Five Techniques to Make Your Company the Clients’ First Choice

“Many a small thing has been made large by the right kind of advertising.” That’s according to Mark Twain in his 1890 novel, A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur’s Court. Over 100 years later, his wise words apply to modern-day businesses more than ever before. Advertising in 1890 was not nearly as targeted and personal as it is today, thanks to the technology we use daily and the digital footprints we leave behind.

 

Businesses today have countless options to win the business of thousands of online consumers who are more likely to be interested in their products since they see relevant advertising online and on social media.

 

The good news is that.

 

The bad news is that consumers can be pickier about where they spend their money since they see advertisements targeted at them. Owners of businesses need to keep in mind that after seeing an advertisement, consumers are likely to conduct a Google search. Google will also provide star ratings from review sites, even if you are just looking for an address or phone number.

 

The tactics listed below assist thousands of companies in gaining repeat business from customers.

 

1) Increase brand recognition.

 

To increase your reach, concentrate on websites all around the internet rather than just one or two. As more consumers view your advertising, your company will be able to build brand awareness by connecting with in-market consumers on Google, Facebook, TikTok, and LinkedIn. If you concentrate on just one website, you can miss out on critical demographics.

Additionally, brand recognition encourages word-of-mouth promotion. This is especially evident on social media, where Facebook users who ask for recommendations receive responses from their network of hundreds or thousands of people. This is effective advertising because a referral implies support for your company.

 

2) Encourage Customer Engagement with Your Company.

 

Once consumer brand memory has increased, you should further tailor your audiences to ensure that the correct customer receives the right message at the right moment. Consumers can now be targeted by businesses based on their habits, location, website page views, and more!

 

Reaching customers who are most likely to be interested in the particular goods or services your company offers will help you increase engagement. Today’s technology enables your organization to methodically plan out who will see what, as opposed to broadcasting a message to the public.

 

3) Appear in search results

 

Make sure your company appears at the top of Google search results as your target audience interacts with your ads. Why? Consumers today are performing more internet research than ever before they make a purchase.

 

Make sure you appear when customers conduct a Google search for your company. Making sure that your company name, address, phone number, and website are consistent online will boost your listings higher in search results and keep you in first place because Google “rewards” consistency.

 

4) Take Advantage of Online Review Sites Shown in Search Results

 

Based on studies, it was discovered that 78% of consumers are affected by star ratings. Make sure that customers will choose your company based on the star ratings posted online, particularly those that appear in search results.

 

The majority of firms have a lot more satisfied customers than unhappy ones. Businesses require a procedure to capitalize on these positive encounters. After a transaction, surveying consumers and giving those who react favorably a simple way to share their comments on open review sites boosts the quantity of favorable online evaluations and star ratings quickly.

 

5) Your advertising budget is protected by a solid online reputation.

 

Customers peruse reviews. They read a company’s reaction to such reviews as well. How you respond to internet reviews of your company demonstrates to others how important client happiness is to you.

 

A terrible customer experience can be improved by professionally handling unfavorable reviews and feedback. Recognizing unfavorable reviews demonstrates to clients who are studying your company that you actually care about them. Positive ratings encourage consumer loyalty, which results in repeat business.

 

These essential advertising tactics will assist your company in beginning to get a greater return on its advertising investment and a better internet reputation.

Focus on Outstanding Customer Conversations.

Never lose sight of customer conversations in an era of cost-cutting automation.

 

When faced with the option to use a bot/AI, it is simple to be enticed by potential cost savings. Realistically, you may be jeopardizing your short- and long-term profits by ignoring the great customer satisfaction that results from having meaningful dialogues that encourage customers to do business with you.

 

Communication that is consistently delightful is the key to making your consumers feel valued, heard, and appreciated.

 

An organization is comprised of humans – actual people – and your customer base consists of similar individuals. One-way communication, nonspecific customer service jargon, and sidesteps are (or should be) relics of the past.

 

The Forbes Business Council’s Sean O’Neal agrees:

 

“Customer interactions with brands are in a perpetual state of flux. The most recent development includes the expectation that customers will be regarded as individuals and receive personalized service, such as one-on-one conversations via their preferred digital channel.” (Source)

 

Significant Conversations Matter in the Automotive Industry

If you are perusing this, you may be in the automobile sales industry. (At least, we would like them to be reading it!) You are likely already aware of the significance of customer conversation to the sales process. Key elements of the car sales process include conducting a needs analysis, asking clarifying questions about the customer’s desires, and searching for opportunities to establish rapport.

 

However, is your sales team proficient in these conversational guidelines? Your BDC? Your customer support departments?

 

Face-to-face interactions with customers are one thing, but what about text-only media? Texting can appear somewhat flat, and your consumers are unfamiliar with your dealership. Is your team equipped to manage potentially challenging chat conversations?

 

Every word — and how it is spoken — matters.

 

Excellent Customer Conversations Lead to Outstanding Customer Satisfaction

Consider customer dialogues as the basis of the remainder of the sales process.

 

Consider going on a first date or having a job interview! These are all instances of first impressions that can set the tone for future consumer relationships.

 

Consider the dialogues you have in the context of customer relationship management as something that could contribute to a memorable and meaningful experience. Your customer is a genuine person who will recall how this interaction made them feel. It is not a reach to assert that conversations with customers can be sacred.

 

This can result in long-term consumer loyalty and an increased likelihood that the customer will recommend you to others.

 

Online, customer conversations are essential.

 

Four Methods to Improve Customer Conversations at Your Dealership

Conversations with customers are akin to a science. There is some method to their actions. Or at least, if you so choose, there can be! Here are four methods to optimize your customer conversations and make them feel appreciated and confident in their decision to do business with you.

 

1) Recognize and restate.

Have you ever placed an order at the drive-thru of a fast food restaurant and the attendant did not repeat it back to you?

 

Does this really induce confidence in the order you just placed?

 

Not all successful conversations have a distinct beginning, middle, and end. Rephrasing and reiterating the information back is a crucial part of conversations and demonstrates that you are listening. This not only helps you confirm the customer’s needs but also demonstrates to the customer that you comprehend them.

 

This applies to any type of conversation, whether in sales or in your personal life: reiterating information helps break down barriers.

 

According to The Emotion Machine, repeating other people’s remarks is crucial for establishing likeability, comfort, and social connections. Psychologists refer to this phenomenon as the ‘echo effect’…

 

When people use the same words, it reduces the social distance between them and causes them to feel more alike. However, when individuals use very different words, it creates greater social distance and makes them feel less connected.”

 

Some customers may already perceive a power differential between you and them, but positive customer conversations that impart humanity and relatability can result in confident, satisfied customers!

 

2) Reflect on your client.

We discussed repeating customer information to demonstrate your understanding of their requirements, but “mirroring” is somewhat distinct.

 

Customers are diverse and unique, but we’ve observed that they generally fall into one of two categories: transactional or relational.

 

Although transactional customers are not emotionless, they are more straightforward and eager to conduct business. They frequently know what they want, and they want to ensure you’re knowledgeable.

 

For transactional customers, you should maintain a productive conversation and resolve genuine concerns. Consider their pain points and communicate information in a more straightforward manner.

 

We’re not saying this will be a difficult conversation (though it could be), but it will definitely be a unique one.

 

Relationship-based consumers are a notable distinction. They frequently have an excessively positive tone, employ positive language, and seek someone whose energy matches their own.

 

They have one or more personal stories to share, so be prepared for these types of conversations and perhaps share a bit more about yourself than you normally would.

 

These individuals want to collaborate with others!

 

3) Respond with promptness.

It should go without saying that you must maintain your customers on the line. Therefore, respond or follow up promptly!

 

Respecting a customer’s time is more crucial than you may believe.

 

Consequently to Jivo Chat:

 

“A Forrester survey indicates that:

 

73% of consumers cite respect for their time as one of the most essential customer service values.

According to the same study, at least 53 percent of consumers are likely to abandon a purchase if they cannot quickly locate answers to their queries.

When comparing different stores, 78% of consumers will purchase from the first company that responds to their questions promptly and accurately, placing product or service pricing in second place.

These statistics demonstrate that consumers highly value a quick and consistent experience, as well as prompt support. The majority of website visitors are likely to be people at work or those who simply want to complete a task quickly and discreetly. Ensure that your online chat and phone conversations with customers promptly address their requirements.

 

It is essential to respond quickly to these customers because, well, the Internet is vast and they have virtually unlimited options!

 

4) Be sincere.

In customer conversations, each of these elements is crucial. But foremost:

 

Bring on the honesty!

 

Customers have their own unique lives and experiences. They are able to detect when someone is acting insincere or going through the motions to make a sale. Obviously, new customers come to you for a product and/or service and ultimately want to get down to business, but incorporating excellent communication into customer conversations will foster relationships that leave a lasting impression.

 

Bring your unique voice, demonstrate your brand experience, respond to queries with empathy and understanding, and communicate with understanding.

 

Ask where they are on their own unique customer journey, provide them with all available options and a backup plan if necessary, and establish a rapport.

