Joseph Little's Posts - DealerELITE.net2024-03-29T06:05:44ZJoseph Littlehttps://www.dealerelite.net/profile/JosephLittlehttps://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2535871368?profile=RESIZE_48X48&width=48&height=48&crop=1%3A1https://www.dealerelite.net/profiles/blog/feed?user=309k5ov6zvmbr&xn_auth=noThe Big Easy Survival Guide for NADA100: Who’s Who & What’s Wheretag:www.dealerelite.net,2017-01-09:5283893:BlogPost:4926972017-01-09T20:23:07.000ZJoseph Littlehttps://www.dealerelite.net/profile/JosephLittle
<p>There’ll be a lot going on at NADA100—and to see everything you want to see, it’s important to make a plan. It all starts with <a href="https://nadaconventionblog.org/2016/07/19/nada100-carnival-kicks-off-2017-convention/">Carnival on January 26</a>, and it won’t stop until the last person’s off Expo floor. But don’t worry; I’ve got you covered, and I won’t let you miss a thing. Here’s what you need to know and where you need to go:</p>
<p> </p>
<ul>
<li><b>Kick it off with Carnival.</b> …</li>
</ul>
<p>There’ll be a lot going on at NADA100—and to see everything you want to see, it’s important to make a plan. It all starts with <a href="https://nadaconventionblog.org/2016/07/19/nada100-carnival-kicks-off-2017-convention/">Carnival on January 26</a>, and it won’t stop until the last person’s off Expo floor. But don’t worry; I’ve got you covered, and I won’t let you miss a thing. Here’s what you need to know and where you need to go:</p>
<p> </p>
<ul>
<li><b>Kick it off with Carnival.</b> If you’ve never visited <a href="http://www.mardigrasworld.com/">Mardi Gras World</a>, you need to make a point of going. This is the place where it’s Carnival every single day of the year! It’s where most of the world-famous Mardi Gras floats are built—and it just so happens to be the hot spot for NADA100’s Carnival, kicking off what’s expected to be one of the biggest and best NADA conventions yet. A year-round working warehouse, Mardi Gras World is a is just a stone’s throw from the Convention Center and located right on the Mississippi.</li>
</ul>
<p> </p>
<p><b>3 Reasons You Can’t Miss Carnival:</b></p>
<p><b>1. </b> Great entertainment! Foreigner, Cowboy Mouth, and local Jazz favorites will all be playing.</p>
<p><b>2. </b> At least 8,000 NADA attendees will be there, so it’s your chance to mingle with industry pros and kick the convention off in style.</p>
<p><b>3. </b> Delicious food! There’ll be plenty of good eats from top New Orleans restaurants.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Your NADA badge is your ticket to get in. Take the complimentary shuttle from your NADA official hotel to Mardi Gras World from 6:30 p.m. to 10:30 p.m.</p>
<p> </p>
<ul>
<li><b>Catch the Keynotes.</b> There’s a full line-up of great speakers planned to make sure your convention days are energized. Friday’s schedule includes Jeff Carlson, 2016 NADA Chairman; Jim Gaffigan, Comedian; and Mark Fields, President & CEO of Ford Motor Company. Saturday continues with Mark N. Scarpelli, incoming NADA Chairman; Roger Penske, Penske Corp. Chairman; Helio Castroneves, three-time Indianapolis 500 winner; and Keith E. Crain; and Editor-in-Chief at <i>Automotive News</i>, <i>Autoweek</i>, and <i>Automobilewoche</i>. Finally, world-class adaptive snowboarder Amy Purdy wraps things up on Sunday with her story of survival and beating the odds.</li>
</ul>
<p> </p>
<p><b>3 Reasons You Can’t Miss Them:</b></p>
<p><b> </b><b>1. </b> They’ll all rev up your enthusiasm. From their drive to win in their individual sports to their determination to push to the top of their industries, they’ll all inspire you to get out there and find new ways of conquering the market.</p>
<p><b>2. </b> They’ve each made it to the top in their own fields; their commitment and energy represent what we all strive to achieve.</p>
<p><b>3. </b> They’re fearlessly leading the way in a changing marketplace, and they’re going to share their secrets with you.</p>
<p> </p>
<ul>
<li><b>Catch my workshop.</b> I’ll be presenting <i>Learning to Love Complaints: Turning Feedback Into Success</i> all three convention days:</li>
</ul>
<p> </p>
<p><b>Thursday, January 26 at 1:00 p.m. in Room 350</b></p>
<p><b>Friday, January 27 at 10:30 a.m. in Room 265</b></p>
<p><b>Saturday January 28 at 10:30 a.m. in Room 333</b></p>
<p> </p>
<p>Guests will learn what it takes to succeed in today’s online, feedback-driven marketplace. Whether you’re dealing with a negative feedback situation or you want to drum up more interaction and feedback from your customers, I’ll give you the answers you need and make sure you’re heading in the right direction.</p>
<p> </p>
<p><b>3 Reasons You Can’t Miss It:</b></p>
<p><b> </b><b>1. </b> I’ll be sharing some of my <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/sociallittleman?authType=NAME_SEARCH&authToken=ZnEb&locale=en_US&trk=tyah&trkInfo=clickedVertical%3Amynetwork%2CclickedEntityId%3A56968710%2CauthType%3ANAME_SEARCH%2Cidx%3A1-1-1%2CtarId%3A1483567282268%2Ctas%3Ajoey">@SocialLittleMan</a> expertise to help you boost your dealership’s online reputation—so make sure you catch a session to get all the tips and tricks I have to share.</p>
<p><b>2. </b> I’ll tell you everything you need to know about dealing with negative feedback—including how to ensure every online consumer ends up seeing your dealership in a positive light.</p>
<p><b>3. </b> I’ll tell you how to enlist your employees to help you boost your online reputation AND extend your dealership’s online social reach.</p>
<p> </p>
<ul>
<li><b>Party at AutoBash!</b> Pick up your pass for the can’t-miss party of the year at AutoAlert’s NADA Booth #1455, but don’t wait too long, because these passes will fly out the door! Mix, mingle, and enjoy top-shelf drinks with industry professionals at <a href="http://www.republicnola.com/about-republic-new-orleans/">Republic Nola</a>. After a long day on the Convention floor, you won’t want to miss out on a night of true New Orleans entertainment in the historic downtown Warehouse District. </li>
</ul>
<p> </p>
<p><b>3 Reasons You Can’t Miss AutoBash:</b></p>
<p><b>1. </b> You’ll make valuable connections and enjoy downtime with your colleagues as you listen to great music and enjoy a great New Orleans night.</p>
<p><b>2. </b> Step back in time and party in a building that dates back to 1852. Originally used to store produce, Republic Nola shows off its rich history with vintage brick walls and crystal chandeliers.</p>
<p><b>3. </b> AutoBash is featuring the Spin Doctors, so get ready to sing along to <i>Little Miss Can’t Be Wrong</i>, <i>Two Princes</i>, and other great hits!</p>
<p> </p>
<p>There’ll be plenty to keep you busy—from dawn to dusk (and even later)—at NADA100, so be sure you hit the highlights to get the most out of your stay. This year is a big one, both for NADA as it celebrates its 100<sup>th</sup> anniversary, and for AutoAlert as we introduce groundbreaking <a href="http://autoalert.com/one-to-one-intelligent-marketing/">One-to-One Intelligent Marketing</a> and <a href="http://autoalert.com/pando-web-mobile-messaging/">Pando</a>.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Keep following, and I’ll be sure you don’t miss a minute of the NADA100 experience!</p>
<p></p>The Big Easy Survival Guide for NADA100tag:www.dealerelite.net,2017-01-06:5283893:BlogPost:4926762017-01-06T17:51:12.000ZJoseph Littlehttps://www.dealerelite.net/profile/JosephLittle
<p><b><a href="http://autoalert.com/the-big-easy-survival-guide-for-nada100-4/" target="_blank"><img class="align-center" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2545167725?profile=RESIZE_1024x1024" width="750"></img></a></b></p>
<p><b>Chapter 4: What to See in the City</b></p>
<p><b> </b></p>
<p>It’s almost time for NADA100, and that means we’re all about to get a little taste of New Orleans! It’s a city that’s rich in history, fun, food, and nightlife, so it’s tough to know where to start. To help you out, I did a little digging, talked to some friends in the know—and, of course, vetted some places…</p>
<p><b><a href="http://autoalert.com/the-big-easy-survival-guide-for-nada100-4/" target="_blank"><img width="750" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2545167725?profile=RESIZE_1024x1024" width="750" class="align-center"/></a></b></p>
<p><b>Chapter 4: What to See in the City</b></p>
<p><b> </b></p>
<p>It’s almost time for NADA100, and that means we’re all about to get a little taste of New Orleans! It’s a city that’s rich in history, fun, food, and nightlife, so it’s tough to know where to start. To help you out, I did a little digging, talked to some friends in the know—and, of course, vetted some places via social media—and now it’s time to reveal the <b>Ultimate Not-to-Be-Missed List of Things to Do in New Orleans:</b></p>
<p><b> </b></p>
<ol>
<li><b>1. </b> <b>Party with AutoAlert at AutoBash. </b> We’ll be bringing down the house as the Spin Doctors perform for our guests at <a href="http://www.republicnola.com/">Republic Nola</a> from 9:00 p.m. to 12:00 p.m. in the historic Warehouse District. <b>Pick up your pass to this exclusive event when you visit AutoAlert Booth #1455 at NADA.</b> Join us for top-shelf drinks and hors d’oeuvres and mingle with top industry pros in in one of the most beautiful venues in the city.</li>
</ol>
<p><b> </b></p>
<ol>
<li><b>2. </b> <b>Eat at</b> <a href="http://www.mothersrestaurant.net/"><b>Mother’s</b></a> <b>Cajun restaurant.</b> Seriously, if you have $15 in your pocket, you’ll have the best dining experience this side of the Bayou. <b>Pro tip: Try the crawfish étouffée.</b> You won’t be sorry.</li>
</ol>
<p> </p>
<ol>
<li><b>3. </b> <b>Explore one of the famous New Orleans cemeteries.</b> Known as “cities of the dead,” they boast ornately decorated above-ground tombs and are rumored to be haunted. <a href="http://www.atlasobscura.com/places/marie-laveaus-tomb">Cemetery No. 1</a> is listed on the National Register of Historic places and is the final resting place of the infamous Marie Laveau, Voodoo Queen of New Orleans.</li>
</ol>
<p> </p>
<ol>
<li><b>4. </b> <b>Take in some live music.</b> You’re heading to the birthplace of jazz, so get ready to sit back, relax, and take in the music of the city. Just about any night of the week, you can find live entertainment, so consider <a href="http://preservationhall.com/">Preservation Hall</a> if you’re looking for traditional New Orleans jazz. Or for a less touristy, out-of-the-way spot, check out the <a href="http://www.palmcourtjazzcafe.com/">Palm Court Jazz Café</a>. It’s on the downriver end of Decatur Street, and you’ll be treated to mellow jazz with plenty of piano.</li>
</ol>
<p> </p>
<ol>
<li><b>5. </b> <b>Stroll down Bourbon Street.</b> A New Orleans classic, Bourbon Street is loaded with opportunities to have fun and absorb a little bit of history at the same time. 13 blocks long and in the heart of the French Quarter, this street dates all the way back to 1798. It’s full of famous bars, jazz venues, restaurants, and shops—so no matter when you go, there’ll be something going on.</li>
</ol>
<p> </p>
<ol>
<li><b>6. </b> <b>Grab a bite at</b> <a href="http://www.coopsplace.net/"><b>Coop’s Place</b></a><b>.</b> It’s for adults only, but just because of the video poker machines. Dubbed by Zagat as the place “where the not-so-elite meet to eat” and situated in the bustling French Quarter, you’ll get a good dose of New Orleans here. Cajun fried chicken, rabbit sausage, and gumbo are just a few of the local favorites you can try.</li>
</ol>
<p> </p>
<ol>
<li><b>7. </b> <b>Take a</b> <a href="http://www.neworleanscarriages.com/"><b>Royal Carriage</b></a> <b>ride.</b> The oldest sightseeing carriage company in the country, Royal Carriages has been a New Orleans tradition for over 75 years. Early-birds can take the morning ride and save $10, or choose the ghostly History & Haunts tour, available nightly. Depart from Jackson Square and see the French Quarter on a 30-minute mule-drawn tour.</li>
</ol>
<p> </p>
<ol>
<li><b>8. </b> <b>Breeze through the bayou.</b> If you’re going to be around for an extra morning—either before or after NADA—take an <a href="http://www.jeanlafitteswamptour.com/swamp-airboat.html">airboat tour</a> and get up-close and personal with Louisiana’s gators, turtles, and more.</li>
</ol>
<p> </p>
<ol>
<li><b>9. </b> <b>Do a little souvenir shopping.</b> Take home a Carnival mask from the famous <a href="http://www.themaskstore.com/">Maskarade</a> shop. Or drop by <a href="http://www.riverwalkneworleans.com/">The Outlet Collection at Riverwalk</a> to find all your favorite stores at outlet prices, with a few local favorites thrown in, too.</li>
</ol>
<p> </p>
<ol>
<li><b>10.</b> <b>Don’t leave without eating a beignet.</b> Morning or night, it’s always a good time for one of these tasty treats, and New Orleans is one of the best places to get them. Try <a href="https://www.famousbeignets.com/">New Orleans Famous Beignets & Coffee</a> on Decatur Street or grab some chocolatey goodness at <a href="http://www.nocbc.com/">New Orleans Coffee & Beignet Co.</a> You know what? Convention travel is hard work…you should try out BOTH places.</li>
</ol>
<p> </p>
<p>It’s going to be a lot of hustle and bustle at NADA100, but even though you’ll be going non-stop, there’s always time for a little fun! Grab some colleagues and mix it up with some new connections, too, while you check out a few New Orleans highlights. Network at the convention…and then network some more at the local hotspots, too.</p>The Big Easy Survival Guide for NADA100tag:www.dealerelite.net,2016-12-21:5283893:BlogPost:4918212016-12-21T18:55:56.000ZJoseph Littlehttps://www.dealerelite.net/profile/JosephLittle
<p><b><a href="http://autoalert.com/the-big-easy-survival-guide-for-nada100-3/" target="_blank"><img class="align-center" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2545168181?profile=RESIZE_1024x1024" width="750"></img></a></b></p>
<p><b> </b></p>
<p><b>Chapter 3: What to Do What When You Get There</b></p>
<p><b> </b></p>
<p>There are a few things you can do to make NADA100 a top-notch experience. If you’ve already got a game plan and know which workshops you want to attend, then you’re ahead of the game. If not, <b>check out the…</b></p>
<p><b><a href="http://autoalert.com/the-big-easy-survival-guide-for-nada100-3/" target="_blank"><img width="750" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2545168181?profile=RESIZE_1024x1024" width="750" class="align-center"/></a></b></p>
<p><b> </b></p>
<p><b>Chapter 3: What to Do What When You Get There</b></p>
<p><b> </b></p>
<p>There are a few things you can do to make NADA100 a top-notch experience. If you’ve already got a game plan and know which workshops you want to attend, then you’re ahead of the game. If not, <b>check out the</b> <a href="https://convention.nada.org/NADAworkshops/"><b>schedule</b></a> and get yourself in gear, because once you’re there, the pace will be breakneck!</p>
<p> </p>
<ul>
<li><b>Be sure to download the NADA100 app</b> from the <a href="https://itunes.apple.com/nz/app/nada100-convention-expo/id1162864975?mt=8">Apple Store</a> or <a href="https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.coreapps.android.followme.nada_con17&hl=en">Google Play</a>. It’s a powerful tool that will allow you to keep all the important convention information at your fingertips. With the app, you’ll be able to schedule meetings with exhibitors, create and organize your own personal schedule, access walking maps of the convention center, rate workshops, and download takeaways and presentations. Full of plenty of valuable information, the app will be your go-to resource throughout the convention.</li>
</ul>
<p> </p>
<ul>
<li><b>Get the lay of the land.</b> There’s going to be a crowd, so be sure to check out the <a href="http://www.nadaconvention.org/nada2017/Public/FloorPlan.aspx?mapid=67">Expo Floor Plan</a> and strategize beforehand to make the most of your time. With hundreds of exhibitors, you’ll want to highlight must-visit booths and be sure you hit them early. The AutoAlert team will begin demos bright and early in Booth #1455, and <b>you’ll want to be among the first to experience One-to-One Intelligent Marketing and Pando</b>, our brand-new communication and collaboration platform designed specifically with dealership challenges in mind!</li>
</ul>
<p> </p>
<ul>
<li><b>Be social.</b> The connections you’ll make at NADA will last much longer than the few days the show lasts. Be sure to get outside your comfort zone and meet with vendors and professionals throughout the industry who will be there doing exactly what you’re doing—learning as much as they can to make their businesses better! Keep your eyes open for giveaways, events, and social tools to help you along the way:</li>
</ul>
<p> </p>
<p>- Visit AutoAlert at Booth #1455! In addition to product demos, lucky drawing winners will walk away with Apple products!</p>
<p>- Visit NADA on <a href="https://www.facebook.com/NADAConvention/?hc_ref=SEARCH&fref=nf">Facebook</a>, <a href="https://twitter.com/NADAConvention">Twitter</a>, <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/groups/2508138/profile">LinkedIn</a>, <a href="https://www.instagram.com/nadaconvention/">Instagram</a>, or their <a href="https://nadaconventionblog.org/">blog</a> for in-the-moment updates and convention information.</p>
<p>- Utilize #hashtags when you post to social you can easily track and share your posts with like-minded professionals who are also at NADA.</p>
<p>- Stay in touch after the convention by connecting with the people you meet via social. You’ll continue to expand your network, and you can share valuable insights with each other year-round!</p>
<p> </p>
<ul>
<li><b>Schedule appointments for demos.</b> To ensure your spot at the busiest booths, you’ll want to grab your time slots early. With thousands of attendees vying for vendor attention, spots will fill up fast. This year, <b>AutoAlert is releasing</b> <a href="http://autoalert.com/one-to-one-intelligent-marketing/"><b>One-to-One Intelligent Marketing</b></a> <b>and</b> <a href="http://autoalert.com/pando-web-mobile-messaging/"><b>Pando</b></a><b>,</b> groundbreaking platforms that will help dealerships immediately boost bottom-line growth. Visit <a href="http://autoalert.com/nada100/">autoalert.com/nada100/</a> to book a live demo and discover how your dealership can implement the latest AutoAlert solutions and target your best opportunities!</li>
</ul>
<p> </p>
<ul>
<li><b>Attend the workshops.</b> There are loads of great presenters—and they’re going to give you game-changing industry insights! Plan ahead for the workshops you absolutely can’t miss, and work your schedule around those. You’ll definitely want to catch my presentation on <b>Learning to Love Complaints</b>, and you can choose from three different times:</li>
</ul>
<p><b> </b></p>
<p><b>Thursday, January 26 at 1:00 p.m. in Room 350</b></p>
<p><b>Friday, January 27 at 10:30 a.m. in Room 265</b></p>
<p><b>Saturday January 28 at 10:30 a.m. in Room 333</b></p>
<p> </p>
<p>Everyone gets online complaints, but they may not know exactly how to handle them and make that feedback work to their advantage. I’ll tell you exactly how to turn every piece of feedback into something positive for your dealership.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>It’s going to be an exciting and action-packed NADA100, and we’re here to help you kick it off the right way. By being prepared and knowing exactly what you want to do when you get there, you’ll have a smoother experience and cover more ground. The countdown is on, and everyone at AutoAlert is excited to share our latest and greatest with you!</p>
<p> </p>Instagram Live Video Feature, Snapchat Groups, & More!tag:www.dealerelite.net,2016-12-20:5283893:BlogPost:4916032016-12-20T19:51:57.000ZJoseph Littlehttps://www.dealerelite.net/profile/JosephLittle
<p><b><a href="http://autoalert.com/instagram-live-video-feature-snapchat-groups-more/" target="_blank"><img class="align-center" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2545190997?profile=RESIZE_1024x1024" width="750"></img></a></b></p>
<p></p>
<p><b>This Week in Social Media</b></p>
<p><b> </b></p>
<p>News for the Week of December 19</p>
<p> </p>
<p><b>Instagram Releases Live Video for All U.S. Users</b></p>
<p>Instagram just announced they will be releasing a new <a href="http://thenextweb.com/apps/2016/12/12/instagram-live-video-rolling-everyone-us/">Live Video</a> feature to all U.S. users within…</p>
<p><b><a href="http://autoalert.com/instagram-live-video-feature-snapchat-groups-more/" target="_blank"><img width="750" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2545190997?profile=RESIZE_1024x1024" width="750" class="align-center"/></a></b></p>
<p></p>
<p><b>This Week in Social Media</b></p>
<p><b> </b></p>
<p>News for the Week of December 19</p>
<p> </p>
<p><b>Instagram Releases Live Video for All U.S. Users</b></p>
<p>Instagram just announced they will be releasing a new <a href="http://thenextweb.com/apps/2016/12/12/instagram-live-video-rolling-everyone-us/">Live Video</a> feature to all U.S. users within the next few days. This new feature will allow users to go live instantly through the Stories section on their Instagram profiles. By swiping right while in the Stories camera mode, users can tap the Live button to instantly stream video onto their Stories. Once the video is done being recorded, it will disappear. Also, at the top of the Explore tab, there will be a Top Live section directing users to the top recommended and best ongoing footage on Instagram. <b>Dealerships, keep in mind the power of live video. Show your followers what’s going on at your dealership and add some creativity along the way. If you have customers who are willing to give testimonials or chat about their dealership experiences, be sure to capture their enthusiasm with live video.</b></p>
<p><b> </b></p>
<p><b>Snapchat Adds Group Feature and Two New Creative Tools</b></p>
<p>Snapchat recently added <a href="https://www.snap.com/en-US/news/">Snapchat Groups</a>, a new way to communicate with up to 16 friends at once. When sending a Snap, users can create a Group by selecting friends from their contact list. It’s easy to switch between Group Chats and one-on-one Chats. Everyone in a Group Chat is listed at the bottom of the Chat, so to switch to one-on-one Chat, users can simply tap a name to start a conversation; a simple swipe returns users to the Group. Messages disappear by default after 24 hours and can be replayed only once by each member of the Group. In addition to the Groups feature, Snapchat has added a couple of creative tools: <b>Scissors and Paintbrush</b>. Scissors allows users to create stickers by cutting out part of their Snaps while viewing them on the Preview Screen. Paintbrush can be used on Snaps in Memories, allowing users to paint them like a canvas. <b>Dealerships, get fun group conversations going with your followers and deliver personalized messages via Snapchat Groups. You’ll make your customers feel appreciated when you take time out to interact with them—and don’t be afraid to take advantage of Snapchat’s fun, new features to add a little pizzazz to your Snaps! While many of your social posts are full of serious content, when you take time out to have a little fun, you’ll humanize your brand and make yourself approachable.</b></p>
<p><b> </b></p>
<p><b>Twitter Offers Live Video for iOS and Android Apps</b></p>
<p>Starting this week, Twitter users will be able to create and <a href="https://blog.twitter.com/2016/go-live-on-twitter">Tweet live video</a> within the Twitter app. This new capability, powered by Periscope, will be available when users are creating a Tweet with a quick tap of the new LIVE icon. To broadcast, users begin by composing a Tweet, then tapping LIVE, which will take them to a pre-broadcast screen. At that point, they can frame their shot and press Go Live when ready. Viewers can send hearts to show support for broadcasts simply by tapping the screen of a video that’s playing. Twitter live video is rolling out for both iOS and Android users in the next few days. <b>Dealerships,</b> <a href="http://expandedramblings.com/index.php/march-2013-by-the-numbers-a-few-amazing-twitter-stats/10/"><b>82% of Twitter users</b></a> <b>say they watch live video on this platform! That means this is a huge opportunity for you to reach an audience that gravitates toward live content and in-the-moment updates. Find your niche and discover what resonates with your followers—and then start sharing. You’ll gain traction for your content and boost brand recognition by posting in a format online users enjoy.</b></p>
<p><b> </b></p>
<p><b>Facebook Adding Live 360</b></p>
<p>Facebook recently announced the addition of a new live video feature, <a href="https://media.fb.com/2016/12/12/introducing-live-360/amp/">Live 360</a>. Aligning with the original intent of live video—to immerse viewers in the action that’s happening in the moment—Live 360 goes several steps further. It fully immerses the viewer in the environment of the video creator with a complete 360-degree view of their world as it is happening. The launch of Live 360 happened from the Mars Desert Research Station in Utah with a report from National Geographic. It will be available on a broader scale for all Pages and profiles in 2017. <b>Dealerships, it’s time to get comfortable on camera. Facebook generates an average of</b> <a href="http://www.socialmediatoday.com/marketing/top-5-facebook-video-statistics-2016-infographic"><b>8 BILLION video views per day</b></a><b>—and you don’t want to miss out on that. By now, you should be sensing a trend: Live video is where it’s at! Online audiences are consuming live video at unbelievable rates, and if you want your dealership to get noticed, it’s time to share what’s going on via video.</b></p>
<p> </p>
<p><b>Instagram Claims 600 Million Monthly Users</b></p>
<p>Instagram just hit a whopping <a href="http://blog.business.instagram.com/post/154506611231/600-million-instagrammers">600 million monthly users</a>, with the last 100 million users joining just within the past 6 months. While plenty has changed with the app over the past year, Instagram has worked to keep the overall experience, community, and expression consistent from the beginning. With its recent safety updates that allow for more control over comments, as well as user-experience updates, Instagram continues to look for ways to make the app ideal for users who are looking for connectivity and self-expression. <b>Dealerships,</b> <a href="https://www.brandwatch.com/blog/37-instagram-stats-2016/"><b>over 60% of Instagram users log in daily</b></a><b>, so once you get an established audience, you can bet most of them will see what you share. Today’s consumers are highly visual, and they want brands to reach out to them. They want to feel valued, and when you make a point of sharing with them and interacting in meaningful ways, you’ll earn their loyalty and their business.</b></p>
<p><b> </b></p>
<p><b>Tip of the Week – Earn Trust by Anticipating Shopper Needs</b></p>
<p><b> </b></p>
<p>It’s important to have the right tools and information to make big purchasing decisions. Your customers want to feel secure in their decisions, and you can help them by ensuring they have everything they need, without ever having to ask, wait for information, or wonder where to find what they need. One of the best things your sales team can do to earn trust is anticipate shopper needs and provide for them—seamlessly—<b>leaving shoppers feeling informed, educated, and empowered.</b> Here are a few easy things you can do:</p>
<p> </p>
<ul>
<li><b>Make your social sites easy to find. </b> A majority of your customers will do research on social media before they visit your dealership. In addition to ensuring your dealership is easy to find on social, be sure there are clear, easy-to-find links back to your dealership page—and be sure shoppers can easily locate your business hours, inventory, and contact information.</li>
<li><b>Share your knowledge. </b> Whether it’s original content or great information you’ve found from another source, be generous and share with others. Be sure to cite and give credit to original sources, but then go ahead and dole out the great tidbits and helpful updates you find on your favorite sites. When you share your own insights—as well as those of other industry leaders—consumers will see you as knowledgeable and confident.</li>
<li><b>Be responsive. </b> When you are available to answer questions and respond to concerns in a timely manner, it’s noticeable. Whether it’s online or in the dealership, no one wants to be left waiting and wondering when someone will respond. Make a plan to ensure you offer exceptional online customer service and be sure your in-house team is trained to be attentive to every customer who walks through the door.</li>
<li><b>Personalize the experience.</b> Your customers want to know they are important to you. When you take the time to leverage the data that you already have at your fingertips, you can let shoppers know you’re in tune with what they need, what they’ve previously purchased from you, and what they may be currently shopping for. By taking the time to discover individual customer wants and needs, you’ll earn more trust and make more sales.</li>
<li><b>Go the distance.</b> Be sure you team is ready to go the extra mile for customers by educating them about the various makes and models, as well as add-ons and features that can be major selling points. To do this, ensure your staff works to continuously update their own knowledge as vehicles are updated.</li>
</ul>
<p><b> </b></p>
