Automotive Advertising Agencies Use Social Media To Listen, Learn And Teach As Much As Their Customers Do

Automotive advertising agencies have learned that the Internet Super Highway is a two way street as evidenced by the growing number of automotive advertising focused social networking communities being hosted on the World Wide Web. Philip Zelinger, the President of Ad Agency Online, L.L.C. and host of an automotive advertising resource / networking portal -- http://AdAgencyOnline.Net -- created his self described network of networkers based on their shared philosophy that a rising tide floats all boats and supported by his personal branding line of -- What are friends for!

Philip explained his reasons for contributing so much of his time to support automotive advertising focused social media in a recent blog talk radio show, Lunch With Phil Discussing Automotive Advertising, that airs on the blog talk radio station -- w -- featured on AdAgencyOnline.Net. "I have borrowed some of the best ideas that I ever had. It took me twenty five plus years as a general manager and auto dealer principal followed by 10 years in the automotive advertising industry to accumulate the shared experience and wisdom of my friends which obviously shaped my own success. I am not suggesting that I don't have any original thoughts, but I am confessing that my role in my organization is to find and filter out the best ideas that I can while eliminating the ones that have been proven not to work. Lessons learned with other people's time and money vs. mine or my client's is more efficient than relying on our own trial and error process to review automotive advertising technologies and applications for our consideration. The next generation of automotive advertising decision makers can now access that pool of knowledge with a few clicks of their mouse to access social networking communities that include some of the best minds in the auto industry. My personal branding line -- what are friends for -- has taken on new meaning and leveraged power when applied to the extended network of friends I have made in social networking communities made up of like minded automotive advertising professionals who are willing to listen and learn from each other so we can all presume to teach."

Many professional social networking communities focus on specific areas within the auto industry allowing automotive advertising agencies to drill down to find relevant data and material in each community that is not duplicated in others. Ralph Paglia, for example, developed his Automotive Digital Marketing network, (ADM), as an open platform for best practices across multiple verticals in the auto industry. Representatives from O.E.M.s, General Managers of auto dealerships, Internet Sales Managers, automotive advertising vendors and nationally respected consultants all participate in an open forum with a different perspective on shared issues that benefits the entire community. New automotive advertising vendors that have developed bleeding edge applications that are not yet on the radar of the mainstream media are able to platform their applications in forums that surface solutions to shared problems.

Other automotive advertising social networking communities are more targeted in their content. Jared Hamilton's DrivingSales.Com, for example, focuses on vendor evaluations enhanced by relevant posts that cover common issues in the auto industry in a problem / solution forum that references key vendor solutions allowing dealership managers to share best practices and rate their vendors.

Jeff Kershner hosts DealerRefresh.Com with more controlled content sourced from him and his partner on the site, Alex Snyder. The purpose and history of the DealerRefresh is posted on the site as follows:

"DealerRefresh is for the car dealer Internet sales professional thriving for more information while looking to elevate their game. It’s also for industry professionals looking to keep up with some of the latest dealer industry news and trends.

Since the very first published article on March 15th of 2004, we’ve been writing and discussing (with even the occasional debate) best practices for leveraging Internet marketing and new age sales processes within the car dealership. Prior, there was no other site that brought other automotive Internet sales professionals together in one virtual spot. For that reason, DealerRefresh was born; the very first website of its kind, dedicated to the internet sales and marketing professionals grinding away everyday at the dealership. Over the years, DealerRefresh has grown and matured into what it is today and is now one of the most recognized websites within our industry.

From internet marketing best practices for your dealer, what works with SEO and car dealer search engine marketing, how online video fits into your dealer’s landscape to online reputation management for your dealership; if the topic has not been recently written about, check the archives or submit your suggestion of topic to discuss using Ask/Answer. And just released…the ALL NEW DealerRefresh Dealer Technology Forum.

DealerRefresh also hosts an array of guest postings. We love to hear from industry experts and other Internet Sales Managers that are passionate about their jobs and how they’re elevating their dealer to another level."

InternetSalesManager.Org, (ISM), is another highly respected site hosted by a nationally recognized expert in S.E.O., Brian Pasch. This automotive advertising resource portal has proven itself to be a valued resource for automotive advertising agencies billing itself as the "Car Dealer Social Network." Many reciprocal links to other sites that provide leveraged resources for members, such as the Automotive Advertising Network recently developed by Brian Pasch, Sean Wolfington and David Boise, also serve to differentiate ISM from other automotive advertising social networking communities.

Automobile dealership groups are also sharing best practices using social media. The Kelly Automotive Group - with the guidance of Chris Saraceno - formed a social networking community titled DealerElite.Net. According to their description of themselves on the site, "This community is an automotive dealer, vendor, trainer, manufacturer, car enthusiast, and customer social network. It is a place to share ideas, discuss industry best practices, and connect with other automotive professionals. It is where the best and the brightest in the automotive industry collaborate. Engage yourself now at Dealer Elite!"

According to Philip Zelinger, "The latest -- and perhaps the greatest -- social networking site to be added to the World Wide Web is a new forum -- Auttr.Com --being created by Keith Whann. The site features a unique platform to share best practices called Auttr TV which combines the value of video with quality content sourced from Keith Whann who has taken on the persona of -- The Car Counselor."