 

Excellent customer service requires excellent customer conversations.

Customer Conversations Are Crucial to Customer Retention.

You can gain a competitive edge over other dealerships in your community if you engage in effective consumer conversations. Equip your sales teams with the ability to conduct effective consumer conversations, and you will observe a positive impact on your current sales procedure.

 

Customer Service Teams Using SimpSocial Have the Best Customer Conversations

SimpSocial is superior to all other automotive live chat providers when it comes to consumer conversations.

 

We utilize 100% live customer engagement specialists, no algorithms or AI, and a data-driven approach to continuously refining and optimizing our conversations based on automotive industry trends and dealer partner feedback.

Importance of Chat Integration with Car Dealer Website Providers

3 Advantages of a Dealer Chat Platform for Your Dealership

In addition to breaking the ice with hesitant consumers who may have had negative experiences with salespeople in the automotive industry, a superior chat platform affords you additional advantages. So, let’s examine what an auto dealer messaging platform can do to improve your website’s user experience, conversion rate, and sales team’s readiness:

 

Cost-Effectiveness

Using intuitive and user-friendly tools enables your Business Development Center (or whoever handles your fresh, inbound leads) to assist customers more quickly and efficiently. No matter which department is targeted, sales, service, parts, or customer service, a messaging platform designed for dealers has features that can help accelerate customer interest in a vehicle and encourage them to take action.

 

In lieu of employing an entire BDC, opting for managed messaging can result in significant cost savings. Managed Messaging by SimpSocial is an entirely human-powered live conversation service. You will receive highly trained customer engagement specialists who are perpetually trained on vehicles and your dealership’s particular guidelines, as well as our automotive-focused chat software console. This is included in the price of the service you pay for, as opposed to the possibility of multiple annual salaries.

 

Convenience

A robust live conversation platform for the automotive industry is not only convenient for the customer. It should also be convenient for your employees. Live or self-managed chat tools should provide value to your business on both the customer and employee aspects of the customer-employee relationship.

 

The ability to navigate to the correct department via the conversation icon or to transfer chats to another department or team member is crucial for efficient operations. Compartmentalizing your prospects is a tremendous organizational aid. And having something that can reliably route leads to your CRM (or multiple CRMs) is a feature that dealers greatly value.

 

SimpSocial chat console software is supported by technology commissioned by executives with decades of experience in automotive retail. It also includes reporting to help you track your team’s performance and pinpoints areas where you can enhance your own chats. This is a genuinely customized solution designed to provide dealers with the optimal means of engaging with car-shopping customers.

 

Developing Relationships with Your Customers

Okay, I lied a little bit. One of the reasons is to establish a deeper connection with automotive buyers. People purchase cars from people they like, and a warm lead is only made warmer when you immediately begin fostering a great working relationship with your customers – meet them where they are in the customer journey! Accessibility and adaptability are essential to gaining consumer trust.

 

It is also essential to simply be available for potential transient customers. The majority of car-shopping customers select a few dealerships and begin their search on a single website, but they typically do not remain or stick around for long. Then, they begin to navigate between multiple merchant websites.

 

The key to converting website visitors who are interested in purchasing an automobile is to provide them with the tools they need to interact with your website, thereby increasing the likelihood of meeting their needs and establishing trust with your location in particular. Without such an option, impatient car buyers are likely to fly instead of buy.

 

Equip Your Automobile Dealership with SimpSocial Outstanding Chat Technology

The messaging software technology patented by SimpSocial serves as the foundation for a variety of dealer-centric engagement solutions and intelligent services. Here are a few additional services that help maintain the strength of your digital dealership.

How to Become an Expert BDC Automobile Dealership

While your sales and service teams may do an excellent job of greeting customers and establishing a rapport with them at the dealership, the subsequent follow-up may be lacking.

 

Also, prospective customers who have not yet decided to visit your store require prompt, individualized attention. Digital natives, like Gen Z, are more familiar navigating online. This is where a high-quality BDC at your auto dealership can play a crucial role in bridging the gaps.

 

What is a BDC at an automobile dealership?

A BDC (business development center) is a group of customer service agents who handle both outbound and incoming inquiries for your service and/or sales departments.

 

This is a distinct department that supports the success of your sales and service teams.

 

Why is a BDC so Crucial?

A BDC is essential for a car dealership because preparing customers for the transaction is a customer service function. Not always are your greatest closers also your best openers. Additionally, they are not always available to assist the customer from the beginning to the conclusion of their journey.

 

In light of this, having a separate team to warm up your consumers can be beneficial for pre-sale, during-sale, and post-sale customer retention efforts.

 

Five Elements of an Effective BDC for Your Automobile Dealership

1) Time management and volume.

What days and times do you require coverage? Examine your current personnel and identify any potential coverage gaps. Consider your consumers with non-standard schedules, who may attempt to reach you outside of business hours. These customers also require attention. And an always-on chat could facilitate their erratic schedules.

 

What does your volume appear like? You’ll want to know what you can reasonably expect your dealership’s BDC team to be able to manage, as well as the minimum number of BDC agents you’ll need to help field your inbound opportunities, whether they’re for car sales or service appointments. This moves us to the following point!

 

2) The size of the team and their location of employment.

 

Once you have determined the size of your BDC team, you can consider the location of your automotive BDC. Certainly, you could have them on-site. In recent years, however, remote and hybrid customer service positions have become available.

 

There are numerous advantages to these labor opportunities.

 

One, you can save space inside your automotive dealership. There is less to consider regarding where your BDC agents will be stationed, so you can utilize that space for other purposes.

 

Two, you can significantly expand your candidate pool. With access to reliable internet and the ability to use computers and phones from anywhere, a remote position will attract a much larger talent pool.

 

Third, you can more sensibly stagger your team’s schedule, as they will not have to worry about commuting and will be better able to manage a midday or evening shift.

 

3) Positions within your automobile’s BDC.

 

Now is the time to consider the focus of your BDC and the responsibilities of each BDC agent. Specialize your BDC by segmenting the roles’ responsibilities. Will you be a sales-focused BDC or a service-focused BDC? How about both?

 

For both incoming and outgoing conversations, will the same individuals be responsible? Or, will you create specialized roles for agents who excel at warming up incoming consumers as opposed to generating cold leads?

 

Keep in mind that your agents are NOT salespeople. This is a customer service position, not a telephone sales staff. Consider candidates with extensive experience in customer service who are conversant in quality conversation. This department is distinct from that of marketers and service writers/advisors.

 

The BDC provides customer service.

 

4) Consider post-sale and post-service maintenance of reputation.

 

Retaining repeat consumers is essential for long-term financial health and stability. Consider educating your top agents to conduct post-sale and post-service outreach to maintain your dealership’s prominence in the future. These are not prospective consumers; they are previous customers who will receive special consideration for their continued loyalty.

 

Your service customers, and customers in general, are busy individuals. Significant factors in recurrent business and dealership loyalty include being reminded of appointments, presented with current offers, and made to feel truly cared for outside of the services provided.

 

5) BDC Equipment.

 

Certainly not least! Consider the necessary equipment to make the BDC as effective as feasible. You’ll want BDC software that integrates well with your CRM for the most efficient lead management if you’re using it. Your service department will appreciate the fluidity of being able to view newly scheduled service appointments, and your sales team will greatly value receiving sales appointments.

 

In addition, ensure that your BDC has lovely, functional phones, semi-recent computers, and an excellent Internet connection. Today, the internet is essential to business.

 

How Do You Measure the Success of Your BDC?

Well, that depends on you! Are you seeking to increase your number of appointments, total sales, and CSI scores? All of the preceding? The best aspect of a successful BDC is that it promotes expansion in all of these areas.

 

Determine what is most essential to you, establish a timeline, and make adjustments along the way to achieve continued success!

 

SimpSocial Could Serve as Your Business Development Center

SimpSocial is superior to all other automotive live chat providers when it comes to consumer conversations.

 

We utilize 100% live customer engagement specialists, no bots or AI, and are an effective BDC-style implementation that aids your sales and service teams. We strengthen your digital dealership, and with SimpSocial on your dealership website, you’ll never miss another opportunity.

Are consumers currently in the market for a car?

Do consumers require a car now?

 

Like, right now?

 

Certainly, individuals desire automobiles now, but are they able to purchase one? Purchasing a vehicle today can be a substantial investment. possibly even more so than usual. particularly a new automobile. Based on the Kelly Blue Book:

 

“The average price of a new car sold in America in February 2023 was $48,763…” The encouraging news is that the “decline of 1.4% from January (2023” is positive. After pandemic concerns and shortages drove prices to unprecedented heights, this decline is at least a positive sign that prices are beginning to fall.

 

According to this Kelly Blue Book article, average prices for used vehicles continue to rise.

 

In January of 2023, the average price of a used vehicle was $26,510, as stated in the sentence, “The average price of a used vehicle was $26,510…”

 

 

Vehicle prices are high due to limited supply.