<p><b>Sell today; earn customers for life.</b> By implementing a few simple steps throughout the sales process, your team can educate and empower customers—leading to more trust in your dealership and, in turn, increased sales. You can turn today’s shoppers into life-long customers simply by taking the time to ensure they feel valued and informed enough to make the best decisions throughout the car-buying process. A responsive team that goes above and beyond for every customer can make all the difference!</p>Connected to the Max: Consumers Want Personalizationtag:www.dealerelite.net,2016-12-19:5283893:BlogPost:4914252016-12-19T18:52:23.000ZJoseph Littlehttps://www.dealerelite.net/profile/JosephLittle
<p><b><a href="http://autoalert.com/connected-to-the-max-consumers-want-personalization/" target="_blank"><img class="align-center" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2545168929?profile=RESIZE_1024x1024" width="750"></img></a></b></p>
<p></p>
<p>We live in a world of empowered consumers. They say when, where, and how they’ll buy the products they’re interested in, and businesses everywhere are working to meet their needs and win out over the competition. Today’s consumers are connected online—to businesses and each other—and your dealership stands to gain quite a bit based on how you interact…</p>
<p><b><a href="http://autoalert.com/connected-to-the-max-consumers-want-personalization/" target="_blank"><img width="750" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2545168929?profile=RESIZE_1024x1024" width="750" class="align-center"/></a></b></p>
<p></p>
<p>We live in a world of empowered consumers. They say when, where, and how they’ll buy the products they’re interested in, and businesses everywhere are working to meet their needs and win out over the competition. Today’s consumers are connected online—to businesses and each other—and your dealership stands to gain quite a bit based on how you interact with and respond to these shoppers.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Your online audience is closer than you think, and they’re looking for very specific things when they decide to do business with you. They want to build strong relationships and connect in meaningful ways—and that’s exactly what you’ll be doing when you reach out and share with them online. They’re not looking for a one-size-fits-all approach, but rather personalized, thoughtful interactions that convey your genuine interest in their needs.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>In the <a href="https://www.salesforce.com/blog/2016/10/stats-from-state-of-connected-customer.html">State of the Connected Customer Report</a>, the numbers tell a story about shopper expectations regarding personalization and service:</p>
<p> </p>
<ul>
<li>66% of consumers surveyed said they would consider switching brands if they felt they were treated like a number, rather than an individual.</li>
</ul>
<p> </p>
<ul>
<li>57% replied they would share data with businesses in exchange for receiving personalized offers and discounts.</li>
</ul>
<p> </p>
<ul>
<li>71% of those surveyed said they are favorably influenced by businesses that offer customer service any day, any time.</li>
</ul>
<p> </p>
<ul>
<li>73% responded they are likely to switch brands if service across departments is inconsistent.</li>
</ul>
<p> </p>
<p>To break it down, consumers are looking for <b>consistency,</b> an <b>excellent brand experience,</b> and <b>personalization</b> throughout your interactions. <i>Seem like a tall order? Are consumers asking for everything but the moon?</i> Not really. When you consider the technology and information that’s available to you, it’s feasible to offer a top-quality, personalized shopper experience without working up too much of a sweat. By leveraging the data you already have and upping the ante where your internal communication is concerned, you can have your entire dealership on track to connect with consumers and build relationships that will reinforce the fact that you’re the right dealership for them.</p>
<p> </p>
<p><b>Time to Get Digital</b></p>
<p>Dealerships are known for reaching consumers via traditional marketing like direct-mail fliers, TV spots, radio, and even the occasional newspaper ad, but the quick pace of today’s shoppers means businesses need to get digital to be more effective. Modern marketing strategies available to dealerships today offer plenty of benefits, including quantifiable results that can guide future campaign strategies. If you’re still wondering how digital marketing can help your dealership stand out from the crowd, consider the following:</p>
<p> </p>
<ul>
<li><b>You’ll stay connected with online and mobile consumers.</b> The impression your dealership makes is important. <a href="https://www.impactbnd.com/blog/mobile-marketing-statistics-for-2016">88% of consumers</a> who search for local businesses via mobile end up going to that business within 24 hours, so it’s essential you optimize for mobile and positively impact shoppers. This is a great way for you to stay in touch with consumers, so let them know your sites are easy to use and full of the content they’re looking for.</li>
</ul>
<p> </p>
<ul>
<li><b>Online interactions are trackable.</b> Not only can you measure the impact you have on your audience, you can also see exactly how your reach is expanding, who’s sharing your content, and what you may need to tweak to gain even more traction. In today’s fast-paced market, numbers and data are powerful; they can be the key to helping your dealership soar above the competition.</li>
</ul>
<p> </p>
<ul>
<li><b>You can precision-target your marketing.</b> With traditional marketing strategies, like billboards, dealerships put material out for everyone to see, but they’re left not knowing exactly who they’ve impacted. If 500 cars drive past a billboard, an advertisement may only capture the attention of 5 consumers—or it may capture the attention of 150 consumers. The problem is that the effectiveness of the billboard isn’t quantifiable. Digital strategies allow businesses to direct their content and messaging directly toward specific consumer groups, based on interests, shopping patterns, and demographics—and then measure the success of their campaigns.</li>
</ul>
<p> </p>
<ul>
<li><b>You get authentic consumer interaction.</b> By beginning a conversation with consumers and building relationships, your dealership will become a valuable resource. Rather than the one-way communication that’s common with traditional marketing, with digital marketing, your consumers get the opportunity to reply, ask questions, and even share your materials with others in their social circles.</li>
</ul>
<p> </p>
<ul>
<li><b>You can offer real-time customer service.</b> <a href="http://www.providesupport.com/blog/15-statistics-shaping-the-future-of-customer-service/">97% of global consumers</a> say customer service is key to earning their brand loyalty. In fact, self-help customer service is growing in popularity—so when your dealership offers things like easy-to-find FAQs and live chat, you’ll be meeting the need for speed and efficiency that drives a majority of today’s shoppers. By ensuring your dealership offers trusted online support, you can significantly improve the customer experience and build better relationships. </li>
</ul>
<p> </p>
<p>It’s important to remember consumers are interacting in an online space and building relationships with each other and with businesses they’re interested in supporting. For dealerships, it’s imperative to focus on building a strong online presence and lean into modern shopper needs for connected buying experiences and personalized interactions.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>You can streamline the process and ensure your dealership is ready to meet consumer expectations by investing in technology to help you offer the most comprehensive and individualized communication. <a href="http://autoalert.com/one-to-one-intelligent-marketing/"><b>AutoAlert’s One-to-One Intelligent Marketing</b></a> platform is a multi-channel, integrated solution that offers dealers powerful data mining, as well as precision-targeted, personalized consumer communications. On top of that, dealers get real-time tracking and reporting, allowing them to continuously measure the effectiveness of their campaigns.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>In a crowded marketplace, today’s shoppers want to know they’re heard, understood, and capturing your attention. You’ll be miles ahead of the competition when you engage consumers with modern, personalized communication that speaks directly to their specific needs.</p>
<p> </p>Instagram Adds Comment Control Features, LinkedIn Conversation Starters, & More!tag:www.dealerelite.net,2016-12-13:5283893:BlogPost:4908792016-12-13T18:54:26.000ZJoseph Littlehttps://www.dealerelite.net/profile/JosephLittle
<p><b><a href="http://autoalert.com/instagram-adds-comment-control-features-linkedin-conversation/" target="_blank"><img class="align-center" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2545165776?profile=RESIZE_1024x1024" width="750"></img></a></b></p>
<p></p>
<p><b>This Week in Social Media</b></p>
<p><b> </b></p>
<p>News for the Week of December 12</p>
<p> </p>
<p><b>Instagram Adds New Comment Control Features</b></p>
<p><a href="http://blog.instagram.com/post/154120962392/161206-news">Comments</a> are where most of the conversations and interactions on Instagram take place. These comments are generally…</p>
<p><b><a href="http://autoalert.com/instagram-adds-comment-control-features-linkedin-conversation/" target="_blank"><img width="750" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2545165776?profile=RESIZE_1024x1024" width="750" class="align-center"/></a></b></p>
<p></p>
<p><b>This Week in Social Media</b></p>
<p><b> </b></p>
<p>News for the Week of December 12</p>
<p> </p>
<p><b>Instagram Adds New Comment Control Features</b></p>
<p><a href="http://blog.instagram.com/post/154120962392/161206-news">Comments</a> are where most of the conversations and interactions on Instagram take place. These comments are generally positive or just random statements, but sometimes they can take a turn for the worse. Instagram already had a filtering system in place that would block comments based on keywords, but they’ve now taken it a step further in controlling the commenting experience for users. The ability to turn off all comments on any post has been added, allowing posts to simply stand alone. Also, in the coming weeks, the ability to like comments by tapping a heart icon next to the comments will also be available. <b>Dealerships, take advantage of Instagram’s latest updates and be sure to keep a close watch on the comments that are added to your posts. Remember, you’re in charge of what everyone sees, so you can put your best foot forward for the world to see.</b></p>
<p><b> </b></p>
<p><b>Facebook Adds More Users to Live Video Tab</b></p>
<p>The new <a href="http://newsroom.fb.com/news/2016/04/introducing-new-ways-to-create-share-and-discover-live-video-on-facebook/">Video tab</a> that was added to Facebook just a few months ago now has more added users. This tab allows users to visit a dedicated section specifically for Facebook Live notifications and alerts. Also on this page, while scrolling down, users will see a list of suggested videos either created or shared by pages they like, and those videos will automatically play as they scroll. Continuous improvements are being made to the Video tab and the new Video section based on user feedback and comments. <b>Dealerships, in addition to posting your own video content, keep tabs on what your competitors are posting and what’s resonating with a variety of audiences. When you’re able to get a good idea of which strategies are working well, you can modify your content to capture more attention and ensure consumers look for your posts and updates.</b></p>
<p><b> </b></p>
<p><b>Periscope Now Allowing Ability to Save HD Version of Broadcast to iOS</b></p>
<p>Periscope released an update allowing users to <a href="https://twitter.com/periscopehelp">save high-definition versions of their broadcasts</a> to their iOS devices. To do this, in the Settings menu, simply select “Save in High Definition.” While this will result in using more battery and storage space, users will experience an overall sharper video experience. Periscope has not yet announced a release date for this option for Android users. <b>Dealerships, social video is a booming business right now, so be sure your content is sharable and optimized for the platform you’re addressing. You don’t have to be a large production company to produce videos your customers want to see; simply provide relevant, informative, and entertaining content on a regular basis, and your audience will start looking for your broadcasts.</b></p>
<p><b> </b></p>
<p><b>LinkedIn Messaging Now Equipped with Conversation Starters</b></p>
<p>New <a href="https://blog.linkedin.com/2016/12/06/introducing-conversation-starters-on-LinkedIn-to-help-you-break-the-ice">LinkedIn conversation starters</a> in Messaging are a new way of connecting, allowing users to break the ice and get conversations moving smoothly with others. Conversations starters include things like updates on professional activity, articles users have published on LinkedIn, and shared experiences and connections. By pointing out the things users have in common or mentioning recent accomplishments, conversation starters set the stage for LinkedIn users to begin interacting and building on their professional goals. To use conversation starters, users can simply tap the lightbulb icon located just above the keyboard before sending a message. They’ll be given conversation suggestions based on the message recipient’s profile and history. <b>Dealerships, you can utilize LinkedIn’s latest tool to help you connect with your customers on a deeper, more personal level. By building solid relationships, you’ll be able to appeal to them and meet their needs—in turn, increasing sales and earning more loyal customers.</b></p>
<p><b> </b></p>
<p><b>Facebook Adds Horizontal Scrolling Feature & More Discovery Opportunities</b></p>
<p>Facebook has added a new, <a href="https://developers.facebook.com/ia/blog/post/2016/12/05/Recirculation-Introducing-Horizontal-Swipe-and-Other-Discovery-Opportunities">full-screen horizontal swipe</a> feature in Instant Articles that allows users to swipe to view more stories from the same publisher, offering a more seamless interaction and discovery experience for users. Gradually rolling out for the Facebook app on iOS version 72, and rolling out for Android in the coming weeks, this full-screen horizontal swipe makes it easier for readers to discover new stories. Facebook is also exploring new ways to surface the best stories for readers, as well as working with a variety of engagement signals to further improve the reading experience. <b>Dealerships, keep your audience wanting more by posting content that’s intriguing and engaging. With Facebook’s newest updates, your followers will be able to swipe to continue reading all your quality posts.</b></p>
<p><b> </b></p>
<p><b>Tip of the Week – Engage Your Customers</b></p>
<p><b> </b></p>
<p>Engaging with your customers is more important now than ever, as they are looking for a better, stronger customer experience. Engaging them in conversation both inside and outside of your dealership is a great way to provide them with the experience they want and expect—and it’s likely the only way you’ll capture and hold their attention. Here are a few ways to help you engage with your customers and show them you’re the right dealership for them:</p>
<p> </p>
<ul>
<li><b>Introduce yourself.</b> This is the simplest way to connect with consumers. Let them know who you are, what your dealership stands for, and how you focus on making the car-buying experience a positive one. Whether it’s via email, direct mail, or social media message, make sure your message is personalized and authentic; authenticity will make you stand out from the crowd.</li>
<li><b>Build an online community or forum.</b> Online communities and forums are a great way to interact with your customers and answer any questions they might have. This is also your opportunity to build strong consumer relationships by being present and offering valuable information, insights, and feedback. When you’re engaged and present in online communities and forums, you’re demonstrating you are willing to be there for your customers whenever they may need you.</li>
<li><b>Make your customers a part of the team.</b> Just like your employees, your customers want to feel like they belong and fit in, so include them in your efforts. If your dealership is celebrating a milestone, be sure to include customers and thank them for their contributions; and likewise, if customers are supporting charities, products, or businesses, join in and lend a helping hand to by promoting them on via your social platform. Consider highlighting a customer of the month, thanking repeat customers for their dedication to your dealership, or simply posting pics of customers and their newly-purchased vehicles.</li>
</ul>
<p> </p>
<p>It doesn’t take much to provide your customers with a better experience and keep them fully engaged throughout every interaction. It may take a little extra time and effort, but it will be well worth it for both yourself and your dealership as a whole. Engaged customers are the best customers you can have, and when you earn their loyalty, you can turn one sale into a lifetime of interactions.</p>The Big Easy Survival Guide for NADA100tag:www.dealerelite.net,2016-12-12:5283893:BlogPost:4911442016-12-12T16:04:21.000ZJoseph Littlehttps://www.dealerelite.net/profile/JosephLittle
<p><a href="http://autoalert.com/the-big-easy-survival-guide-for-nada100-2/" target="_blank"><img class="align-center" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2545167352?profile=RESIZE_1024x1024" width="750"></img></a> </p>
<p><b>Chapter 2: What to Know Before You Go</b></p>
<p><b> </b></p>
<p>So you’re all signed up to go to NADA100 and you’re counting down to January 26? (If you missed that whole registration thing, go…</p>
<p><a href="http://autoalert.com/the-big-easy-survival-guide-for-nada100-2/" target="_blank"><img width="750" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2545167352?profile=RESIZE_1024x1024" width="750" class="align-center"/></a> </p>
<p><b>Chapter 2: What to Know Before You Go</b></p>
<p><b> </b></p>
<p>So you’re all signed up to go to NADA100 and you’re counting down to January 26? (If you missed that whole registration thing, go <a href="http://convention.nada.org/AttendNADA/">HERE</a>!) You’re probably already starting to line out your game plan and strategize, which is good, because for this conference—<b>the beast of all automotive conferences</b>—you definitely need to have a plan. And we’re here to help.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Let’s get to it. Here’s what you need to know before you go:</p>
<p> </p>
<ul>
<li>The conference runs from January 26-29 in New Orleans and has a <b>jam-packed schedule of</b> <a href="http://convention.nada.org/KeynoteSpeakers/"><b>keynote speakers</b></a> <b>and presentations</b>, as well as hundreds of booths on the expo floor. Keynote speakers include Jeff Carlson, 2016 NADA Chairman; Jim Gaffigan, Comedian; Mark N. Scarpelli, incoming NADA Chairman; and Amy Purdy, World-Class Adaptive Snowboarder.</li>
</ul>
<p> </p>
<ul>
<li><a href="http://convention.nada.org/Workshop-Schedule/"><b>Workshop schedules</b></a> <b>are available online,</b> so check them out early and decide on your must-see presenters. Remember, rooms fill up quickly, and time can get away from you as you connect throughout the day. Check out the schedule and pack your days with valuable information from industry leaders!</li>
</ul>
<p> </p>
<ul>
<li>Be sure to catch one of my presentations! As AutoAlert’s Executive Director of Digital & Social Engagement, I help dealerships perfect their online social strategies. I’ll be presenting <i>Learning to Love Complaints: Turning Feedback Into Success</i>on all three convention days:</li>
</ul>
<p><b> </b></p>
<p><b>Thursday, January 26 at 1:00 p.m. in Room 350</b></p>
<p><b>Friday, January 27 at 10:30 a.m. in Room 265</b></p>
<p><b>Saturday January 28 at 10:30 a.m. in Room 333</b></p>
<p> </p>
<p>Most dealerships know they get online feedback—and even a few complaints—but many don’t know how to turn those complaints into something positive. Learn how in these sessions!</p>
<p> </p>
<ul>
<li><b>Get ready to network.</b> Your feet will be tired (bring really good shoes!), your voice might fade, but you’ll leave with a thousand new ideas and enough inspiration to keep you running for months. Check into the many networking events that will be going on throughout the convention, get your fill of workshops, and connect with as many new faces as possible while you’re there.</li>
</ul>
<p> </p>
<ul>
<li>And remember, when the day is over…the day’s not over. <b>Don’t forget about the nightlife!</b> Check out AutoBash sponsored by AutoAlert CEO Mike Dullea and Dealer-FX CEO Gary Kalk. Guests will enjoy a special performance by the Spin Doctors, as well as top-shelf drinks, mixing, and mingling at Republic Nola, located in the historic warehouse district of New Orleans. Pick up your exclusive pass at AutoAlert Booth 1455 on the convention floor!</li>
</ul>
<p> </p>
<p>NADA100 is right around the corner, and it’s almost time to <i>laissez les bon temps rouler</i>…or as they say everywhere else, “Let the good times roll.” It’s time to get ready for a convention to remember.</p>
<p> </p>53% of Users Who Tweet at a Brand Expect a Response Within the Hourtag:www.dealerelite.net,2016-12-09:5283893:BlogPost:4909762016-12-09T16:23:29.000ZJoseph Littlehttps://www.dealerelite.net/profile/JosephLittle
<p><b> <a href="http://autoalert.com/53-of-users-who-tweet-at-a-brand-expect-a-response-within-the-hour/" target="_blank"><img class="align-center" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2545167139?profile=RESIZE_1024x1024" width="750"></img></a></b></p>
<p><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/ARn2gaJJaf4?wmode=opaque" width="560"></iframe>
</p>
<p>Today’s consumers expect quick responses—whether they’re waiting in line at the grocery store, waiting to get food at a restaurant, or waiting for communication from a business. When it comes down to it,…</p>
<p><b> <a href="http://autoalert.com/53-of-users-who-tweet-at-a-brand-expect-a-response-within-the-hour/" target="_blank"><img width="750" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2545167139?profile=RESIZE_1024x1024" width="750" class="align-center"/></a></b></p>
<p><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/ARn2gaJJaf4?wmode=opaque" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe>
</p>
<p>Today’s consumers expect quick responses—whether they’re waiting in line at the grocery store, waiting to get food at a restaurant, or waiting for communication from a business. When it comes down to it, consumers everywhere are driving a faster-paced market, and this holds true for their expectations on Twitter as well. <a href="http://sproutsocial.com/insights/social-media-trends/">53% of users who tweet</a> at their favorite brands online expect to receive a response in less than an hour after their initial tweet. And since a majority of individuals and businesses are connecting via mobile devices and platforms, it’s become much easier to offer the real-time engagement consumers crave.</p>
<p> </p>
<p><b>Real-Time Customer Service</b></p>
<p>With the increased mobility and near-constant connectivity of your customers, it’s essential to develop a real-time customer service plan that keeps you connected and accessible. When you make it clear your dealership is available to answer questions and address concerns efficiently, you’ll earn trust and ensure shoppers continue to return to you for their automotive needs. A multi-channel approach will appeal to modern shoppers who are accustomed to accessing businesses whenever and wherever it’s convenient for them, so aim for a seamless experience across your online, in-store, phone, and social platforms.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Below are a few things you can do to work toward becoming a real-time, mobile-friendly dealership that meets the needs of connected consumers: </p>
<p> </p>
<ul>
<li><b>Ensure all content is accessible.</b> Before you tout the easy accessibility of your customer service pros and your real-time responsiveness, it’s imperative to ensure all your content, forms, and tools are easily found via every channel. Be sure customers can quickly locate what they need, offer clear menus and buttons, and optimize all your content for mobile. By doing this, you’ll show consumers your dealership is innovative, flexible, and responsive. </li>
<li><b>Consider live chat. </b> You may have noticed many dealership websites offering this alternative, and that’s because it’s getting rave reviews from shoppers—mostly because of the immediacy it offers. In a recent study, <a href="http://www.business2community.com/customer-experience/8-essential-live-chat-customer-support-statistics-01437524#cPYlSvXYBgK2CoZS.97">63% of customers</a> confirmed they would return to a website that offers live chat, as opposed to one without live chat. Additionally, a 73% customer satisfaction rating is reported because of live chat.</li>
<li><b>Show your human side. </b> In other words, don’t simply copy and paste scripted content, because it only takes a moment for consumers to recognize robotic replies. Instead, give real, human responses and solutions that address the topics presented. At the very least, if you send automated responses, be sure to monitor them frequently to avoid customer-service mishaps.</li>
<li><b>Don’t hide your links.</b> Be sure it’s easy for consumers to find links back to your content and to customer service without having to sift through long lists of products and services. Specifically make your customer service links stand out by using clear language that calls out “Customer Service” or “Customer Care” so your customers know exactly where to go when they need to reach you.</li>
<li><b>Actively listen.</b> Building great customer service is about listening to the things consumers are saying and then improving upon the ways your dealership meets their needs. In addition to responding to individual requests and concerns, spend time actively listening and interacting on your social platforms to learn what matters to shoppers. You’ll get some great insights, and you’ll build your audience in the process.</li>
<li><b>BOLO or Be on the Lookout.</b> Keep your eyes open for new and exciting platforms that draw consumers in. Not only can you generate engagement on these sites, but you should also be monitoring them for customer service opportunities that will arise when your dealership is mentioned. In addition to finding out if your customers are on Snapchat, Twitter, Instagram, and other social sites, keep in mind you can also leverage loyalty programs, contests, perks, and coupons to engage consumers and get them to give you valuable feedback.</li>
</ul>
<p><b> </b></p>
<p>Customer service is more important now than ever, and in-the-moment customer service is at the top of the priority list for demanding, busy, and mobile consumers. Look for ways your dealership can provide authentic, real-time customer service, and you’ll build trust and earn loyal customers. It doesn’t take long to read a Tweet and respond, however it can be nearly impossible to regain the trust of a lost customer. When you dedicate time and attention to your online customer service, it will pay off in the long run.</p>The Big Easy Survival Guide for NADA100tag:www.dealerelite.net,2016-12-07:5283893:BlogPost:4910162016-12-07T17:57:58.000ZJoseph Littlehttps://www.dealerelite.net/profile/JosephLittle
<p><b><a href="http://autoalert.com/the-big-easy-survival-guide-for-nada100/" target="_blank"><img class="align-center" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2545167975?profile=RESIZE_1024x1024" width="750"></img></a></b></p>
<p> </p>
<p><b>Chapter 1: Get Prepared</b></p>
<p> </p>
<p>It’s time to get ready for <a href="https://convention.nada.org/">NADA100</a>! For the automotive industry, this is one of the BIGGEST, BADDEST events around, and that means you need to be on your toes. A convention this big isn’t for the faint of heart—and it’s not for the unprepared. Here’s what you need to know…</p>
<p><b><a href="http://autoalert.com/the-big-easy-survival-guide-for-nada100/" target="_blank"><img width="750" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2545167975?profile=RESIZE_1024x1024" width="750" class="align-center"/></a></b></p>
<p> </p>
<p><b>Chapter 1: Get Prepared</b></p>
<p> </p>
<p>It’s time to get ready for <a href="https://convention.nada.org/">NADA100</a>! For the automotive industry, this is one of the BIGGEST, BADDEST events around, and that means you need to be on your toes. A convention this big isn’t for the faint of heart—and it’s not for the unprepared. Here’s what you need to know leading up to the biggest convention of the year:</p>
<p> </p>
<ul>
<li>This year is <b>NADA’s 100-year anniversary</b>, so for just about everyone in automotive, New Orleans is the place to be this January. It’s going to be electric as dealers from around the country converge on the city to connect, share, and learn about everything that’s new in the industry.</li>
</ul>
<p> </p>
<ul>
<li>AutoAlert will leading the way with innovation and industry insights, so be sure to catch my not-to-be missed sessions on <b><i>Learning to Love Complaints: Turning Feedback Into Success</i></b> on all three convention days:</li>
</ul>
<p><b> </b></p>
<p><b>Thursday, January 26 at 1:00 p.m. in Room 350</b></p>
<p><b>Friday, January 27 at 10:30 a.m. in Room 265</b></p>
