If people are going to spam reviews having a kiosk in your dealership or not isn’t going to stop them. Spammers are relentless and most I have met don’t see what they do as wrong at all. So having a kiosk or not in your store for reviews isn’t going to stop or help a spam.

The problem is with a kiosk you get a on the floor conversion leak. Google Places, Dealerrater (unless you are on their premium program) and even Yelp are full of conversion leaks. Links to your competition that could and many cases will cause you a problem in conversion….WHY WOULD YOU WANT TO EXTEND THIS TO THE FLOOR?

Now let me say here I am a big advocate of having people check your reviews especially while they are in the store just not through a kiosk… VIA QR Code! That’s right another place where my friend Ric McCoy the Automotive QR Code King is redeemed from the QR Haters!

By useing a QR code to go directly to your Google Places you get the benefit of the review without the conversion leaks. In mobile on Google Places the ads don’t show!

What else do you get? Convenience the customer can check them from their phone via QR anywhere in the dealership.

What else? Well the best time to get a good review is at the time of delivery, in fact I would have Free Oil Change coupons at the ready for delivery and ask the customer if they have a smartphone, if so would give them a coupon with a QR code to Google Places on it and if they review right there validate the coupon for a free oil change.

Taking that one step further have a mobile optimized website with an easy to type domain like reveiwRC.com so if they don’t have a QR code reader they can just type in that easy domain go straight to the mobile site that would link to all your review sites Google, Yelp and Dealerrater so they can review where they like.

In the end this is better than a kiosk, it eliminates conversion leaks and makes it easier for the customer.

But if you want to get a 100% shot at getting a review then have the review kiosk at the delivery area and make it the final stop before the customer leaves and a part of the delivery process. You are far less likely to get a bad review with the salesperson standing there and this would happen after the sale so it mitigates the conversion leak.

Just my thoughts on a very important topic for dealers, what say you?

1. What was the average amount of the purchase? My guess it that it was very low probably less than $10, so how far can we take this process in automotive really?
2. What types of products were bought? Was this mostly music someone listened to in a BestBuy and decided to buy a song on iTunes or was it more substantial products. I ask this question because I wander about the instant gratification factor. Are people really willing to wait a week to two for a product to save a little money? Also where is that threshold?
3. What’s it gonna take to really transact mobile business in automotive? In my opinion we are going to have to look at it from a convenience point of view and help customer do things faster with the store NOT complete things in place of the store.

Here is the post read it over tell me what you think.

In the U.S., 38% of smartphone owners have used their phone to make a purchase at least once in the course of their device ownership. In September 2011, 56% of smartphone purchasers completed their transaction while at home, leading as the most popular purchase location. 42% of consumers made purchases while out of home (i.e. restaurants, parks, etc.) or at work, with 37%  making purchases while traveling/commuting. Slightly more than one in three purchasers used their smartphone to buy while in a store, highlighting the increasingly important role mobile is playing in consumers’ brick and mortar retail experience, especially as a tool for real-time price and product comparisons.

Read More…

Atomic Monkey Microsite from Howard Milligan on Vimeo.

Obviously in a new car franchise you have less control as your inventory is dictated a great deal by the OEM but even they somewhat dictate your allocation by marketing. In our Toyota store here in Houston that I ran in the 90’s GST would give us our allocation based on our “Rolling 90” the average number of vehicles we sold in a 30 day period for the last 90 days. In a sense you could say they were dictating what we stocked by Marketing. During the worst days of GM’s VOMS program at our Chevrolet store we fought to get the best vehicles including the Avalanche a very popular vehicle from 99 – 2001 Why? They sold better “Marketing”.

In a sense one could say and I will say it, what you stock has ALWAYS been a “Marketing Decision”.

Back then I would line up Chevrolet and Ford Trucks on the front line or our Toyota store, this would just twist our GST reps head, but my point then was the same then as it is now.

“I have huge sign that says I sell Toyota’s and people know that what they don’t know is what else I have and there are a lot of potential customers driving by our store that are going to buy a Chevy or Ford pickup and I want them to know we are a choice for them.” –

I made it a point to stock that “Product” on our Toyota lot and “Place” it where I did: IE “A Marketing Decision”.