In addition, lower-priced vehicles are becoming scarcer as people rush to the bottom in order to afford a car, as stated in the previously cited Kelly Blue Book article:

 

“As with new automobiles, the lower the price, the smaller the supply. There were 35 days of supply for vehicles priced under $10,000. The day’s supply of automobiles priced between $10,000 and $15,000 was 42, between $15,000 and $20,000 it was 46, and between $20,000 and $35,000 it was approximately 50. 53 days of supply were available for used vehicles with list prices exceeding $35,000.

 

At 39 days, Toyota had the smallest supply of used vehicles. Acura, Honda, Nissan, Mazda, and Lexus all had fewer than 45 days of supply.”

 

Is now an appropriate time to purchase a car?

Indeed, it depends. There is no “good time” for some customers to purchase a car if their need for one is sudden and urgent. For some individuals, the “best time” to purchase a car is sooner than they anticipate.

 

However, there may be more leisurely shoppers who are ambivalent about purchasing a new car, so it would be to your advantage to know how to best structure the customer experience to encourage them to purchase a car now, as opposed to later. At the time of writing this article, the U.S. inflation rate was approximately 6%, and the market was booming in nearly every sector. This is a significant improvement from February 2022’s inflation rate of 7.871%, but it’s still quite a bit worse than February 2021’s inflation rate of 1.676%.

 

Some customers, however, are relatively price inelastic and will purchase regardless of current costs (if they can afford it). In this instance, the business with the best customer experience wins!

 

This consumer is now prepared to purchase a car.

 

Three Ways to Motivate Customers to Buy a Car Immediately

Optimize your online retail operations.

Customers value expediency, and in this hectic, post-pandemic era, digital reigns supreme. A fantastic digital retailing tool can take some of the excitement out of visiting a dealership and make certain processes easier. According to Cox Automotive’s 2022 Car Buyer Journey Study:

 

“Nearly all auto dealers—87%—report that digital retailing solutions have had a positive impact on at least one aspect of their business, reducing time spent, enhancing efficiency, and boosting sales, profits, and customer relationships.”

 

Consider equipping your digital retailing and online financing processes with live advocates who can reassure and guide customers through what many still consider to be a stressful and perplexing experience. To be fair, even the most prepared customer may feel overwhelmed when purchasing a vehicle; therefore, having someone who can reassure them of their decisions and progress will be of great assistance!

 

Deliver the appropriate offers at the appropriate time.

Occasionally, a car sale is just a decent offer away. However, this offer must be visible and presented to the customer at the optimal time.

 

Customized incentives on your website could be the key to capturing website-hopping visitors. With our behavioral offer tool, ActivTarget, we provide consumers with the offers that make the most sense for you based on their behavior on your dealership’s website.

 

It can be the difference between clicking around and bouncing and realizing what’s possible!

 

Service a vehicle immediately.

 

Maintain excellent customer service at your repair facilities! While doing so, inquire with the service department about what they might be able to receive in exchange for their trade. Some customers can afford to make a spur-of-the-moment decision to purchase something distinct or more expensive if they so desire.

 

Data indicates that consumers who receive service at a particular dealership are likely to purchase from that dealership in the future.

 

According to SnapCell:

 

“…NADA data appear to support this further. They discovered that, on average, 76% of car purchasers purchased their next vehicle from a dealership that conducted routine maintenance.”

What should a contemporary dealership’s customer experience entail?

The modern consumer experience extends far beyond face-to-face interactions.

Considering there is an upcoming generation of car purchasers who were practically co-raised by technology (Gen Z, sometimes referred to as digital natives! ), an alternative to walking through the front door must be considered in order to meet these customers’ specific expectations.

In addition, as a result of the pandemic, many individuals began to recognize the convenience and viability of communicating with businesses online.

Bolster Your Dealership’s Digital Customer Experience

Obviously, this entails providing a digital option. The important word here is “option.” Customers enjoy having options and the ability to do things differently. Even if they won’t necessarily do it, the fact that they can is passively reassuring!

The most exceptional customer experiences are those that give the consumer more freedom to choose their own path and next steps based on what’s best for them!

Customer experience design firm Tallwave has published a report titled 2021 Data-Driven Insights Into Evolving Customer Experience.

“Hybrid Experiences Are Greater Than Ever Before…

After COVID-19 concludes, more than half of respondents intend to return to in-person interactions. This highlights the need to connect brick-and-mortar stores with digital experiences in stores to offer a unified, seamless experience that facilitates consumer engagement, value realization, and increased brand loyalty. (According to Agility PR Solutions)

A Hybrid Customer Experience Provides Stellar Results

Even when purchasing a car, customers anticipate a seamless and customized experience due to the rise of the digital age. The process of purchasing a vehicle is most certainly not an uncomplicated Amazon-style purchase.

However, in a world that is constantly evolving and increasingly dependent on technology, it is becoming increasingly essential to standardize an effortless digital shopping experience when shopping online.

Carvana springs to mind.

However, they almost went too far in the opposite direction and neglected to consider what the consumers might need in addition to their vehicles moving forward. Frequently, dealerships have their own service and repair facilities. Carvana cannot claim to provide that!

Not to mention, concluding the car-buying process in person provides the customer with tangible assurance and eliminates a great deal of back-and-forth during a very complex procedure!

Carvana Did One Thing Correctly…

Carvana, however, was successful in disrupting the automotive industry and shining a light on how people perceive the dealership experience, as well as what it should include and offer shoppers on their unique customer voyage.

Let’s examine the top five things that, in our opinion, a modern dealership’s consumer experience should include, with an emphasis on digital offerings.

Grab a notepad; it’s time to create a list!

Five Digital Age Dealership Customer Experience Offerings 1) Personalization

Even in the digital world, customers must feel as if they are receiving personalized care. Consider investing in digital tools that enable personalization, such as an online live chat platform that can answer customer inquiries in real-time, share a customer’s enthusiasm for purchasing a car, and allay any concerns they may have prior to proceeding with your car dealership.

Customers necessitate personalization. Delivering a personalized, dynamic response that demonstrates empathy and dependability, or restating what the customer requested, is sufficient to reassure a customer that they are being assisted by a real person.

2) Availability of information

Customers want to know exactly what they are receiving when they make a purchase, and dealerships should be forthright about everything, including pricing and financing options (within reason). In the digital age, this entails providing readily accessible and understandable information on the dealership’s website, such as price calculators, financing options, and comprehensive descriptions of each vehicle in stock.

A trusted digital retailing instrument can help a dealership achieve this objective. There are numerous options, and SimpSocial partners with quite a few! We also provide human guidance alongside these digital retail platforms for automobiles.

Occasionally, frustrated clients abandon the financing process during their buyer’s journey. Transparent information provided by the DR tool, coupled with human advocacy, equals increased transaction confidence!

3) Convenience

Customers are occupied and do not wish to wait for hours at a dealership. We live in an age of grocery delivery, Amazon same-day shipping, and instant communication. While bringing a customer into your finance office is the objective, now is the time to be more digitally adaptable.

This includes online applications for financing, digital signatures for documentation, and virtual test drives.

Providing the customer with a sliding scale for the required degree of pre-sale engagement with the dealership can be a tremendous boon. Respecting their time is of the utmost importance and can help you remain top-of-mind and poised for future sales.

4) Engagement

Customers desire to feel enthusiastic about their purchase, and car dealerships should facilitate this emotion. This may involve providing virtual excursions of the dealership or producing engaging video content showcasing the newest models. Additionally, dealerships could construct interactive quizzes or games to assist customers in finding the ideal vehicle for their needs. Consider all potential consumer touchpoints and meet the customer where they are!

Consider improving your social media presence or creating a TikTok account for your dealership. Considering that TikTok has more than 1 billion monthly users, creating entertaining car-buying-related content on the platform has the potential to go viral.

5) Receptiveness.

Customers anticipate prompt responses to their questions, regardless of whether they are submitted via phone, email, social media, or chat/online messaging. Dealerships should invest in digital tools that facilitate quick and effective communication. This will not only help customers feel appreciated, but it will also assist the dealership in establishing a solid reputation for superior customer service.

This applies to responding to online evaluations as well. Prompt, customized responses to online evaluations demonstrate initiative and genuine concern for resolving customer issues. Your online reputation is your reputation overall. One month later, a nonspecific response may be worse than no response at all. In this blog, you can examine the optimal dealership review response principles.

Exceed Customers’ Expectations and Increase Their Loyalty

A contemporary dealership’s consumer experience must be individualized, transparent, convenient, engaging, and responsive. By focusing on these key areas and utilizing the most advanced digital tools, dealerships can provide a consumer experience that distinguishes itself from the competition.

Therefore, whether you are a car buyer or a dealership proprietor, it is time to embrace the digital age and elevate your customer experience!

Deliver an Outstanding Customer Experience with SimpSocial at Your Dealership

SimpSocial is the ideal partner for a modern auto dealership seeking to provide a contemporary customer experience!

We are experts at meeting customers where they are on their customer experience journey and preparing your sales team for success by providing them with robust, informative leads.

The Correct Way to React to Negative Reviews

All companies, regardless of size, should have a method for keeping track of and reacting to customer evaluations. It might be challenging to reply to negative feedback.