<p><b>Saturday January 28 at 10:30 a.m. in Room 333</b></p>
<p> </p>
<p>Everyone gets online complaints, but not everyone knows how to make feedback work to their advantage. Learn how from social media expert and AutoAlert Director of Digital and Social Engagement, Joey Little, <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/sociallittleman?authType=NAME_SEARCH&authToken=ZnEb&locale=en_US&trk=tyah&trkInfo=clickedVertical%3Amynetwork%2CclickedEntityId%3A56968710%2CauthType%3ANAME_SEARCH%2Cidx%3A1-1-1%2CtarId%3A1480357201464%2Ctas%3Ajoey">@SocialLittleMan</a>.</p>
<p> </p>
<ul>
<li><b>Booth 1455 has serious news to share!</b> Look forward to <b>brand-new product updates</b> from the <a href="http://autoalert.com/">AutoAlert</a> team as they let visitors in on the breakthroughs they’ve made. Learn how to sell more in the service drive, know even sooner which customers are in market and what they’re looking for, and communicate with a state-of-the-art platform designed specifically for professionals in the automotive industry. <b>We’ve got brand-new tech—and it’ll be at NADA.</b></li>
</ul>
<p> </p>
<ul>
<li><b>The convention kicks off with</b> <a href="http://convention.nada.org/NADA100Carnival/"><b>NADA100 Carnival</b></a><b>!</b> An exclusive opening event for NADA and American Truck Dealers members, international affiliates, and guests, this event will go down at Mardi Gras World from 7-10 p.m. on Thursday, January 26. Visitors can kick off their visit in true New Orleans style with food from top local restaurants, as well as music from local jazz musicians. With an expected attendance of 8,000, this will be a packed party and a great place to mingle with other industry pros.</li>
</ul>
<p> </p>
<ul>
<li>Did we mention Foreigner yet? Yep, <b>Foreigner will be headlining at NADA100 Carnival.</b> So kick back and sing along to <i>Double Vision</i> or <i>Juke Box Hero</i> while enjoying local culinary delights like jumbalaya and étouffée.</li>
</ul>
<p> </p>
<p>All this and more is waiting at NADA100 in New Orleans! We can’t wait to see you there. Until then, follow us on Twitter <a href="https://twitter.com/AutoAlertLLC">@AutoAlertLLC</a> and on <a href="https://www.facebook.com/autoalertllc/?fref=ts">Facebook</a> to catch updates about what’s to come. We’re sure you won’t want to miss AutoAlert’s industry-changing new products and technology!</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Not yet registered to attend NADA100? <a href="http://convention.nada.org/AttendNADA/">Better hurry!</a></p>Twitter Moments Now for Mobile, Pinterest Introduces Hand-Picked Showcase, & More!tag:www.dealerelite.net,2016-12-06:5283893:BlogPost:4908242016-12-06T17:11:09.000ZJoseph Littlehttps://www.dealerelite.net/profile/JosephLittle
<p><b><a href="http://autoalert.com/twitter-moments-now-for-mobile-pinterest-introduces-hand-picked-showcase-more/" target="_blank"><img class="align-center" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2545166449?profile=RESIZE_1024x1024" width="750"></img></a></b></p>
<p></p>
<p><b>This Week in Social Media</b></p>
<p> </p>
<p>News for the Week of December 5</p>
<p> </p>
<p><b>Twitter Users Can Now Create Moments on Mobile</b></p>
<p>Not long ago, Twitter announced that all users could create Moments on the web, and now they’re offering even more. Twitter users can now create…</p>
<p><b><a href="http://autoalert.com/twitter-moments-now-for-mobile-pinterest-introduces-hand-picked-showcase-more/" target="_blank"><img width="750" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2545166449?profile=RESIZE_1024x1024" width="750" class="align-center"/></a></b></p>
<p></p>
<p><b>This Week in Social Media</b></p>
<p> </p>
<p>News for the Week of December 5</p>
<p> </p>
<p><b>Twitter Users Can Now Create Moments on Mobile</b></p>
<p>Not long ago, Twitter announced that all users could create Moments on the web, and now they’re offering even more. Twitter users can now create <a href="https://twitter.com/i/moments/803657218432192512">Moments on their mobile devices</a>. Moments allow users to combine their favorite Tweets—their own and those of others—to share insights and perspectives on the topics of interest to them. Simply by adding a Tweet, then clicking the downward arrow in the Tweet details, that Tweet can be added to Moments and published. <b>Dealerships, consider turning your on-the-lot interactions and showroom news into Moments you can use to drive engagement and capture the attention of your online audience. Combine the best of your content with content being shared by others to provide your followers with great Moments to promote your dealership.</b></p>
<p> </p>
<p><b>Promoted Pins Now Available in Canada</b></p>
<p>Pinterest has expanded its Promoted Pins to <a href="https://business.pinterest.com/en/blog/promoted-pins-now-available-canada">users in Canada</a>, allowing businesses to seamlessly and creatively combine their ads with the rest of the content users see on the platform. Since over 75% of Pins come from businesses, these Pins don’t distract from the content as a whole, and actually serve to offer users plenty of ways to interact with products and find great ideas. For businesses, Promoted Pins work well, because they’re capturing consumers at a time when they’re already interested in acting upon the products and ideas they find. <b>Dealerships, help consumers discover great opportunities and drive traffic to your dealership by using images of current inventory, updating frequently, interacting with your followers, and giving them ways to quickly link back to your website.</b> </p>
<p> </p>
<p><b>Pinterest Introduces Hand-Picked Showcase & Design Improvements</b></p>
<p>Businesses on Pinterest can now <b>hand pick a</b> <a href="https://business.pinterest.com/en/blog/your-big-beautiful-new-showcase"><b>rotating showcase</b></a> of their best ideas to show viewers. The rotating showcase will appear on the right-hand side of user profiles, making it one of the first things people see. This gives Pinterest users more control over how they introduce themselves to customers and how they define their business to potential customers. Up to 5 boards may be chosen as features, and they can be updated as often as needed. On mobile, users will see the new showcase update sitting where the stack of their most recent Pins previously lived. In addition to the rotating showcase, Pinterest has also done a <b>refresh on its profile design,</b> ensuring a consistent look and feel across iPhone, Android, and web platforms. Now, no matter where viewers visit business profiles, their images will look the same. <b>Improvements have also been made regarding where certain things live on Pinterest.</b> When individuals visit profiles now, they’ll be able to see a tab for boards and a tab for Pins, allowing them to view only Pins (the things they’re typically most interested in). At the same time, Pins individual users have Liked are only visible to that individual, avoiding clutter in the feeds of those who don’t want to see Likes of other users. <b>Dealerships, if you’ve got a Pinterest platform, take advantage of the latest updates and control what your followers see. Show off your best products and services, and ensure you put your best foot forward by updating the rotating showcase with your latest and greatest.</b></p>
<p> </p>
<p><b>Twitter Conversation Ranking and Direct Reply Count</b></p>
<p>Twitter is focused on showing its users the most relevant conversations first, and for this reason, it has added <a href="https://support.twitter.com/articles/20174577">conversation ranking</a>. Users will notice conversations aren’t necessarily shown in chronological order, but rather, they are grouped based on the content Twitter thinks would be most interesting to the user. Twitter factors in things like whether an original Tweet author has replied or whether a reply is from someone the user knows. Additionally, Twitter has added a direct reply count, which allows users to see exactly how many people are participating in specific conversations. A number appears next to the reply (arrow) icon, which indicates the number of direct replies the original Tweet has received; note, however, this number does not reflect the total number of replies in the entire conversation. <b>Dealerships, utilize Twitter’s latest updates to keep track of the engagement you’re creating. You’ll be able to see which content is generating replies and conversations, and you’ll be able to keep track of your top conversations as they appear on your feed. When you interact and remain part of the conversations consumers are having online, you’ll be more in touch with what’s needed when shoppers arrive on your lot.</b></p>
<p> </p>
<p><b>Tip of the Week – Your Influencers Matter. Big Time.</b></p>
<p> </p>
<p>We’ve talked about them before, and you probably already interact with them. But do you know exactly how much sway your influencers have over your business? Over your sales? Over your potential future customers? A LOT.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Influencers are everywhere, so you can bet they are online and sharing on social sites where potential customers are researching. Today, <a href="https://www.vendasta.com/blog/50-stats-you-need-to-know-about-online-reviews/">92% of consumers</a> read online reviews, and <a href="https://www.vendasta.com/blog/50-stats-you-need-to-know-about-online-reviews/">88% say</a> they trust reviews as much as personal recommendations. <b>This means you need influencers on your side letting shoppers know how great your dealership is!</b></p>
<p> </p>
<p>Influencers are important people for your dealership, so let’s take a look at exactly who they are—and how you can get more of them, keep them happy, and keep them speaking up on your behalf. Also known as <b>brand advocates,</b> they voluntarily share with others and talk about your professionalism, your products, your staff, and anything else that has impacted them. They have the power to boost your brand reputation and bring in more business. In short, these are pretty great people to have on your side, so here’s how you get them, keep them, and show them you appreciate them:</p>
<p> </p>
<ul>
<li><b>Make your customers happy.</b> Your best advocates are your satisfied customers. They are the people who have received great service and want to tell everyone about it, so your best route to accumulating eager influencers is to ensure everyone on your team is providing top-notch customer care.</li>
</ul>
<p> </p>
<ul>
<li><b>Look for positive reviews.</b> You likely have quite a few positive reviews and comments online you don’t even know about. It’s time to get out there and actively look for them. It’s smart to know who’s speaking up for you, where they’re interacting, and who they’re talking to.</li>
</ul>
<p> </p>
<ul>
<li><b>Keep your friends close.</b> Once you’ve identified the consumers who are posting on behalf of your dealership, begin building even stronger relationships with them by thanking them, initiating conversations, and encouraging them to talk even more about your dealership.</li>
</ul>
<p> </p>
<ul>
<li><b>Show your appreciation.</b> Although your online influencers aren’t paid for being proponents of your brand, nothing says you can’t give them a few incentives along the way. Consider what you can do to let your advocates know their hard work matters to you. Things like service coupons, special event invites, and exclusive sales opportunities are small gestures that can make a big impact to your loyal consumers.</li>
</ul>
<p> </p>
<p>Your community is full influencers who are ready to promote the brands they love. When you leverage their social clout and encourage them to speak up for your dealership, you’ll build trust, boost sales, and grow your customer base. In today’s fast-moving, social world, your online influencers are a powerful force that can drive your dealership toward increasing success.</p>Innovate to Dominate the Markettag:www.dealerelite.net,2016-12-05:5283893:BlogPost:4909022016-12-05T17:34:53.000ZJoseph Littlehttps://www.dealerelite.net/profile/JosephLittle
<p><b><a href="http://autoalert.com/innovate-to-dominate-the-market/" target="_blank"><img class="align-center" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2545172379?profile=RESIZE_1024x1024" width="750"></img></a></b></p>
<p> </p>
<p>Dealerships that are winning in today’s marketplace have one thing in common. <b>They embrace innovation with enthusiasm.</b></p>
<p> </p>
<p>Why? Because they know that to edge out the competition and capture the attention of modern consumers, they need to consistently be a step ahead. A step ahead of those who resist change. A step ahead of those who insist on doing it…</p>
<p><b><a href="http://autoalert.com/innovate-to-dominate-the-market/" target="_blank"><img width="750" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2545172379?profile=RESIZE_1024x1024" width="750" class="align-center"/></a></b></p>
<p> </p>
<p>Dealerships that are winning in today’s marketplace have one thing in common. <b>They embrace innovation with enthusiasm.</b></p>
<p> </p>
<p>Why? Because they know that to edge out the competition and capture the attention of modern consumers, they need to consistently be a step ahead. A step ahead of those who resist change. A step ahead of those who insist on doing it the way it’s always been done. A step ahead of those who are still leaning against the building and waiting for ups to wander onto the lot. Successful dealerships have figured out that getting ahead takes drive, ambition, and a <b>fearless willingness to innovate and give consumers what they’re looking for.</b></p>
<p> </p>
<p><b>Innovation Drives Success</b></p>
<p>The automotive industry is known for standing at the forefront of innovation, and it’s imperative dealerships continue down this path. Consumers are looking for ways to gain more control over their purchases, as well as improve their overall buying experiences, and they’ll gravitate toward dealerships that are actively working to offer them great experiences. By keeping your eyes open for the latest in innovative technology and consumer-focused platforms, your dealership will be able to ensure success with modern consumers.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Based on candid shopper feedback, we know there are pain points throughout the car-buying process that merit your time and attention. In fact, although the industry has been focused on improving the shopping experience, as well as offering state-of-the-art vehicle technology, many consumers are still hesitant to enter the market and shop for new vehicles. <a href="http://www.datamentors.com/blog/are-consumers-ditching-dealership-how-improve-car-buyers-shopping-experience">34% of millennials</a> would prefer to wait in line at the DMV rather than visit a dealership, and <a href="http://www.datamentors.com/blog/are-consumers-ditching-dealership-how-improve-car-buyers-shopping-experience">56%</a> say they would prefer to clean their homes. Astoundingly, <a href="http://www.datamentors.com/blog/are-consumers-ditching-dealership-how-improve-car-buyers-shopping-experience">24%</a> would even choose a root canal over the dealership experience. All of this tells us there’s still work to be done.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>The good news is <b>a majority of emerging technology is aimed at addressing specific shopper pain points and improving the overall dealership experience.</b> From advanced communication platforms to streamlined processes to online applications and preliminary financing paperwork, the industry is thinking outside the box to meet the needs of busy shoppers who are looking for better ways to interact with dealerships.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>As we round out the year—and as AutoAlert gears up to take its latest state-of-the-art consumer-focused technology to <a href="http://convention.nada.org/home/"><b>NADA100 in New Orleans in January 2017</b></a>—we’ll be focusing on ways dealerships can satisfy consumers and offer valuable time- and money-saving opportunities. AutoAlert’s latest product line-up includes the revolutionary <a href="http://autoalert.com/pando-web-mobile-messaging/"><b>Pando communication and collaboration platform</b></a><b>,</b> designed specifically to meet the unique challenges dealerships face by streamlining processes and connecting entire teams. As communication improves between every dealership department, collaboration, productivity, and accuracy will increase—resulting in higher levels of customer satisfaction.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>The data scientists at AutoAlert have also been hard at work developing the <a href="http://autoalert.com/one-to-one-intelligent-marketing/"><b>One-to-One Intelligent Marketing</b></a> <b>platform,</b> a comprehensive data-driven solution focused on offering dealerships a 360-degree view of their customers. Offering targeted and individualized communication at strategic customer ownership milestones, this platform gives dealers a competitive advantage in the marketplace by allowing them to reach the right customer with the right offer—at exactly the right time.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>These and other innovations are taking the automotive marketplace by storm, and dealerships that leverage the insights and technology available to them are the ones making giant strides ahead of the competition. It’s not enough to wait for customers to find you; instead, it’s imperative to seek out your customers and get to know them—before they ever show up on your lot.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Today’s shoppers expect businesses to know them, understand their preferences, and be able to predict the products and services that will meet their needs. Your dealership can do this by leaning in to the latest innovations and thinking outside the box for modern solutions. Customers will see you’re working on providing more streamlined and efficient shopping experiences—and you’ll win their approval every time.</p>When Asked to Choose, 54% of Marketers Chose Facebooktag:www.dealerelite.net,2016-12-02:5283893:BlogPost:4901822016-12-02T16:46:58.000ZJoseph Littlehttps://www.dealerelite.net/profile/JosephLittle
<p><b><a href="http://autoalert.com/when-asked-to-choose-54-of-marketers-chose-facebook/" target="_blank"><img class="align-center" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2545167332?profile=RESIZE_1024x1024" width="750"></img></a></b></p>
<p><b> </b></p>
<p><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/vGj3k4WWPFM?wmode=opaque" width="560"></iframe>
</p>
<p><b> </b></p>
<p>Businesses today know when consumers search for things—restaurants, retail locations, childcare, dog walkers, or anything in between—they are most likely to turn to online sources. …</p>
<p><b><a href="http://autoalert.com/when-asked-to-choose-54-of-marketers-chose-facebook/" target="_blank"><img width="750" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2545167332?profile=RESIZE_1024x1024" width="750" class="align-center"/></a></b></p>
<p><b> </b></p>
<p><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/vGj3k4WWPFM?wmode=opaque" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe>
</p>
<p><b> </b></p>
<p>Businesses today know when consumers search for things—restaurants, retail locations, childcare, dog walkers, or anything in between—they are most likely to turn to online sources. Old-school marketing has taken a sideline to newer, quicker-to-access platforms like social sites, search engines, and online feedback forums. Think about it this way:</p>
<p> </p>
<p><i>You’re traveling to a new city and your friends want to try a local TexMex restaurant, but you’re not familiar with the area. Are you going to drive around looking for billboards, or are you more likely to use your smartphone to get some quick info about a great place to go?</i></p>
<p> </p>
<p>Consumers and businesses alike know we live in an ever-expanding mobile world, and that means social platforms are battling it out to rise to the top. And while every platform wants to be the top dog, one stands apart from the rest. <b>In a recent survey,</b> <a href="https://www.socialmediaexaminer.com/SocialMediaMarketingIndustryReport2014.pdf"><b>54% of marketers</b></a> <b>stated that if asked to choose a single platform, they would choose Facebook.</b></p>
<p> </p>
<p>More and more marketers are seeing the benefits of leveraging Facebook and it’s easy-to-use tools to extend their reach and effectively connect with the right audiences. Not only does it offer the opportunity to build customized Pages and ads, it extends beyond circles of friends to include acquaintances and business associates, allowing for a broad reach. And Facebook is on a record run, with high revenues due to initiatives like geotargeting, custom audience features, Page reviews, ad targeting, as well as News Feed revamps.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>In a survey of <a href="https://www.emarketer.com/Article/Social-Media-Marketers-Facebook-Produces-Best-ROI/1013918">551 social media marketers worldwide</a>, 98.8% said they believe Facebook produces the best ROI. With this insight, it’s not surprising marketers continue to turn to this social platform, steadily helping to increase its growth. According to <a href="https://www.emarketer.com/Article/Social-Media-Marketers-Facebook-Produces-Best-ROI/1013918">eMarketer</a>, by the end of 2016, Facebook is expected to reach 1.43 billion monthly users, with mobile accounting for 82% of U.S. digital ad revenue. <b>Growth will be driven primarily by Instagram ad revenue and Facebook mobile video formats,</b> trends that attest to the power of visual and mobile input for today’s consumers.</p>
<p> </p>
<p><b>Platform Overview</b></p>
<p>While Facebook stands apart from the crowd, there are some <a href="http://heidicohen.com/2016-social-media-marketing-platforms/">other big platforms</a> to follow. 76% of marketers say they utilize Twitter and LinkedIn as well, and following those, usage by marketers drops to approximately 53% for YouTube and 49% for Google+, with Instagram and Pinterest coming in slightly behind those.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Knowing where your customers are looking for branded content is an important aspect of getting any marketing strategy to work. Marketers know their audiences are on Facebook, and they know they’ll get traction there with their ads. As a dealership, when you’ve done your homework and pinpointed your audience, you can begin to become an expert in the platforms where your target consumers are spending their time. Focus your marketing time and dollars on these platforms and develop a strong presence to gain traction exactly where your consumers are researching and interacting.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Keep a few key things in mind as you work your social marketing plan, and you’ll see even more success:</p>
<p> </p>
<ul>
<li><b>Tailor your plan so that it’s manageable for you.</b> Choose wisely when deciding on the platforms where you’ll interact and share your marketing materials. You want to be sure you can master the platform, understand the tools available to you, and deliver consistent content. If the majority of your audience is on Facebook, make that your top focus and become proficient at utilizing it to market your dealership.</li>
</ul>
<p> </p>
<ul>
<li><b>Post relevant and timely content. </b> Your customers crave content that’s helpful, reliable, and timely—and they’re not looking for a hard sell on their social feeds. When you market your dealership as an ally in the marketplace, you’ll be seen as a valued source of information, and consumers become accustomed to turning to you for insights and updates. </li>
</ul>
<p> </p>
<ul>
<li><b>Develop your voice. </b> Your dealership’s brand voice is your identity, and it’s how shoppers will pick you out of a digital crowd. Establish your tone, your position in the industry, the things you stand for, and your areas of expertise—as these are the things that will stand out to shoppers, both when they’re researching and when it’s time to buy.</li>
</ul>
<p> </p>
<ul>
<li><b>Engage with others.</b> In addition to consistently posting on your own platform, be sure to engage with others. Look for individuals who are commenting on your posts, past customers, other industry leaders, neighboring businesses, and other social marketers with whom you can interact and build relationships. You’ll extend your online reach, and you’ll also build credibility by expanding your conversations and including others.</li>
</ul>
<p><b> </b></p>
<p>Your social media strategy can be as simple or as complicated as you want to make it. However, be sure you put plenty of thought and consideration into choosing the platforms that work for your dealership. Facebook is commonly used by marketers, because it’s the platform where a majority of consumers turn to seek out and interact with branded content. And since it’s such a high-traffic platform, it’s a great place for dealerships to start as well.</p>Instagram Adds Disappearing Photos, Videos, & Screenshots and More!tag:www.dealerelite.net,2016-11-29:5283893:BlogPost:4900802016-11-29T18:26:53.000ZJoseph Littlehttps://www.dealerelite.net/profile/JosephLittle
<p><b><a href="http://autoalert.com/instagram-adds-disappearing-photos-videos-screenshots-and-more/" target="_blank"><img class="align-center" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2545166907?profile=RESIZE_1024x1024" width="750"></img></a></b></p>
<p></p>
<p><b>This Week in Social Media</b></p>
<p><b> </b></p>
<p>News for the Week of November 28</p>
<p> </p>
<p><b>Instagram Lets Users Know When Screenshots Are Taken</b></p>
<p>Following in Snapchat’s footsteps, Instagram has added a feature that lets users know when someone…</p>
<p><b><a href="http://autoalert.com/instagram-adds-disappearing-photos-videos-screenshots-and-more/" target="_blank"><img width="750" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2545166907?profile=RESIZE_1024x1024" width="750" class="align-center"/></a></b></p>
<p></p>
<p><b>This Week in Social Media</b></p>
<p><b> </b></p>
<p>News for the Week of November 28</p>
<p> </p>
<p><b>Instagram Lets Users Know When Screenshots Are Taken</b></p>
<p>Following in Snapchat’s footsteps, Instagram has added a feature that lets users know when someone <a href="http://mashable.com/2016/11/25/instagram-screenshot-notification/#NrbxTpEJtEqY">screenshots an image</a> or message they’ve posted. This feature works with the app’s latest disappearing photo and message capability, which is highlighted below—<b>and it has some users perplexed.</b> Since users can send messages that, by definition, “disappear,” it’s a bit baffling to some why they’re receiving messages that recipients have subsequently taken screenshots of those messages. </p>
<p> </p>
<p><b>Instagram Adds Disappearing Photos and Videos While Releasing Live Video</b></p>
<p>Instagram now allows users to share <a href="http://blog.instagram.com/post/153474421572/161121-launches">disappearing photos and videos</a> to groups and individuals, offering an even more creative and visual way for users to connect with their closest friends. Additionally, live video has been added to Instagram Stories, allowing users to connect with friends and followers instantly—at any time in real time. Once a live video has ended, it disappears from a story—a feature that lets users feel more comfortable sharing. While live, friends can get notifications so they can watch, users can pin comments for everyone to view, or comments can be turned off completely. The live-video experience is directed completely by the person recording the video. <b>With this feature, dealerships can get creative and provide customers with real-time information about everyday happenings or consider sharing customer testimonials with followers. Live video is a great way to grow your audience and get more leads, so grab some attention for your dealership by leveraging the latest updates.</b></p>
<p> </p>
<p><b>DriveTribe App and Social Platform for Car Lovers</b></p>
<p>Dubbed as “Facebook for Petrolheads,” <a href="http://www.mirror.co.uk/tech/grand-tour-stars-jeremy-clarkson-9352827">DriveTribe</a>—the social media platform and app for car and bike lovers everywhere—just launched for iOS and Android. Driven by the hosts of Top Gear, Jeremy Clarkson, Richard Hammond, and James May, this platform is designed to be simple and easy-to-use for anyone who’s interested in car or bike topics. Described as “Pinterest meets Reddit meets cars and bikes,” it’s yet to be seen how the platform will stand up to public scrutiny, but there’s plenty of optimism. <b>Dealerships, keep your eyes on the newest social platforms and emerging news outlets, as you’ll be able to share the latest and greatest with your followers when you are on top of what’s happening in the social media world. And who knows? You may just run across something that piques your interest and becomes a trusted resource!</b></p>
<p> </p>
<p><b>Facebook Updates Page Layout for Desktop</b></p>
<p>The new <a href="https://www.facebook.com/smexaminer/photos/a.432812619382.238830.272796339382/10154717449254383/?type=3&theater">Facebook page layouts</a> allow users to have a more customizable desktop experience, with customizable sections in the middle column, the ability to add new templates for business types with various new tab options, and the ability to see and share URLs more easily. Still in the test phase, these changes have not yet been released to everyone—but users around the globe should keep their eyes open because updates will soon be available worldwide. <b>Dealerships, appearance is everything, so consider customizing your Page to appeal to your followers and capture attention. You’ll generate more leads and keep people interested when you create a customized look and feel, and you’ll convey the personality of your dealership. Take advantage of Facebook’s latest updates to add appealing personalization to your Page!</b></p>
