The world wide web has supplanted car row as the place to shop for a vehicle. The consolidation of brick and mortar facilities may have been accelerated by a shrinking cheaper and government dictates; however, the writing has been on the virtual wall for some time. Technology has all the time served as the catalyst for turn and the Internet has proven to be the platform to introduce the next evolution of the auto industry.
The world wide web has matured as an effective data resource to replace the real world auto dealership as the place of option for car shoppers to procure the data they need to elect a vehicle and a dealership -- in that order! Internet based group networking is the virtual version of a room of Commerce, the Rotary Club, community Event, Fraternity, etc., linked together by a technology that serves as a central communication and distribution tool.
Variable Frequency Drive
The significance of association based selling in the real world is supported in every sales training by hand based on the observation that population like to do business with population that they like. The logic to Sell yourself, sell the dealership, sell the vehicle and then by comparison the price is an appropriate wisdom that is based on the one constant that has survived in both the real world and the world wide web -- Human Nature! Internet based group networks characterize an online community of like-minded consumers who have a strong sway on their online friends. Auto dealers must spend and involve in these online communities as population not as an auto dealer.
They must prioritize the interests of their new online friends before, while and after their buying cycle to earn their trust and observation when they have a need for a new vehicle or to aid their present one. After all, what are friends for!
Once a need has surfaced it is considerable that the transition from casual conversations to focused selling processes is transparent and ample to move the consumer seamlessly through their online shopping experience. Technology can reveal the data needed by both the consumer and the dealer to move forward into a transaction. However, the processes must build on the personality and association built on the group networking site that surfaced the opportunity. The unique differentiator between the dealers down the road selling the same stock is not the price, but the population that started the dialogue built on an earned association and trust.
Viral marketing is a natural extension of group networking that distributes a message in such a way that it will be forwarded by the recipient in a geometric progression enhanced by its valued content, unique creative, spellbinding production or some quality that will motivate the preliminary consumer to share it with their spheres of influence. The exponential increase of this type of online distribution channel affords an extremely cost effective media to distribute the preliminary message to a diverse audience that may or may not be curious in the content, but even a small division of conversions characterize a classic short term and quantifiable R.O.I. To conventional marketing media. The buzz created by the extended online community also develops long term branding recognition that enhances the reach and frequency of the message with less measurable results but similar value in developing top of the mind awareness for hereafter customers.
By extension, group media as it is applied for the purpose of marketing for the sell auto business is a channel for distribution of both viral and targeted marketing messages through controlled blogging forums as well as wide spheres of sway through online communities such as Twitter, Face book, LinkedIn, Naymz, YouTube, etc.
These online group networking communities have unique profiles that attract dissimilar types of users. Twitter and Face book, for example, are more universal and personal in nature while Naymz and LinkedIn are more professional and focused on business to business networking with YouTube using video to express the message. These online communities will be part of your extended group media channel, however, more specialized networks targeted to the auto business should be the core channels based on their applicable content, audience and linked links.
It should also be noted that modern store studies confirm that the efficiency defined by Twitter - in that they limit their postings to 140 words - has served to differentiate them from other sites with a classic increase curve to prove it. Conversion rates from Twitter users who access online banner ads or similar market messages are twice those of group networkers who do not have Twitter in their online profiles. The revelation is that many online networkers are overwhelmed by the fragmented online communities that they share in and minuscule time requires them to seek out more effective ways to manage their online and real world lives.
New platforms that link these diverse online communities into one central access point now exist that supply efficiencies beyond those in case,granted by any singular site. Power.Com -- for example -- functions as a layer or home page that represents this one stop group networking site philosophy. Newly developed marketing platforms serving the auto industry, like ronsmap.com, integrate group media with their vehicle listings with localized crusade engine functions -- think Google Local! ronsmap is a game changing online car buying/selling site for both consumers and dealers that makes car buying fast, comprehensive, transparent and live. Their rights technology gives customers unparalleled buying and negotiating power over the car buying/selling processes including the chance to accommodate For Sale By Owner listings. It provides auto dealers with unprecedented levels of sales intelligence on consumer leads and it enables automotive advertising agencies to promote and engage consumers via group networks.
