Digital marketing for auto dealers

1. Digital Marketing Helps You
Sell More Cars
Creating Value for your Dealership
©2010
Ira Kaufman, President
Patsy Stewart, Director Social Media
Robert Harper, Senior Business Strategist

2. Our Objective:
Address Dealer Pain Points
• Better returns on Advertising $$
• Boost 15% average customer
retention
• Reach markets where they gather
• Train salespeople to be more
effective

3. Four Parts
Part 1: Beyond the Social Media Revolution
Part 2: Auto Dealers…. Value of Social Media
Part 3: How Do You Leverage Digital Media?
Part 4: Let’s Start.. Digital Marketing Plan

4. Digital Media Revolution
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lFZ0z5Fm-Ng

5. Rupert Murdoch 79 yrs old
net worth $6.3 billion
global media empire –
175 newspapers, Fox Network,
35 TV stations reach 40+% countries;
internet Hulu.com; MySpace ; Dow Jones

6. Integrated Digital Marketing
• Weaves traditional advertising (TV, radio,
print, direct mail), online, PR, social
media, mobile, outdoor digital
• Technology has re-shaped people's lives
and re-defined how we work

7. Traditional Media Changes
Past 20 Years
1. Significant expansion of traditional
media channels with greatly reduced
reach
2. Increased $$ to reach same % of market
with same # of impressions
3. Decreased # of potential audiences
(youth, women, executives) accessible
via traditional media

8. Traditional Advertising…
Less and Less Effective
• Blast your message to a mass audience
• 95% do not trust advertising
• Your strategy is to shout louder and more
frequently (as you can afford)
• Drown out your competitors’ message (you are
doing the same thing)
• “Hope” that someone pays attention in that
instant
• Little feedback from your prospects
• No measurement

9. Where is Your Target Market ?
• 2009, Boston College stopped giving
Freshman email addresses*
• 90% of those that can TIVO ads, DO!*
• 24/25 of largest newspapers experienced
significant decline in readership*
• Young professionals
–82+% use social media and texting**
–15% purchase influenced by social
media**
*Socialnomics 2010
**ExactTarget 2010

10. Social Media Impacts
Your Market
• Facebook 400+ million active users
• Twitter 105+ million users
• LinkedIn 65 million users
• YouTube over 2 billion views / day

11. Social Media Demographics
• 75% Adult Internet Users use Social
Media Nielsen, June, 2010
• Avg visitor spends 66% > time than 2009
Nielsen, June, 2010
• 80% female Internet users fan a brand on
a social network www.marketer.com
• 18% Internet consumers start their
research with social media Nielsen
*

12. Social Media Usage by Age
*

13. Social Media Marketing
Focuses On…
• Meeting your prospects where they are
• “Getting found” by prospects where they
choose
• Developing lasting relationships beyond contact
• Interacting with prospects with engaging
content
• Encouraging distribution of user content
• Providing value to convert prospects

14. Will Automotive
Dealers Embrace
Digital Media?
Auto industry will spend ~ $1.2 billion
2010 on social media advertising,
projected to $4.6 billion by 2015

15. Alan Mulally Ford CEO, declared,
“Social media is the future.”
Michael Wiley, GM Director of New Media.
“The secret to GM’s success is listening to
conversations, including the negative comments.” …GM
is targeting the 80% not in the market to purchase. They
are “ turning to social-media to engage in meaningful
connections with their customers."
JD Power Roundtable
“Social Networking: Should it be More About Relationship
Building than Selling Cars?” Social media reaches more
potential new-car buyers than Google.
Auto Social Factoids

16. • 239 dealerships across 15 states
• Sells more vehicles via Internet than
any other auto retailer
“When we look at social, it is not about
selling cars or making offers. We’re
doing it because we’re trying to engage
with customers.”
Uses Social Media to
Become ‘the Un-dealer’