<p><b> </b></p>
<p><b>Facebook Getting Rid of Media Buying Specialty</b></p>
<p>Facebook Marketing Partners is a program that was designed to recognize excellence in a variety of categories of digital expertise. Piloted in 2015 with eight different categories, this program has reached a point in which is now needs to be <a href="https://facebookmarketingpartners.com/partner-news/an-update-on-the-media-buying-specialty/">streamlined</a>. Effective December 31, 2016, Facebook will phase out the Media Buying specialty, which is one of the original eight categories in the 2015 pilot program. Facebook has determined that, in its place, the Blueprint Certification, recognizing individual buyer competency with both Facebook and Instagram products, more fully meets the needs of agency partners. <b>Dealerships, be sure to capture attention by targeting specific audiences and directing relevant content toward your audience. Remember to customize your headlines and utilize your ads to promote a variety of things, like Pages, apps, and events! You’ll get more traction when you think outside the box and creatively appeal to a variety of consumers.</b></p>
<p> </p>
<p><b>Tip of the Week – Find Your Niche & Get Good at What You Do</b></p>
<p><b> </b></p>
<p>Whether you’ve been on social media for a while or you’re just getting started, it’s important to remember you can’t tackle every platform at once. You’re working to build a social presence for your dealership and build an audience that recognizes you for your industry expertise—and that means you need to master one area before adding several others to the mix. It’s much easier to be responsive, offer relevant content, and build a consistent following on a single platform, rather than jumping in and spreading yourself too thin on several platforms.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Think of it this way. Anytime you want to become an expert in something, it’s important to start small. If you want to learn how to cook, it’s probably going to turn out better if you tackle a project like eggs before attempting to make coq au vin or complicated soufflés! Master scrambled eggs, move on to hard-boiled, and then, when you’re ready, tackle the bigger projects.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>The same goes for building your social platform. Give yourself time to become an expert—and give your followers time to recognize your presence and learn to expect your posts. You’ll build a following and earn trust. Check out a few quick tips to help you incrementally build your dealership’s social presence:</p>
<p> </p>
<ul>
<li><b>Identify the platform.</b> Decide where you’re going to post and stick to that platform. If most of your intended audience is on Facebook, then become an expert in the tools Facebook offers to help you reach and grow your audience.</li>
</ul>
<p> </p>
<ul>
<li><b>Make a plan.</b> Plan your content and the times you’ll post. When you’re consistent with your posts, followers will expect your content, and they’ll look forward to your contributions.</li>
</ul>
<p> </p>
<ul>
<li><b>Post relevant information.</b> Get to know your audience by interacting, having online conversations, and listening to what’s important to them. Then, post content that resonates and reflects what matters to them in the moment.</li>
</ul>
<p> </p>
<ul>
<li><b>Build relationships. </b> Rather than being solely focused on posting content, be sure you strike a good balance of interacting with your followers. Be sure to answer questions in a timely manner—and ask frequently about what’s important to them. You’ll build trust and get plenty of great ideas for future posts!</li>
</ul>
<p> </p>
<ul>
<li><b>Share, share, share.</b> The content you share doesn’t always have to be original content created by you. Instead, be open to sharing great content your followers post—and keep your eyes open for valuable information from trusted sources you can share with your audience. When you contribute helpful advice, guidance, and tips, you’ll build lasting relationships.</li>
</ul>
<p> </p>
<ul>
<li><b>Measure and evaluate.</b> Don’t be afraid to take a step back and really focus on what’s working—and what’s not. Change things up and try different ways of doing things. That’s how you’ll be able to fine-tune your strategy and become great at managing your social presence. </li>
</ul>
<p> </p>
<p>Take time to get great at one platform before you dive into several different platforms. You’ll still be able to build a large social following, and you’ll learn even more by truly focusing on all the tools available to you as you reach out to consumers.</p>
<p> </p>Take it to Turbo: Foolproof Ways to Engage Your Online Audiencetag:www.dealerelite.net,2016-11-23:5283893:BlogPost:4901082016-11-23T19:50:06.000ZJoseph Littlehttps://www.dealerelite.net/profile/JosephLittle
<p><b><a href="http://autoalert.com/take-it-to-turbo-foolproof-ways-to-engage-your-online-audience/" target="_blank"><img class="align-center" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2545167190?profile=RESIZE_1024x1024" width="750"></img></a></b></p>
<p> </p>
<p>You already know your customers are online learning about the products and services they’re considering. And you’re probably ready to jump in the ring and share some of your own dealership content to hook them on your brand—which is awesome. But before you start throwing articles, pics, and videos online, there are a few things to remember. …</p>
<p><b><a href="http://autoalert.com/take-it-to-turbo-foolproof-ways-to-engage-your-online-audience/" target="_blank"><img width="750" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2545167190?profile=RESIZE_1024x1024" width="750" class="align-center"/></a></b></p>
<p> </p>
<p>You already know your customers are online learning about the products and services they’re considering. And you’re probably ready to jump in the ring and share some of your own dealership content to hook them on your brand—which is awesome. But before you start throwing articles, pics, and videos online, there are a few things to remember. First, and most importantly, <b>it’s up to you to create the best content possible</b> to build consumer engagement and grow your online community. Today’s consumers are fickle and demanding, so be sure to streamline and offer your best content, including only what’s relevant and interesting to your audience.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>It may sound simple enough, but figuring out what your audience is looking for can be one of the trickiest parts of creating content that resonates. It’s safe to say every business is looking for engaged consumers; that’s how sales are made and life-long brand relationships are built. Everyone wants customers who are excited about their brands and who want to share that excitement with their online social circles. <i>After all, that’s the way social media works its magic.</i> But do you know how to make that work for your dealership?</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Here are a few important things you can do to engage your online consumers and get them fired up for your brand:</p>
<p> </p>
<ul>
<li><b>Know your audience.</b></li>
</ul>
<p>It’s ok if you’re still building your audience. In fact, it means you’re starting from a fairly blank canvas, and that can be fun. Be sure you continue to include those who already follow you as you get to know new target consumers you want to reach.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Start getting to know what consumers want by being a great social listener. Be sure you dedicate time to creating a presence on big social networks like Facebook and Twitter, and don’t just focus on creating content. Instead, search industry keywords, your own brand, competitors, and anything else that relates to your dealership in the marketplace. Pay close attention to the things consumers are saying and how they’re interacting with specific posts and types of content. What are their interests, likes, needs? What motivates them to comment, interact, shop? The answers to these questions are important, because they will guide you as you select content that’s authentic and truly speaks to your consumers.</p>
<p> </p>
<ul>
<li><b>It’s not all about selling.</b></li>
</ul>
<p>Of course you want to sell cars. And you want to get customers to come in for service and maintenance, too. But when you’re planning content to engage consumers and build relationships, you’ll gain more traction by steering clear of the hard sell. We’ve all seen the people who come across our social feeds (<i>you know the ones</i>) who post incessantly about selling the next great mascara or diet potion. After a while, we either become immune to them—or worse, we block them and ignore them altogether. <b>No one wants to end up in the blocked category.</b></p>
<p> </p>
<p>This may tough to accept for those who are hard-wired to sell, but you’ll gain more online followers when you contribute meaningful content that entertains, educates, and informs—rather than trying to convince online followers to buy. And when you build your online audience, you’ll build trust, which will bring more customers onto your lot in the long run.</p>
<p> </p>
<ul>
<li><b>Tell a compelling story.</b></li>
</ul>
<p>Stories have been around since the beginning of time. They’re our way of communicating who we are, what we stand for, and where we’ve been. Your brand story makes your dealership unique, so look for ways to share relatable moments with consumers so they’ll feel more connected to you. You’ll build engagement and loyalty when you’re able to let shoppers know what your dealership stands for in a way that resonates and creates a meaningful experience.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Stories are full of details, so when you’re choosing the details to share with consumers, focus on what drives them in the marketplace, what inspires them, and what causes them to pause and reflect. Offer solutions that make their lives easier, and you’ll end up being the hero of the story every time.</p>
<p> </p>
<ul>
<li><b>Interact and leverage user-generated content.</b></li>
</ul>
<p>Your audience wants to know they’re appreciated—and that you’re listening to what they’re saying. So be sure you have a regular social presence and engage in the conversations that are important to your followers. Additionally, keep in mind your audience is full of great ideas when it comes to content. They continuously post pics, links, and other valuable information, so when appropriate and when you have permission, take advantage of the additional content opportunities available to you. Share what your audience shares and interact to let them know you care about what’s important to them.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Remember to thank your online audience and show your appreciation by calling out their contributions. When you let them know how valuable their input and feedback are, you’ll create an atmosphere where more people want to interact and share with you—ensuring you grow your online audience and end up with even more content and potential customers.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Remember, you are creating a community. Much like the community that surrounds your brick-and-mortar store, your online community looks to you to provide the information and insights they are looking for. As a smart business owner and marketer, you hold the keys when it comes to engaging your consumers—and in today’s digital world, <b>consumer engagement is key.</b></p>Facebook Updates Metrics and Reporting, Pinterest Adds New Video Pins, & More!tag:www.dealerelite.net,2016-11-22:5283893:BlogPost:4899462016-11-22T21:57:22.000ZJoseph Littlehttps://www.dealerelite.net/profile/JosephLittle
<p><b><a href="http://autoalert.com/facebook-updates-metrics-and-reporting-pinterest-adds-new-video-pins-more/" target="_blank"><img class="align-center" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2545167419?profile=RESIZE_1024x1024" width="750"></img></a></b></p>
<p></p>
<p><b>This Week in Social Media</b></p>
<p><b> </b></p>
<p>News for the Week of November 21</p>
<p> </p>
<p><b>Facebook Updates Metrics and Reporting</b></p>
<p>Facebook had reportedly been having some issues with the metrics it provided, so they have…</p>
<p><b><a href="http://autoalert.com/facebook-updates-metrics-and-reporting-pinterest-adds-new-video-pins-more/" target="_blank"><img width="750" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2545167419?profile=RESIZE_1024x1024" width="750" class="align-center"/></a></b></p>
<p></p>
<p><b>This Week in Social Media</b></p>
<p><b> </b></p>
<p>News for the Week of November 21</p>
<p> </p>
<p><b>Facebook Updates Metrics and Reporting</b></p>
<p>Facebook had reportedly been having some issues with the metrics it provided, so they have <a href="http://newsroom.fb.com/news/2016/11/an-update-on-metrics-and-reporting/">released several updates</a> to help ensure the accuracy of their reports. They added updates that will increase third-party verification to validate and review data on impressions and views. A new Measurement Council has also been created to better standardize measurements tied to business outcomes. Additionally, a new internal process has been put in place to ensure all metrics released by Facebook are clear and up to date. Many bugs blamed for inaccurate data over the past few months have also been fixed. <b>Dealerships, it’s important to collect all the data available to you, both pre- and post-campaign. When looking at what did and didn’t work in a campaign, you’ll be able to see what needs to be changed based on audience reactions. Taking all metrics and measurements into account when making decisions for upcoming campaigns will help you ensure the best future responses.</b></p>
<p><b> </b></p>
<p><b>Pinterest Adding New Video Pins and Discovery Feature</b></p>
<p>Just 3 months ago, Pinterest launched Promoted Video, a way to bring together the very best content for platform users, and now it’s recently added another new feature called <a href="https://business.pinterest.com/en/blog/express-your-brand-story-new-promoted-video-option">Explore</a>—a new auto-play version of the Promoted Video experience. Brands advertising with this tool can have a primary video playing with a list of their other videos running alongside it. Once the initial video is finished playing, the next will start playing automatically, essentially creating an episode of ideas from a single brand, making it easier for Pinners to view and try more ideas. Pinterest Explore will contain content from industry experts, top tastemakers, and even some of Pinterest’s own employees, who combine the favorites of Pinners today, as well as what is happening around the world. This is a location where Pinners can go to catch up on the latest and greatest of Pinterest. <b>Dealerships, tell your story in a compelling way via Pinterest! Now, with this newest feature, viewers can automatically see more of what they’re interested in as videos continue to the next idea in the line-up. Be sure to update your content regularly and keep your posts organized so consumers can view your posts and browse at their leisure.</b></p>
<p><b> </b></p>
<p><b>Periscope.tv Moments Now Shareable</b></p>
<p>Periscope has added a new share feature allowing users to <a href="http://www.adweek.com/socialtimes/periscope-now-lets-you-share-specific-broadcast-moments-on-the-web/647548">share specific moments from broadcasts</a>. When users are watching Periscope.tv a share button now appears in the bottom-left corner of the broadcast screen. By clicking this button, users can bring up the Share Broadcast menu, giving them the option to share it on Twitter or Facebook with a custom start time, matching the time the share button was clicked. Periscope also allows for another share option, giving users the ability to copy custom replay links and share them anywhere they please. <b>Dealerships, make it easy for your viewers to share, and ensure they want to share your content, by offering information that is helpful, engaging, and entertaining. Don’t forget to include a call to action if you want viewers to do something. For example, “If you enjoyed this video, click here to share with your friends!” This will go a long way to increase the number of people viewing and sharing your content.</b></p>
<p><b> </b></p>
<p><b>Facebook Inbox Now Showing Facebook, Messenger, and Instagram</b></p>
<p>With the new <a href="https://www.facebook.com/business/news/pages-inbox-update">update added to Facebook’s inbox</a>, businesses can now link their Facebook, Messenger, and Instagram into one channel, allowing them to easily browse all three channels. This is aimed at keeping users from missing out on important messages as they flip back and forth between these platforms. Now, users can simply click on a person’s name in the Facebook inbox, use basic information to personalize, and then choose the best way to communicate with that person based on previous interactions that person has had with the business. This update will be available to those who use the Pages manager mobile app, with availability for other devices coming soon. <b>Dealerships, seeing every customer message is important, and it’s imperative nothing is missed. You’ll be able to respond more quickly and efficiently to messages when you implement this new tool and streamline your incoming messages from these three channels.</b></p>
<p><b> </b></p>
<p><b>Facebook Adding Analytics and Developer Tools for Messenger Bot</b></p>
<p><a href="https://messengerblog.com/bots/bots-for-messenger-adding-analytics-support-and-fbstart-membership-opportunities/">Facebook Analytics for Apps</a> is a tool that helps businesses measure, understand, and optimize their customers’ journeys across both mobile and desktop devices. Facebook has just extended its analytics support to businesses that are building bots within the Messenger platform, a feature that adds the ability to see the number of messages sent, messages received, and people who have blocked or unblocked user apps—all without having to add any additional code. Users will also have the ability to access aggregated and anonymized demographic reports, giving them the opportunity to see exactly who is engaging with their bots. <b>Dealerships, knowing your audience is key when it comes to personalizing campaigns and interactions with your customers. Being able to see who is communicating with your brand through your bots will allow you to tailor your messages and interactions to specific groups of people, increasing the amount of engagement throughout your audience.</b></p>
<p><b> </b></p>
<p><b>Snapchat and Foursquare Partner up on Location-Based Geofilters</b></p>
<p>Foursquare is best known for its location and discovery app, having compiled a database of more than 87 million real-life places, including businesses, bars, restaurants, and markets. The platform has recently <a href="http://www.digitaltrends.com/social-media/snapchat-foursquare/">signed a deal with Snapchat</a>, allowing them to use their data to power their geofilters—location-based graphics that can be overlaid onto images and videos throughout the visual messaging app. Before this partnership, Snapchat’s geofilters were tied to more general locations like cities, major sports arenas, or events. This newest capability will open up geofilters to a lot more people and services. <b>Dealerships, be sure to stay up to date with the latest social technology and updates. Remember, your customers are sharing and talking about you online, and it’s ok to occasionally have a little fun with geofilters, emojis, and fun text language when you’re sharing via online social sites. Make it easy for your customers to share and increase your social reach by providing a link to your website and ensuring your profile and location information is up to date and easy to find!</b></p>
<p><b> </b></p>
<p><b>Tip of the Week – Leverage Your Customer Data to Sell More Cars</b></p>
<p><b> </b></p>
<p>Building a detailed database of your customers and their information is important in order to offer shoppers what they’re looking for in the marketplace. When your dealership invests in a quality system to integrate and organize customer data, you’ll gain an advantage, because you’ll continuously have access to consumer needs and preferences, allowing you to have the right conversations at the right times—ultimately resulting in selling more cars. The data you already have is valuable, but it’s important to ensure you’re leveraging it to its full capacity to position your dealership for ultimate success. Check out a few tips to help you along the way:</p>
<p> </p>
<ul>
<li><b>Know your customers.</b> When you invest in a comprehensive marketing platform like <a href="http://autoalert.com/one-to-one-intelligent-marketing/">AutoAlert’s One-to-One Intelligent Marketing</a>, you’ll be able to gather the most important data about your customers and leverage it at just the right time to ensure you’re contacting the right people when they’re in market and ready to buy. It’s worth the investment to know when consumers are shopping, where they’re shopping, what they’re interested in, and even who they’ve shopped with in the past. When you know what your customers are looking for, you can be better prepared to offer exactly what they need.</li>
<li><b>Consolidate into a trusted platform.</b> Dealerships often have shopper information stored in many different locations. Rather than rely on old ways of storing and looking up customer data, sync all your records into one convenient and innovative platform that aggregates intelligent shopper information to give you up-to-date, actionable insights. You’ll have more time to dedicate to customers, and your sales team will always have relevant information at hand.</li>
<li><b>Create an action plan.</b> Once you’ve begun compiling and organizing consumer data, create an action plan to strategically reach out to in-market shoppers with comprehensive campaigns. <a href="http://autoalert.com/one-to-one-intelligent-marketing/">AutoAlert’s One-to-One Intelligent Marketing</a> offers a powerful format that includes offer letters, email campaigns, and personalized URLs for every lead. When you formulate a plan and follow through with a variety of consumer touchpoints, you’ll remain top of mind and be successful in closing more deals.</li>
<li><b>Follow up.</b> It’s important to stay in touch with shoppers who have expressed interest in your dealership, and a powerful, comprehensive platform can help you do that. By ensuring all your data is organized and kept up to date, it’s easy to see when it’s time to reach out to shoppers and touch base.</li>
</ul>
<p> </p>
<p>In today’s modern market, <b>the importance of a comprehensive data solution can’t be overstated.</b> It’s worth the investment on the front end for your dealership to have access to consumer data and be able to have the right conversations about the right products—at exactly the right times. After all, when you know your customers and present them with what they need, they’ll end up buying from you.</p>
<p> </p>
<p><b> </b></p>A Marketplace of Empowered Consumerstag:www.dealerelite.net,2016-11-21:5283893:BlogPost:4899372016-11-21T18:28:47.000ZJoseph Littlehttps://www.dealerelite.net/profile/JosephLittle
<p class="Body"><b><a href="http://autoalert.com/a-marketplace-of-empowered-consumers/" target="_blank"><img class="align-center" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2545167756?profile=RESIZE_1024x1024" width="750"></img></a></b></p>
<p class="Body"> </p>
<p class="Body">Today’s automotive consumers are more educated than ever, and that plays an enormous role in how they interact with your dealership. Shoppers expect even more from your team, and it’s important everyone is prepared to interact with the newest consumer generations—savvy, connected individuals with access to endless information that…</p>
<p class="Body"><b><a href="http://autoalert.com/a-marketplace-of-empowered-consumers/" target="_blank"><img width="750" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2545167756?profile=RESIZE_1024x1024" width="750" class="align-center"/></a></b></p>
<p class="Body"> </p>
<p class="Body">Today’s automotive consumers are more educated than ever, and that plays an enormous role in how they interact with your dealership. Shoppers expect even more from your team, and it’s important everyone is prepared to interact with the newest consumer generations—savvy, connected individuals with access to endless information that helps them research and make buying decisions <i>before they ever visit your showroom</i>.</p>
<p class="Body"> </p>
<p class="Body"><b>Reaching Your Consumers</b></p>
<p class="Body">Today, consumers are setting the pace for businesses in general, and this rings true for dealerships across the country. To reach the largest audience and ensure your message resonates with as many potential buyers as possible, it’s important to understand how consumers are educating themselves in the marketplace:</p>
<p class="Body"> </p>
<ul>
<li><a href="http://www.inboundmarketingagents.com/inbound-marketing-agents-blog/6-important-stats-on-how-consumer-behavior-has-changed-in-the-digital-age">28% of online activity</a> is spent on social networks, so developing and maintaining a social presence for your dealership is key to growing consumer relationships.</li>
<li>Online reviews impact <a href="http://www.inboundmarketingagents.com/inbound-marketing-agents-blog/6-important-stats-on-how-consumer-behavior-has-changed-in-the-digital-age">67% of purchasing decisions</a>, which means it’s imperative to stay on top of your online reputation.</li>
<li>Adults in the U.S. spend <a href="http://www.inboundmarketingagents.com/inbound-marketing-agents-blog/6-important-stats-on-how-consumer-behavior-has-changed-in-the-digital-age">5.5 hours each day</a> viewing video content, and when your dealership leverages the power of video, you’ll reach more potential shoppers.</li>
<li><a href="http://www.dealerelite.net/profiles/blogs/automotive-marketing-an-overview-of-current-marketing-trends">54% of shoppers</a> would buy from a dealership that offers a great experience—even if the price is higher. For your dealership, this means it’s essential to focus on providing the ultimate consumer experience.</li>
<li>While dealer average response time to consumer requests is <a href="http://www.dealerelite.net/profiles/blogs/automotive-marketing-an-overview-of-current-marketing-trends">9.2 hours</a>, today’s modern shoppers expect businesses to offer 24/7 real-time responses. Dealerships offering instant online communication are building strong relationships with consumers who are looking for timely interactions.</li>
</ul>
<p class="Body"> </p>
<p class="Body">The way your dealership works with educated and informed consumers is key in determining how shoppers will react. It can be the deciding factor when it comes to turning shoppers into customers. AutoTrader.com’s Vice President of Research and Market Intelligence, <a href="http://press.autotrader.com/2014-08-14-2014-Automotive-Buyer-Influence-Study-Demonstrates-How-Millennials-Are-Accelerating-Change-In-Car-Shopping">Isabelle Helms, says</a>, “Since the majority of millennials are decided on which vehicle they want to purchase by the time they get to the dealership, the opportunity for dealers and OEMs to influence their purchase decisions is online—where millennials spend the majority of their shopping time.” By shifting a portion of your focus to online consumers and interacting with them where they’re doing a majority of their research, your dealership has the opportunity to begin building relationships earlier in the buyer journey, allowing you to impact crucial shopper decisions earlier in the research phase. Being present during this stage is as important as addressing the needs of your customers once they’re on the showroom floor.</p>
<p class="Body"> </p>
<p class="Body"><b>Work Smarter Not Harder</b></p>
<p class="Body">Your dealership can do several things to appeal to today’s shoppers and ensure you’re able to influence them and provide them with exactly what they’re looking for:</p>
<p class="Body"> </p>
<ul>
<li><b>Use intelligent marketing</b>. Most shoppers are already online, and that means there’s a wealth of information out there about them. Your dealership can take advantage of this and implement platforms like <a href="http://autoalert.com/one-to-one-intelligent-marketing/">AutoAlert’s One-to-One Intelligent Marketing</a> to help you <b>leverage valuable data and convert more opportunities.</b> Now, more than ever, intelligent data-mining solutions are integral to help you get to know your consumers and provide high-quality, personalized solutions.</li>
</ul>
<p class="Body"> </p>
<ul>
<li><b>Provide useful, relevant content</b>. Consumers are hungry for knowledge, and when your dealership provides content that educates, offers helpful advice, and resonates in some way with the journey they’re on, you’ll grow your audience. Create a schedule you can stick to and post consistently to gain attention and trust.</li>
</ul>
<p class="Body"> </p>
<ul>
<li><b>Don’t oversell on social platforms.</b> Focus on offering helpful information, rather than sales pitches, when sharing content. When searching online, consumers are primarily looking for insights and advice—so be a positive contributor by steering clear of hard pitches and instead using your platforms for sharing what’s new and informative.</li>