The quality to offer both B2B and B2C marketing messages supported by relevant group networking forums is an effective aggregate of business and pleasure that will attract today's time challenged consumers. Of course, business opportunities must be subordinate to providing relevancy and spellbinding content to the end users -- the car shoppers -- however, the convenience of providing a locally targeted inner circle of linked real world friends through an online communication tool is an example of the leveraged and effective resources that are emerging on the Internet. Marketing to consumers in group networking communities requires resources, tools and skill sets to compliment and supplement auto dealers existing online selling efforts and ronsmap provides all of these elements in a cost effective scalable manner while delivering store intelligence that enables the auto dealer to maximize their conversion rates and retain gross profit in their online negotiations.
Finally, many dealers have learned the value of integrating customer generated content onto their websites through blogging forums and other methods to present past and present customer experiences to inherent hereafter customers. These dealer sponsored group networking platforms are often theorize and dealers tend to filter negative comments on their own site which limits participation by customers and adversely impacts the confidence of visitors in the value of the content. A more proven platform has been for auto dealers to retain third party micro-sites that length the dealer from the online community. The site can then enlarge on the messages it presents to include issues of interest to inherent customers. Links to community organizations and linked data resources supported by the dealer do not want a sales message, which would likely alienate the online community. The value of developing relationships with the site visitors on the coarse ground of your shared retain for the activities coordinated on the site will plant the seed that will grow when they are looking for a friend in the car business.
The schedule of participants in group media and group networking does not include market messages as it is primarily an online platform to build relationships and share information. On the contrary, any market abuse of a group media site will alienate users and originate negative backlash. That said, as previously stated, human nature has survived from the real world to the virtual world and population still prefer to do business with friends -- real or virtual. As long as the sales message is secondary to providing valued content or is placed in the context of a association focused community with shared interests then the quality to develop sales is both measurable and assured.
Viral marketing and group media have cost advantages over conventional media -- including radio, Tv, print, direct mail, etc. -- as well as online investments in crusade engine marketing, (Sem) -- such as pay per click and banner advertisements -- since there is no direct costs.
They are similar in their R.O.I. And value to Internet based crusade engine optimization, (Seo), with comparable indirect costs in that they are labor intensive. However, properly leveraged reciprocal links and automatic content in case,granted by Rss feeds from linked online sources can be integrated to sacrifice the labor for both content and distribution enhancing the R.O.I. Even after the cost of labor is considered.
An added unique value of group media is the increasing significance of relevancy and consumer generated content in consumer preference in their option of sites as a resource for information. Revising in conversion and bounce rates, time on page and a whole of other site analytics can be directly attributed to improved relevancy and consumer content -- as is in case,granted by group media when properly integrated with a website.
More significantly, is the resulting impact it is having on crusade engines such as Google in adjusting the algorithms that develop both page rankings and even costs linked with their pay per click programs. Also, the enduringly changing messages in case,granted by user generated content on the posting site improves its Seo. The significance of relevancy has been firmly established by both consumers and the crusade engines insuring that its impact on Internet use will increase as should your focus on it.
A less confident but equally valued aspect of the use of group media to increase your marketing plans is the evolution of the use of the Internet by consumers to be more of a pull/push media vs. The old world marketing logic of push/pull. The Internet has allowed consumers the freedom to procure data from a collection of online resources to avoid the sales hype and self serving messages used by advertisers in other media.
The recognized preference for consumers to rely on referrals and shared personal experiences from third party sources and "friends" has been enhanced by the Internet and, more specifically, group media which has been shown to supply a stronger sway on consumers than both conventional and other methods of Internet based marketing efforts. Leveraged resources in the auto business group networking arena supply consumers, auto dealers and vendors with the inside story on the auto industry. These site offer shared content by direct and indirect links with other established group media networks as well as specialized auto business networking communities in consumer/dealer/consultant/vendor facing forums.