In used cars you are 100% in control of what you stock (one of the reasons why I love that business) and if you are doing that right you are basing what you stock on marketing decisions “What Sells” NOT what you can buy cheap!

THE VERY FIRST QUESTON YOU SHOULD BE ASKING YOURSELF WHEN YOU GO TO BUY OR TRADE FOR A USED CAR – “HOW AM I GOING TO GET OUT OF THIS USED CAR?” THAT IS A MARKETING DECISION
 

The “Book” really no longer has any value from a purchase perspective; the only thing that does have value is what cars are selling now and how much you can get for them. If you have a good recon dept. a great sales process and great marketing you can pay more for a car than the other guy because you can sell it for more and you can get out of it faster.

This was true 20+ years ago when I started in the car business and its true today, the only difference you have better tools and information to make those decisions but make no mistake if you are doing it right you are making these decisions based on marketing.

Those are my thoughts what say you?  

“

Consumers would be able to use their mobile phones to interact with other shoppers currently at the store, asking questions and giving opinions on products and deals. “

What I find interesting about this story is the concept of “Social Gifting”. My first pass at this concept for the auto industry would be for your facebook friends and / or twitter followers to sign into a facebook app or web app that would collect money for the purchase and / or down payment on a car. This would be an interesting app for some 13 or 14 yr old to start saving for his or her 1st car. Instead of birthday gifts they can post to Facebook and Twitter “Contribute to my car fund and ABC Motors”.

Full Wal-Mart Story / Story on Social Gifting

I am sure I will have more thoughts on this as I think about it more stay tuned and let me know your thoughts on this concept.

@pcmguy

Josh Spear supposedly the youngest most influential marketing strategist in the world or at least according to a post on memeburn.com. I have never heard of this guy, so clearly I don’t get around enough but he was asked some interesting questions in an interview with memeburn that I feel the need to address in this post.

MB (Memeburn): What do you think are the key differences between a “born digital” generation in developed and developing countries?

JS (Josh Spear): In developing countries the leap to mobile phone as a primary computing device is going to change the game in big, big ways. Behaviorally, that also means a different fundamental relationship with things like money and banking.

LB (Larry Bruce): GOING TO? Josh have you seen the news lately mobile and Facebook have overthrown some governments! But these developing countries aren’t going to mobile as their primary computing device by choice and they aren’t doing much in the way of commerce with it. Nor is there much development in the way of getting these countries commerce either. They still use their phone primarily for communication using the internet and social in a one to many fashion, they are aways away from e-commerce.

MB: Do you think there is still a market for recorded music as a product, or only as a promotional tool?

JS: I still see a great possibility for it to be a premium item, almost like a collector’s item. Radiohead has mastered this — they sell their music online (or give it away, in some cases), but they make the box sets very expensive and limited.

LB: A collector’s item? WTF? I would think Apple would have a huge problem with this. I don’t really see sales of new single’s music slowing down for iTunes anytime soon. However I do agree there is good potential in music collections, I would say more around a theme like “Great Beach Music” or “Great Party Music” a collection of various song selections and groups/artists with even the ability pick and change music with in the collection.

MB: Do you think coupons can be used effectively in mobile marketing?

JS: Yes, but not with QR Codes. The “coupon” needs to be built into the mobile experience in a more substantial, easier and meaningful way.

LB: WHAT!? Are you kidding me…Really? The last thing I want is another 3rd party dictating the coupons I can get through an app on my phone. A QR code is the easiest way to get a consumer to content, trying to build this into an ad server through an app like ShopKick on in 4Square puts the 3rd party in control of what I see and how I get it and I DON’T WANT THAT! QR codes have a place one of the best is for mobile coupons…Period.

MB: What mobile marketing campaigns have impressed you recently?

JS: I love the GOOD Guides, or anything that lets me learn a lot about a product before I decide to buy it. Is it sustainable, where did the cotton come from, am I paying the best price.

