One of the most valuable assets we possess can’t be measured, counted or displayed. It takes years to build and seconds to destroy, and we depend on it not only in business but in our marriages, friendships and all the other relationships in our lives. Our…

How does reputation drive gross? 

When it comes to your online reputation, the good will inevitably outweigh the bad. Learn how on episode 16!

Before the Internet people chose who to do business with based on their community and word-of-mouth. There were no review sites. Now, however, review sites are flourishing -- just about every third party listing service has adopted them and there are many stand-alone services too.

Consumers increasingly conduct their research online during their car shopping…

Consumers increasingly use their smartphones to research which businesses they should patronize. These days, online reviews are a big part of that decision process. If managed incorrectly, these reviews can easily flip your prospective customer away from your dealership and into the lap of your competition. And it’s not just a bad review, it’s how you respond to them and…

Among the many activities I complete in advance of a dealer consulting visit is a thorough analysis of their online reputation, as this can often help define much of the visit’s focus. During one such analysis this week, I discovered the following for an upcoming dealer visit (numbers have been estimated to protect the dealer’s identity):

• Google –…

Ever since reviews have risen in popularity, dealerships have mostly focused on written reviews -- they were the most prominent in search engine results and on third party sites.

This worked pretty well for a while. However, with the rise in the importance of reviews, some companies chose to act unscrupulously and falsely boosted their reputation by posting…

This was sent to me by Kipp Bodnar VP Marketing, HubSpot. I found it fascinating and was intrigued. I wanted to share in a special post. Everyone please share and give Kipp and I your feedback on this. What are your thoughts? Insights?

The traditional marketing model in…

What You Must Know About Managing Your Reputation

A lot of businesses have learned from experience the importance of a strong reputation. Poor treatment of customers will only hurt your reputation. Keeping that in mind, here are some suggestions about how to do things the right way to gain…

Bring on More New Customers

Visitors are 144% more likely to purchase a product after seeing a video.

• 

  Easier 1st Page Google Ranking

  A web page with…

C.S.I. of course is our strongest marketing message we can deliver, but are we covering the bases? Most dealerships are extremely focused on C.S.I and so are their salespeople.  Ironically with that said, even though our number one source of customers is our previous customers the sales person who sold the…

What You Should Know About Managing Your Reputation 

Solid management of your reputation can result in real business growth. Word of mouth means everything in the business world, and having a great reputation can really impact that word of mouth in a positive way. You will also…

Worried About Your Business's Reputation? These Tips Can Help!

Businesses that have great reputations attract more customers and produce more sales. Customers will be happy, and they will tell others about their experience with you. Safeguarding your business reputation is necessary for real success. Managing your reputation is crucial; continue reading for some helpful tips.

Always offer…

According to Wikipedia* Reputation Management is the influencing and/or control of an individual's or business's reputation.

Reputation Management - Do You Know How Your Business Is Perceived? 

To better your business reputation, make sure you follow up with your customers. This is especially the case if your business is larger. You need to make them feel important. Consider…

Every dealership has seen this customer—the one who demands to be reimbursed for damage they claim happened while the car was in the dealership’s care, or because of faulty service work. You might find it challenging to deal with these customers, especially when you don’t believe your team is at fault. So what is the best way to handle them?

To help answer…

Let me start off by stressing the word social, these are going to be topics, events and days of interest that you can use to be conversation pieces with people in your online communities. None will be car specific but instead topics that might stimulate two-way conversations and recognition. People are pretty smart, they know ABC Toyota sells Toyota’s, you don’t have to tell them every day.

These topics will fall into the fun section of my 4-3-2-1 Rule of Facebook Posting. Each month,…

In February 2010, I wrote a blog titled “Pizza Wars: Why Auto Dealers Need to be Involved in Social Media.” I was reminded of this the other day when I saw that Domino’s Pizza earnings had surpassed Wall Street’s expectations.…

It sounds backwards, at first, but when was the last time you asked your customers for a complaint or some constructive criticism?  If you’re like most dealerships, you’re doing everything you can to avoid complaints and negative reviews. In the past, you may have even ignored customers that voiced a complaint. However, in today’s world of instant feedback and review sites,…

Customers Always Receives Exceptional Service, that’s what I mean by CARES. Does your dealership do just what it has to do or does it go the extra mile for every single customer? These days, people are unimpressed by businesses doing just enough to get by, they want exceptional service!

Are you exceeding their expectations? Are you addressing their needs thoughtfully and in…

Losing a friend stinks; losing a client costs you money; people unliking your Facebook page is both! Historically, people have had a somewhat negative opinion of car dealers in general, and not many of them want to be friends with a dealer on Facebook. However, when you get the chance to build that relationship, that relationship that may one day lead to a sale, so don’t…

“To err is human; to forgive, divine” – Alexander Pope

Mistakes happen, people realize this. Nobody expects a business to be perfect, as everyone has bad days. However, how you handle these mistakes is the secret to formulating long-term opinions of your…