It is foremost to note that the messages and even the portals themselves are established as open forums with minimum self serving or obviously market elements. Of course, the fundamental purpose of many of these sites is to enhance the Seo and relevancy of the auto dealer participants and all of the contributing members. However, group media rely on association based communications. If a site is perceived by consumers as being self serving or market it will be shunned by consumers.
The question by consumers for transparency on an auto dealer's website is coupled with the auto dealer's need to turn these virtual customers to real world selling opportunities for vehicle sales and service. The following online processes are designed to replicate and integrate with established real world selling systems without offending the online shoppers by delivering the data that they need, when they need it -- which is immediately!
1) Meeting and Greeting: Meeting and greeting is step one in both the real and the virtual world. If a customer walks into a showroom he expects to either find the data he wants or to be directed to where he can find it. Conversion tools, such as Argistics AutoTransaXion and Auto Website Plus, allow a pro-active engagement with an invitation to sass a customer's questions.
AutoTransaXion links with the dealer's Dms and Crm to integrate with established real world selling systems. More uniquely, their two way video customer interaction platform replicates the human experience" for association based communications. an additional one chat application with a unique added value is AutoWebsitePlus.Com. It replaces the video function found in AutoTransaXion with a 15 language translation application that allows an English speaking sales staff to directly reveal with Spanish, German, Italian, etc. Speaking customers. Specialized R.O.I. Analytics include S.E.M. And S.E.O. Quantified and considerable reports to monitor and manage all of your online advertising and marketing investments that are driven to your website.
Both AutoTransaXion and Auto Website Plus also offer a staffed explication to supplement -- or even replace -- an auto dealer's sales or internet staff in processing internet leads sourced from the site. Justified cuts in expenses by auto dealers struggling to adjust fixed and semi-variable expenses to be in synch with reduced profit margins and sales volume has forced many dealers to sacrifice the efficiency of their selling processes on both their real and virtual showrooms. The quality to add a remote staff to instantly sass and process online sales and aid opportunities in a consistent manner can either supplement existing staff or increase the online showroom hours to a 24/7 schedule.
2) preliminary T.O. + qualifying + feature/benefit presentations: AutoTransaXion and Auto Website Plus both supply a real time interaction which can be used to accommodate an preliminary T.O. And to start an interview to qualify the customer's needs. Once their needs are determined, the application continues in a push/pull manner to present data on a collection of vehicles.
3) inventory walk and test drive: The use of videos in conjunction with embedded links to relevant information, such as Car Fax reports, combined with a list of comparable vehicles based on the customer's needs, can replicate the consumer touch in the real world. SiSteR Technologies Video CarLot is an automatic video production aid that can turn an auto dealer's online pictures into a professional video with human voice as well as the quality to integrate existing video content into the stitched pictures in case,granted on the dealer's website. In addition, multiple schema layers linked to a dedicated micro-site -- vShock -- provides an extended marketing platform for similar inventory on the dealer's website. This process will narrow down the inventory to a short list of inherent vehicles to allow the online selling process to continue into relevant negotiations and in some cases even to an actual online transaction. This application also integrates a lead conversion form that is directly sourced back to the video posted on the dealer's website, third party advertising sites and even on the crusade engines as a unique Url linked to the video posted on You Tube through a dedicated Api that delivers the vehicle with integrated meta tags and crusade words tied to the vehicle as well as links back to the posting dealer's website in synch with their established S.E.O. Programs. (vSeo)
4) Trade-in appraisal and negotiations: AutoTransaXion and Auto Website Plus push/pull capabilities include the quality to invite pictures and details on a trade-in that will supply enough data for a dealer to develop an actual appraised value field to confirmation at the time of delivery. Similarly, since the applications are linked with the auto dealer's Dms, the first pencil can be delivered at the point of first touch with actual negotiations in a similar fashion to established real world selling processes.
5) Online transactions and delivery: AutoTransaXion and Auto Website Plus can faultless a negotiation and process all customer and vehicle data directly into an auto dealer's Dms and Crm with the quality to push all forms needed to consummate a sale. The dealership can then deliver the vehicle along with the appropriate paperwork. The delivery can be scheduled at the dealership to avoid right of rescission rules that exist in many states. It should be noted that even if an appointment is made at the dealership the process will be greatly enhanced by the online communications that preceded it.
