Posts Tagged ‘“Dealer Knows”’

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People Don’t Want to “Like” You

Tuesday, August 9th, 2011

You are a dealership. Most people don’t like the thought of visiting you. Through the years, a good majority of everyone who drives cars has had a frustrating experience at a dealership. Maybe not yours, but they’ve had a bad taste put in their mouths by others. They don’t want to be your friend, they just want to be serviced by you.

I don’t believe that in all of my (coughing) years I ever heard a normal person stand up for a car dealership’s reputation as another besmirches it in conversation. I’ve never heard “Hey! You leave XYZ Motors out of this. They are great people – the lot of them!” No. Doesn’t happen. When a dealers’ name is raked over the coals by an unhappy party, it is commonly accepted as unfortunate and realistic. So when you ask someone to “Like” you on FB, is it for reasons personally worthy to a customer?

My guess is, short of thinking they are going to win an iPad/TV or receive coupons for service, many could honestly go without seeing your customer reviews, pictures of happy customers, videos of salespeople, and alerts of the “big sale”. These things don’t carry much weight with most.

Try to tap into what people REALLY care about. Get your dealership involved in the community. Sponsor Little League teams, attend the Chamber of Commerce meetings to network, give to charities and participate in their local events, get involved in the local schools and help run food drives, car washes, etc. Give, give, and give to the philanthropies in your area.

Then… simply document (film, photograph, and blog) all of your involvements. Be a spectator to the events and video your participation. Those are the elements worthy of being shared socially. People don’t want to “Like” your dealership, but I guarantee you that someone in your community feels pretty strongly tied to things such as Breast Cancer Awareness events or the local Special Olympics. THOSE are organizations close to their heart. Your dealership likely will never be. However, if you can just tap into (and honestly serve) those entities that are meaningful to some, you will at least be in the right company. You will start feeling more goodwill toward you because you yourself have given something back.

I’ve accomplished a lot in automotive retail, but I am more proud of the hands I’ve shook and the smiles I’ve made happen when participating in local community events than any metric I’ve reached. If you want to make a difference and be “Like”able, then start by serving the community’s efforts before your own.

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Posted in Blog, Social Media/Reputation Management | No Comments »



The First 5 Emails to Successful Lead Management – Joe Webb

Friday, August 5th, 2011

After mystery shopping countless dealers over the years, some of the glaring needs we see are a basic process for handling leads. Over time, we’ve been able to determine a few of the basic steps your dealership must take when properly managing ongoing follow-up with your potential clients.

Step #1: Give them what they asked for and be generous with the information.

This seems pretty basic, but, still to this day, the good majority of customer questions go unanswered in the first email. It is well known that if you can answer any specific questions the inquiring customer asked, offer multiple pricing options, and give truthful information regarding inventory, availability, builds, prices, and incentives, you are on your way to building trust with the customer.

Step #2: Endear yourself to the customer.

As the saying goes, people buy from people they like. However, in automotive Internet, you need to go one step further. People buy from those they respect and appear willing to go above and beyond to earn their business. This is why so many have seen success stem from performing actions as simple as including a personal picture of themselves in the emails, shooting a quick walk-around video of the customer’s desired vehicle, sending Why Buy from Me’s, and emailing personal video introductions. You can’t build a relationship with someone you don’t know.

Step #3: Detail your process.

In ALL of our mystery shops, the Internet Manager says the same thing. Paraphrasing – “We have a special process in place to make this the best no-hassle purchasing experience for you.” Well that is all well and good, but not EVERYONE can have the best process. And what is your in-store process anyway? Why don’t you tell them what will happen when they arrive? People are submitting leads because they are afraid of the unknown. Put a detailed process of what events/activities will they can expect to transpire when they arrive for their appointment.

Step #4: Build value in your dealership

An Internet shopper can buy their desired vehicle from anywhere. When it comes to new cars, they can get the same car in the same color with the same options/features/specs at the same price or lower from your competitor right down the street. They can get the same finance rate or lower. They can get the same trade-in value or higher from them too. So what really is it (besides your people) that separates your dealership from the rest? What is your Value Proposition? What do you offer that others don’t? Being “family-owned and operated” doesn’t always translate the way you think it does to a consumer. So make sure you have an email template or Value Proposition with something that a customer might be able to attach a dollar value to.