17. Our Challenge is
Consumer Trust
• “our positive customer reviews provides
us with tremendous credibility.
• web traffic has increased by 40 %,
• nearly doubled our monthly sales,
• having one of our best months, when the
industry is experiencing one of its worst.”
General Manager

18. Dealers Adopt
YouTube
• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FrT237MiElA&feature
=related
• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0KaqG15ZeBU&featur
e=related
• “Our Youtube presence was to showcase our dealership
and engage our employees in a playful way.
• It was not used as individual sales tool with a specific
ROI.
• Rather it is part of broader SEO strategy to gain viral
value to increase our search engine results.”
General Manager

19. • “Our goal is to stay connected with our
customers and have the biggest dealer fan base
in the USA.
• Social media is not an advertising medium to sell
cars immediately.
• Our 4600 + Facebook fans allows us to stay in
our customers minds, engage them in what we
are doing; serve as a platform for community
involvement; and drive user to our website
without increasing the bounce rate.” Internet
Manager Charlotte NC

20. Auto Dealers Embrace
Mobile Messaging!
Southwest VA Ford Dealer only had 5
cars in for Friday’s service work
• Database: 178 opt-in
• Sent text out on a Thursday around 3:30pm
• Text: “Oil change w/ rotation $23.95 Friday
only call now to book your appt. 555-2233”
• 8 people responded quickly-they retained
these customers
• Average service ticket was $171 !!!
• $1368 additional revenue!

21. Where Are Auto Dealers,
65+% Not Active

22. “Social media is the defining effort
of business as a whole. Dealers
who get involved will have a
DISTINCT Advantage in the coming
years. The future of dealerships is
in Relationships!”
Dave McAllister, Internet Manager,
Scott Clarks Toyota, Charlotte NC

23. Clearly There is Value !
The Question is not IF your dealership
will adopt Digital Media…
But WHEN?
This a repeat of the Internet Revolution;
Will you position your company as an
Early Adopter or Laggard?

24. Are You Leveraging
Digital Media Opportunities?
It’s more than---
• Having a Facebook page
• Broadcasting Tweets
• Uploading YouTube Videos
• Blogging without a content
strategy
It’s Digital Media Optimization

25. Are You Listening to Your
Company Chatter?
• Google Alerts
• Twitter search
• Facebook newsfeed and status updates
• LinkedIn Q & A
• Google Blog search

26. What Are They Saying?

27. 4.6 Million Views
Leveraging Them?
Toyota Swagger Wagon
http://www.youtube.com/sienna

28. Facebook Should Be Interactive
NOT One Way

29. Facebook Should Be Engaging

30. Nissan Leaf Integrates
iPhone, YouTube, Blog
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a-_xa_m7MXU
171,000 views in 6 days

31. Social Media Live Update
http://www.personalizemedia.com/garys-social-media-count/
Clicking this link will show you how
social media has been embraced.
Notice the elapsed time.

32. If you act in new ways, you
will realize new results
• In 2010 auto dealers will Integrate
Digital Marketing to realize a
powerful edge
• If you don’t respond, your
competitive advantage will be
vulnerable

33. Are You Ready ?
Do You Hear the Call?

34. Let’s Start
Where are your customers?
• Are you where your
customers are?
• Are you engaging them?
What are your results?
• Are your current marketing efforts
maximizing results?

35. Digital Marketing Strategy

36. Assess Your Digital Footprint
1.Google your company
name
2.Print 1st two pages
3.Track social mentions
4.Evaluate the search
engine optimization
results
Traces left by someone’s
active and passive activity
in a digital environment

37. Digital Marketing
Strategic Imperative
1. Develop a Roadmap to
navigate the world of
digital media
2. Ask the right questions
3. Go beyond traditional
marketing as independent
silos; integrate your efforts
TV
Integrate Silos