6) follow up for sold and un-sold units: Database marketing for sold and unsold customers has existed for many years, however, matrix based automatic solutions have been extremely limited. Bulldog Marketing Technologies and their integrated consumer Cleanse supply a practice follow up to any customer that has been entered into a dealer's database. The messages can be delivered via email or direct mail with a personalized message drawn from the preliminary contact.
The unique feature of Bulldog is their quality to elect comparable vehicles for the ongoing observation of unsold customers. The touch can include current price data including factory incentives, interest rates and payments to address issues that may have prevented the preliminary sale.
In addition, consumer Cleanse uses third party resources to settle if a customer has already purchased a vehicle -- even if from a dissimilar dealership -- so the message can be converted to a aid offer rather than a sales message that will be ignored by the customer. Sold customers are also included in the process with aid offers and customer pleasure messages to supplement the dealer's existing Crm functions.
7) inventory supervision and ongoing online marketing: It is an appropriate wisdom that dealers make their money on Used Cars when they buy them, not when they sell them. inventory supervision systems like Aax, vAuto, eCarList and FirstLook supply applications that use historical sales data as well as current online postings in varying ratios of relevancy to aid in the appraisal process. Extended and integrated marketing platforms also seamlessly place the newly acquired inventory onto the dealer's website and third party advertising sites. Since time is money the faster the vehicles are placed on the virtual inventory and online marketing plan the sooner they are sold and the profit is turned into an additional one vehicle.
FirstLook has the unique quality to apply their rights algorithm to develop the copy of the online ads for the vehicles using their consumer Optimization process to prioritize the features and benefits for each vehicle to exactly match proven customer preferences. This automatic production process increases conversion and profits from the posted ads and added features and functionality are planned to added enhance the ads. (Can you say Video!)
All of the issues discussed in this narrative can be referenced to the key differentiator between conventional advertising/marketing and the newly maturing position being reserved for group networking. For example, customer reviews exist in most sell verticals on the World Wide Web and the auto business is no exception. While the significance of this component of many group networking site can't be over emphasized, it is only one bullet in the gun of auto dealer's that are enduringly increasing their venture in credit supervision and branding through the use of their group networking/marketing plans.
Web 2.0 has come to be an established buzz for today's automotive advertising agencies but User Generated Content, (Ugc), has earned a position in their vocabulary in a collection of forms. group Media -- for example -- references communication technology offered in a group forum that allows users to interact and contribute shared content through a collection of tools including forums, blogs, Weblogs, networking communities, wikis and radio podcasts -- like my own blog talk radio shows on AdAgencyOnline.Net.
Social Marketing describes a grouping of group media tools that supply direct personal relationships with a targeted group of customers. group Networking Sites include well recognized online communities like Face Book, Twitter, Bebo, MySpace and newly maturing centralized aggregator sites like ronsmap.com that allow population to associate with old and new online friends through personal profiles that define their shared interests in both the real and the virtual world on an personel basis as well as with groups that they have in common.
The growing acceptance and recognition of these various and linked facets of the new phenomenon of group Networking is built on established business and advertising marketing principals enhanced by the new language of today's Internet and technology driven auto industry. They all identify the significance of association selling and branding to supplement and compliment -- not replace -- conventional calls to operation and direct selling messages.
The crusade engines are also playing a growing role in the acceptance of Ugc and the significance of credit supervision with the development of new tools -- like Google's Sidewiki -- that provides site visitors with a text box to post their opinion of an auto dealer's website to hereafter visitors. They have an added self serving schedule to at last sell this data and data to inherent online advertisers since the application also tracks the user's history on the Internet but it raises the significance and accident of protecting auto dealer's online credit to a new level!
Automotive advertising agencies are studying and applying the rules established by the crusade engines but dictated by the online consumer who finally is the only driver on the Internet Super Highway that matters. In summation, monetizing group networking and applying it into selling processes that blur the line between the real and the virtual world is the goal and role of today's automotive advertising agencies.
Automotive Advertising Agencies Monetize public Networking by Integrating it Into Real World Process