Businesses must respond tactfully to negative reviews from customers who are increasingly conducting their research online in order to assuage their concerns and prevent a bigger problem from developing. (Search “Kitchen Nightmares” and “Amy’s Baking Company” on Google for the ideal illustration of how businesses shouldn’t rile up and scold critics.)

 

Building consumer trust by responding to all online reviews and handling any customer complaints demonstrates the business owner cares about fixing the issue. Online argumentation harms the reputation of your company.

 

How to React to Unfavorable Reviews:

 

Take a deep breath first. Always wait until your feelings have subsided before replying.

In your response, use the person’s name.

We owe them gratitude for their comments.

Be understanding, accept responsibility, and keep your reaction short.

Give a high-level contact at your company’s name, phone number, and email address to move the conversation offline.

Keep in mind that everyone will observe your response and see it as a sign of how you handle clients.

 

Guidelines for Responding to Reviews:

 

• Do read the entire review, be prompt, and accept criticism.

Make no compensation offers online. Others who read it could conclude that complaining is a tactic for obtaining free or discounted goods.

• Avoid engaging in conflict online. Customers will perceive you as being protective.

• Don’t scold or accuse the reviewer.

 

How to Take Down a Bad Review:

 

Our team has spotted thousands of reviews that are simply fake, potentially created by a rival or maliciously, and unrepresentative of how a company conducts business. Get acquainted with the policies of all the review websites. Businesses must ask for reviews to be posted because the sites don’t do it themselves. Using an employee’s full name and using inappropriate language are two common transgressions. If you want to remove a review, you must specify which of the terms and conditions was broken.

 

Get more favorable testimonials:

 

The majority of customers are aware that every company occasionally gets unfavorable reviews. Make sure you have a method in place to acquire more good evaluations in order to counteract the negative.

 

After every transaction, conduct a customer survey to collect actionable feedback and give those who react favorably the opportunity to post a review online. Even text messaging can be used to ask for reviews to be posted right away on popular review websites like Facebook, Google, and others.

 

Your online reputation is crucial.

 

Customer decisions are frequently influenced by star ratings, which also affect how highly your company appears in search results. Positive online evaluations increase your company’s likelihood of appearing in Google’s coveted local pack of results. According to Google, consumers are two times more likely to trust a company that responds to reviews than one that doesn’t.

 

Make sure the business interacts with its clients on social media because they spend more time there when working from home or staying put. The everyday usage of Instagram has climbed by 32%, Facebook, which features reviews, has increased by 53%, and TikTok has increased by 60%.

Online reviews and social media are much more important when negotiating a buy or sell.

An increasing number of customers choose the dealership they want to do business with by consulting social media and internet reviews. According to the most recent Annual Automotive Customer Experience Trends study, 67% of service customers and 60% of car buyers choose their dealers completely based on online searches and reviews. Additionally, 87% of service customers and 93% of vehicle buyers stated that internet review sites aided in their decision to choose a dealership.

 

Working with thousands of dealers, we are aware that building a social following and a good online reputation takes time. So, these priceless assets must be taken into account and included when a dealership is bought or sold. A 5-star internet reputation is unquestionably valuable, and when it’s only a 1-star rating, there is an opportunity for negotiation.

 

If you are on the buying side of an acquisition, make sure that all social network logins and passwords, as well as the ability to alter them before the prior owner’s networks are shut down, are included in the contract and the transaction. Every day, we assist dealers who are unable to access their Google Business Page, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, or other vital accounts. These accounts are crucial to their online visibility.

 

When they attempted to change the passwords, the reset letter was sent to the previous account owner’s old email addresses on a canceled account. Because we have contacts at every location, our knowledgeable team can obtain this information. Due to a general ignorance of page ownership, we also frequently recover logins and passwords for dealerships.

 

It’s crucial to have accurate and consistent business information on all of your social media accounts and on your Google Business Profile. Customers may quickly search for you online and locate you thanks to accurate and consistent business information. You don’t want the online information about your company to be incorrect.

 

Buyers should also ask the prior owners to hold off on closing any email accounts until they reset the logins to these important accounts as additional insurance. Additionally, buyers should get all details regarding Google Analytics and the logins for that account.

 

The buyer should demand the implementation of a social media policy for present staff before the deal is even finalized. This will make it more likely that any unfavorable remarks regarding a potential sale will remain online. Every company should establish a social media policy that spells out the rules for what may and cannot be posted online, including on an employee’s personal page. This procedure is considerably more crucial when a corporation is being sold.

 

Additionally, you might just want to start over if the company you’re buying has a terrible internet and social reputation. This includes updating your dealership’s legal name as well as its physical address. The majority of dealerships have adequate space to accommodate a move from, say, 100 E. Main Street to 102 E. Main Street. Google is unconcerned with the change in ownership. It takes note of the company address. Therefore, if you must leave negative evaluations behind, relocate a little.

 

If a buyer is starting from scratch, put a plan in place to obtain new ratings because occasionally no reviews are worse than terrible ones. Pre-exit surveys of your sales and service customers are the most effective approach to accomplishing this. Make it simple for satisfied customers to openly share their favorable feedback on reputable internet review platforms.

 

Obtaining genuine likes and followers on your social media accounts is also possible at this time. Although you shouldn’t purchase them, you can use targeted search and social media advertisements to connect with customers who are interested in your company, the cars you sell, and even the nonprofit organizations you support.

 

Additionally, you ought to use social advertising to create a fresh prospect database and inform nearby customers about management changes at the dealership. Targeting prospects through social media advertising, even those that are geo-targeted when passing by your store, is inexpensive yet very effective.

 

The majority of dealers nowadays invest time and money on their internet reputation and social media presence; they shouldn’t view these as “throwaways.” Remember their worth while negotiating a buy/sell. Make sure you have a partner like SimpSocial, who has contacts and knowledge, to help with the move.

 

You can obtain a free intelligence report here if you’d like to get an online social media and reputation study of a store you’re thinking about buying from or have already bought from.

Don’t imitate your rivals; instead, use strategy to develop distinctive consumer experiences.

Automobiles are easy to take for granted. Consumers can only get a vague notion of the labor-intensive process that went into making an automobile when they admire one. From concept to manufacturing, it is a complicated and strategic process that includes combining numerous individuals, abilities, and techniques.

 

The same holds true for client satisfaction. You can’t just make it happen overnight. Customer experience transformations are built on a solid plan that gives all parties involved—leaders, staff from all teams, and stakeholders—clear guidance. A customer experience plan is the best instrument you have for properly coordinating the needs of your entire company with those of your consumers.

 

A customer experience strategy is what?

 

More than half of the 400 organizations surveyed couldn’t agree on a definition of strategy. Sadly, “strategy” has met the same unlucky demise as “synergy” and “disruption.” It’s a true business buzzword that is overused and produces a lot of confusion.

 

A customer experience plan is essentially a road map outlining the course your business will take to enhance the experiences of both current and potential customers. It involves a strategic examination of internal and external variables, a unique strategic stance for your dealership, and customer-focused objectives and strategies.

 

Analyze the situation strategically by looking around.

You have access to all the knowledge required to develop a solid plan. Strategic analysis, also known as environmental scanning and system interpretation, is the first step in any successful undertaking. You must have a thorough understanding of your clients, your dealership, and your market position.

 

Learn about your customers.

 

Customer needs come first in customer experience objectives. To grasp your consumers’ pain points, expectations, and behaviors, you must first get to know them personally. This article on customer analysis provides some strategies to get you going.

 

Examine oneself in great detail.

 

Although most people would desire to have the same success as the IT giants, it is not practical given the differences between each business. Companies can develop goals that are realistic by using internal strategic analysis to better understand themselves.

 

Understanding your dealership’s advantages and disadvantages is crucial, particularly in the context of the client experience. To what extent can your strengths influence good customer feedback, and how can you best leverage them? What are your areas of weakness, and will address them help your customer experience?

 

Look around you carefully.

 

Understanding your competitors’ positions will help you create a strategy to set your business apart from the competition. What are they doing well (or better than you) when it comes to the customer experience, and what are they doing poorly (or not at all)? Perhaps they have a USP that connects more strongly with contemporary clients. Perhaps there are fewer options for customers to connect with them.

 

The corporate sector frequently uses the SWOT analysis technique to better comprehend both internal and external variables. It also helps to identify any prospective business growth possibilities as well as any hazards that need to be aware of and prepared for.

 

Establish a distinctive customer experience strategy.

Customer experience is your major differentiator, as you have already heard, and you will continue to hear this again and again. Companies used to differentiate themselves based on their offerings or pricing; today, it all comes down to the client experience they provide.

 

We’re talking about customer experience strategy primarily to assist you in shifting your focus to customer experience. But you must understand that your rivals are also spending money on customer experience. This means that you must make an absolute point of differentiating the experience you provide clients at your dealership. (Side note: enhancing Customer Experience doesn’t necessarily require lavish spending; rather, it involves selecting wise investments that are informed by your Customer Experience strategy.)