</ul>
<p class="Body"> </p>
<p class="Body">When you understand how shoppers are approaching vehicle purchases, your dealership can be prepared to meet them in the marketplace and provide exactly what they’re looking for. As mobile usage, online searches, and social sharing have continued to grow in popularity, consumers have adopted these methods for carrying out much of their shopping research. For successful dealerships, this means shifting perspective to include reaching out to shoppers well before they arrive at your lot—because when you get to know your shoppers early in their buying journeys, you’ll be able to better meet their needs when they arrive in your showroom. </p>People Aged 55 And Older Interact With More Branded Content Than Younger Generationstag:www.dealerelite.net,2016-11-18:5283893:BlogPost:4898202016-11-18T19:45:52.000ZJoseph Littlehttps://www.dealerelite.net/profile/JosephLittle
<p><b><a href="http://autoalert.com/people-aged-55-and-older-interact-with-more-branded-content-than-younger-generations/" target="_blank"><img class="align-center" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2545166510?profile=RESIZE_1024x1024" width="750"></img></a> </b></p>
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<p><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/ulEw033Dbgw?wmode=opaque" width="560"></iframe>
</p>
<p>Knowing your audience is important when it comes to creating engaging content. A recent study revealed that those aged…</p>
<p><b><a href="http://autoalert.com/people-aged-55-and-older-interact-with-more-branded-content-than-younger-generations/" target="_blank"><img width="750" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2545166510?profile=RESIZE_1024x1024" width="750" class="align-center"/></a> </b></p>
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<p><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/ulEw033Dbgw?wmode=opaque" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe>
</p>
<p>Knowing your audience is important when it comes to creating engaging content. A recent study revealed that those aged <a href="https://www.oberlo.com/blog/social-media-marketing-statistics/">55 and older</a> are more than <b>twice as likely to engage with branded content</b> <b>than those age 28 or younger. </b> Yep, you read that right, Baby Boomers are beating millennials—by a long shot—when it comes to interacting with your branded content!</p>
<p><b> </b></p>
<p>Boomers tend to get a rap for being less-than-savvy when it comes to online know-how, but surprisingly, a recent poll found they actually represent the largest generational group that spends <a href="http://www.forbes.com/sites/kevinmurnane/2016/04/18/how-the-boomers-differ-from-everybody-in-their-approach-to-online-privacy-and-security/#5ec245513e01">an hour or more per day online</a>. What differs with this generation, however, is the way they use online resources. While they may not be big social media users, they do place quite a bit of <a href="http://www.internetmarketinginc.com/blog/the-digital-landscape-of-seniors-and-baby-boomers/">value on being independent</a>, and they’ve found online connectivity helps them reach out to business, get products they need, and contract services. And don’t forget, some pretty major names are associated with both developing the internet and the desktop computer; some memorable Boomers include Bill Gates, Paul Allen, Steve Wozniak, and Steve Jobs.</p>
<p> </p>
<p><b>Know Your Audience</b></p>
<p>When you appeal to your audience, you keep everyone engaged. It’s not all about Boomers. But it’s not all about millennials either. There are plenty of generational groups to consider, as well as consumers from a variety of cultural backgrounds, with different income levels, and with infinite personalities. The list could go on forever, but the main idea is you need to focus your messaging on the needs of your target audience. And you need to know who makes up your local demographic before you can successfully target them.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Why? Because you won’t stand a chance of gaining advocates who will share your brand message if you don’t connect with them in a way that resonates. When you share content that adds value and meaning, you’ll capture consumer interest, and in turn, you’ll gain a larger audience. Your dealership might be creating the best content in the world, BUT if it doesn’t ring true for your specific audience, it won’t stick. Check out the following tips to help you <b>create content consumers will want to interact with and share:</b></p>
<p> </p>
<ul>
<li><b>Surprise them or make them curious.</b> Creative, well-designed content is a great start, but go beyond that to capture and keep consumer attention. You can have a more impactful emotional effect and make your followers feel important when you offer unexpected perks, such as invitations to exclusive events or discounts on services. And you can make them more curious about your dealership by creating teaser content that leads intrigues them regarding new makes and models, features, or upcoming dealership specials.</li>
</ul>
<p> </p>
<ul>
<li><b>Make sharing quick and easy.</b> Remove obstacles between viewing and sharing your content, so your audience can reach out and engage even more consumers. Make it easy by adding share buttons to your website! If this seems easy to you, that’s great; however, many businesses still haven’t done this, and it’s a missed opportunity. And keep in mind, placement of these buttons is important. Make sure they’re in an easy-to-spot location. Visitors to your page should be able to spot them easily without having to search.</li>
</ul>
<p> </p>
<ul>
<li><b>Ask for shares.</b> Once you’ve completed successful transactions with your customers, don’t be afraid to ask them to share their experiences or leave feedback! When you send a follow-up email, it’s easy to add a share button, but be sure to clearly ask customers to share. (Often they’ll skim right past the button if you don’t ask.) Additionally, keep in mind the importance of maintaining and staying active on your review sites. It’s key to getting to know your customers and ensuring you provide exactly what they’re looking for in a dealership experience. You’ll also be showing potential future customers your dealership is a great place to shop.</li>
</ul>
<p> </p>
<ul>
<li><b>Balance images and text.</b> Your online audience is more likely to stop and read a post with an image that stands out. Online posts with images in color increase consumer willingness to <a href="http://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/visual-content-marketing-strategy#sm.00015le87r6yxeh8x6c2hy97spjht">engage by 80%</a>, and consumers are <a href="http://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/visual-content-marketing-strategy#sm.00015le87r6yxeh8x6c2hy97spjht">65% more likely</a> to remember information if it’s paired with an image. So it’s critical you do a good job of balancing your posts. Images can accentuate great writing content and help it resonate you’re your audience.</li>
</ul>
<p> </p>
<p>It’s a big undertaking to get to know your audience, understand what they’re looking for in the marketplace, and ensure you provide content that resonates for everyone. But when you take the time to get it right, it will pay off big-time for your dealership. When consumers are intrigued and engaged, they’ll be more invested in your brand—and they’ll share what you have to say with others. You’ll increase your reach exponentially. Take advantage of the ease of online access, as well as the fact that multiple generations are online, and create great content that spreads like wildfire.</p>More Features for Instagram Stories, More Ways to Connect With Periscope, & More!tag:www.dealerelite.net,2016-11-15:5283893:BlogPost:4897182016-11-15T17:03:48.000ZJoseph Littlehttps://www.dealerelite.net/profile/JosephLittle
<p><b><a href="http://autoalert.com/more-features-for-instagram-stories-more-ways-to-connect-with-periscope-more/" target="_blank"><img class="align-center" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2545167770?profile=RESIZE_1024x1024" width="750"></img></a></b></p>
<p></p>
<p><b>This Week in Social Media</b></p>
<p><b> </b></p>
<p>News for the Week of November 14</p>
<p><b> </b></p>
<p><b>Instagram Adds More Features to Stories</b></p>
<p>New Instagram Stories features, including <a href="http://blog.instagram.com/post/152996384057/161110-storiesupdate">Boomerang, Mentions, and Links</a> have been added…</p>
<p><b><a href="http://autoalert.com/more-features-for-instagram-stories-more-ways-to-connect-with-periscope-more/" target="_blank"><img width="750" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2545167770?profile=RESIZE_1024x1024" width="750" class="align-center"/></a></b></p>
<p></p>
<p><b>This Week in Social Media</b></p>
<p><b> </b></p>
<p>News for the Week of November 14</p>
<p><b> </b></p>
<p><b>Instagram Adds More Features to Stories</b></p>
<p>New Instagram Stories features, including <a href="http://blog.instagram.com/post/152996384057/161110-storiesupdate">Boomerang, Mentions, and Links</a> have been added to enhance the user experience and make things even more fun. Boomerang mode allows users to take bursts of photos, stack them together in video format, play them forward and backward, and share them on their Stories. Mentions is a new feature for Instagram, which allows users to share who they’re with or who they might be thinking of in their stories. Like other platforms, simply by placing @ before a username, they can mention another user, ensuring the username will appear in the Story being shared. That username can then be clicked to take users directly to that person’s profile. “See More” Links allow verified accounts to add more links to the bottom of their stories. The links can then be viewed directly from inside the app. <b>Dealerships, utilize this to mention and provide links to your website or blog; you can get more content to your followers and interact in new and innovative ways. It’s a great way to keep followers interested in your brand and drive traffic to your website.</b></p>
<p><b> </b></p>
<p><b>LinkedIn Now Providing Sponsored InMail to All Marketers</b></p>
<p>This newest LinkedIn tool is aimed at solving the issue B2B marketers have when trying to deliver relevant and engaging ads to the right person. <a href="https://business.linkedin.com/marketing-solutions/blog/linkedin-sponsored-inmail/2016/linkedin-sponsored-inmail-is-now-available-to-all-marketers-thro">Sponsored InMail</a> is now joining the group of self-service LinkedIn products available through the Campaign Manager. Sponsored InMail allows users to create a personalized and direct message meant to engage specific target audiences. With this new tool, users will be able to “personalize outreach to prospects, drive conversions with mobile-optimized features and reach members when they’re most engaged.” This latest update is aimed at optimizing user marketing strategies and helping businesses and individuals reach their fullest potential on this platform. <b>Dealerships, timing is essential when it comes to ad campaigns. Engaging your target audience at the right time can be difficult, but with LinkedIn’s newest tool, you can see when users are the most engaged and reach out to them at optimal times to get their full attention.</b></p>
<p><b> </b></p>
<p><b>Sponsored Messages Added to Facebook’s Messenger</b></p>
<p>Facebook Messenger just got a huge overhaul, but the biggest feature update seems to be the addition of <a href="https://developers.facebook.com/blog/post/2016/11/08/messenger-platform-1-3-new-ways-to-drive-conversation/">Sponsored Messages</a>. Facebook has made this feature available to all advertisers, giving them the opportunity to more easily interact with their target audiences. Facebook advertisers can reach people in their News Feeds and direct them to a conversation in Messenger. Users have been leveraging the News Feed ads to open Messenger conversations and raise brand awareness to increase sales. The new Sponsored Messages are available to businesses and developers who have an experience built on Facebook’s Send/Receive API. These messages can only be sent to people with whom these users have already created an existing conversation. <b>Dealerships, provide customers with a quick and easy way to contact you so they can remain engaged with your brand. When followers see your content come up on their News Feeds, they’ll have the opportunity to jump right in on conversations, get their questions answered, as well as give you feedback. This helps build trust and long-term relationships with consumers, which lead to more sales for your dealership.</b></p>
<p><b> </b></p>
<p><b>Periscope Offers More Ways to Connect With Audience</b></p>
<p>Periscope has released three new ways for users to connect with their audiences: <a href="https://medium.com/@periscope/more-ways-to-connect-with-your-audience-superfans-groups-and-hearts-and-comments-on-the-web-2104042cab70#.j032g7ok5">Superfans, Groups, and Hearts</a>. <b>Superfans</b> displays a list of up to ten people who are a user’s most engaged followers. This allows broadcasters to interact with the most dedicated audience members and gain insights into what works best. Superfans also allows users to see who has them listed as Superfans, giving even more insight and allowing for great relationship building. <b>Groups</b> allows users to broadcast and share videos with more granular sets of people. In other words, users can broadcast videos specifically to groups of their most loyal fans or to specific groups or communities with common interests. Additionally, the <b>Hearts</b> feature has been added to Periscope.tv, allowing viewers to add hearts and comments during live videos. This can be done by logging in to their accounts and joining as a member of the audience in any live video. <b>Dealerships, use Periscope’s newest updates to better pinpoint specific audiences and provide more personalized messages. Try creating videos for shoppers who love a specific vehicle make and model, or try broadcasting maintenance tips to new-car owners. Personalization is BIG right now, and when you define consumer subsets and share relevant content based on their needs, you’ll be letting your customers know their needs are important to you.</b></p>
<p><b> </b></p>
<p><b>Tip of the Week – Calls-to-Action Are Essential</b></p>
<p><b> </b></p>
<p>When it comes to advertising and content, your focus should be on engaging your audience and getting them to act. That’s why calls-to-action (CTAs) are so important. They are the way you ask potential customers to <i>do</i> something. Especially for online content, CTAs are the way you gather consumer information, but to do so, you first need to convince shoppers it’s worth their while to click the button. In other words, the payoff needs to be convincing.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>There are a variety of techniques when it comes to writing and implementing calls-to-action, and there are about a million different word combinations you could use. The important thing, however, is to find what works for your dealership, what resonates with your customers, and what—in the end—incites them to act. Below are some quick tips when it comes to finding and using the best calls-to-action:</p>
<p> </p>
<ul>
<li><b>Capture attention. </b> Think of what interests your consumers the most and focus on that when creating your CTAs. Consider asking a question, giving special discounts or rebates, and let them know there’s more to learn by clicking.</li>
<li><b>Make it easy. </b> When creating your CTAs, keep in mind the need today’s consumers have for convenience and efficiency. Don’t overcomplicate things with long forms or hard-to-follow instructions. Instead, keep it minimal and make it painless for them to follow through.</li>
<li><b>Don’t overload. </b> The old saying “there can never be enough” doesn’t apply with CTAs. Too many can make your page look busy and unorganized; not to mention, you stand the change of overwhelming or confusing potential customers. Exercise restraint and strategically use your best CTAs to capture the most attention.</li>
<li><b>Create a sense of urgency. </b> When you create your CTAs with a timeline, you’ll let consumers know they need to act quickly to take advantage of what you’re offering. Try a “Contact us today for your $1000 rebate!” CTA—you’ll get shoppers to prioritize their actions and check out what you’re offering.</li>
<li><b>Use creative placement. </b> CTAs aren’t just for web pages, so remember to place them in your other marketing materials as well. Use them in blog posts, email campaigns, and on sidebars. Run some placement tests to see what gets the most attention and generates the most leads. And once you find the sweet spot, be sure to put it to good use.</li>
</ul>
<p> </p>
<p>The best strategies are focused on what resonates with consumers. Unorganized or irrelevant content won’t carry you very far—especially with today’s savvy and intuitive shoppers. Be smart with your CTAs, let customers know what you’d like them to do, and appeal to them with convincing messaging. By implementing great CTAs in your marketing, you’ll reach more shoppers in their online research phases, you’ll capture more consumer information, and you’ll gain more in-market leads. </p>In-Vehicle Technology, Safeguards, & Dealership Opportunitiestag:www.dealerelite.net,2016-11-10:5283893:BlogPost:4890182016-11-10T20:11:02.000ZJoseph Littlehttps://www.dealerelite.net/profile/JosephLittle
<p><b><a href="http://autoalert.com/in-vehicle-technology-safeguards-dealership-opportunities/" target="_blank"><img class="align-center" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2545166957?profile=RESIZE_1024x1024" width="750"></img></a></b></p>
<p> </p>
<p>Just about everything we buy now has some sort of smart technology—and as soon as new products are created, safeguards must be put in place to protect consumers and their purchases. While we’re excited when new technology is introduced, we’re wary of those who wait on the sidelines and try to sneak their way in. When it comes to automotive,…</p>
<p><b><a href="http://autoalert.com/in-vehicle-technology-safeguards-dealership-opportunities/" target="_blank"><img width="750" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2545166957?profile=RESIZE_1024x1024" width="750" class="align-center"/></a></b></p>
<p> </p>
<p>Just about everything we buy now has some sort of smart technology—and as soon as new products are created, safeguards must be put in place to protect consumers and their purchases. While we’re excited when new technology is introduced, we’re wary of those who wait on the sidelines and try to sneak their way in. When it comes to automotive, however, today’s consumers are protected by a progressive industry that continues to rise to the occasion when it comes to security, as well as in-vehicle innovations.</p>
<p> </p>
<p><b>Consumers Want More Tech</b></p>
<p>The newest cars come equipped with incredible capabilities—including powerful computers that control things like <b>automatic parallel parking</b> and <b>automatic brake application</b>, allowing a vehicle to brake when an imminent crash is detected. Because of the importance of maintaining driver safety with these advanced features, automakers know that <b>security during the development of these newest features cannot be an afterthought.</b></p>
<p> </p>
<p>In addition to autonomous vehicle features, consumers also demand more connectivity between their smartphones and their vehicles. A recent <a href="http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/autotrader-study-shows-consumers-want-vehicles-with-autonomous-features-300199485.html">AutoTrader study</a> confirmed the <b>importance of in-vehicle technology to consumers:</b></p>
<p> </p>
<ul>
<li>77% of those surveyed said tech features are more important than vehicle color.</li>
<li>65% said they would switch brands to get the tech they’re looking for.</li>
<li>39% prefer the navigation systems on their smartphones over those in their vehicles.</li>
<li>46% would pay up to $1,499 for an interactive dashboard.</li>
<li>57% want auto manufacturers to place more focus on integrating smartphones with all vehicles.</li>
</ul>
<p> </p>
<p>And all these things are happening. Automakers like BMW and Tesla are pushing the limits of technology to offer consumers everything they’re looking for in vehicle autonomy and connectivity—and others won’t be far behind. While focusing on all the latest technology, automakers continue to seek new ways to safeguard consumer information as they connect to their vehicles.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Most consumers know smartphones are vulnerable to attacks from hackers, but they may not think of the possibility of their vehicles being hacked once they connect. This concern is so real, in fact, that recently, the FBI and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration made a joint <a href="https://www.ic3.gov/media/2016/160317.aspx">Public Service Announcement</a> to caution drivers regarding potential hacking situations and how to avoid them. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>To date, well-intentioned hackers experimenting to determine the extent to which they could control autonomous and connected vehicles have successfully made attempts to take control of vehicles from outside devices, resulting in altered braking and turning patterns, as well as incidents of information gathering. This demonstrates the level of advanced manipulation that can occur when hackers access vehicles—and highlights exactly why automakers are so vigilant about safeguarding their latest innovations.</p>
<p> </p>
<p><b>Your Dealership Can Help</b></p>
<p>Does this stop consumers from wanting these cars? Absolutely not. And that’s good for your bottom line. These are the cars of the future, and as more automakers develop and produce new models, your lot will fill with them. Today’s shoppers are savvy online researchers, but they’ll still have plenty of questions, and there are some things your dealership can do to ensure everyone is confident and informed.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Your customers will feel excited and prepared to drive the latest, most innovative cars off the lot when you take the following tips into consideration:</p>
<p> </p>
<ul>
<li><b>Help customers prioritize. </b> Determine which features are most important for your customers and move forward from there. Many shoppers are now prioritizing safety-related technology, such as collision warning or lane departure features, ahead of infotainment systems and other options, so it’s important to get to know individual shoppers and their vehicle needs before you begin to sell. A well-informed sales staff can easily outline the benefits of every feature, ensuring customers get exactly what they’re looking for.</li>
</ul>
<p> </p>
<ul>
<li><b>Help shoppers understand the vehicles.</b> Because of changing vehicle capabilities, <a href="http://www.drivingsales.com/news/autotrader-study-consumers-placing-increasing-importance-on-in-car-technologies/">57% of shoppers</a> now believe they should spend at least 30 minutes inside cars they’re interested in buying to fully understand all their features. For your sales team, this means ensuring shoppers feel comfortable taking their time, test driving, and asking plenty of questions. Your team should be knowledgeable about the features and safeguards of every car; this way, they can help shoppers decide exactly what’s right for them.</li>
</ul>
<p> </p>
<ul>
<li><b>Help buyers get synced.</b> Once cars are sold, go the extra mile and ensure your customers get all their devices synced. You’ll give them a better overall experience if you help them through the entire experience, rather than just handing them the instruction manuals and leaving them to figure things out on their own. Also, be sure to let customers know about safeguards that are in place to restrict access, protect their logons, or grant permissions to specific users. By helping protect them from potential safety breaches, you’ll be showing them their safety and overall satisfaction truly matter to you.</li>
</ul>
<p> </p>
<ul>
<li><b>Educate shoppers about third-party applications.</b> Many consumers don’t realize it, but third-party applications pose one of the biggest risks for connected cars today. Because automakers have no control over them, aftermarket plug-ins are just one more channel hackers use to gain access to vehicle computer systems. By educating your customers, you’re helping protect them and their personal information. This is also a great time to reassure them that your in-house service and maintenance is the best route when it comes to ensuring their vehicles get the latest updates as they’re released.</li>
</ul>
<p> </p>
<p><b>For automotive professionals, one of the best moves you can make is to stay informed and educated about current and upcoming vehicle innovations.</b> Your customers will want to know exactly what’s coming their way, and when you can educate them regarding technology—as well as safeguards—you’ll stand out as an industry leader. By staying up to date and sharing your knowledge, you’ll gain more customers, earn repeat business, and end up with advocates who share their positive dealership experiences with others. It’s a win-win!</p>Better Customer Service for Twitter, New YouTube Comments, & More!tag:www.dealerelite.net,2016-11-08:5283893:BlogPost:4890672016-11-08T18:23:15.000ZJoseph Littlehttps://www.dealerelite.net/profile/JosephLittle
<p><b><a href="http://autoalert.com/better-customer-service-for-twitter-new-youtube-comments-more/" target="_blank"><img class="align-center" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2545167640?profile=RESIZE_1024x1024" width="750"></img></a></b></p>
<p><b>This Week in Social Media</b></p>
<p><b> </b></p>
<p>News for the Week of November 7</p>
<p> </p>
<p><b>Twitter Beefs Up Customer Service Efforts</b></p>
<p>Twitter announced they have added two new features to Direct Messages:…</p>
<p><b><a href="http://autoalert.com/better-customer-service-for-twitter-new-youtube-comments-more/" target="_blank"><img width="750" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2545167640?profile=RESIZE_1024x1024" width="750" class="align-center"/></a></b></p>
<p><b>This Week in Social Media</b></p>
<p><b> </b></p>
<p>News for the Week of November 7</p>
<p> </p>
<p><b>Twitter Beefs Up Customer Service Efforts</b></p>
<p>Twitter announced they have added two new features to Direct Messages: <a href="https://blog.twitter.com/2016/speed-up-customer-service-with-quick-replies-welcome-messages-in-direct-messages">welcome messages and quick replies</a>. These new features allow businesses to provide customers with a better overall service experience. Welcome messages let businesses greet customers as soon as they enter a Direct Message Conversation and set expectations for how the interaction will play out. Quick Replies is a way for businesses to reply to customer messages in a timely manner, cutting wait times down to a minimum. These latest updates allow for a simpler way to handle customer interactions and provide them with the help they need more quickly and efficiently. <b>Dealerships, there are always new and improved ways to help you communicate and monitor customer needs. Be sure you stay on top of shopper needs and concerns to keep them happy and ensure they return to your dealership for all their automotive needs. By staying in contact via multiple channels and providing consumers with top-quality customer service, you’ll win over life-long advocates.</b></p>
<p><b> </b></p>
<p><b>YouTube Listens, Adding New Comment Features</b></p>
<p>YouTube took the comments and feedback left by their viewers to heart and added some new comment features, including <a href="https://youtube-creators.googleblog.com/2016/11/new-tools-to-shape-conversations-in.html">Pinned Comments, Creator Hearts, and Creator Usernames</a>. Pinned Comments give viewers the option to pin a specific comment to the top of their feeds, meaning the those comments are promted over the rest. The Creator Hearts feature allows viewers to pick and show their favorite comments by “hearting” them, while the Creator Usernames feature changes the way usernames appear under comments made by specific creators, showing viewers which comments were made by specific creators. These new tools create a more personalized and involved interaction experience, and they offer users more options when it comes to utilizing and viewing comments. <b>Dealerships, make your presence known after the initial posting of your content. Viewers want to see you are there and reading their comments, and you can ensure you’re recognized with the newest YouTube enhancements. It is good idea to go through comments on your videos and interact with the feedback; you’ll demonstrate your willingness to interact, and you’ll keep your viewers engaged with your continued presence.</b></p>
<p><b> </b></p>
<p><b>New Image Tools and Features Added to Medium</b></p>