Step #5: Sell the brand

This is the LAST thing you need to do… not the first. The manufacturer already spends millions and millions of dollars selling the virtues of their brand. The customer submitted a lead on that brand so they at least are considering it in the mix. At one point in your lead management process, you will need to re-sell them on the brand, most specifically, against the other makes the consumer is considering. However, this can certainly be one of the latter messages/topics you are sending to your Internet shoppers. They’ve likely uncovered enough to sell themselves on it one way or another in their research phase so focus on Steps 1-4 first.

If you give them what they ask for with multiple options, sell yourself, your process, your dealership, and your brand – in that order – you will convert more Internet shoppers to In-store customers through your email and phone communications

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Posted in Blog, Lead Management/Follow-up Process | No Comments »



Preparing to Grow Your Internet Department – part 2

Tuesday, July 26th, 2011

Before you begin recruiting or interviewing for the position, you must do three things before searching for and hiring an Internet Manager/Director.

1) Determine the hierarchy of the store. Who will this person, in a new department, be reporting to? Often anyone from sales managers to salespeople believe they can delegate work to someone in the Internet department while the top stores usually have a director or GM as the only entity that presides over the Internet team. Decide who is in charge of what and this will help you understand the type of candidate you need to hire.

2) Develop a pay plan based upon your goals for the Internet department/BDC and reward these specific metrics. What specific tasks must they complete and how will it drive business? Beyond sales goals, do you want them to achieve a certain level of contact made/engagement? Will you be thrusting inventory duties, website responsibilities, or, social/video tasks upon them? If so, build out the pay plan with escalating levels of income predicated upon their success with these initiatives. The structure of this position (A-Z, appointment setter, Director) will help determine the pay plan.

3) Create a written, detailed job description specifying all duties, expectations, hierarchies, necessary skills, and intended earning potential.

Once you have this framework for their position, you understand how to begin looking for the right candidate.

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Posted in Blog, Hiring for the Internet/BDC | No Comments »



Instant Gratification: Why outsourcing live chat isn’t always your best bet.

Friday, July 8th, 2011

Ten years ago, we used to say that customers preferred submitting email leads rather than walking into the store because it gave them instant gratification. They could have their questions answered immediately.

Nowadays, we all know this was a joke because the average response time took forever and still to this day in the industry it is well over an hour (and over 4 hours in some locations). Live chat (and, in some lesser cases, mobile) has overtaken email as a way to be instantly gratified with information.

However, if you are outsourcing your chat, know that the person representing your dealership does not have the ability (or knowledge or authority) to answer many of the customers’ questions. Moreover, what makes their BDC any better than yours? Be careful whom you get into bed with when it comes to outsourcing your chat.

Here is just one example from one of my dealer clients of an outsourced chat company and their inability to work with the customer. (The exchange below has not been altered except for removal of the dealership name and number.)

Chat Conversation:
John: It’s a great day at [Dealer Name]! How may I help you?

Visitor195794: Im looking at the 2008 volkswagon jetta. do you have a cash out the door price?

John: Alright.

John: Let me check that for you.

John: May I have your full name please?

Visitor195794: Brett

John: Nice to have you with us, Brett.

John: One of our sales representative are the best person to discuss pricing with.

John: Let me have one get back to you.

John: For that may I have you email address and contact number please?

Visitor195794: I cant get that info from you ?

John: I’m sorry, I’m not authorized to discuss pricing. Let me have a sales representative get back to you on this and hopefully work something out with you.

John: May I have your email address and phone number please?

Visitor195794: dont understand why that cant be discussed?

Visitor195794: thats how i purchased my last car

John: Because I’m not the right person to discuss the pricing.

John: However you may contact at 866-555-5555 regarding prices.

John: Is there anything else I may help you with?