 

Creating a strategic position based on the particular characteristics and objectives of your business and your consumers is the first step in creating a customer experience difference. Your strategic analysis’ conclusions make a fantastic place to start when determining your stance.

 

CarMax is one company that has a distinctive posture in the retail car industry. According to Forbes, the Fortune 500 firm already has a market share lost as a result of the epidemic and makes more money selling used automobiles than any other dealer in the US. CarMax’s business approach, in contrast to that of many auto shops, successfully integrates online and physical capabilities and provides customers with a consistent experience across every engagement. Customers no longer need to repeatedly explain their demands to a salesperson when they can shop online, test drive at home, and make a purchase at the dealership.

 

Decide what you’re going to do and whether you have the personnel to complete it.

You can begin to transform these abstract concepts into strategic goals and strategies once you have clearly established your customer experience vision and strategic position. These goals and tactics will then be fleshed out in depth in a customer experience roadmap. This is choosing the automobile parts you want to create and how to use a well-known analogy.

 

You must decide which areas require improvement and how your dealership will proceed based on the findings from your analyses. For instance, you may think about developing a feedback loop to comprehend why, as well as refining your communication strategies and tools, if your objective is to decrease the amount of lost potential consumers (those who decide not to buy).

 

Your strategy will also outline the personnel and technological requirements you’ll need to meet your customer experience objectives.

 

Employees. Do you have enough qualified people on staff to meet your customer experience objectives on schedule? Consider hiring new people, assigning specialized skills to particular tasks, and how technology might improve employee productivity in this situation.

Technology. Digital technology will be used in every customer experience plan with the possibility of success to automate procedures that have a negative influence on the customer experience.  For instance, customer experience platforms are tools that allow businesses to offer 24/7 rapid, and individualized service to keep customers engaged.

Repeat after making adjustments.

 

Some of the foundational elements of a strong strategy that will direct your customer experience transformation have been discussed. You must have a solid understanding of who you are, what you compete with, and how you will attract clients in the digital age.

 

You should not underestimate the significance of your customer experience approach. But it’s crucial to keep in mind that nothing is definite. Your customer experience strategy serves as a crucial road map for your customer experience transformation. However, you must always adapt to match your clients, who are always changing.

The Advantage of Videos for Your Dealership in 7 Ways.

If your dealership is like the majority of them, you’re trying hard to up your marketing game. Being at the head of the pack is difficult because of the intense competition and the constantly shifting landscape of marketing alternatives. You may be exploring a variety of marketing strategies, but the video is one that you’re probably underusing.

 

Even if you currently use video in your marketing, there is more you could be doing to take advantage of this potent tool. Video marketing is beneficial at every stage of the consumer journey when done properly. Video marketing was employed by 81% of organizations in 2022, up from just 63% in 2021. Few techniques are as effective in converting prospects into consumers.

 

You can use video in the following ways to give your dealership an advantage:

 

1. Vehicle tours: To be effective, vehicle walkaround videos don’t need to be highly polished. These quick and easy-to-make videos offer prospective clients a clearer view of your inventory and can emphasize vehicle attributes that tempt car buyers to visit your dealership.

 

2. Instructional advice: How-to videos are the third most popular type of YouTube video. You may establish credibility with your audience by providing quick instructional films on monitoring tire pressure and oil levels.

 

3. Describe your procedure: Transparency can go a long way toward assisting you in developing trust, so why not demonstrate how things are carried out? Create brief videos demonstrating your used car inspection and certification process, lot setup, and storm cleanup. Your audience will respect you more if you are genuine.

 

4. Test drives: 72% of customers prefer to watch a video to understand more about a product. What more effective way to teach people about your inventory than through test drive videos? This is a fantafantastic,pressure format for presenting your best models.

 

5. Reviews: Even though features are fantastic, reviews on features are even better. Being truthful and upfront in your review will help you establish rapport and trust. It’s acceptable to state that a certain model isn’t always a family vehicle or that a different model might not be the best choice if you enjoy doing road trips, for example.

 

6. Comparing features and weighing benefits and negatives is a significant aspect of the auto-buying process. You may direct the decision-making process and provide some excellent insight into your inventory by creating a feature comparison video.

 

7. Testimonials: People are moved by stories, which is why they are powerful. Because they enable your audience to see and hear the emotion that lies behind the words of your satisfied clients, video testimonials are even more impactful.

 

These easy video marketing strategies can increase traffic and better engage potential clients. In fact, when watching a video, people retain 95% of the material, compared to only 10% when reading text, which means your marketing messages are being communicated more successfully throughout your customers’ entire customer journey.

13 Social Media Marketing Strategy Tips That Will Help Your Business Succeed

Missing the mark. fail your plan. This is particularly true when it comes to developing a social media strategy for your company and actually attracting new customers, clients, etc. You need a strategy if your company wants to make the most of social media marketing.

 

Here are 13 recommendations from industry professionals that have helped our thousands of clients succeed on social media!

 

Part 1 of a summer social media strategy guide: Keep Facebook Ads Fresh

 

Keep your ads up-to-date and pertinent. Keep in mind that advertising on social media is advertising. Commercial, print, and social media advertisements are everywhere. Update them on your social media platforms, please!

 

Customers want to see new things, so keep in mind the importance of variation and aim to incorporate it into your Facebook advertising campaign. Be original!

 

2. Use fresh Facebook ad formats.

 

Facebook Lead Ads—have you heard of them? Without requiring consumers to leave Facebook, lead advertising automatically captures client information. No matter where your advertisement is viewed, your clients will have a user-friendly experience thanks to the advertisement’s mobile-first design.

 

3. Properly track your Facebook ads

 

You can identify which efforts are effective by monitoring the results of your Facebook Ad campaigns. This is possible with Facebook conversion pixels, which track website leads in your Facebook advertising manager and let you create bespoke website audiences to reach customers more effectively with promotions and offers that are more specifically tailored to them.

 

4. Effectively utilize online video ads

 

Avoid posting YouTube videos directly to your Facebook profile, even though it might be tempting. Sharing in this method results in a post that is choppy and unprofessional. Post your videos directly to Facebook instead. They automatically start playing, look better, and get more clicks.

 

5. Regularly check for comments on advertisements

 

Without follow-up, an advertising effort is essentially pointless. The effectiveness of a commercial depends on how consistently it responds to inquiries about it. Although comments on ads may not show up on your timeline, they may contain questions about your goods and services. As part of your Facebook marketing strategy, review your advertising for leads and comments.

 

Online Reputation Management Tip #6: Get Favorable Comments on Important Websites Like Google

 

Consumers who study a company online before making a purchase utilize Google in 89% of cases. Customers will still see reviews of your company even if they aren’t actively looking for them because Google now displays reviews from throughout the web.

 

One of the most effective ways to maintain your internet reputation is to search for and view your company from the perspective of a potential client. Look for keywords that people might use to reach your company or group, and keep in mind that a good internet reputation is an insurance for whatever money you spend on marketing. A full-time career could involve administering, enhancing, and watching over your social networking and review sites.

 

7. Keep an eye on Yelp and take advantage of check-in offers to get more reviews.

 

Millions of people read reviews on Yelp. When Apple customers are looking for directions to your company or group, they will also see your Yelp rating because Apple even features Yelp ratings in its Maps program.

 

Another piece of advice is to use check-in promotions to make your positive Yelp reviews “stick.” With upgraded Yelp profiles, you can restrict competitor advertisements from appearing on your page and better promote your company.

 

8. Avoid trying to manipulate the system.

 

Negative reviews are never welcomed by a company, but getting more positive ones will “push” the poor ones to the bottom. However, the good ones must be trustworthy. In fact, providing gifts or any other form of payment in exchange for evaluations is prohibited. Another temptation would be to hire a business that provides this service or make up fictitious consumers to submit fictitious reviews. Yelp and other review sites are too savvy for such strategies, and your business will suffer as a result.

 

9. Regular Website Checking

 

Are you aware that search engines may replicate your company? To ensure that the information returned by online searches is reliable, it is vital to verify websites frequently. We keep track of and maintain more than 325 sites for our clients to boost SEO, and we can do the same for your company or institution. Get a free Intel report from us to find out how you appear online and to receive expert advice on how to look even better.

 

Publish & Distribute on Social Media

10. Maintain Relevant, Up-to-Date, and Error-Free Content-Free

 

Keep it tidy. Avoid using jokes (that maybe only you find humorous) or religious stuff that could be seen as even the slightest bit divisive. Keep the information current and fresh as well. Include your most recent offers, promotions, and regular activities.

 

Keep in mind that visitors may assume you are out of business if your content is outdated. Verify the veracity of the information. Before posting, make sure to double-check your work for accuracy and presentation.

 

11. Commenting on Posts Generates Leads

 

The main focus of social media is engagement and communication. If you don’t check your posts for comments, how will you know if someone is inquiring about the automobile you’re selling or the course you’re offering? Comments can be leads. Avoid developing a reputation for being unreachable. You also don’t want any comments, positive or negative, to be disregarded! Recall to express gratitude to those who provide positive feedback and address the issues raised in the negative feedback by taking the topic offline right away.