LB: Josh have you looked at how people shop? When they are at Best Buy they look at the item first, price second then they research. Using a QR code I can, right in the store, send the customer to a dedicated mobile landing page that is for the purpose of someone shopping in the store, show them the prices as compared to other electronic stores in the area (because the mobile landing can be geo targeted), give them a comparison to other similar products for research purpose and then give the a 10% off coupon link right there to compel them to buy. It doesn’t get any more meaningful than that Josh.

MB: What do you think about the concept of social network fatigue? Do you think that online socialization might overextend itself and face a backlash or do you think it’s going to just get more pervasive?

JS: I think there is definitely a social media fatigue setting in — I see it in my own life. However, I don’t think it’s a complete ‘abandon social media and run for higher ground’ phenomenon — what I think people are looking for once again are tighter, more meaningful connections. That’s why I’m seeing services like Path.com (Full Disclosure, I’m an investor) as so interesting, because they’re small networks of sharing.

LB: There is no Social Media Fatigue, no such thing. There is Social Media of Choice and Circumstance. Social Media of Choice = I am on Facebook all my friends and family are on Facebook, it’s why I got on Facebook to begin with and Facebook is doing what I need and want it to do so I have no interest in leaving it.

Social Media of Circumstance = I am on Google +1 & Twitter because I believe it is getting me a Search Optimization Return (SOR as I call it) and because I have built an audience there. As long as there is an audience and what you see there is useful an relevant there will never be a fatigue.

MB: What are your predictions for online marketing in 2012?

JS: I believe the economy will suffer in 2012, and that brands will focus on high ROI tried and true marketing methodologies. My hope is that they take lots of risks, and some innovative stuff happens in the process.

LB: The only thing in the whole interview this guy said that makes sense! This is not a big shocker however, marketing has been moving that way for some time, pretty safe bet it will continue to do so.

My favorite saying “Good habits are created in bad times and bad habits are created in good times”

To sum it up, clearly this was some of the most ridiculous & vague answers to these questions anyone could possibly imagine. I don’t know what this guy was thinking but it certainly wasn’t about the questions he was being asked.

Just my thoughts what say you?

I met up with Bill Playford at SWSXi (South By Southwest Interactive) for those not familiar with the acronym. We talked about this very thing. I found myself getting very excited at some of the ideas we were discussing, so much so I was writing curriculum in my head as I was driving back to Houston Friday afternoon.

On the way home I made several calls that to be frank…were a total buzz kill on the subject. I was quickly reminded of the agendas of some of the broadcasters, large vendors with money, resources and a voice and the influencers in our industry and the task of bringing true leadership and honest education seemed to be almost too daunting a task for anyone to take on.

This morning I wake up still thinking about this subject and as I going through my normal morning reading ritual and I ran across this post by Seth Godin. Seth has a way in of summing up a topic in very few words I hope to someday master that for now I am not doing very well.

7 Questions For Leaders

1. Do you let the facts get in the way of a good story? Think about that for a second beyond the obvious. What is a good story? It’s a vision right? Are you letting the fact that something isn’t that way right now or that something is hard get in the way of a good story / vision being told? If you are you are killing creativity and innovation in our business…Stop It!

2. What do you do with people who disagree with you…do you call them names in order to shut them down? THIS ONE YOU REALLY NEED TO PAY ATTENTINON TO! Who do you know that is doing this regularly? Get away from that person, this is happening all too often and on some blogs more than others. Bottom line we should be welcome disagreement and healthy debate, when that debate is constructive. People are allowed to have opinions and you are allowed to have yours. In today’s world we are all allowed to express them and there is nothing wrong with this process. It goes wrong when you start the name calling and the personal attacks in an attempt to belittle that person. You have an opinion express it…don’t be offended if someone else has a different one, don’t expect someone else just to roll over if you disagree. STOP BELIVEING AND READING YOUR OWN PRESS. Cars are gonna get sold with or with our any of us.

3. Are you open to multiple points of view or do your demand compliance and uniformity? Too many of us are not we go beyond constructive debate and defending our position to the point of my way is the only way.

4. Is it ok if someone else get the credit? – Think about that… is it really?

5. How often are you able to change your position? – None of us knows it all is it possible that someone has a piece to the puzzle you don’t is it possible that you could be wrong? This doesn’t mean you don’t have conviction or believe in your position, it doesn’t mean you shouldn’t defend it. Just make room for the possibility and keep your mind open.

