One person, one hour, one price- Is that really possible?
Why transparency and speed in car sales matter. Buying a car has always been a family affair. Families used to go to dealerships and look at cars, test the features, drive it around the neighborhood and spend a day with the salesman negotiating the price. Cars have always been a large purchase and the process has always been lengthy. Part of the reason for the extended process was the limited information available to consumers. Most of the research took place at the dealer’s lot. Today, consumers do not have to go to a dealership to look at cars, ‘test’ the features, or even understand how it...
Business Toolbox – Marketing
Marketing Tools Here are some tools that will help your dealership marketing staff manage social media, increase SEO traffic, manage the store's online reputation, and check how long it takes your site to load. Managing Social Media HootSuite- The free account allows one user to manage 3 social profiles, schedule 30 posts in advance and generate leads through social contests. You get some basic analytics to track follower growth and content statistics. You can also integrate two RSS feeds. Buffer- With Buffer, a user can manage 3 accounts and 10 posts per profile on Twitter, Facebook, Google+, LinkedIn, and Instagram for free. You can add a browser extension as well...
Content that drives traffic, the numbers
Growing fixed Ops with online content, part 2 Enhancing your site with content marketing including video marketing can provide your store a competitive advantage. Video marketing is currently a top marketing tool. People looking for new vehicles and vehicle repairs search on Google and YouTube. Google is the #1 search engine for information and YouTube is the #1 search engine for car buyers. The cost of servicing a car has grown by 159% and so has the opportunity for dealers to help customers. Customers can find you online if they see content that helps them understand how their vehicles work and what is required to keep them in...
Content that drives traffic, the opportunity
Growing fixed Ops with online content, part 1 Dealerships have many opportunities to invite visitors to their website to do more than buy a car. Consumers already have many ways to buy a car that do not include a dealer. However, servicing a car cannot be done online, but online you can find customers who need their cars serviced. It all starts with a digital content strategy that helps drive repair traffic to your site and eventually to your store. You can begin by publishing blogs or vlogs (video blogs) about the types of services you offer, what the services entail, and how you approach the repair....
Industry Evolution: Ridesharing, Autonomous Vehicles, and Subscription Services
An Industry in Evolution By now, your head may be spinning from all the news about the changes in the industry. Carvana’s 3,300+ ads make it clear that they believe the dealer can be excluded from the car buying experience. The five major campaigns include “The New Way to Buy a Car,” “Don’t Play the Game: Stan,” “Anything for Love,” and “Don’t Play the Game: Mitch.” If you or your customers are anything like me, you may like the new options for purchasing a car, but you still want some TLC (tender loving care). TLC is where dealers show their value. When I buy a new...
Business Toolbox – Legal
Free Dealer Tools Here are some tools that will help your dealership staff check recalls, read about voluntary protection products, find federal and state legal information, and learn about keeping your website ADA compliant. Recall Search, Voluntary Products, and ASE Free Auto Recall Search is a free Vehicle Recall Search Service, VIN-based search tool Check To Protect a program of the National Safety Council that allows vehicle recall searches Voluntary Products- a public website about the value of voluntary protection products such as GAP insurance and extended warranties. ASE- Since 1972, the National Institute for Automotive Service Excellence promotes excellence in vehicle repair, service and parts distribution. Federal Legal Information and Tools Safe...