 

12. Carefully promote posts

 

Post promotion is a fantastic strategy to increase revenue-generating content for your company. Although Facebook has an auto-promotion tool, it is not advised to use it as not all content will link back to your company.

 

Examples of posts that aren’t about business include: – “It’s reading month. Check out these wonderful books to enjoy during the summer!

-Inspirational Sayings

 

Promoting these articles won’t bring customers back to your store. Content that includes links to other websites will, in fact, only help those websites. In the worst-case circumstances, these promoted postings can send visitors to a different website that has rival advertisements on it! Make sure to only share content that has a link back to your company.

 

13. Check to see if your images are clear and the right size.

 

The last piece of advice we have is to make sure your business’s photos and reels are clear, informative, and branded. Make sure to change the image’s size if you decide to use it on Facebook, TikTok, YouTube, or other social media platforms. Test the image frequently to see it from the perspective of a different client. Change it if it appears unprofessional. Additionally, bear in mind that everything you publish will have your profile image connected, so try to present yourself in the most professional and recognizable way for your company.

An Overview of Three Steps for Using Facebook and Technology to Boost Used Car Sales

This year, Cox Automotive predicts 39.5 million used-car sales. According to a senior economist for the National Automobile Dealers Association, the average monthly payment difference between new and used cars is continuing to widen, which will probably lead to more buyers turning to the used-car market. Is your dealership outfitted with the latest technology to win this year’s used car sales?

 

In the past 12 months, 60% of people who purchase used automobiles have seen or heard a social media advertisement that prompted them to act. 83% of people who purchase used cars are frequent Facebook users. This year, dominate the used-car market by connecting with active buyers on Facebook, where they are already spending time. There are three actions that your dealership may take on Facebook right away to boost used car sales.

 

1) Post used goods on Facebook Marketplace/ TikTok

 

According to a recent study, 66% of auto purchasers claimed they would buy a vehicle on Facebook Marketplace/ TikTok. When it comes to bringing your inventory in front of these potential automobile purchasers, your dealership has options! You have two options for promoting your used inventory feed: either manually uploading the individual used cars you wish to move off the lot or working with a Facebook/TikTok-approved vendor who will submit your whole feed for you.

 

Your dealership can contact nearby vehicle consumers on a website where they are already probably looking by posting your inventory on Facebook. 61% of consumers between the ages of 18 and 54 have bought something on Facebook Marketplace/TikTok. It makes no sense to not present your goods to this audience of buyers who are ready to make a purchase.

 

2) Keep an eye on and reply to messages in the Facebook Marketplace.

 

Due to Facebook Marketplace’s simplicity and speedy responses, 93% of users rate their experience as favorable. Make sure you are keeping an eye on and reacting to each Facebook Messenger lead if you plan to submit your inventory to Facebook Marketplace. From VDPs on Facebook Marketplace, car purchasers will have the ability to message your dealership.

 

Every month, 1.2 billion individuals use Facebook Messenger, and even more use TikTok. which is increasingly used for customer care. Make sure your dealership has the resources (people or technology) to reply to Facebook messages from prospective customers. The next step is to pose qualifying questions to customers to ascertain their level of interest before routing leads to the appropriate team member. Have a strategy in place to promptly follow up with leads that arrive after hours, as up to 40% of leads do so.

 

3) Gather leads that are VIN-specific and send them to your CRM for quick follow-up.

 

Give your customers options when you do answer, please! According to SimpSocial’s ground-breaking Mystery Shop Study of more than 1,500 dealerships, only 15% of them provide new car possibilities when a consumer inquires about a used automobile.

 

This indicates that 85% of dealerships are passing up the chance to present clients with choices that would be better suited to the purchasers’ individual tastes. Integrating your new inventory with Facebook Messenger will allow your dealership to offer options to auto buyers for both new and used vehicles, which is the greatest approach to getting over Facebook Marketplace’s “pre-owned only” restriction!

 

To achieve this, you should collaborate with a business that can connect your inventory with Facebook Messenger, enabling your dealership to begin obtaining VIN-specific leads that are sent straight to your CRM for prompt and effective follow-up.

How companies can avoid typical social media errors is outlined under the hashtag “#Fail”

On social networking sites, many things can go wrong. The majority of errors are trivial, but when you do make one on social media, a large global audience is watching. While dull articles are pardonable, other errors might seriously harm the company’s bottom line. Here are some typical social media mistakes your business can be making and simple tips to make sure they never happen again, from not having a plan to getting into an argument online.

 

Not coming up with a social media approach

 

This one may not seem clear to the typical social media user, but without a social media strategy, they are unlikely to discover your posts in the first place. You must create a social media strategy to ensure that your material is being seen by prospective customers if you want your company’s traction on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube to skyrocket.

 

Having a goal for each social media platform is one of the simplest modifications you can make to your company’s social media strategy. Perhaps it makes sense for you to use Instagram and Twitter to increase brand recognition while reserving Facebook mainly for leads who are a little bit more qualified. Or, if you run a business-to-business venture or work for an employer, LinkedIn might become your best buddy. Whatever your company’s goals are, social media will assist you in achieving them and connecting with a better, more engaged audience.

 

Businesses can target individual consumers on social media platforms with comparatively inexpensive ads. Because they will only be shown to the audience you have determined to be interested in your goods or services, using the correct targeting and bespoke audiences—even your own database—can transform your ads into informative postings as opposed to pointless content. Your outcomes will also be improved. Targeting Facebook users in the Phoenix area who are interested in purchasing an SUV, for instance, will produce considerably better results than doing the same for Arizonan vehicle purchasers. Create a fundamental strategy for your company’s benefit.

 

Not speaking with the client

 

Even if you now have a solid framework for your company’s social media strategy, you still run the risk of making error number two: failing to interact with your clients. Your company should target those people specifically with its social media material now that it is clear who it wants to reach. In other words, speak directly to your clients rather than appearing to be a faceless corporation attempting to appeal to everyone. Use words and visuals that will enthrall your particular target and compel them to descend further into the sales funnel.

 

Ignoring bad criticism

 

How you respond to unfavorable testimonials, remarks, and articles about your company says a lot. Negative reviews should be considered a chance to streamline procedures and demonstrate to the social media audience that you value customer satisfaction. Even if you are aware that the complaint is unfounded and the review is merely the product of a disgruntled customer venting, you should still respond to negative reviews. Do this professionally and avoid engaging in online conflict.

 

When receiving unfavorable comments, your best course of action is to remain composed and solve the customer’s issue. Providing your contact information and letting the reviewer know you’d like to chat with them to learn more about their complaint, for instance, is a good idea if a client had a less than ideal encounter with your in-person sales personnel. Making an online offer for free services, discounts, or refunds is the last thing you want to do to resolve an online complaint since others can see it as a way to obtain these benefits in exchange for writing a negative review.

How to be a better business partner: Goodbye, Bad Business Practices

When our adventure began years ago, the objective was to forge strong bonds not only with dealers but also with other vendors who shared SimpSocial’s principles. A consistent message was presented during conversations and product demonstrations in the hopes that people would see the benefits of our offering and spread the word about it. When we collaborate with like-minded people who share our goals, we anticipate positive outcomes. A few years ago, I still held the same convictions; now, our network is still expanding enormously, and our purpose has not changed.

 

 Successful Networking

 

 The effectiveness of your network’s references to you or your company when speaking to present and future clients is what matters most when it comes to networking, not how many people you know. This merely indicates that others share your beliefs; it does not imply that money must be exchanged. Being dependable will help you and your partners develop a strong sense of trust. A strong and lasting relationship is built on a mutual commitment to a common objective and the development of trust.

 

 Here is an illustration of a demo created for a Facebook group. I met this group through networking. I leaped at the chance to share accurate information about our goods and services, and the fact that it was then followed up with a Facebook shoutout made the experience much more fun!

 

Prolonged Growth

 This is a strategy for upstream marketing. It is a long-term strategy for the business that takes the future and how the enterprise will be reflected in the future into account. You won’t see the results of your marketing right away, so it also takes a lot of effort and patience. By collaborating effectively as a team, you keep your message constant for the client and the network. Likewise, it’s crucial to cultivate these connections. Someone is considerably more likely to think of you when opportunities emerge if you are always on their minds. The upstream result of this process is SimpSocial.

 

 Success Need Not Be an Alone Experience

 

We have always valued the fact that our suppliers endorse our goods to their clients with the same level of assurance that we do. One such instance involves InteractiveTel, Inc., a business with which we integrate. When the client mentioned having CRM problems, they were still working with the client at the time. The dealer was advised by InteractiveTel to look at SimpSocial and ask for a demo. We are always grateful for the influence other automotive industry experts have in introducing clients to us and making that first contact.

Why advertise on Facebook and TikTok for automotive?

As social media marketing platforms like Facebook and TikTok gain popularity, dealerships have a fantastic opportunity to connect with customers while establishing brand loyalty to keep customers. This chance to communicate with clients has been enhanced by the rise in mobile device usage. The best way to put it, according to Facebook, is to “give people the power to build community and bring the world closer together.”

