targeting features that Facebook Ads provides, which will enable you to provide the right message for the right buyers. Yo u can target your ads to people in a specific geography, a particular price range, even fans of particular makes and models. It’s a great way to ensure that no ad dollar is wasted.

They ask for reviews.

Online reviews are critical to your dealership’s reputation—and Facebook is one of the most influential ad platforms there is. Make sure you’re actively seeking reviews from your buyers, both here as well as on Google.

They engage with their followers.

Finally, don’t forget the “social” part of social media. In addition to sharing information and running ads, use Facebook to provide customer service—answering any questions and addressing any concerns brought up by your followers. Have a member of your team who’s tasked with checking in on Facebook engagement, at least once a day or so.

These days, virtually every business has a presence on social media. Your dealership is no doubt among them. But simply having a social media presence isn’t enough. You’ve got to use that social media presence strategically in order for it to yield a return on investment. The question is how.

The Get My Auto team has put together a quick checklist—10 things every used car dealership should do to ensure a robust social media presence.

10 Steps to Improve Your Social Media Presence

1. Set the right goals. You can’t assess your social media’s effectiveness if you don’t know what you’re trying to achieve. Use the SMART approach—meaning goals that are specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-sensitive.
2. Know your audience. This is where buyer personas come in handy. Always know who you’re talking to, and where you’ll find them (e.g., which social networks—for most dealerships, this means Facebook and Instagram).
3. Be human and relatable. Social media works best when you cultivate a strong, human connection. Don’t be afraid to use humor or to post candid, behind-the-scenes photos of your team—all of which can be humanizing.
4. Take questions. Don’t forget the social in social media. Monitor your accounts and interact with your followers, especially the ones who have questions or inquiries. Remember that this is a good opportunity to show some real customer service.
5. Be regular with your postings. Consistency is one of the keys to a successful social media strategy. Creating an editorial calendar can help you stick to schedule and not miss any posting days.
6. Automate, but don’t automate everything. Automating some of your social media posts can make life a lot easier for your dealership’s marketing team—but remember: You can’t automate everything. Remember what we said about being human, and about the importance of showing real customer service to your social media followers.
7. Educate and inform. People don’t like signing into social media just to see ads and promotions. You can definitely plug your dealership, but remember that your job is to educate and inform your followers, first and foremost.
8. Optimize your social media accounts. Facebook bios, Twitter by-lines—each social network allows you to fill in some “about me” info. Use this space to include some target keywords and to emphasize the things that make your dealership unique.
9. Include plenty of visual content. Videos, infographics, and images tend to get the best results—so go visual whenever you can!
10. Don’t lean on organic alone. Organic reach is important for any social media campaign—but it’s ultimately not enough. Make sure you pair it with some paid ads, especially within Facebook.