Visitor195794: guess not

John: Alright.

John: We appreciate you considering (Dealer Name). As soon as we have the exact information you are looking for, we will get back in touch with you promptly. Thanks and have a great day!

Visitor195794: no sence in having the chat feature. if you cant discuss price

I couldn’t agree with the customer more. Now, understand that if you don’t have a dedicated BDC or Internet team sitting in front of their desktops all day long, then handling live chat yourself isn’t an option. In that instance, an outsourced chat provider is the ONLY direction you can go, rather than frustrate the customer by continually ignoring and missing their chat requests. But if you DO have that team structure in place, I strongly recommend that you hand chat over to your team.

A good chat should be handled like a good phone call. You must validate the customer’s question, thank them for contacting you through the medium, give them a personal benefit for handing over their contact information to you, capture the info, and answer their questions as quickly as possible while setting up the upcoming call/email/appt with the customer. Who better to handle chat for your dealership than the BDC that handles the inbound phone leads?

Essentially, outsourcing your live chat has the potential to go against everything the medium supposedly offers to the consumer – instant gratification.

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Posted in Blog, Internet Strategy | 1 Comment »



Ask the Expert – with Joe Webb of DealerKnows Consulting – (Internet Sales)

Friday, June 3rd, 2011

(Ask the Expert is a Q&A section in the upcoming new DealerKnows site yet to be released where the team at DK solve the problems facing automotive Internet professionals. These are the test runs.)

Hi Dealer Knows:
What would you define as an “authentic internet lead”. For example, if a customer walks in off the showroom and says they saw our used car online – is this considered an internet lead?

Thanks!
Angi W.
Internet Director
___________________________________
Joe Webb replies:
Hello Angi,

Thanks for reaching out. You ask some good questions. When you ask what an authentic internet lead is, I would have to give two different answers and solutions. Much depends on your lead-handling process and department structure.

Typically, Internet Professionals are paid based on what they bring into the store and sell. In this instance, a dealer will consider an authentic Internet lead as any email that originates online and enters into the CRM OR any phone call that is brought in from a dedicated, online resource (preferably handled by someone who is in the Internet department or BDC and sources correctly).

If someone is an eCommerce Manager/Internet Director like yourself, for instance, then pay is predicated upon all of the appts/sales brought in by the online advertising of the store. This includes those calls, emails, AND walk-ins that are sourced properly as an online customer. In the example you mentioned, provided the customer states (and it is put into the CRM) that their primary motivation for purchase and what brought them in was based on what they say online, then THAT is an Internet sale (while not an Internet lead).
It is a dichotomy that drives many in our industry crazy. It needs to be defined based on the department structure in place as well as the lead handling process you are following.
Here is an article I wrote for DrivingSales a little while back on the subject of what isn’t and isn’t an Internet Sale – Overthinking It!

I hope I was able to answer your questions. If you’d like to chat sometime, I’d be happy to accommodate you. Let me know if there is anything else I can do.

Thanks,
Joe Webb
DealerKnows Consulting
847-456-5130

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Posted in Ask the Expert, Blog | No Comments »



Ask the Expert – with Joe Webb of DealerKnows Consulting

Monday, May 2nd, 2011

Our first in an on-going series of Q&A for dealers by eCommerce experts and trainers. Soon to be featured on the upcoming, redesigned DealerKnows website:  Joe Webb, Bill Playford, and other auto industry and internet sales experts will weigh in on your pressing dealership questions.

Question:

Dear Joe,
Our BDC agents set a lot of appointments, but when the customers show up, they keep falling into the wrong salespeople’s hands (or are simply taken away and never introduced to anyone on our Internet team).  How do we make sure that they ask for us when they come in?

From
Juan R.
Connecticut Dealer

Answer:

What?  Skating from the Internet department still happens?  Say it ain’t so…. J

Great question, Juan, and it is something that many BDC’s struggle with.  It comes down to structure, discipline and management.  Many of these you have limited control over so I will give you just a few word tracks your team can use to make sure that all of the appointment-setting they do pays off for them.