38. Social Media Marketing
• Build out 3 platforms

39. Should You Use Facebook?
Yes! Facebook is the #1 social destination
Surpassed Google as #1 Trafficked Site
 Reaches 217,440 within 50 miles of Roanoke
and Lynchburg
 41% penetration among internet users Facebook Global
Monitor
 Users spend 7hrs+ per mo The Nielsen Company
 25-34yr demo doubling every 6 months *
 35-54 yr growing fastest, with a 276.4%
growth rate*
 55+ demo not far behind with a 194.3%
growth rate*
* Facebook Demographics 2009

40. Twitter… say it in 140 characters
• 105 million registered users
• New users signing up 300,000 per day
• 180 million unique visitors visit monthly
• 3 billion requests a day
• Power search engine receives 600 million
search queries/day

41. Customers
Share Their
Experiences
on Twitter

42. traditional
advertising
online
marketing
social
media
social public
relations
Optimize Your Media
Synergize … Build on each other

43. YouTube
•Create Your YouTube Channel
• Use Flip Camcorder easy to upload

44. Prove Media Works
Track - Evaluate ROI
1. Webstats - Google Analytics
2. Bud URLS
3. Facebook Stats
4. Social mentions
Service Departments have a
successful tracking model

45. When Do We See Results?
You will
1. Expand Brand Position
2. Grow Website Traffic
3. Increase Dealer Buzz
4. Build Facebook, Twitter, YouTube Followers
5. Realize referrals
6 Months Setup, Positioning

46. Digital Marketing
Best Practices
1. Commit resources - executive buy-in; staff; training; $$
2. Build on what you are doing - Incorporate social media
to leverage current marketing
3. Listen, Plan, Test - Monitor digital buzz, what customers
are saying; create your strategy and then test it
4. Develop competitive edge – as an early adopter you
can define your position
5. Be consistent, not overpowering - Maintain your
Brand; increase your digital presence, but don’t irritate

47. 6. Develop, maintain relationships - Touch your
potential car buyers and customers with regular alerts
on new inventory, service advice/coupons
7. Integrate - Weave your TV, radio with mobile, and
social media
8. Measure - Monitor your company's “digital chatter”
and presence
9. Evaluate your ROI - Evaluate, readjust your tactics
to meet goals
10. Keep Current…Drive Innovation - With daily
changes, have experts keep your finger on the pulse
Digital Marketing
Best Practices-2

48. Digital Solutions - a taste!
• Create BUZZZ
– Crowdsource contest “improve customer
service department”
• Create an Attention Getting Event
– Peoria AZ 150 car challenge
• Create Loyalty Program
– JD Power, “Loyalty is the #1 marketing tool for
the automobile dealer.”

49. About the Presenters
Ira Kaufman, President, Ira challenges owners and senior executives to clarify their goals and
translate them into a consistent Brand and Integrated Media Marketing Strategy. He combines 30 years
of rich experiences with businesses and nonprofits to guide them to leverage the power of social media
for marketing, recruitment and organizational development . Ira collaborates with a team of experts to
design interactive environments to create long term business value by integrating traditional advertising,
online marketing, public relations and social media. His strong values and sensitivity to organization
innovation and change are the foundation of his work. Ira has a PhD in Marketing and serves as a
consultant, public speaker, and lecturer for companies and Senior Executive programs .
Patsy Stewart, Director Social Media and Training, Patsy is responsible for designing and
implementing social media strategies as part of an Integrated Media Marketing plan. She specializes in
working with clients to generate conversations that create relationships. Patsy is well known throughout
Virginia as a speaker, trainer and thought leader in Social Media. She managed a recruitment team that
was recognized as one of the top 50 recruiters nationally using Twitter/social media. She is a national
speaker, contributor to business publications and she authored the ebook, "How to Grow Your Digital
Footprint".
www.entwineinc.com
Robert Harper, Senior Business Strategist, Robert is a 36 year automotive veteran . Prior to
joining the Entwine team, he was President of Miracle Ford, Senior Vice president of the Berglund
Automotive Group, operated his own consulting business, and was co-owner of Dave Sarmadi
Mitsubishi. He has worked with auto advertising budgets from $200,000 to $3.5 million/ year.