 

Mobile phones and social media are changing the way people make vehicle purchases. The two platforms at the center of this transformation are Facebook and TikTok, where users share their lives and learn what matters to them most. If you are an auto dealer, the best and most relevant area to reach your consumers is where they spend the most time.

 

Why Facebook and TikTok for Automotive Marketing?

Effective digital marketing for your auto dealership is more crucial than ever because consumers are considering more vehicles than ever while visiting fewer dealerships. Because the majority of customer research and deliberation occurs on a mobile device, it may be done from home or while the consumer is on the road. Individuals now spend more time online and have access to more vehicle information, which has changed how individuals shop for and assess cars. It’s important to grab attention and communicate the appropriate idea to the right audience at the right moment.

 

Visually Liven Up Your Brand

Images and films that are compelling may really bring your brand to life. Facebook and TikTok are the ideal social media channels for this. These artistic canvases enable you to visually express your narrative and are excellent for driving business success and brand building. With the help of visuals, text, sound, videos, compelling post copy, and hero photos, you can rapidly grab people’s attention. Additionally, you may produce 360-degree images or movies of your dealership or even to promote a particular vehicle, which is an engaging way to interact with potential consumers.

 

Did you know that, after Facebook, TikTok is the second-largest and fastest-growing marketing platform?  Due to the integration of TikTok and Facebook advertising, TikTok users can utilize all of Facebook’s sophisticated targeting options. People engage with businesses they see on TikTok by making purchases.

 

Reach your ideal audience with precise targeting.

You can make sure your advertisements are viewed by the right audience by using Facebook’s accurate and incredibly exact targeting options. Customers can be targeted using Facebook’s sophisticated targeting tools based on their demographics, way of life, stage of life, hobbies, and intent, as well as their location, site visits, customer list, and third-party data.

 

How to Create Leads Like a Pro

Sending information before you set foot in the dealership has never been simpler thanks to the opportunity to submit a lead form with only a few finger taps. The contact information that a user supplies on Facebook is instantly filled into the form when they click on your Facebook advertisement. As a result, completing online forms takes much less time and effort.

 

You can now better reach your desired target audience where they spend the majority of their time on TikTok and Facebook, in addition to being able to generate leads for your business.

How Consumer Purchasing Patterns Have Changed in the Automotive Sector

Over the past few years, the automotive sector has undergone a continuing, dramatic revolution. This significant change is the result of evolving consumer buying behaviors, connected technologies, and consumer mobility, all of which have an impact on how consumers research and ultimately purchase vehicles.

 

New technological advancements and the rising popularity of social media marketing have created a new type of consumer that is both informed and empowered. This indicates that there are countless opportunities to market your auto shop.

 

How has the process of buying an automobile changed?

People used to drive from showroom to dealership looking for the perfect car “back in the day.” These days, the salesperson is in charge. He or she set the price of the car, decided how much information would be released about it, and maintained control over the situation throughout discussions. Today, it is not at all the case.

 

Those same auto buyers are now formulating ideas and making judgments through their own independent web research before even setting foot in the dealership, driven by digital trends and fueled by mobile device use.

 

Where do automobile buyers look for information?

Customers are more aware than ever before, which means there are more elements influencing their purchasing decisions than ever before. If you want to attract a customer’s attention before they look elsewhere, all of this information must be publicly available and simple to obtain. The number of 3rd party websites that consumers use to research vehicles and make purchases is gradually rising. Examples of these sources include Facebook, TikTok, YouTube, Cars.com, Edmunds, and CarGurus.

 

The majority of auto buyers today use their mobile devices to do research while they are actually at the dealership; in fact, the most popular thing people do with their phones at the dealership is checking to see if they are getting a decent deal on the vehicle. When visiting the dealership, searches for CarGurus and rival dealers happen more frequently. Dealerships must have all the information that customers are looking for readily available and accessible, especially on mobile.

 

What impact has video had on the car-buying process?

Video is no longer just an “up-and-coming” fad; it is here to stay. More than TV, newspapers, or magazines, YouTube had an influence on 69% of those who used it to research cars. Video marketing not only has a great return on investment but is also quite popular with customers. Specifications and features films, test drives, and interior and exterior walkthroughs of vehicles are among the types of videos that automobile purchasers watch.

 

Who makes new automobile purchases?

The response? Who are they? Millennials. (Those that fall inside the millennial age bracket are those who were born between 1982 and 2004.) Millennials will make up 40% of the market for new cars by 2023, and 88% of them research automobile purchases online. For auto dealerships to interact with this generation of vehicle purchasers, it is more critical than ever to establish a strong, reliable internet presence.

 

What features are essential in a new car today?

The urge for connectivity among this generation is supported in part by cars. According to a poll by Autotrader.com, a car is crucial to the social lives of younger millennials (72% of whom said as much). Today’s cars must have a certain amount of technology, style, and features. Today’s car purchasers demand a car with basic safety features, Bluetooth, a rearview camera, parking and reverse sensors and a navigation system.

 

According to social media, the “ideal car” has all of the technological elements mentioned above in addition to offering a comfortable ride and comfortable seats, a roomy cabin, a strong engine, and heated seats, and a steering wheel. The appearance and aesthetics of a vehicle are becoming more significant to buyers as social media usage increases. 80% of the interest in searches for “pictures of [automotive brand]” on mobile devices has increased year over year by 37%.

 

How do you react to the shifting market for automobiles?

In this mobile-driven retail environment, businesses that excel seize the chance to be present and helpful to automobile buyers at those “micro-moments,” or the intent-rich moments when individuals use their mobile devices to go, do, or buy. Whether they occur at 3 p.m. or 3 a.m., you must devise fresh strategies for presenting yourself with pertinent information whenever those micro-moments occur. A customer’s physical presence at the store is much less important than the store’s availability wherever and whenever a customer may require it.

How to successfully implement a customer experience vision in the automotive retail industry

According to McKinsey research, organizations that prioritize customer experience had three times the shareholder returns as opposed to those that did not.

 

Since times are tough, many auto dealers are barely getting by. It hardly seems like the appropriate time to begin a company revamp. But the need to put customers first and center is actually being accelerated by the current circumstances.

 

The moment is now to make investments in customer experience, or CX.

 

Few vehicle dealers will contest the significance of changing the CX. But starting the process is a difficult task. Particularly in siloed organizations where each department faces unique problems that must be addressed separately.

 

Creating a smooth road involves pouring concrete over a flat surface. It will be spotty if there are bumps all over the place. However, if you want to travel anywhere, you must create the road.

 

Fortunately, Rome wasn’t constructed overnight. The process can be made much simpler by dividing the customer experience transformation into tiny, achievable parts.

 

The first step in a tried-and-true strategy for improving your customer experience and securing your competitive edge is defining a clear CX vision. Let’s examine what a customer experience vision is, why it’s important, and how to get started.

 

What is a vision for the customer experience?

A dealership’s impact on its consumers is described in a statement called a customer experience vision. It provides direction to the entire organization on how to conduct themselves when interacting with consumers and how to make wise judgments that are in line with the greater good. Since customers are at the heart of contemporary, customer-centric businesses, the terms “company vision” and “company purpose” may frequently be used interchangeably.

 

CarGurus, as an example of an auto retailer’s customer experience vision, has “a vision for helping automotive shoppers better navigate their car search.” It prioritizes improving the automobile shopping experience for customers, which is important, and is closely connected with the company’s mission of “building the world’s most trusted and transparent automotive marketplace.”

 

Three justifications for why car dealers need a customer experience strategy

How to make a customer experience plan more effective

When we are unsure of where we are going, it is far too simple to lose motivation. Your CX strategy is illuminated by your CX vision. It provides a firm with a clear direction, aids in goal-setting, the formulation and implementation of your strategy, and ensures that consumers are always put first in all business decisions.

 

catalyst for culture change to one that is customer-focused

A movement in the entire company’s attention in the direction of the customer is sparked by a customer-centric aspiration. Employees make decisions with the customer in mind, and sales teams and executives begin discussing customers rather than leads. Do you say we’re talking about customers and not leads? How can we increase our sales? Companies that prioritize delivering value to consumers over “winning a sale” are 60% more lucrative. Talking more about people and less about business has benefits. The irony, my..

 

integration of organizational silos

Silos are your number one pet peeve, in case you didn’t know. The way these departments work creates friction for both customers and employees and makes running the dealership much more difficult than it has to be. One method to bring these silos together and establish a sense of a unified organizational culture is through a customer experience vision. According to CustomerThink, a global community for customer-centric business strategy, departments work toward the same goal, employees feel better connected with coworkers, and consumers have a more uniform experience across the board, or a “one-company experience.”

 

Your vision for the client experience should include these four things.

Even though every firm will have a different vision, there are a few guiding concepts that can help you create a successful vision.