Auttr describes their unique T.V. resource channel as follows: "Now you can view auto industry related videos at the click of a mouse. Videos featuring industry experts such as Keith Whann, The Car Counselor. The Car Counselor has answered questions for dealers and consumers from across the country on a wide variety of topics related to motor vehicle dealerships and the car buying process. You can also watch live presentations on Auttr TV. And now, here is all of the information in one place for you. Stay tuned for more information!"

About Keith Whann

Keith Whann, is the founder of the law firm Whann & Associates LLC, located in Dublin, Ohio.

Over the past 24 years, Keith has become a leading national authority on motor vehicle and consumer protection issues.

Keith has conducted hundreds of seminars across the country and appeared as a featured speaker on a wide variety of topics affecting the industry. He has spoken at conventions and meetings for over 50 national and state motor vehicle industry related trade associations and regulatory agencies dealing with complex automobile industry issues. Many of Keith's presentations have been filmed and broadcast on the NIADA.TV network, including the 2005 and 2006 National Dealer Compliance and Profitability Expos; which Keith developed and moderated. He has also developed numerous training and compliance programs for the motor vehicle industry. He is currently developing a series of tools and compiling various resource materials to assist motor vehicle dealers with business, legal and compliance matters. For consumers, Keith is working on materials to help them understand how a dealership operates and tools to assist them in the car buying process.

Keith has authored numerous articles which have been published in trade journals including Used Car Dealer Magazine, World of Special Finance Magazine, Ward's Dealer Business and Used Car News, to name a few. His monthly columns discussing compliance issues and providing legal updates to the industry appear in publications across the country.

In addition to his role as The Car Counselor to the motor vehicle industry, Keith serves as General Counsel for the NIADA (a position he has held since 1996), is CEO and General Counsel for Columbus Fair Auto Auction in Columbus, Ohio; and is the Compliance Officer for Finance Express.

Philip Zelinger hosts his own nationally recognized advertising resource/networking portal, AdAgencyOnline.Net, that reviews automotive advertising vendors and new technologies on several blog talk radio shows featured on the site's blog talk radio station -- WAAOL, All Automotive Advertising News All The Time. The shows include -- Lunch With Phil Discussing Automotive Advertising, Lunch With Ralph Discussing Automotive Advertising and Automotive Advertising Experts. These online open forums with automotive advertising insiders attract automotive advertising agencies, auto dealers, auto industry vendors and O.E.M. representatives that listen to WAAOL to find vendors, applications and technologies to maximize the R.O.I. for their automotive advertising dollars.

Ad Agency Online, L.L.C., (AAOL), is a national network of independent affiliated automotive advertising agencies linked by an online communication / distribution system developed by Philip Zelinger. The proprietary operating system that powers AAOL was designed to reduce fixed and semi-variable expenses for full service automotive advertising agencies. The developing technologies that enhanced the performance of the independent automotive advertising agencies linked by AAOL has served as the role model for the solutions suggested on AdAgencyOnline.Net and represented by AAOL to their affiliated automotive advertising agencies when serving their auto dealer clients.

Ad Agency Online L.L.C is focused on discovering and representing new automotive advertising vendors not yet recognized by the mainstream automotive advertising industry. Some of the automotive advertising vendors represented by AAOL include ronsmap, SiSTeR Technologies Video CarLot, TeleTextSolutions, DealerMouth, GetAutoAppraise.com, Argistics - AutoTransaXion, DealMaker.Com, CityTwist.Com, Bulldog Marketing Technologies, Kihon Media, CarFolks.Com, Ai Dealer and Laser Stream Video; with more being added weekly.

About Philip Zelinger

Philip Zelinger is the President of Ad Agency Online, L.L.C. and the founder of AdAgencyOnline.Net. He invested 25 years as a General Manager and Dealer Principal followed by his last ten years in the automotive advertising industry learning from the teams that he built so he can now presume to teach on forums like AdAgencyOnline.Net. His role as a “Dealer Coach” is enhanced by his hosting a nationally recognized auto industry social networking portal and blog talk radio station – WAAOL, All Automotive Advertising News All The Time. As the author of two books on the auto industry, including “How To Sell A Car – a Career Guide to The Automobile Industry,” he is a recognized authority on market trends and developing technologies with the responsibility of selecting key vendors and applications for his dealer clients as well as forming strategic partnerships for his vendor clients to leverage their shared resources to help them bring their products and services to market.

For more information on Philip Zelinger, Ad Agency Online, L.L.C., the vendors on AdAgencyOnline.Net or any of the automotive advertising social networking communities referenced in this article and supported by Philip Zelinger contact Philip directly at http://AdAgencyOnline.Net. Automotive advertising vendors, automotive advertising agencies and auto dealers that would like to be considered as a “preferred automotive advertising vendor” on AdAgencyOnline.Net and/or to hire/join Ad Agency Online, L.L.C. to represent them can contact Philip Zelinger at pzads@bellsouth.net, or call him at 888-796-2228. To quote Philip Zelinger, “Help is only a click away! After all, what are friends for!” ###

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