First off, when setting an appointment, your BDC team needs to do a few things…

1)  Ask the customer to write down the name of the Internet sales specialist they are coming into see.  (Or, at the very least, a trusted sales manager should be the inbound customer’s point of contact.  If all else fails, while it isn’t ideal pulling a BDC agent away from the phone, have them ask for them personally.  More on that later.)

2)  Tell the customer in a somewhat hushed tone as if it’s important “I’d rather you speak to one of our Product experts that help our Internet customers rather than just a salesperson.”  Sounds harsh, but it works like a charm.  Now you are making it seem as if the customer has a true advocate at the dealership waiting for them opposed to an adversary.

3)  Whenever your BDC team sets an appointment, send out an appointment reminder email with a picture of the Internet team member or sales manager they should ask for when they arrive.  Putting a face with the name is imperative and they’ll visualize working with that employee specifically.  If the customer has given you permission to text them information, this works even better over text.  (RFID tags aren’t prominent or widely used yet, but this will solve everything in the future….stay tuned on that technology.)

4)  Let the customer know that to ensure they receive, “not only the best price, but best experience possible, make sure to ask for a member for our Internet team.  They’ll come get me so I can personally shake your hand for stopping in.”  Now you are guaranteeing, not only a higher level of customer service, but personal attention and adulation as well.

And here’s one more intuitive way to remind people who to ask for when they arrive….

Get a white easel board and put it at the front of the store.  (If you have the technology for a digital display, by all means, do that as well.  However, it may not grab the attention the way a digital screen/monitor can, but a white easel board will suffice for most dealerships.)  At the top of the board, it should say “DEALER NAME wants to thank (Customer’s first initial and last name) for stopping in and working with (Salesperson/Internet Salesperson’s 1st name).  At the bottom, it can say – “Let us know when you arrive!”  Next to the salesperson’s name, you can have little magnetic pics made of their faces (or icons/pics if using a digital display).  When a BDC agent sets an appt, they can either walk down and write it on the board next to the salesperson’s name and pic or enter it into the Appointment calendar online that feeds to the monitor.

Hope this helps.

Joe Webb

 

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Posted in Ask the Expert, Blog | No Comments »



The Test Drive Conundrum

Wednesday, April 13th, 2011

On your very first day in car sales, a manager (or likely the put-upon salesperson) brought you out onto the lot and showed you how to give a proper vehicle presentation and demo drive. You were shown this once.

Over the years, customers have become far more researched on the vehicles they are interested in and many believe the basics of the product presentation have changed. Their knowledge allows us to be more concentrated on certain aspects of the vehicle than others. However, my question to you is, do you feel the demo drive has changed?

Most customers primarily show up to test drive first and ensure they are indeed interested in the vehicle that is best for them. Like trying on clothes, they want to check the fit, feel, finish, and comfort of the vehicle.

I know I’ve made some comedic videos about test drives gone wrong, but recognize that there are only a few different ways they can be conducted. What style works for some won’t work for others. There are four primary ways a test drive can be handled:

Test Drive #1:
You pull the vehicle up for the customer. The customer sits in the driver’s seat and you sit in the passenger seat, navigating them through the vicious 4-right turn track that you’ve created for yourself.
Conundrum #1:
If you have given a proper presentation of the vehicle’s features before (or plan to after), how do you spend your time in the vehicle with them?
Do you
a) Just focus on their 5 senses (How does it feel? How is your field of vision? Are you comfortable? Do you smell that new car smell? Etc)
b) Do you focus on their need for the vehicle? What they are comparing it to and how they will be using it?
c) Do you re-highlight the features?
d) Do you build rapport with them and shoot the breeze?
e) Do you just shut up and let them experience it on their own?
Condundrum #2:
If the customer has a spouse with them, do you
a) Sit in the backseat and navigate from behind?
b) Sit in the front passenger seat so you can be a focal point for the second passenger?