<p>Medium added some new <a href="https://blog.medium.com/introducing-three-new-features-to-tell-beautiful-stories-on-medium-7d1af3bb26d8#.fjh7pqxhm">features to improve the story-telling</a> experience on all platforms. Image grids can now be viewed on iOS and Android apps, as well as on any mobile device via the web. Images will appear as thumbnails that can be viewed as full versions when tapped and swiped. Medium also included the ability to format inline code. This was consistently one of their top requests, so they worked to offer the ability to include code blocks in user text that will be rendered automatically whenever code is pasted in the text. Also, users now have the option to click and drag images around in their stories simply by clicking on an image with the cursor and dragging it to a new location, preserving all formatting and layout options throughout editing. <b>Dealerships, don’t discount the importance of mobility in today’s marketplace. Your customers are on the go, and they’re looking for content they can easily access from any device. To get the best interaction and traction with everything you post, ensure your content is compatible for all mobile devices. You’ll avoid potentially being passed by simply because shoppers can’t get to your information.</b></p>
<p><b> </b></p>
<p><b>Facebook Adds Resources to Help Business Influencers</b></p>
<p>Facebook has added a way to help business leaders get started, build a strategy, and connect with their audiences on Facebook. They have even added a downloadable <a href="https://media.fb.com/2016/10/31/introducing-resources-for-business-influencers-on-facebook/">Business Influencer Guide</a> in their new resource center. Facebook is aware that businesses use their social media platforms to interact and connect with their customers and employees, so they aim to provide the best experience possible. Therefore, they have added these new features so businesses can communicate directly, control their messages, target specific audiences, and access their publishing tools so they can offer their communities a great experience as well. <b>Dealerships, it’s a great idea to go above and beyond for your customers as well. When you provide this kind of extra information and aim to educate and guide shoppers through every experience, you’ll be seen as a thought leader. On your website, consider posting car-shopping guide, a new-car maintenance guide, or even a financing guide. You’ll be helping potential buyers, and you’ll give them more reasons to visit your site.</b></p>
<p><b> </b></p>
<p><b>Tip of the Week – Help Your Customers, and They’ll Help You</b></p>
<p><b> </b></p>
<p>Building customer relationships that last is important for your dealership to survive and remain on top. There are some quick and easy things that can be done to turn customers into life-long advocates, and advocates are important to you because they help spread the word about your dealership and extend your reach to even more shoppers. Here’s what you can do:</p>
<p> </p>
<ul>
<li><b>Always be ahead.</b> By staying on top of every situation, you can provide a great customer experience for everyone. Work to keep shoppers informed throughout the buying process and be sure those who are waiting for service know what to expect in advance. This helps everyone get the experience they’re looking for, and it helps earn trust for your dealership. The more your customers know, the more they’ll trust you—and the more they’ll brag about you to all their friends.</li>
<li><b>Interact on social media.</b> Looking on social media to find brand advocates is like shooting fish in a barrel. Consumers who are already interacting with brands on social media are eager for brands to reach out to them. Look for positive comments from customers and thank them for choosing you and for their feedback. Be sure to interact with everyone, however. Offer solutions and answer questions whenever you can, and you’ll build solid relationships that will lead to brand advocacy in no time.</li>
<li><b>Personalize the experience.</b> You’ll help your dealership stand out when you offer a personal experience for every shopper, and this means getting to know your consumers, what they’re looking for, and offering specific solutions that meet their needs. By utilizing data and actionable insights, you’ll be letting shoppers know their needs are important to you, and you’ll win loyal advocates with your personalization efforts.</li>
<li><b>Gather shopper opinions.</b> When you ask customers for their feedback, you’re letting them know their opinions matter to you. Especially online, your followers will likely be more than willing to share insights regarding products and services at your dealership. Not only will this build trust between you and existing customers, it also gives you a way of gauging shopper needs and understanding ways you can improve the dealership experience.</li>
</ul>
<p><b> </b></p>
<p>Building brand advocates isn’t extremely difficult; it simply takes a little extra time and attention directed toward your customers. It’s well worth the effort you’ll put in, however, when you realize the benefits you’ll get from creating life-long customer relationships that help you boost your dealership’s reputation and extend your reach to countless consumers.</p>Epic Storytelling Sets Your Brand Aparttag:www.dealerelite.net,2016-11-07:5283893:BlogPost:4889052016-11-07T19:52:41.000ZJoseph Littlehttps://www.dealerelite.net/profile/JosephLittle
<p><b><a href="http://autoalert.com/epic-storytelling-sets-your-brand-apart" target="_blank"><img class="align-center" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2545167460?profile=RESIZE_1024x1024" width="750"></img></a></b></p>
<p> </p>
<p>Great brands differentiate themselves through storytelling. Not the “once upon a time” kind, but rather the kind that gives consumers an inside view of what the brands are really all about. Instead of simply telling shoppers what they do or what they sell, the secret behind their successful brand strategies lies in telling their stories—<i>who</i> they are,…</p>
<p><b><a href="http://autoalert.com/epic-storytelling-sets-your-brand-apart" target="_blank"><img width="750" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2545167460?profile=RESIZE_1024x1024" width="750" class="align-center"/></a></b></p>
<p> </p>
<p>Great brands differentiate themselves through storytelling. Not the “once upon a time” kind, but rather the kind that gives consumers an inside view of what the brands are really all about. Instead of simply telling shoppers what they do or what they sell, the secret behind their successful brand strategies lies in telling their stories—<i>who</i> they are, <i>why</i> they are, <i>what</i> they are—in a way that resonates and is meaningful to consumers. When you take the time to get to know your audience, find out what clicks with them, and how they want to connect with you, you’ll be able to tell great brand stories that hit home with your shoppers. The WAY you tell your story will stick with people and determine the success of your dealership. It’s up to you, and it’s all about the story you tell.</p>
<p> </p>
<p><b>There is a Native American proverb that states, “Those who tell the stories rule the world.”</b> This rings true in business, especially as the marketplace becomes more crowded with businesses working to be seen by consumers. Consider the fact that most dealerships offer the same products and services as many of their competitors. <i>So with everything else being equal, what’s left to make them stand out from the crowd?</i></p>
<p> </p>
<p><b>Stories define your dealership.</b></p>
<p>Stories form the backbone of your business, and best of all, they are unique to you. You offer a wide range of products, services, and capabilities; and by weaving experiences together into a brand story, you create relationships with customers and earn their trust. Rather than simply selling, you are building a brand presence and connecting with customers.</p>
<p> </p>
<p><b>What’s in a Story?</b></p>
<p>If you’re wondering how to go about the actual storytelling, think back to the stories that have stuck with you over time. You want your brand story to be as riveting as your all-time favorite—the story you never got tired of hearing. And the great stories all have a few things in common: they have a hero, plenty of excitement, and they capture the audience’s attention. For your dealership, it’s all about sharing meaningful moments in a way that resonates with consumers and makes them want to choose you. When you think about how you’ll tell your story, keep in mind the things you most want your customers to know.</p>
<p> </p>
<p><b>Show them how you are unique.</b> What does your dealership do that makes it stand out in the community? Do you support local high school teams? Do you regularly hold events like car-care clinics to educate shoppers? Are you active with a local pet adoption program? Share the things that make you an original and be sure to invite your customers to join in when you host events. Your story is unique, so let it shine!</p>
<p> </p>
<p><b>Use social media to broadcast your story.</b> Most of your customers are probably active on social platforms, so if you want your story to be heard, you’ll need to meet them where they are. Hone your brand voice and take to your online forums—because that’s where your audience is hanging out. Start with Facebook and Twitter and be sure to change things up and offer a variety of content to keep everyone interested. You’ll boost interaction and gain recognition as you consistently interact.</p>
<p> </p>
<p><b>Inspire customers with your culture.</b> When customers walk into a business that has a great culture, they know it. How? Because they can <i>feel</i> it. They are immediately greeted by engaged employees who are happy to be doing their jobs, and instead of walking into a dealership where everyone is simply going through the motions, <b>they walk into a car-buying experience. </b> When the foundation of your dealership is a culture of excellence and engagement, it’s evident to everyone who walks through the doors. This is part of your story, and it’s told by the people who show up to work every day.</p>
<p> </p>
<p><b>Share your dealership’s history.</b> Is your dealership family-owned? Does it come from a long line of hard-working local men and women? Whatever the history of your dealership, be proud to share it with your customers. They will find a bond with the feeling of family and the reminder that you are a part of the hometown history they share.</p>
<p> </p>
<p><b>Be ready with solutions.</b> Customers appreciate it when you lend an understanding ear, and often, they just want to know they’re heard when they have feedback for your dealership. You become a part of <i>their</i> story when you empathize and understand where they’re coming from. So whether they’re dealing with repairs, maintenance, financing, or other dealership details, you’ll forge a positive piece of your own story when you’re there to offer support and solutions.</p>
<p> </p>
<p><b>Stand for something.</b> What does your dealership stand for? Do you unequivocally offer the fastest tire rotations in town? Then stand for that! Does your service department have early hours for the rush-hour crowd? The best wi-fi and workstations for customers who are waiting? If your dealership offers a customer experience that is out-of-this-world, then stand for that. Whatever it is, make it known. The thing you stand for should be woven into every aspect of your dealership; it’s your story, so talk about it.</p>
<p> </p>
<p><b>Tell it here, tell it there, tell it everywhere.</b> Your story is something you are proud of; in fact everyone in your dealership should be proud of it. It should be shared with everyone who sets foot in the dealership, and every employee should be encouraged to shout it from the mountaintops—or at least on Facebook and Twitter. Your employees have a MUCH greater online reach than your dealership alone, so encourage them to spread your story and be proud of the dealership where they work. After all, it’s not just a dealership; it’s a story.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Remember, your brand is your story—and for a story to be interesting and engaging, there are important elements to consider. Don’t forget the details and don’t forget your brand’s unique personality. Remember to surround your customers with the experiences and culture of your dealership, and you’ll be giving them a way to emotionally connect. When you tell an epic story, your dealership will be unforgettable!</p>Lead Change to Lead the Markettag:www.dealerelite.net,2016-11-02:5283893:BlogPost:4891242016-11-02T18:37:53.000ZJoseph Littlehttps://www.dealerelite.net/profile/JosephLittle
<p> <a href="http://autoalert.com/lead-change-to-lead-the-market/" target="_blank"><img class="align-center" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2545170080?profile=RESIZE_1024x1024" width="750"></img></a></p>
<p>Dealerships are no strangers to change, especially now with all the vehicle innovation that’s being introduced, as well as the flexibility consumers now have with shopping and buying. Professionals in the automotive industry have learned that, to be successful, they need to be able to turn on a dime and adjust to whatever comes their way—and even better, those leading change and setting the…</p>
<p> <a href="http://autoalert.com/lead-change-to-lead-the-market/" target="_blank"><img width="750" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2545170080?profile=RESIZE_1024x1024" width="750" class="align-center"/></a></p>
<p>Dealerships are no strangers to change, especially now with all the vehicle innovation that’s being introduced, as well as the flexibility consumers now have with shopping and buying. Professionals in the automotive industry have learned that, to be successful, they need to be able to turn on a dime and adjust to whatever comes their way—and even better, those leading change and setting the curve for everyone else are the ones who will continue to come out on top. <i>And what about the ones who are still sitting back waiting for change to slowly reach them?</i> You’re going to want to go ahead and put on your turn signal, get into the passing lane, and leave them in the rearview mirror—<b>because change is already here!</b></p>
<p> </p>
<p><b>Fast and Furious</b></p>
<p>President of General Motors, <a href="http://www.marketwatch.com/story/why-gms-president-says-you-wont-be-driving-its-cars-2016-06-01">Dan Ammann, said</a>, “We see more change in the next five years than there’s been in the last 50.” Dealerships everywhere can expect the rapid pace of innovation to continue—and even accelerate—as more manufacturers, technology partners, and even financing partners get in on revolutionary changes that are reshaping the automotive industry. In 1990, when <a href="http://www.proctorcars.com/greatest-technological-breakthroughs-in-automotive-history/">GPS navigation systems</a> were introduced by Mazda, it was a big deal to think about saying good-bye to paper maps and relying on in-vehicle innovation to guide drivers to their destinations. Since then, however, technology—both in-vehicle and in general—has exploded onto the scene, delivering powerful solutions for both businesses and consumers. And it’s showing no signs of slowing down.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Your dealership is positioned to gain tremendously by standing out as a leader, especially during a time when some businesses are still dragging their feet and trying to do the same things they’ve always done. Consumers today are busy, and they’re looking for businesses that appreciate their time constraints, their need for efficiency, and their affinity for technology. Shoppers have heartily embraced changes in the marketplace, namely because their lives are made easier through innovation, so when you pave a path for your dealership to step up and embrace change, you’ll stand out as a business that’s interested in the needs of modern shoppers.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>To get you started on the right track, check out a few things today’s consumers are interested in:</p>
<p> </p>
<ul>
<li><b>Expediency.</b> Car shoppers want to save time. One of the biggest complaints customers have about the car-buying experience is the lengthy process. From start to finish, from vehicle selection to final paperwork, it can seem endless—especially if you’re the one on the waiting end of the process. As a dealership, work on ways to speed up processes, or at the very least, improve communication between steps to keep customers informed of what’s going on behind the scenes. Often, customers will be more patient just knowing the wheels are turning. Innovative platforms like <a href="http://autoalert.com/pando-web-mobile-messaging/">AutoAlert’s Pando</a> are helping modern dealerships improve collaboration and communication between every department, ultimately making processes more efficient and improving communication overall.</li>
</ul>
<p> </p>
<ul>
<li><b>Savings.</b> Your customers want to know they’re getting the best deal. Often, they’ve already done their homework and are walking into your dealership prepared with the knowledge of what they want to buy and what they want to pay. You’ll do best with modern consumers when you offer straightforward pricing and haggle-free deals. Shoppers who are in a hurry want to get to the best deal quickly, and they already have an idea of what’s fair, so you’ll be doing your dealership a favor by reviewing your pricing strategy and opting to deliver the best deals early in your customer interactions.</li>
</ul>
<p> </p>
<ul>
<li><b>Online convenience.</b> You may not be selling vehicles online, but there are several things you can do to ensure your customers’ online experience with your dealership is excellent. Since shoppers are accustomed to turning to online sources for a majority of their needs, you’ll want to make sure your website is appealing, responds quickly, and is updated regularly with the latest makes, models, and current prices. Today’s consumers are so used to speed and convenience, in fact, that a <a href="http://www.madmarketer.com/topics/digital/articles/424339-businesses-have-three-seconds-connect-with-online-shoppers.htm">recent shopper study</a> confirmed <b>over half will leave a site that doesn’t open in 3 seconds or less.</b> It’s also wise to consider offering shoppers time-saving options like being able to fill out preliminary financing or trade-in paperwork online. These experience-boosting efforts will pay off for your dealership in the long run!</li>
</ul>
<p> </p>
<ul>
<li><b>Personalization.</b> In a market that’s full of competition, you’ll stand out to consumers when you remember their shopping preferences. Personalization is an impactful way to let customers know you’re paying attention, and chances are, if you’re more quickly able to meet individual customer needs, you’ll have a better shot at keeping shoppers on your site and in your dealership. When it comes to online consumers, marketers have seen an average increase of <a href="http://www.monetate.com/blog/the-tipping-point-for-personalized-website-experiences/">20% in sales</a> when they deliver personalized experiences, and emails with personalized subject lines are <a href="https://www.campaignmonitor.com/resources/guides/email-marketing-new-rules/">26% more likely</a> to be opened. There’s a wealth of data available to dealerships, and when you leverage all the in-market consumer insights that are at your fingertips, you’ll end up closing more deals. <b>Dealerships have discovered</b> <a href="http://autoalert.com/one-to-one-intelligent-marketing/"><b>AutoAlert’s One-to-One Intelligent Marketing</b></a> <b>and are successfully gaining more consumer insights and reaching exactly the right customers at the right time—with the right information.</b> When you invest in a powerful and comprehensive platform, you’ll know more than ever about in-market customers, and you can deliver the best solutions for every shopper need.</li>
</ul>
<p> </p>
<p><b>This month is all about leading change to lead the market.</b> Your dealership will stand out as an innovative choice for modern shoppers when you step away from the crowd and <b>embrace the changes that are already here.</b> Consumers are looking for convenience, personalization, online shopping, and haggle-free pricing in every buying category, so when your dealership makes these solutions available, you’ll earn the trust and favor of shoppers who’ve been looking for ways to streamline their car-buying experiences for years.</p>New YouTube End Screens Feature, Facebook Online Courses, & More!tag:www.dealerelite.net,2016-11-01:5283893:BlogPost:4886882016-11-01T16:22:26.000ZJoseph Littlehttps://www.dealerelite.net/profile/JosephLittle
<p><b><a href="http://autoalert.com/new-youtube-end-screens-feature-facebook-online-courses-more/" target="_blank"><img class="align-center" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2545167499?profile=RESIZE_1024x1024" width="750"></img></a></b></p>
<p><b>This Week in Social Media</b></p>
<p><b> </b></p>
<p>News for the Week of October 31</p>
<p> </p>
<p><b>End Screens Feature From YouTube Available for All</b></p>
<p>When creators produce great content, it leaves viewers looking for more. <a href="https://youtube-creators.googleblog.com/2016/10/keep-em-watching-with-end-screens.html">End Screens</a> is…</p>
<p><b><a href="http://autoalert.com/new-youtube-end-screens-feature-facebook-online-courses-more/" target="_blank"><img width="750" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2545167499?profile=RESIZE_1024x1024" width="750" class="align-center"/></a></b></p>
<p><b>This Week in Social Media</b></p>
<p><b> </b></p>
<p>News for the Week of October 31</p>
<p> </p>
<p><b>End Screens Feature From YouTube Available for All</b></p>
<p>When creators produce great content, it leaves viewers looking for more. <a href="https://youtube-creators.googleblog.com/2016/10/keep-em-watching-with-end-screens.html">End Screens</a> is a great way to engage viewers, both on mobile devices and desktop, and encourage them to view more of videos. The current feature is Annotations, which is a desktop-only tool where links can be attached to creator videos, manually creating an end screen. End Screens is replacing this feature, making it easier to allow further reach via both mobile and desktop. <b>Dealerships, continue to provide your followers with quality content via new and improved platforms. Give them a way to access all the content you have, as well as plenty of great reasons to view what you’re posting. YouTube’s new tool offers you an improved way to engage viewers and allow them to easily access more of your content.</b></p>
<p><b> </b></p>
<p><b>Facebook Offers Online Courses for Journalists</b></p>
<p>Courses are now available online via Facebook’s global training program, Blueprint. <a href="https://media.fb.com/2016/10/25/introducing-online-courses-for-journalists-on-facebook/">Facebook’s online courses for journalists</a> were inspired by conversations with editors and journalists from around the world who wanted a way to gather in a single location to learn about the tools, products, and services Facebook offers. The focus of these courses will be based on three main ideas: discovering content, creating stories, and building audiences. These courses will include topics such as how journalists can utilize Facebook and Instagram, including product courses on Facebook Live, 360 photos and videos, and Instant Articles. <b>Dealerships, don’t shy away from this opportunity because it’s directed toward journalists. Take advantage of free modules and e-learning that will continually change to meet the needs of Facebook users. Ensure you’re getting the most out of your social presence by picking up tips and tricks you can use with your very own audiences—and make Facebook work for your dealership.</b></p>
<p><b> </b></p>
<p><b>Facebook Changes Branded Content Policy</b></p>
<p>Facebook has made a few more changes to its <a href="https://media.fb.com/2016/10/26/branded-content-tagging-now-available-for-verified-profiles/">branded content policy</a>, now allowing Verified Profiles to share branded content. For a while, public figures—like musicians, actors, bloggers, and others—have wanted a way to monetize their content via social, and this update allows them to do exactly that. By updating the Branded Content Policy, Facebook hopes to incentivize these individuals to share more quality content with fans, which includes branded content. While the <a href="https://www.facebook.com/policies/brandedcontent">Branded Content Policy</a> has been updated to include Verified Profiles, the overall substance of the policy has not changed, and users remain responsible for ensuring legal obligations are met before posting. <b>Dealerships, it’s now easier than ever to collaborate with marketers, businesses, influencers, and individuals to share branded content on Facebook. When you’re creative and dedicated to making interesting, relevant campaigns, it’s worth your time to partner with others who can help ensure your campaigns get the most possible traction in the marketplace.</b></p>
<p> </p>
<p><b>Bye-Bye, Vine</b></p>
<p>Twitter recently announced it’s going to be <a href="https://medium.com/@vine/important-news-about-vine-909c5f4ae7a7#.fgjxasjk2">giving Vine the boot</a>, with final good-byes planned within the coming months. This announcement was made shortly after the release of Twitter’s Q3 Earnings Report, where the company revealed other product updates, as well as a plan to lay off somewhere around 9% of its workforce. (The company is currently restructuring to ensure it can still run and operate on its own.) Along with the announcement of Vine’s demise, the company reassured users nothing will happen to the website, the app, or existing Vines today, allowing everyone time to save and view any Vines before final discontinuation. As changes begin to take place, users will be updated via Vine’s Twitter account regarding details and updates. <b>Dealerships, this is a great time to ensure you are staying up to date with consumer preferences and watching changing trends. If you’re still focused on Vine, it’s time to update your plan! It’s ideal to know exactly where your audience is hanging out—and then work to build relationships and interact with them there. You’ll get more interaction, exposure, and traction for your brand, and you’ll save energy by making sure you know where consumers are hanging out before you create your content and post.</b></p>
<p><b> </b></p>
<p><b>Facebook and PayPal Payment Options for Messenger</b></p>
<p>PayPal has <a href="https://www.paypal.com/stories/us/paypal-enhances-payment-experience-for-facebook-and-messenger">extended its services</a>, now offering payment via Facebook Messenger. Both parties were looking for a way to make mobile commerce easier and smarter, and they concluded that integrating Messenger and PayPal into one easy place to manage transactions and receipts would benefit both businesses and consumers. A nod to the fast-paced world today’s consumers are accustomed to, this newest functionality streamlines online shopping even more. PayPal customers in the U.S. will have access to this option and will soon be able to receive notifications in Messenger as well. <b>Dealerships, even though PayPal may not be your primary payment source, today’s shoppers are becoming more accustomed to the conveniences of online shopping and payments. In addition to staying on top of your online messaging, it might be time to consider online payment options for maintenance and service customers to streamline the service drive experience and let customers know you’re all about making things convenient for them. You’ll stand out as a leader in the industry when you innovate in small ways that offer big-time conveniences for shoppers!</b></p>
<p><b> </b></p>
<p><b>Tip of the Week – Be Responsive to Earn Trust</b></p>
<p><b> </b></p>
<p>Consumers are on the lookout for businesses that are responsive and attentive—no matter the industry. When your dealership demonstrates you care about shoppers and are genuinely interested in interacting with them, answering questions in a timely manner, and providing important information, you’ll build better relationships and make more sales. It’s as simple as that. You can change the way customers see you by doing a few simple things:</p>
<p><b> </b></p>
<ul>
<li><b>Answer all calls.</b> When the phone rings, within operating hours, ensure there’s always someone there to answer it. It’s a huge turnoff to potential customers when they have to wait on the line, listen to an endlessly-ringing phone, or leave a message on a machine. (In fact, they probably won’t leave a message.) When you have someone there to answer every call, you’re letting customers know they can rely on you whenever they need you.</li>
<li><b>Reply to every message.</b> You’ll build trust with your customers when you answer every message. Positive or negative, on Facebook or via text, be sure you answer every message. It doesn’t take long to respond to feedback, and you’ll be showing both current and potential future customers you’re responsive and interested in ensuring their satisfaction.</li>
<li><b>Be timely.</b> Customers are looking for quick responses from you. In fact, <a href="http://www.socialmediatoday.com/marketing/52-customers-expect-your-brand-respond-their-reviews">7 of 10 Twitter users</a> expect responses from businesses, and of those, <b>53% expect a response in less than an hour!</b> For your dealership, set a standard window so those who are responding to comments and feedback have a guideline to go by.</li>
<li><b>Be ready with the answers.</b> This doesn’t mean you need to know everything; instead work to get the answers your customers need. It may take some work or some research, but when you do the legwork and provide solid information, you’ll stand out as a reliable source. And your reliability will build trust, in turn ensuring you sell more cars.</li>