6. Do you have a goal that can be reached in multiple ways? – Fact is every goal can be reached in multiple ways. There is no one best way to anything anymore. Just because your goal has to change to include others doesn’t mean it can’t be reached it’s just another path to get there.

7. If someone else can get us there faster, are you willing to let them? Are you? How often do you stand in the way of someone because you don’t like them or think you don’t? Do you even know them?

There is no doubt that we need more leadership that can take these 7 questions above to heart and really work to improve the industry and thereby improving their business along with it. We all need to ask ourselves these questions and honestly answer them.

Larry Bruce @pcmguy

The fact is that Reputation Management isn’t just about bad thing people say online about your or your dealership its so much more than that, in fact its more about getting and growing a good reputation online than it is about curing a bad one, because:

“Having NO online reputation is worse than having a bad one”

In fact there is one instance I know of where an eyeglasses dealer in NY intentionally pushed for negative reviews because it got people to read and hit is website and was even getting more business from it!

A Bully Finds a Pulpit on the Web. “Hello, My name is Stanley with DecorMyEyes.com,” the post began. “I just wanted to let you guys know that the more replies you people post, the more business and the more hits and sales I get. My goal is NEGATIVE advertisement.”

“At the end of the day it is better to be talked about… even negatively online than to not be talked about at all.” I am certainly not advocating this course of action in fact I condemn it, but the point is that some buzz is definitely better than no buzz.

You can have a positive buzz all the time if you just to 2 things: Genuinely ENGAGE and HELP.

So what’s the point here you may ask?

“Tis the year to LISTEN and LEARN, that is the only way you ENGAGE and HELP.

Raise your social media ROI by staying abreast of the evolution of the social conversion. That means using monitoring tools and responding in a consistent voice. By doing so you will grow a positive online reputation, you can engage and help those influencers in your community who will in turn help you grow that online reputation even more and bring more true friends, followers and fans to your dealership not thousands of fans just for fans sake as too many have done.

I’ll be discussing more on how to ENGAGE and HELP in my webinar Thursday March 17th this webinar also comes with a small e-book that will walk you step by step though setting up your Online Reputation Management Command Center, how to use the 10 free tools together to find and engage influencers get more TRUE Friends, fans and followers.

ONLINE YOU BUILD A LIST YOU CAN’T BUY ONE.

I hope this puts a clearer perspective on the webinar and encourages you to join in and if nothing gets you to think about Reputation Management in a broader way.

Here are 10 must have CRM features for 2011:

1. Quick response multi-quote capability
2. Inventory integration
3. Website integration
4. Mobile / iPad compatible
5. 3^rd party lead monitoring w/bad lead rejection and instant reports
6. Returning website visitor alerts
7. Integrated market pricing tool
8. Custom coupon push capability
9. Certified DMS integrations
10. Facebook search capability  

Check your system the business is changeing again, is it keeping up?

Just quit it…Please!

Don’t ruin a good thing before it ever gets started with these crazy notions of volume of sites and bad content.

A Microsite is:

1. Written and designed for a specific audience
2. Optimized to the visitors intent
3. Fulfills the promise made by the ad that drives the traffic
4. Simple easy to navigate with a specific purpose
5. Ultimately visitor generated through testing

A Microsite is not:

1. A deep link landing page within your Random Access Website
2. A duplicate of your Random Access Website
3. A copy of a vehicle brochure online
4. A duplicate of a vehicle listing (Your VDP)

I have heard there are now vendors duplicating the VDP (Vehicle Display Page) of your website or online listing into a WordPress site and calling this a Microsite… Are you kidding me!

That’s just what you DON’T want to do: take something that is converting terribly, pay more money to duplicate it several times so we can get bad conversions for more money in other places…REALLY?

Dealers please understand what your goal is with conversion marketing through microsites before you jump in with these crazy Microsite schemes.

Vendors that are pushing this, stop understand what a Microsite is for before you get into conversion rate optimization. Don’t just jump into this because it’s the buzz word of the day.  

Larry Bruce @pcmguy