Test Drive #2:
You pull the vehicle up, you drive the vehicle off the lot as your passenger and then perform the Chinese fire drill with a customer at an undisclosed place on the 4 right-turn track.
Conundrum #2:
While this is a commonly taught practice, I ask, are you driving it off the lot
a) for safety reasons?
b) so you can retain control of the experience?
c) because with your expertise you can show them “what this thing can do” better than they might be willing to?
d) so they can experience the vehicle without having to focus on the traffic in front of them?
e) because you are a control freak and you want all eyes on you?

Test Drive #3:
This form of test drive is rarely taught and often derided, but commonly executed. Many people feel the most effective form of test drive is to simply throw the customer the keys and let them take the vehicle out on their own. Do you find allowing the customer to test drive alone..
a) allows them to experience the vehicle on their own without any pressure or anxiety?
b) takes away your ability to build value or control the customer?
c) is effective, especially for Internet managers, because it allows them to complete in-store tasks while the customer is away?
d) makes you, the salesperson, appear more professional that you trust them to test drive it on their own?
e) makes you, the salesperson, look lazy because you are unwilling to spend the time with the customer?

Those are the different styles of Test Drives and the Conundrums that follow each. This is an imperative step in the road to the sale and I’d love to hear what works for you. At one time or another, I’ve used all of these test drive forms, with differing degrees of success. At DealerKnows Consulting, we have a fairly specific process that works like a charm for Internet shoppers stopping in to test drive that we train our clients on, but we’d like to hear from you. (We hear ourselves talk enough).

We understand that every customer is different so I’m looking for people to take a stand on this rather than just respond with “You’ve gotta get a feel for ‘em” types of answers. We KNOW that 25% of so (random percentage) will only want to do things their way, but that leaves 75% (unproven percentage) willing to follow your instructions. How will you proceed? How do you let your customers experience a Test Drive?

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Posted in Blog, Retail Automotive | No Comments »



Spring Training with Joe Webb of DealerKnows Consulting

Wednesday, March 30th, 2011

Baseball season is back in full swing. (See what I did there?  Yes, very cheesy, I know). And spring training for the teams is coming to an end.  They’ve spent well over a month preparing themselves and their minds for the day-to-day responsibilities that go along with a season of baseball.  Trainers, managers, and coaches get together to evaluate their personnel and to get them ready for action.  Several dealers do the very same when they seek out training for their team.

Dealers seek out trainers because it is necessary to have experts of different disciplines take a look at what you are putting out on the field of play.  You often need a skilled tactician to analyze your team, pinpoint opportunities, address concerns, teach fundamentals, build up your strengths, and eliminate your weaknesses.  Most importantly, it is the extra set of eyes from an outsider that helps shape a team into a successful bunch of athletes.

The problem is, far too many unemployed, out-of-work Internet Managers are calling themselves “consultants” and muddying the water of best practices.  (I’m only saying this because all season I’ve been doing my own “spring cleaning” where we clean up the mess made my another ill-prepared “consultant” the dealership mistakenly brought on before us.)  Just because someone reads the blogs, comments on the social networks, and attends conferences while achieving mediocre to slightly above average results at a non-descript dealership does not make someone a consultant…let alone a trainer.  These people are turning around and regurgitating articles they’ve read of best practices written by others, passing them off as their own ideologies, and implementing them into dealerships with no understanding of how to actually “teach” someone the philosophies behind it.  This is why the power of a Trainer or Consultant only goes so far.

Any respectable, “true” consultant or trainer will tell you that they can only take you and your team so far on their own.  We, as “true” consultants can get your team up-to-snuff on the fundamentals, help you set the best line-up and put the best people out on the field together.  We can recommend what type of equipment to use and give you a plan for attack, but we can’t manage.  A trainer can surely review the outcome of each game and help plan for the following day (as we do with our Virtual Dealer Training program by listening to phone calls, monitoring email correspondence from your team, and analyzing reports with the team’s management), but we can’t be on-site all the time.  You need a manager on the field watching over each game that can call plays on the spot and make quick decisions based on the situation in-store.  We, as trainers, need someone on-site – our advocate – that can continue to deliver our message and carry through on the collective game plan.