<li><b>Offer proactive solutions.</b> Not all customer feedback will be good, so when customers have complaints or issues, be ready to offer solutions. Most unsatisfied customers just want to know they’ve been heard, and once you offer a personalized response and suggest a way to fix the situation, they’ll likely respond in a positive way. By reacting proactively, you’re letting them know their business is important to you—and you’re letting future shoppers know your dealership puts customers first.</li>
</ul>
<p> </p>
<p>It’s a fast-paced, online world, and your customers can get just about any information they want online. They’re also able to share everything about their shopping experiences online—and that’s why it’s more important than ever to ensure you’re building and maintaining your customer relationships. When you are responsive, you’re letting consumers know how important their business is to your dealership. You’ll earn their trust, and in turn, their business.</p>
<p> </p>Power Play: Consumers Control the Marketplacetag:www.dealerelite.net,2016-10-31:5283893:BlogPost:4890092016-10-31T18:05:46.000ZJoseph Littlehttps://www.dealerelite.net/profile/JosephLittle
<p><a href="http://autoalert.com/power-play-consumers-control-the-marketplaceconsumers-are-utilizing-smart-tools-to-find-and-research-the-vehicles-they-want/" target="_blank"><img class="align-center" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2545166719?profile=RESIZE_1024x1024" width="750"></img></a> </p>
<p>With a marketplace full of choices, technology, and customization, today’s consumers are more empowered than ever. They’ve taken control when it comes to shopping, making their preferences known, and ensuring they get exactly what they want. Whatever the product, there’s no shortage of options and…</p>
<p><a href="http://autoalert.com/power-play-consumers-control-the-marketplaceconsumers-are-utilizing-smart-tools-to-find-and-research-the-vehicles-they-want/" target="_blank"><img width="750" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2545166719?profile=RESIZE_1024x1024" width="750" class="align-center"/></a> </p>
<p>With a marketplace full of choices, technology, and customization, today’s consumers are more empowered than ever. They’ve taken control when it comes to shopping, making their preferences known, and ensuring they get exactly what they want. Whatever the product, there’s no shortage of options and add-ons, and competition is fierce. For those in the automotive industry, this makes it incredibly important to zero in on shopper insights and focus on the features being prioritized by today’s consumers.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Things like quality, reliability, fuel economy, environmental friendliness, vehicle size, price, and safety are major deciding factors, and salespeople who spend time getting to know what’s most important for individual customers are the ones who will be able to offer the best solutions—and ultimately, sell more cars. For automotive in general, the <a href="http://www.greenercars.org/greenest-meanest/market-trends">National Automobile Dealers Association (NADA)</a> predicted a strong finish to 2016, with a forecasted 17.71 million in light car and truck sales, an increase of 2.3% over the previous year. Attributable to better gas prices, a general uptick in the economy, and lower interest rates, dealerships have advantages in front of them when they leverage shopper data and take advantage of this momentum.</p>
<p> </p>
<p><b>What Consumers Want</b></p>
<p>Consumers have changed what they’re looking for as vehicles have steadily adapted to modern needs and lifestyles. Now, shoppers are more apt to put tech features that impact safety and convenience at the top of their lists. In fact, AutoTrader’s recent <a>Car Tech Impact Study</a> confirmed exactly how much the latest technology affects the buying behaviors of various consumer groups:</p>
<p> </p>
<ul>
<li>52% of consumers surveyed said they <b>expect their vehicles to sync with all the other technology in their lives,</b> and 46% said they want their cars to be able to do all the things their smartphones do.</li>
</ul>
<p> </p>
<ul>
<li>6 out of 10 consumers say there’s <b>at least one must-have tech feature they’d be willing to wait for</b> when buying a new car.</li>
</ul>
<p> </p>
<ul>
<li>70% of those surveyed said they’re likely to <b>consider a car with autonomous features</b> next time it’s time to buy.</li>
</ul>
<p> </p>
<ul>
<li>70% of Gen X survey participants said they <b>would like WiFi in their vehicles.</b></li>
</ul>
<p> </p>
<ul>
<li>Consumers chose <b>advanced safety features</b>—like backup cameras and blindspot monitoring—nearly 7 to 1 over advanced infotainment features.</li>
</ul>
<p> </p>
<p>There’s a wide range of new technology being developed for vehicles, and the research overwhelmingly shows consumers want new cars to fit seamlessly into their lives. When shoppers purchase devices, they expect them to be smart, efficient, and updated with the latest technology—and they have these same expectations for cars as well. Consumers want to know they’re getting the latest in safety, connectivity, and infotainment when they get behind the wheel, and they want the experience to be seamless. Ideally, their vehicles will become trusted devices, much like their smartphones, they can rely on in their busy day-to-day lives.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Other factors like vehicle size, fuel economy, and alternative fuels continue to factor in to consumer decision making, so keep these in mind as well when working with environmentally-conscious shoppers. Fuel economy continues to improve, with <a href="http://www.greenercars.org/greenest-meanest/market-trends">technology</a> that used to only appear in premium models now becoming standard, offering better options for more drivers. In addition, new clean diesel offerings are appearing across the market—a solution that’s been popular in Europe, and one that’s intriguing consumers who are interested in a <a href="http://www.autotrader.com/car-tips/diesel-cars-what-are-the-benefits-210540">potential 20% increase</a> in gas mileage.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Green consumers still have their sights trained on electric cars and strides are being made in this arena. With the <a href="https://www.statista.com/topics/1010/electric-mobility/">263-mile range</a> of Tesla’s Model S, limits are being pushed, and drivers are seeing even more possibilities with electric mobility. There are currently <a href="https://www.statista.com/topics/1010/electric-mobility/">1.3 million electric vehicles</a> worldwide, but this number will continue to increase and those concerned with diminishing their carbon footprints continue to see advancements in electric cars.</p>
<p> </p>
<p><b>How to Win With Innovation</b></p>
<p>Your dealership has a wide range of shoppers with a variety of needs. You’ll win them over and sell more cars when you get in front of their needs and know what they’re looking for before they ever get to your showroom floor. Remember, <b>consumers are utilizing smart tools to find and research the vehicles they want,</b> so it’s up to you to leverage intelligent shopper insights to get your customers exactly what they need.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Dealerships used to saturate the market with blanket offers, hoping shoppers would be interested enough to visit the dealership and shop. But with today’s technology, it’s not enough to guess what shoppers are looking for—especially when it’s quick and easy to see exactly what they’re interested in simply by tracking their online shopping behaviors. Successful dealerships are utilizing <a href="http://autoalert.com/automotive-data-mining-lead-generation-tool/">AutoAlert Data Mining</a>, which uses advanced algorithms and analytics to reveal valuable insights and alert them when consumers are in the market to buy, when customers schedule service or pull into the service drive, when lease contracts are about to expire, and more.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Whatever your sales goals, the bottom line in today’s market is getting to know your customers and providing exactly what they need, at exactly the time it’s needed. That’s when you’ll stand out from the rest and earn a reputation for being a dealership that’s insightful and in tune with what shoppers are looking for. </p>
<p> </p>Keep Winning Customers in a New Transportation Agetag:www.dealerelite.net,2016-10-27:5283893:BlogPost:4889222016-10-27T18:31:52.000ZJoseph Littlehttps://www.dealerelite.net/profile/JosephLittle
<p><b><a href="http://autoalert.com/keep-winning-customers-in-a-new-transportation-age/" target="_blank"><img class="align-center" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2545167067?profile=RESIZE_1024x1024" width="750"></img></a></b></p>
<p>Ride sharing. Corporate fleets. Short-term rentals. Mass transit. Ride subscription plans. The list continues to grow—and traditional dealerships are rethinking how they’re going to position themselves to win with consumers who are approaching personal transportation in a whole new way. Brand-new drivers are no longer forming lines at the DMV the second they…</p>
<p><b><a href="http://autoalert.com/keep-winning-customers-in-a-new-transportation-age/" target="_blank"><img width="750" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2545167067?profile=RESIZE_1024x1024" width="750" class="align-center"/></a></b></p>
<p>Ride sharing. Corporate fleets. Short-term rentals. Mass transit. Ride subscription plans. The list continues to grow—and traditional dealerships are rethinking how they’re going to position themselves to win with consumers who are approaching personal transportation in a whole new way. Brand-new drivers are no longer forming lines at the DMV the second they celebrate their birthdays, and broadened consumer needs based on geographic location, changing family structures, safety, technology, and more are confirming that many dealerships today must restructure their game plans before moving forward.</p>
<p> </p>
<p><b>Plan and Then Move Forward</b></p>
<p>Pausing for a moment to adjust your trajectory isn’t a negative thing. It simply means you recognize the need to <b>reacquaint yourself with your customers and their changing needs.</b> After all, they’re driving the marketplace and perpetuating innovation—and by getting to know your them and leveraging in-market behavioral insights, you’ll position your dealership for continued success.</p>
<p> </p>
<p><b>Let’s Talk Tech</b></p>
<p>Technology touches just about every aspect of our lives now, and it’s reached the point where most people simply expect it to be there. Often, technology doesn’t even require our attention; it just works its magic and makes our lives easier. It’s no different for the automotive industry. We’re all watching companies like Tesla, Google, and Uber as they push the limits, prepare to put self-driving cars on the road, and offer to put drivers everywhere on autopilot. <i>But what do consumers think? And even more importantly, how will your shoppers react? Will they trust these cars enough to let them drive themselves?</i> The answers might surprise you, especially when it comes to the ways different generations are responding.</p>
<p> </p>
<p><b>All eyes seem to be on the tech of the moment: self-driving cars</b>—likely because there are some big names in the game. To understand consumer sentiment surrounding driverless vehicles, it’s important to first take a quick look at what’s on the horizon. Tesla has been working on an autonomous car for quite a while and now vows it will be ready to hit the streets <a href="https://www.cnet.com/roadshow/news/elon-musk-says-all-tesla-models-will-have-self-driving-hardware/">by 2018</a>. Its CEO Elon Musk adds more fuel to the fire by confirming all vehicles will now come standard with self-driving hardware, ultimately leading to fully autonomous driving. Google is also in the race with its <a href="https://www.google.com/selfdrivingcar/">Self-Driving Car Project</a> and is focused on improving road safety while being able get people where they want to go with just the touch of a button. Uber is the newcomer to the crowd, having recently released a fleet of <a href="https://newsroom.uber.com/pittsburgh-self-driving-uber/">autonomous cars in Pittsburgh</a>, allowing customers to now summon rides directly from their phones.</p>
<p> </p>
<p><b>Generationally Speaking</b></p>
<p><i>What’s your guess as to who’s jumping in line for the newest cars when they become available? They sound like rides millennials and Gen Z would go for, right?</i> <b>Exactly, but there’s more to the story. </b> And this is where getting to know your customers becomes extremely important, because leaning into data and marketplace insights will help you discover what consumers are truly looking for.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>It’s true millennials are attracted to the latest and greatest when it comes to <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.ca/nick-cowling/millennials-cars_b_10149366.html">technology</a>, however, it’s not an open-and-shut case. There are skeptics among younger shoppers, with one <a href="http://news.wgbh.org/2016/09/26/local-news/who-wants-driverless-cars-anyway">25-year-old</a> quoted as saying, “They’re just money buckets. If I didn’t have my kid, I’d ride a bike.” Still others give a nod to the idea that autonomous cars might be great for highway driving but might cause problems on crowded city streets or on more adventurous off-road treks.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Surprising, however, are the reactions of some more experienced, older consumers. Seniors specifically <a href="http://news.wgbh.org/2016/09/26/local-news/who-wants-driverless-cars-anyway">expressed excitement</a> about autonomous vehicles, seeing them as a safer way to get around. Citing problems with night driving, declining vision, slower reaction times, and even difficulties in finding parking spaces, these consumers look forward to checking some worries off their lists with the aid of technology.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Reviews are always mixed when new products and services are introduced to consumers. And whether your dealership is excited about new vehicle technology—or maybe even a little nervous—one thing is certain. <b>When you anticipate consumer needs and focus on meeting expectations in a way that can’t be replicated, your dealership will rise to the top.</b> In a world of constant innovation and stiff competition, it’s all about who can meet shopper needs quickly and accurately, as well as provide an over-the-top customer experience.</p>
<p> </p>
<p><b>Let Data Lead the Way</b></p>
<p>Your best friend will be the data that lets you know what shoppers are looking for. And believe it or not, <b>attaining, analyzing, and acting on great data isn’t nearly as complicated as it sounds.</b> When you leverage intelligent consumer insights to get to know your customers, you’ll be able to provide exactly what they’re looking for, and the best part is, you’ll have perfect timing in the process.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Whatever makes and models you’re selling—and whatever service you’re providing—today’s shoppers expect you to know what they need. That means doing your homework and meeting them where they are doing their research and getting feedback, and it means investing in the latest technology that will help you get the best insights in the quickest, most efficient manner. Successful dealerships are getting ahead of the curve by implementing comprehensive, multi-channel platforms like AutoAlert’s data-driven <a href="http://autoalert.com/one-to-one-intelligent-marketing/">One-to-One Intelligent Marketing</a> to help them effectively target their best opportunities and offer the right offers at precisely the right times.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>It's true the marketplace is changing; new products are emerging all the time. And when your dealership utilizes data and technology to engage with shoppers and predict what they’re looking for, you’ll gain an edge over the competition. With insightful consumer data and strategic marketing, you’ll reach in-market shoppers and deliver exactly what they’re looking for, effectively meeting expectations of shoppers in a modern market.</p>New Pin Collective, New LinkedIn Skills & Endorsements Section, & More!tag:www.dealerelite.net,2016-10-25:5283893:BlogPost:4885952016-10-25T19:11:37.000ZJoseph Littlehttps://www.dealerelite.net/profile/JosephLittle
<p><b><a href="http://autoalert.com/new-pin-collective-new-linkedin-skills-endorsements-section-more/" target="_blank"><img class="align-center" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2545166538?profile=RESIZE_1024x1024" width="750"></img></a></b></p>
<p><b>This Week in Social Media</b></p>
<p><b> </b></p>
<p>News for the Week of October 24</p>
<p> </p>
<p><b>Facebook Adds New Recommendation Engine and CTA Buttons for Local Events and Businesses</b></p>
<p>Facebook issued an update to improve the usage of the Events bookmark by adding a new…</p>
<p><b><a href="http://autoalert.com/new-pin-collective-new-linkedin-skills-endorsements-section-more/" target="_blank"><img width="750" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2545166538?profile=RESIZE_1024x1024" width="750" class="align-center"/></a></b></p>
<p><b>This Week in Social Media</b></p>
<p><b> </b></p>
<p>News for the Week of October 24</p>
<p> </p>
<p><b>Facebook Adds New Recommendation Engine and CTA Buttons for Local Events and Businesses</b></p>
<p>Facebook issued an update to improve the usage of the Events bookmark by adding a new <a href="http://newsroom.fb.com/news/2016/10/getting-things-done-with-the-help-of-your-friends/">Recommendations</a> feature. This feature simplifies the process of gathering, mapping, and organizing local businesses or service recommendations from online acquaintances. The updated Events page will also make it easier to search and obtain the most current information on local events. Facebook has also improved the way users respond when they’ve found events they want to attend. With the addition of new call-to-action buttons on business Pages, users can order food, purchase tickets, set up appointments, or get quotes without ever leaving those Pages. <b>Dealerships, drive as much traffic through your Facebook page as you can. These new additions are making it easier than ever for customers to set up appointments to visit your showroom. People are looking for ease of access, and the easier you make it to contact you, set appointments, and interact, the more potential customers you’ll attract. Draw them to your Page and get them to use these new call-to-action buttons.</b></p>
<p><b> </b></p>
<p><b>Broadcast Scheduling Tool for Verified Pages to be Added to Facebook Live</b></p>
<p>The new Broadcast Scheduling Tool allows Verified Pages to set up a time for live broadcasts, giving the audience time to sign in to the live feed and view the whole video. <a href="https://media.fb.com/2016/10/18/scheduling-a-live-broadcast-via-the-live-api/">Broadcast Scheduling</a> gets your followers talking about the live video ahead of time and helps create anticipation while waiting for the live broadcast to start. When a live broadcast is scheduled, an announcement post will be published on your News Feed, bringing awareness to your audience. Your followers can then enter a pre-viewing lobby where they can wait for the video to begin and interact and connect with other viewers. A live broadcast can be scheduled a week in advance, and viewers can enter the pre-viewing lobby 3 minutes before the broadcast actually begins. <b>Dealerships, engage the followers you have on Facebook by getting them excited about upcoming content. This is a really good opportunity to begin posting regular content and get your audience accustomed to expecting your broadcasts. Schedule a live video every week and keep them exciting by offering up relevant industry news and updates. Give your followers something to look forward to every week!</b></p>
<p><b> </b></p>
<p><b>Pin Collective Brought to You by Pinterest</b></p>
<p>This is an initiative to take the best content creators of Pinterest and put them in contact with businesses so they can create content simultaneously. The <a href="https://business.pinterest.com/en/blog/introducing-pin-collective-group-expert-pinterest-creators">Pin Collective</a> is a hand-picked group of people, made up of both businesses and individual content creators. These creators work directly with brands to create content that will draw attention to the business, while also making Pinners happy. Businesses can choose the right partners depending on their needs at the time, and then can be part of the production of Pins, videos, or even larger creative initiatives from beginning to end. This allows for full collaboration, giving businesses everything they want in their ads, as well as offering up appealing Pinterest content for those who turn to this outlet for inspiration and creativity. <b>Dealerships, while the Pin Collective is currently running a pilot, you can still focus on delivering high-quality, creative Pins to your audience, ensuring they seek you out on this platform. Remember the power of images, especially with today’s mobile-driven, busy consumer! Be sure to update your content frequently and post appealing and fun content to capture shopper interest. Don’t miss out on this major social opportunity for your brand!</b></p>
<p><b> </b></p>
<p><b>LinkedIn Improves the Features of Skills and Endorsements Section</b></p>
<p>LinkedIn has added an extra feature to the <a href="https://blog.linkedin.com/2016/10/19/rethinking-endorsements-LinkedIn-features">Skills and Endorsements</a> section of its platform, allowing for more personalized viewing. Now, when a user profile is viewed, the skills and endorsements that matter most to the viewer will be highlighted. This allows users to see exactly what they want to see, making it easier for hiring managers to decide more quickly if candidates are great fits for the positions they’re seeking to fill. For job seekers, this update offers an extra edge when it comes to competing for opportunities, as top skills will stand out to employers. <b>Dealerships, your sales staff is the key to your success. They’re likely the first ones to be in contact with shoppers, so don’t be shy about taking advantage of LinkedIn’s newest functionality. Check out the skills and endorsements of potential new hires and know who will be a great fit for your dealership before you hire. After all, having the right employees can make all the difference!</b></p>
<p><b> </b></p>
<p><b>Facebook Offers Option to Set Initial View on 360 Photos</b></p>
<p>Users have offered up plenty of suggestions when it comes to photo posting, and Facebook has been listening. The latest update now allows users to <a href="https://www.facebook.com/groups/facebook360community/permalink/350805465253401/">set an initial field of view when posting 360 photos</a>. Functional for iOS, Android, and Chrome for desktop, users can now select a specific field of view, which is what will be seen at the beginning of a 360 photo post. To change the field of view, users can simply drag with a finger or select edit on a desktop and utilize a mouse, moving the photo until the desired initial viewing position is reached. This is done after a photo is uploaded, but before actually posting. This functionality still allows the full 360 photo to be viewed, while giving users the ability to set a custom initial viewing point. <b>Dealerships, get creative with this new update and utilize it to zero in on a specific aspect of a vehicle, a new feature, or even a brand logo. This allows you to highlight what’s most important in your post—like fun or exciting new vehicle technology—while still allowing viewers to see the entire 360 photo.</b></p>
<p><b> </b></p>
<p><b>Vimeo Updates Profiles and Introduces Looping Cover Videos</b></p>
<p>Vimeo recognizes the importance of customization when it comes to helping users stand out and express themselves. That’s one of the reasons it has <a href="http://venturebeat.com/2016/10/17/vimeo-updates-profile-pages/">redesigned its profiles</a>, giving users more control over how their videos are showcased online, as well as the overall look of the profile. Vimeo users can now further customize their profiles by adding up to 10 videos that can be viewed on the front page, put in any order, and shown in a constant loop. These newest features are available to Vimeo customers with any type of membership, allowing everyone to join in the fun of customizing their profiles. <b>Dealerships, when you have a compelling profile, you’re letting consumers know you care about building relationships with them. Be creative and work on capturing attention with new tools, and remember to check all your contact information for accuracy and completeness. Check out Vimeo’s latest functionality to create some quick, fun content that will capture and retain the attention of online consumers.</b></p>
<p><b> </b></p>
<p><b>Tip of the Week – Ensure Your Network is Well-Connected and Engaged</b></p>
<p> </p>
<p>An engaged and well-connected network of clients, professionals, and customers is essential. In fact, the size of your network is not the most important aspect; but rather, it’s how connected and engaged your followers are with your content. If you find yourself in an engagement slump, check out the quick tips below to kick-start the engine:</p>
<p> </p>
<ul>
<li><b>Connect. And then connect some more.</b> Once you’ve signed up for Facebook and Twitter, you’re done, right? Wrong. Not only do you need to consistently post and offer great content, you need to purposefully connect with other professionals in your industry. The more connections you make, the more you’ll see your own circle of acquaintances and followers grow—because you’ll not only gain the primary connections; you’ll also link up with the social connections of the people you just met.</li>
<li><b>Keep their interest.</b> Don’t overload your posts with whatever you can find simply for the sake of posting something, anything. Instead, focus on providing quality content your audience will find useful. When you become known for delivering great content, you’ll keep your audience engaged—and they’ll stick around.</li>
<li><b>Don’t blend. </b> Stand apart from the crowd and be unique.<b> </b> That’s not to say you should be controversial or over-the-top weird. Simply find the things that make your dealership one-of-a-kind and let them shine through on your social platforms. Let the magic of your brand be what consumers remember.</li>
<li><b>Share—a variety of things.</b> Remember today’s consumers like images and videos, so don’t be afraid to get outside your comfort zone and utilize new tools and techniques. When you change things up and keep it fun, you’ll boost engagement and end up with more online connections.</li>
<li><b>Don’t post AT your followers.</b> Instead, aim to include them by asking questions, creating contests, or simply replying to comments. Look at your social platforms as a place to interact. The more effort you put in, the more engagement you’ll see on the part of your followers.</li>
<li><b>Purge if necessary.</b> Keep an eye on which people are the most influential in your network. Be aware of your advocates and don’t be afraid to eliminate those who aren’t positively impacting your business.</li>
</ul>
<p> </p>
<p>Networking is an ongoing activity that’s important for retaining current customers, bringing in new customers, and staying in touch with other industry professionals. Now that a majority of consumers are spending time interacting and researching online, it’s more important than ever to carve out time to build your online social relationships. In an industry that’s consistently and rapidly changing, it’s key to be where your customers are, define a plan that will boost online engagement, and work to include every professional in your dealership as you focus on making valuable connections that will impact your business.</p>
<p><b> </b></p>Canadians Find YouTube Ads 57% More Engaging Than TV Adstag:www.dealerelite.net,2016-10-21:5283893:BlogPost:4885642016-10-21T17:43:21.000ZJoseph Littlehttps://www.dealerelite.net/profile/JosephLittle
<p><b> <a href="http://autoalert.com/canadians-find-youtube-ads-57-more-engaging-than-tv-ads/" target="_blank"><img class="align-center" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2545174304?profile=RESIZE_1024x1024" width="750"></img></a></b></p>
<p> </p>
<p><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="360" mozallowfullscreen="" src="https://player.vimeo.com/video/188308764" webkitallowfullscreen="" width="640"></iframe>
</p>
<p><a href="https://vimeo.com/188308764">Canadians Find YouTube Ads 57% More Engaging Than TV Ads</a> from <a href="https://vimeo.com/autoalertfuzecast">AutoAlert</a> on…</p>
<p><b> <a href="http://autoalert.com/canadians-find-youtube-ads-57-more-engaging-than-tv-ads/" target="_blank"><img width="750" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2545174304?profile=RESIZE_1024x1024" width="750" class="align-center"/></a></b></p>
<p> </p>
<p><iframe width="640" height="360" src="https://player.vimeo.com/video/188308764" frameborder="0" webkitallowfullscreen="" mozallowfullscreen="" allowfullscreen=""></iframe>
</p>
<p><a href="https://vimeo.com/188308764">Canadians Find YouTube Ads 57% More Engaging Than TV Ads</a> from <a href="https://vimeo.com/autoalertfuzecast">AutoAlert</a> on <a href="https://vimeo.com">Vimeo</a>.</p>