Spring training time is upon us.  The summer season is right here at our doorstep.  Have you made sure that your team is trained by the best?  If they are up to bat more often during the summer months, are you making sure that there is an on-field manager watching each cut they take?  Do your managers have someone they can rely on to discuss performance opportunities?

It’s time to play ball.  Have you prepared your team to take the field and win?

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Posted in Blog, Internet Sales Training | No Comments »



The Great Joe Webb Video Contest

Monday, March 7th, 2011

As many know by now, I just developed a Contest for Car Industry folks.  With all of my comedic car sales videos floating around out there, I get calls and emails from folks in our industry asking to be in one of my skits all the time.  Well here is your chance.

For those that know me, they know that, above and beyond my crazy and comedic sensibilities, I pride myself on being a family man first.  Well, in 2 months, my wife and I are proudly expecting our 2nd child.   So here is the contest:  If you can guess (on your 1st guess) right here on this thread the weight of my child at birth, YOU will get to star in one of my next comedic car sales videos I film.   Just leave your comments at the bottom of this post!
I’ve included the current guesses I received on my Facebook page post for this contest below.

Rules:
1)  No hints should be shared by those that know anything.
2)  It must be made within a week of this post.
3)  t must be exact – not closest.  This isn’t Price is Right rules.
4)  If, for any reason, a weight is already taken by another guesser, feel free to choose that same weight.  If for any reason the person is unable to make the video shoot, you will be chosen.
5)  Logistics will be worked out later.  Whether we will come to film near you, you will come to us, or we will film in a centralized city, it will be decided on later.
6)  My goal is that these videos will debut during one of my speaking sessions at a fall automotive conference.

Good luck.

In order of guesses,

  • Arnold Tijerina ‎8lb. 10oz.
    Friday at 8:29am · 

  • Brent Durham ‎7lbs 11oz
    Friday at 8:34am · 

  • Terry Powell ‎7lbs 14oz
    Friday at 8:42am · 

  • Ed Kiel ‎1st, congrats 2 three of you, 7lb, 4oz.,, oh yea, and beautiful.
    Friday at 8:48am · 

  • Ryan Green The baby will be a healthy 7lbs 15oz, and if it’s a boy you should go ahead and name him Chevy (you know you want to!).
    Friday at 9:39am ·  ·   1 person

  • Allison Corado CONGRATULATIONS!! 6lbs 8oz! So excited for you!
    Friday at 9:48am · 

  • Kevin Frye ‎8lb 5 ounces, and named after me…
    Friday at 10:07am · 

  • Tim Webb ‎8lbs 1oz of Homegrown happiness!
    Friday at 10:21am ·  ·   1 person

  • Paul Jimenez ‎7 lbs. 6oz
    Friday at 10:29am · 

  • Tony Kimbro ‎7lbs 8.5ounces
    Friday at 10:32am · 

  • Eric Miltsch ‎7lbs. 7.5oz.
    Friday at 10:40am · 

  • Tanesha White ‎6lbs 8oz and you should want me in your skit anyway! :)
    Friday at 10:42am · 

  • Aaron Kominsky ‎7 lbs 3 ounces
    Friday at 10:50am · 

  • Craig Shogren Not a car industry folk, but still like a contest….7 lbs 1 ounce
    Friday at 11:10am · 

  • Kaleb Curtis I’m not in the car industry, but I’m a sucker for pool bets. I’ll go 8 lbs 2 ozs
    Friday at 12:02pm · 

  • Stan Sher I would say 8 pounds 8oz
    Friday at 12:43pm · 

  • Ryan Green I think these videos need to be classified as an all new genre. How about “Informative Automotive Sketch Comedies” or “Infocarcoms”
    Friday at 1:15pm · 

  • Aj Maida Stan Sher stole my number…he has been known to telepathically read mens minds…the rules clearly state that there can be no clues…therefore Stan should be summarily dismissed for using his superpowers
    Friday at 1:31pm ·  ·   1 person

  • Manny Luna ‎7lbs 7 ounces If I win I would like Stan to co-star please…
    Friday at 1:32pm · 