<p>We’ve been focused on the high level of consumer engagement with video, and we know it’s important to create interactive visual content for consumers. But in today’s market, there are so many different platforms, it can be tough to decide where to begin. When it comes to visual content, consumers could be turning to TV, YouTube, Netflix, Hulu, Vudu, you name it. But here’s the thing: <b>In order for your content to get the attention it deserves, you must first figure out where your specific audience is hanging out and where they find your ads most compelling.</b></p>
<p> </p>
<p>Content must be placed where you know your audience will see it and accept it; otherwise, you’re just spinning your wheels. You’ll be left wondering why you’re getting no traction, no traffic, and no new customers if you simply place content onto channels where it’s not getting any attention. By getting to know your audience and learning where they spend their time, you’ll be able to engage them more effectively. Putting in a little bit of time on the front end will give you valuable insights that can guide you as you build connections with potential future customers.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>For example, a recent <a href="https://www.thinkwithgoogle.com/articles/new-data-reveals-how-canadians-really-feel-about-ads-on-youtube-vs-tv.html">Think With Google study</a> pitted <b>TV ads against YouTube ads</b> <b>among Canadian consumers.</b> 57% of the participants confirmed they found YouTube ads to be more engaging, a signal to brands working to reach this particular market segment. Marketers were provided with three new and telling insights they can use to their advantage:</p>
<p> <b>1. </b> <b>YouTube ads capture consumer attention more effectively than TV ads.</b> The study showed the same ads on both YouTube and TV and looked at biometric responses of the participants. Participants were more attentive and connected during YouTube ads versus TV ads. In fact, YouTube ads were 39% more effective—to be expected when considering platform styles. While watching TV, viewers typically expect a few dull spots and plan for longer viewing periods, however with YouTube, viewers more carefully choose the content that appeals to them, therefore also being more engaged with the ad content that’s included.<b> </b></p>
<p>For marketers, this is a valuable insight that lets them know Canadian consumers are zeroed in while viewing YouTube—the perfect opportunity to make connections via the right content.</p>
<p><b> </b><b>2. </b> <b>A smaller screen offers bigger creative opportunities.</b> Google found that viewers focus mostly on the center of the screen when watching TV, however, with YouTube, their eyes move around more freely, indicating more active attention. The way viewers interact with YouTube—with continual eye movement—mimics the way they engage with other smaller devices like phones and tablets.</p>
<p>For marketers, this means they can take advantage of the entire screen to engage viewers, rather than being restricted to the center. This allows for more overall space to share their brand messages.</p>
<p> <b>3. </b> <b>A second screen attracts more viewer attention.</b> Consumers don’t sit down and focus solely on watching TV anymore. In its study, Google offered participants a secondary device to use while watching TV, and it found the second device commanded more viewer attention than the TV. When TV watching was interrupted by YouTube, YouTube had 2.4X the visual attention as TV. </p>
<p>For marketers, this means diving in and understanding how and why people engage with online video. Businesses are learning that consumers utilize secondary devices to supplement programs viewed on TV, and some are aligning their messaging to reach specific consumers in relevant ways during real-time televised events. When it comes to online video, viewers will tune out background noise and focus on their secondary screens, and businesses that offer compelling video content will be successful in keeping viewer attention.</p>
<p> </p>
<p><b>It’s Not Just Canada</b></p>
<p>This phenomenon doesn’t only apply to Canada. Wherever you’re looking to reach your customers, it’s important to take a look at the impact of video. Earlier this year, YouTube CEO <a href="http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/envelope/cotown/la-et-ct-you-tube-ad-spending-20160506-snap-story.html">Susan Wojcicki</a> said, <b><i>“I’m happy to announce that on mobile alone YouTube now reaches more 18- to 49-year-olds than any network—broadcast or cable.”</i></b></p>
<p> </p>
<p>YouTube’s success, especially with this age group, reaffirms marketers’ need to change gears and focus on creating online video content across the board. <b>Advertisers have historically used television ads to target 18- to 49-year-old consumers,</b> however, as the popularity of TV declines and that of online video increases, it’s imperative to make compelling video part of your strategy. And when it comes to video, mobile is king. A majority of viewers consume content via their mobile devices, and <a href="http://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/video-marketing-statistics#sm.00015le87r6yxeh8x6c2hy97spjht"><b>92% of mobile video consumers</b></a> <b>end up sharing videos with others.</b></p>
<p> </p>
<p>When you work on understanding your audience—and when you invest the time it takes to create compelling, relevant video content—consumers will not only want to view it, they’ll also want to share it, and they’ll continue to come back for more. You’ll build a name for your brand when you go where your customers are going and offer them what they’re looking for. While their interest in TV may be dwindling, they are highly invested in online video. When you make it a part of your marketing plan, you’ll end up building more relationships and discovering more prospects. </p>Know Your Customers to Beat the Buy-From-Your-Couch Trendtag:www.dealerelite.net,2016-10-19:5283893:BlogPost:4885482016-10-19T20:22:02.000ZJoseph Littlehttps://www.dealerelite.net/profile/JosephLittle
<p><b> </b></p>
<p> <a href="http://autoalert.com/know-your-customers-to-beat-the-buy-from-your-couch-trend/" target="_blank"><img class="align-center" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2545166518?profile=RESIZE_1024x1024" width="750"></img></a></p>
<p>One of the biggest challenges facing the automotive industry is the way consumers feel about buying cars. Their overall dispositions have changed, the reasons they purchase and lease have shifted, and the ways in which they want to buy are moving from the showroom floor to the digital world. All these things are causing a major shift in the way…</p>
<p><b> </b></p>
<p> <a href="http://autoalert.com/know-your-customers-to-beat-the-buy-from-your-couch-trend/" target="_blank"><img width="750" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2545166518?profile=RESIZE_1024x1024" width="750" class="align-center"/></a></p>
<p>One of the biggest challenges facing the automotive industry is the way consumers feel about buying cars. Their overall dispositions have changed, the reasons they purchase and lease have shifted, and the ways in which they want to buy are moving from the showroom floor to the digital world. All these things are causing a major shift in the way dealerships must interact with and talk to shoppers in order to win their approval. Just about everything—from diapers to produce to giant bags of pet food—can be purchased online, and consumers are looking for businesses that can offer the convenience of online shopping to meet their needs.</p>
<p> </p>
<p><b>Does this mean the end for traditional dealerships?</b> No way! But it does mean changes are in order—changes in mindset, service, and efficiency. Sure, some people are already buying cars online, and there are companies out there offering this capability. Sites like Beepi, Carvana, TrueCar, Cars.com, and Ebay Motors all sell directly to consumers, with no dealership interaction needed, and although this seems to be the next big thing, it doesn’t necessarily spell disaster for brick and mortar dealerships that are prepared. <b>It just means you’ll need to know more than ever before about your consumers and what they’re looking for.</b></p>
<p> </p>
<p>For many consumers, nothing beats a good old-fashioned test drive and in-person interaction, especially since—second only to buying a home—a vehicle is one of the largest purchases most consumers will make. There is a certain comfort level that comes with interacting with knowledgeable professionals, so when your team is prepared to meet today’s informed, tech-savvy customers, you’ll go a long way toward earning their trust and keeping their business. Here’s what you need to know:</p>
<p> </p>
<ol>
<li><b>1. </b> <b>Today’s consumers expect you to know them.</b> Yes, you read that correctly. Without creeping them out, they want you to know what they’re looking for, what they’ll qualify for, and how you can save them money. <i>How do you do that?</i> <b>It’s all about data, and now you can have everything at your fingertips with</b> <a href="http://autoalert.com/one-to-one-intelligent-marketing/"><b>AutoAlert’s One-to-One Intelligent Marketing</b></a><b>,</b> which offers the automotive industry’s only 360-degree data-driven consumer insights. The only way to get to know your customers is by interacting with them on a regular basis, individualizing your communication, and tracking your campaign results—and it’s worth the effort. Dealerships utilizing Intelligent Marketing are already seeing incremental increases in sales!</li>
</ol>
<p> </p>
<ol>
<li><b>2. </b> <b>Today’s consumers want convenience</b>. They’ll skip the hassle of loading the family in the car, finding a parking spot, and searching the store for what they need; and instead they’ll opt to have items conveniently dropped on their front porches whenever possible. When your dealership zeroes in on providing modern conveniences like in-house connectivity and free wifi, technology that keeps your sales team up to date, and options to complete preliminary purchasing paperwork online, you’ll win convenience-driven shoppers.</li>
</ol>
<p> </p>
<ol>
<li><b>3. </b> <b>Consumers want peace of mind.</b> While shopping online offers convenience, it also means placing trust in products, sight unseen. Traditional dealerships have an advantage in this arena, because many shoppers still want a test drive before buying. In addition to interaction with knowledgeable salespeople, customers can give vehicles a complete walkthrough, solidifying their decisions to buy. To secure your dealership’s success with today’s shoppers, <b>work toward turning your salespeople into product experts.</b> When they are familiar with every vehicle’s features and are able to anticipate customer questions and requests, they’ll be trustworthy resources—and your dealership will stand out from the competition.</li>
</ol>
<p> </p>
<ol>
<li><b>4. </b> <b>Consumers appreciate great service.</b> Great service often comes in the form of in-person interactions or direct online follow-ups initiated by individuals at your dealership. The best online businesses can thank human interaction for their success. When your dealership focuses on delivering the best possible customer experience—both in person and online—you’ll be letting shoppers know you truly care about their needs. Take time out to make a social media plan, <a href="http://autoalert.com/one-to-one-intelligent-marketing/">a measurable marketing plan</a>, and ensure you’re interacting and following up with customers regularly. </li>
</ol>
<p> </p>
<ol>
<li><b>5. </b> <b>Consumers are looking for efficiency.</b> Convenience is a major factor that drives shoppers to online sources for their purchases. With the simple click of a button, they can ensure the products they need are delivered directly to them with no hassle and hardly any waiting. <b>Face this challenge head-on by upping the technology game at your dealership.</b> Consider cutting-edge communication and collaboration platforms like <a href="http://autoalert.com/pando-web-mobile-messaging/">AutoAlert’s Pando</a> to help you streamline workflow between departments and improve productivity, <b>ultimately improving the overall customer experience.</b> When you can save the customer time, you’ll earn bonus points for your dealership!</li>
</ol>
<p> </p>
<ol>
<li><b>6. </b> <b>Consumers want to get to the point.</b> They want to know the price of the vehicles they’re looking at, and they don’t want to spend a lot of time haggling. When you offer your best deal up front and develop a reputation for straightforward pricing, you’ll earn shopper trust and end up making more sales. Online sites are popular because they boast low prices and no-haggle shopping—so if your dealership is able to offer the same structure, along with all the perks that accompany an in-person transaction, you’ll be ahead of the game.</li>
</ol>
<p> </p>
<p><b>When you get to know your customers’ needs and wants,</b> you’re letting them know you care and are willing to do what it takes to earn their business. Don’t let the idea of utilizing data seem daunting. When you leverage valuable consumer insights to individualize your customer interactions, <b>you can stop guessing what shoppers may want and instead give them exactly the right messages at the right time—resulting in your dealership selling more cars.</b> The more you know about your customers, the better equipped you’ll be to deliver exactly what they’re looking for…exactly when they’re looking for it.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Yes, there’s a buy-from-the-couch trend happening with consumers everywhere, but your dealership can combat it and come out on top by offering the best customer experience, excellent service, and knowledgeable salespeople who can answer shopper questions without missing a beat. By leaning into technology and using innovative thinking to gain powerful consumer insights, you can ensure your dealership comes out a winner in a changing marketplace. </p>
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<p> </p>Pinterest Increases Targeting Options for Ad Campaigns & More!tag:www.dealerelite.net,2016-10-18:5283893:BlogPost:4882902016-10-18T19:21:09.000ZJoseph Littlehttps://www.dealerelite.net/profile/JosephLittle
<p><b><a href="http://autoalert.com/pinterest-increases-targeting-options-for-ad-campaigns-more/" target="_blank"><img class="align-center" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2545166445?profile=RESIZE_1024x1024" width="750"></img></a></b></p>
<p><b>This Week in Social Media</b></p>
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<p>News for the Week of October 17</p>
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<p><b>Pinterest Increases Targeting Options for Ad Campaigns</b></p>
<p>Pinterest provides an opportunity for your business to reach new and existing customers by targeting because Pinners are looking for ideas to act on. People use Pinterest to get…</p>
<p><b><a href="http://autoalert.com/pinterest-increases-targeting-options-for-ad-campaigns-more/" target="_blank"><img width="750" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2545166445?profile=RESIZE_1024x1024" width="750" class="align-center"/></a></b></p>
<p><b>This Week in Social Media</b></p>
<p><b> </b></p>
<p>News for the Week of October 17</p>
<p> </p>
<p><b>Pinterest Increases Targeting Options for Ad Campaigns</b></p>
<p>Pinterest provides an opportunity for your business to reach new and existing customers by targeting because Pinners are looking for ideas to act on. People use Pinterest to get inspired, plan ideas, and shop; in fact, <a href="https://www.pinterest.com/pin/135811744989643087/"><b>87%</b></a> <b>of people have made a purchase after they have found something they liked on Pinterest</b>. <a href="https://business.pinterest.com/en/blog/enhancements-even-more-targeted-campaigns">The latest updates added by Pinterest</a> are going to make it easier for your business to reach out to the right audience at the right time. You can now create campaigns based on the types of interactions with your Pins—including clicks, comments, saves, likes, and close-ups. Also, Pinterest has made it possible to link your actual website and take advantage of traffic and engagement there as well. After a tag is added to your website, you can create an audience on Pinterest to retarget based on the types of actions consumers perform on your website. <b>Dealerships, ensure your content is accessible in more than one way and track engagement everywhere you can. It is important to cross examine interaction with your content across multiple platforms to see where it is getting the most traction.</b></p>
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<p><b>Facebook Adding Monetization Options for Instant Articles</b></p>
<p>Facebook says that “creating value for publishers using Instant Articles is extremely important.” <a href="https://media.fb.com/2016/10/12/instant-articles-more-monetization-options-more-value/">Instant Articles</a> is Facebook’s way of collaborating with news and content publishers, allowing them to choose specific articles and make the full version available via Facebook’s mobile app in a format that is similar to the publisher’s website. For publishers that have direct sold advertising businesses, Facebook now offers larger and more flexible ad units within Instant Articles. This gives publishers more freedom to bring their custom and premium direct sold campaigns to Instant Articles. <b>Dealerships, get creative with your advertising. If you have the ability to increase your ad space, then do it. Create campaigns that are unique, innovative, and eye-catching—and be sure to get relevant ads in front of your consumers whenever you can.</b></p>
<p><b><br/> Periscope Releases Periscope Producer</b></p>
<p><a href="https://medium.com/@periscope/periscope-producer-a-new-way-to-broadcast-live-video-d8d4f43204a7#.p4jzoayn2">Periscope Producer</a> provides brands, media, and organizations with an alternative way to stream live videos, without solely depending on mobile phones or tablets. Users can now use external sources such as streaming software, hardware encoders, and professional cameras to stream live videos via Periscope and Twitter. Producer acts just like a normal video on Periscope, and viewers are able to post comments and send hearts while watching live. These videos can be viewed on both Periscope and Twitter apps, as well as online at Periscope.tv. <b>Dealerships, take advantage of this new update. It’s now easier than ever to post live videos, so record customer testimonials and behind-the-scenes insights for your audience. You can now post the same videos across multiple platforms—instead of individually from your tablet or smartphone. Increase your reach by sharing live video that reflects your brand, and keep consumers updated on what’s going on at your dealership.</b></p>
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<p><b>Snapchat’s Auto Advance Feature Slowly Being Replaced by Story Playlist</b></p>
<p>Snapchat announced it will begin to slowly phase out its Auto Advance feature, starting with select Snapchatters in its Android community. It will later continue to roll out this update for all Android and iOS users, fully removing the Auto Advance feature. It will be replaced with <a href="https://www.snap.com/en-US/news/">Story Playlist</a>, giving users more control over their “Story viewing experience.” This new feature prevents the app from automatically playing the next story once the previous story has ended. An extra option with Story Playlist gives users the option to select stories they want to watch in exactly the order they want to view them; once selected, stories play in full screen in the order selected. <b>Dealerships, keep the power of Snapchat in mind when creating relevant content for your audience. This latest enhancement is likely to give this popular app an even bigger boost, so start planning your stories now and get ready to snap and share with your customers! With relevant and interesting content, you’ll be sure your story is high on the list of customer selections.</b></p>
<p><b> </b></p>
<p><b>Tip of the Week – 8 Easy Ways to Keep Your Facebook Followers Engaged</b></p>
<p><b> </b></p>
<ol>
<li><b>1. </b> <b>Make your content shareable.</b> Make your audience stop scrolling and pay attention to your content by providing top-quality, relevant, and interesting information. Don’t sell; instead, aim to inform, educate, and even entertain.</li>
<li><b>2. </b> <b>Include a call-to-action.</b> Sometimes getting your online followers to act is as simple as asking. Once you’ve engaged them with your content, don’t be shy about asking them to “Click here for more!” or “Share this article with your friends!” Calls to action can help you build your audience—and in turn, build your business.</li>
<li><b>3. </b> <b>Put Facebook Live to good use.</b> This is an easy way to share more videos with your followers. Start with one video a week and plan ahead of time to ensure you post regularly. Your audience will start to expect your video content, and you’ll gain ground when you follow through.</li>
<li><b>4. </b> <b>Ensure viewing ability with the sound off.</b> Users have control over the mute button, so be sure your videos are understandable even when the audio is turned off. Simple captions are a quick and easy way to ensure everyone can tune in to your message—even if they’re sneaking a peek at your video during work hours!</li>
<li><b>5. </b> <b>Give Instant Articles a shot.</b> Facebook Instant Articles load <b>10 times faster</b> than a regular mobile web link. And we all know today’s consumers are all about efficiency and instant gratification. Offer up quick and convenient content via Instant Articles to please today’s on-the-go consumers.</li>
<li><b>6. </b> <b>Switch up your posting time.</b> If you’re working to increase engagement—<i>and who isn’t?</i>—try changing things up and posting at different times. If you’ve been posting mostly during business hours, try posting after hours and on weekends to capture a different crowd. It’s easy when you set aside time to schedule your posts, and you’ll be surprised at your increased visibility.</li>
<li><b>7. </b> <b>Check out other Facebook Pages.</b> Look at Pages of other businesses in your industry to see what’s working for them or what’s not. Set your Pages to Watch via your Facebook Page Insights to get notifications of what is most popular on other pages. It’s just one more way to gauge what consumers love—and what they don’t—when it comes to online content.</li>
<li><b>8. </b> <b>Direct traffic to your Facebook Page.</b> Increase engagement by driving traffic from other social platforms to your dealership’s Facebook Page. Share your post links whenever you can and build your audience—in turn, earning more business for your dealership in the long run.</li>
</ol>
<p> </p>
<p>It’s important to stay connected to your audience and continuously offer relevant content to keep them engaged. Once they become disengaged, they will look to other content providers—your competitors—to offer information and satisfy their needs, and you definitely don’t want to let that happen. In addition to beefing up your Facebook game, keep an eye on your competitors to see how you stack up in comparison to their online efforts. <b>Social strategy is a moving target, and you can’t let it get stagnant;</b> by staying on top of trends, competitive initiatives, and consumer needs, you’ll always be right where you need to be.</p>Instagram Has 58 Times More Engagement Per Follower Than Facebooktag:www.dealerelite.net,2016-10-14:5283893:BlogPost:4884202016-10-14T13:44:45.000ZJoseph Littlehttps://www.dealerelite.net/profile/JosephLittle
<p><a href="http://autoalert.com/instagram-has-58-times-more-engagement-per-follower-than-facebook/" target="_blank"><img class="align-center" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2545166094?profile=RESIZE_1024x1024" width="750"></img></a></p>
<p><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="360" mozallowfullscreen="" src="https://player.vimeo.com/video/187339222" webkitallowfullscreen="" width="640"></iframe>
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<p><a href="https://vimeo.com/187339222">Instagram Has 58 Times More Engagement Per Follower Than Facebook</a> from <a href="https://vimeo.com/autoalertfuzecast">AutoAlert</a> on…</p>
<p><a href="http://autoalert.com/instagram-has-58-times-more-engagement-per-follower-than-facebook/" target="_blank"><img width="750" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2545166094?profile=RESIZE_1024x1024" width="750" class="align-center"/></a></p>
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</p>
<p><a href="https://vimeo.com/187339222">Instagram Has 58 Times More Engagement Per Follower Than Facebook</a> from <a href="https://vimeo.com/autoalertfuzecast">AutoAlert</a> on <a href="https://vimeo.com">Vimeo</a>.</p>
<p>Instagram has become a social media powerhouse, beating out all their competition with respect to social engagement. Even though people don’t appear to engage with branded social content very often, Instagram has the most users who do. A <a href="https://blog.hootsuite.com/instagram-statistics-for-business/">study by Forrester</a> showed that branded Instagram posts generated a per-follower rate of 4.21%. This is 58 times the engagement rate on Facebook and 120 times the engagement rate on Twitter.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>With <a href="http://www.olapic.com/instagram-attributes-algorithm-tips-marketing_blog-p1aw-g1pr/">over 400 million users</a>, Instagram is the place to post branded content. Today’s consumers have exceptionally high expectations for their social experiences, however, so in order to get the most out of Instagram, it’s important to focus on a few specific details:</p>
<p> </p>
<ul>
<li><b> A call to action (CTA) is essential. </b>When you use a CTA, your followers will know exactly what you want them to do. Look for interesting and exciting ways to incite action, but remember to keep your language simple and straightforward. An example like <i>‘Want to be featured? Click the link in our profile to send us your best pics!’</i> does a great job of conveying friendly, appealing language while still making a request. Keep your CTA central to the action of the page so it doesn’t get lost and try adding a sense of urgency to persuade readers to go ahead and click.</li>
</ul>
<p> </p>
<ul>
<li><b>Utilize hashtags to increase reach.</b> Hashtags are an easy way to help your dealership stand out on Instagram. Not only will they help you categorize your content, but they make it easier for those who haven’t yet followed you to find you. Consider taking advantage of trending hashtags if they are relevant to your business, as this will help you get discovered by new followers. The beauty of Instagram is its simplicity, so be sure you choose hashtags that are topically relevant and stick to no more than three per post so your content doesn’t appear overly complicated. </li>
</ul>
<p> </p>
<ul>
<li><b>Caption creatively.</b> It’s a great idea to try different things with your captions to see what resonates with followers. Each image is allotted a 2,000-character caption, so you’ll need to make every character count. Your picture should tell a story all by itself, and the words you add should serve to accentuate that story. The most powerful ads and brand stories use a combination of both images and strong words—and with Instagram, you can have the best of both worlds.</li>
</ul>
<p> </p>
<ul>
<li><b>Maintain a consistent presence.</b> Once you’ve established your dealership’s presence on Instagram, it’s important to stick to your posting schedule in order to build your audience. Those who follow you will grow accustomed to seeing your posts, and they’ll look forward to liking and sharing your content. Keep in mind many of your followers may be waiting quietly in the background for you to make the first move, which means if you want improved engagement, you’ll have to initiate it. Try using hashtags to find content that’s relevant to your brand and jump in on already-established conversations. Users will receive a notification when you’ve commented on their posts, and you’ll likely earn yourself some new followers by being the first to reach out.</li>
</ul>
<p> </p>
<ul>
<li><b>Promote your other content.</b> Instagram doesn’t allow clickable URLs in photos, however, you can still creatively direct followers to your content that exists elsewhere by using the link in your Instagram account bio. Consider directing them to a permanent page, like your website or your blog, or for more current content, try linking them to your most recent article or even a promo or deal you’ve got going on. By creatively using the link in your bio, you can gain more visibility for your content on other platforms.</li>
</ul>
<p> </p>
<ul>
<li><b>Create interesting visuals.</b> Your followers will be more likely to interact with and share visuals that are appealing, and while some of the designs you see businesses sharing online may look complicated, there are easy-to-use sites that can help you create memorable content. For example, check out Canva if you’re looking for a simple way to utilize text over images. Get creative and mix things up to keep followers interested in what’s coming next.</li>
</ul>
<p> </p>
<p>By reaching out and maintaining a consistent presence, creatively posting, and interacting with your followers, you’ll boost your dealership’s online reputation and build an even larger audience of Instagram followers. It’s about creating relationships and telling your brand story in a way that’s compelling enough to draw people in and keep them interested. It will take a little bit of work, but you definitely won’t regret it.</p>
<p> </p>