  • Aj Maida Ok all that being said and even though I can’t use my own birth weight on a post started on my birthday because Stan cheated I’m going to go with 8 pounds 7 Oz.
    Friday at 1:33pm · 

  • Daniel Kortmann ‎9/11 that fateful weight
    Friday at 2:01pm · 

  • Tim Webb April 3 eight lbs 13 oz
    Friday at 3:06pm ·  ·   1 person

  • Richard Lucy Weightless on the International Space Station.
    Friday at 3:55pm · 

  • Edward Shaffer ‎8lbs 4oz
    Friday at 4:17pm · 

  • Friday at 10:51pm · 

  • Bill Playford ‎9lb 3oz (I’ll be in the video anyway)
    Saturday at 8:45am ·  ·   1 person

  • Tim Jennings ‎8.3 my friend
    Saturday at 9:08am · 

  • Saturday at 9:10am · 

  • Eric Hippen Pretty awesome! How about 7lbs 11oz
    Saturday at 9:56am · 

  • Glenn Pasch ‎7 lbs 5 oz
    Saturday at 1:20pm · 

  • Bill Goodfriend Congratulations first of all. My guess is 7lbs 6.5oz. : -)
    18 hours ago · 

  • Suthida Singharuksa ‎9 lbs 8.2 oz
    12 hours ago · 

  • Debbie Hall His Grammy says,, 9 lbs 4 oz:)
    12 hours ago · 

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Posted in Blog, Gotta’ Share | 1 Comment »



How Ya Like Me Now?

Saturday, February 12th, 2011

Returning from NADA 2011, it was more than apparent that we are in an age of “enlighten me”.  With Google stating that their entire focus in 2011 will be focusing on Social, Mobile, and Local, it means they understand that we consumers are me-centric and only willing to seek out opinion from our credible, close, personal, connected contingency of contacts.  A focus on social, mobile, and local could easily be combined to say this is the year of reputation management because reviews will run rampant.

If the NADA vendors and speakers taught us anything this last week it is that the public’s perception of your store is going to be one of the driving sources of eyeballs and traffic to your store.  It seems like every Tom, Dick, and Harry were selling some form of social media and reputation management.  You’d approach a booth and say, “Tell me about your product.” and they’d reply “We build car washes in dealerships and assist with social media/rep management services.”  Any amalgam of offerings was seen, but the constant is that EVERYONE thinks they are more reliable than you are to handle your own reputation.

Your reputation, loudly (and proudly?) displayed across the search engines and business listing sites will be your brand.  How do you want to be known?  What do you want to be known for?  Is your business map not only atop the search engines, but is it adorned with raving fans of your dealership?

It is abundantly clear that if you want to start building trust with the public, it starts from within.  Above and beyond how you conduct yourselves in an everyday setting (That is a given), it takes proactively reaching out to your loyal customers and asking for those reviews.  These online review sites (and the positive customer testimonial videos you can acquire – video or otherwise) will single-handedly determine the trust level that your local (and national) customers hold in your brand.

It is apparent that you need to stop relying on Google Alerts to see if your name is being dragged through the mud and THEN responding.  You must seek out positive reviews from your loyal customers.  How?  There are several answers.  From QR Codes on table tents and business cards to 3G connected iPads on-site to kiosks in service to long-term email/phone calling all the way to the simplest form… just asking for it when they’re in-store, you must put processes in place to start developing some goodwill reviews from your loyal, happy, local customers.

Reputation is important to everyone.  Even me.  I’ve written countless articles and blogs over the last several years dedicated to helping the in-the-trenches Internet professionals to create a positive, profitable department.  There is no fame or fortune in it.  I do it for the love of the craft.  Our craft.  If any of those articles or conference sessions or videos I’ve made have helped you, I couldn’t ask for anything better than having you rate me as an Internet Trainer on the DrivingSales vendor rating section. http://www.drivingsales.com/ratings/companies/dealerknows-consulting

That’s the easiest way I can ask “How Ya Like Me Now?”

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