 

Ordinarily, a compelling vision is:

 

Customer- and business-focused

Yes, the needs and wants of the client form the basis of the CX vision. However, the business’s goal, values, and purpose must also be in line with the vision. A dealership with the goal of offering inexpensive vehicles to a large number of people will have a very different vision than a high-end auto store with a specialized customer base. Your vision must be unique to your business and your target market in order to be effective for you. concise and direct.

Although they may sound impressive, long-vision statements will probably fall flat. Employees may find them challenging to understand, let alone recall. Your vision statement ought to have a clear, concise message that can be expressed in one or two sentences. Although it’s generally agreed that anywhere between five and eight words is the sweet spot, utilize as many as are necessary to convey your message without the meaning being muddled. Your vision statement will be easier for employees to remember if it is concise.

 

accessible to all organizational levels for interpretation

Avoid using jargon, superlatives, and any subjective terms like “great,” “best,” and “superior” that could cause uncertainty. Use simple language that doesn’t need to be explained. To create something that the entire dealership can comprehend and deliver, you should consult the staff.

 

How to develop a vision for the automobile customer experience

Recognize what consumers value

Many businesses make the mistake of assuming that their clients care about certain things. We have said it before, and we will say it again. Before creating a customer experience plan, you must make the time and effort to deeply understand your customers.

 

Customer journey mapping from beginning to end is one way to get there. assemble and examine consumer information from all phases of the customer lifecycle. Get information from your CRM, and comments from staff who interact with customers, and take pleasure in some in-depth discussions with your clients. Create a map of the entire process and mark the elements that encourage loyalty, repel customers, and anything else you should be doing.

 

the purpose of your business.

Reminding yourself of your company’s larger ideals, mission, and vision is a smart idea. If they are no longer applicable, this can also be a chance to reexamine them. In order to create a distinctive CX vision that distinguishes you from your rivals, you must intimately comprehend the DNA of your business.

 

Build your vision together

After having a solid understanding of the company’s beliefs and those of its customers, consult the entire dealership to develop a shared vision. This makes it easier to get everyone in the organization on board, especially front-line employees who engage with customers directly.

 

ahead is a smooth road

Auto retailers must change the experience they provide to suit today’s customers since the automobile industry is on the verge of total disruption. This could entail a few touchpoint adjustments, but a complete revamp is more likely. In either case, having a clear vision that directs your entire dealership’s strategy moving forward is essential for getting you where you need to be and avoiding any roadblocks.

7 Quick Tips to Optimize Your SimpSocial Ad Campaigns

Optimization is not a concept.

 

It’s what performance managers do. every day, all day (well, almost).

 

The beauty of performance is how you can monitor your campaigns, see what works, and use that information to perform better. That, in essence, is optimization. But there’s a lot more to it.

 

Ad networks like SimpSocial use advanced technology behind the scenes to determine in real time where to place your ads so they will get the most exposure with the best audiences.

 

This is where you come in.

 

By learning some quick optimization guidelines, you’ll help your SimpSocial campaigns improve and get the results you are aiming for.

 

Here are the top 7 social media optimization tactics you should be using right now:

 

1. Set your campaign tracking for conversions

This is really essential to getting the most from your SimpSocial performance. By defining a conversion-based goal, you can optimize your campaign according to its true purpose. We’re not just talking about hard conversions, such as “Buy a product” or “app download”, Even for gentle conversions, this is absolutely recommended. For example, if you set “Page view” as the conversion, you can monitor users who visited your site for at least 30 seconds and optimize towards them.

 

2. Create an audience segment for each conversion

This custom segment will include every user who reached your landing page, even those not via your SimpSocial ads. When the audience segment gets big enough, you can establish a lookalike campaign, composed of users who are similar to, and share the same interests as, your already-converting audiences. This is a good tactic to help enhance your campaign’s conversion rate and even push it further.

 

3. Separate your campaigns by platform

As a general rule, mobile and tablet traffic sees higher CTRs than desktop traffic, although it does depend on the particular vertical and targeting, Due to the variances in CTRs, SimpSocial’s algorithms may prioritize mobile traffic over desktop traffic when both are included in the same campaign. For this reason, it is recommended to segregate your campaigns by platform, so you’ll have one campaign targeting desktop users, and another targeting mobile and tablet users. You can also choose to target mobile and tablet devices in separate campaigns, but make sure the available reach is large enough before you do so.

 

4. Start by running on the complete SimpSocial audience

When creating your first campaign, choose to run on SimpSocial’s comprehensive audience, without any specific targeting. This provides a chance for users to get to know you, and for the system to gather data on which audiences are viewing and interacting with your ads. This is really essential for the optimization of future campaigns.

 

5. Target one category of advanced targeting per campaign

There are several advanced targeting options on SimpSocial, including interest targeting, attribute targeting, and IAB category targeting. It is best to target just one of these advanced groups per campaign. Why? By targeting these specific audiences, you are already narrowing your reach. If you target two specialized categories in one campaign, then your reach will be even smaller. It is preferable to target just one group per campaign so you can still get seen by the widest possible audience within your chosen targeting parameter.

 

6. Use ad block targeting

Ad block targeting enables you to exclude users who have ad-blocking software installed. While this cuts out users who won’t see your ads, it can really narrow your potential reach in other ways. For example, if your landing page does not have ads, there is no reason to include ad block targeting. For these campaigns, make sure not to include ad block targeting.

 

7. Set one country/region per campaign and one product per campaign

Effective campaign targeting strikes a delicate balance. On the one hand, your reach should be high enough so your ads are seen by a large audience. On the other hand, you want to focus your targeting on the people who are most likely to be interested in your product or offer. Optimize your targeting by setting your campaign to just one region or one product. This will keep the campaign super-focused, yet with an optimal audience reach, so you’ll get better results.

Streamlining Lead Management to Increase Appointments

Auto industry pioneers can provide fresh viewpoints to help auto dealers resolve their most pressing problems.

 

Only about 12.5% of leads show up for showroom appointments, according to our experience. Low lead conversion rates are now a widespread problem in auto dealerships.

 

Adding more funds to lead generation is a typical solution. More input should result in more output, according to theory. But there’s good news. Strategies for lead acquisition by themselves are insufficient to make a difference, and they are also expensive. The way leads are managed throughout the buyer’s journey is where the true problem resides.

 

At each stage of the lead engagement pipeline, about 50% of leads abandon their involvement. Consider a scenario where only 50 of your 100 new leads are contacted, only 25 requests an appointment, and only 12.5% of those appointments are kept.

 

You don’t need to be an expert in mathematics to realize that you need to switch gears and concentrate on raising lead engagement rates. However, the burden cannot fall on the sales and BDC teams, who already find it difficult to stay on top of every lead.

 

Automation is useful in this situation. Dealerships may increase engagement at every level of the lead management process by automating some tasks. Let’s examine how automating the procedure is the best decision dealerships can make to draw more customers into their stores.

 

1. To increase contact rates, send responses that are timely and appropriate.

According to SimpSocial’s chief, “the biggest challenge for car dealers is getting in touch with potential customers so they can nurture them.” Incorrect contact information and disconnected phone lines are a couple of causes for this. However, a more important factor is that sales and BDC teams don’t react swiftly enough to new prospects, who need high-quality solutions practically immediately.

 

Dealerships may boost lead contact rates while relieving the burden on sales personnel thanks to automation. By automatically sending the appropriate message to the appropriate location at the appropriate time, auto-responders do tasks that people are unable to reliably and effectively complete at scale.

 

Good message. Incoming inquiries can be automatically responded to with pertinent responses from auto-responders that are customized for each individual lead or group of leads. Dealerships can tailor their responses depending on a number of factors, including the type of lead inquiry (new vehicle, used vehicle, upgrade) and the lead source (dealership website, third-party website, referral). To establish trust with customers and help them feel valued rather than just another number, personalization is crucial.

Right location. Dealerships must be certain that their consumer outreach uses a successful channel of communication. Even if chat, email, and the phone all have their advantages, SMS consistently produces the best results. 98% of texts are read and opened. To increase the likelihood that prospective purchasers will pick up and read the message, auto-responders can send text messages to them automatically.

ideal moment. Connecting with leads quickly is essential. According to research, the vendor who answers first receives 50% of all purchases, and firms are 100 times more likely to engage a prospect within 5 minutes than they are within 30. To ensure that dealerships consistently meet their response time goals, auto-responders can be designed to react right away to incoming messages.

What about the leads who take a little longer to respond? People are easily sidetracked and may lose concentration on the current objective, which is car shopping. If a person doesn’t reply within 24 hours after being contacted with a courteous reminder, AI bots can re-engage them. As an illustration, “Are you still interested in the car”? “Did you hear from anyone at the store?” Is this a suitable phone number to reach you at?

 

2. Encourage participation by starting meaningful conversations

Another significant difficulty facing vehicle dealers is nurturing leads for conversion. Currently, dealerships either don’t follow up with leads long enough to turn them into appointments, or their rivals do a better job of it. Dealerships’ emphasis on rapid wins, or customers who are prepared to buy, is one factor. In the near term, this can appear to be a successful strategy, but 50% of eligible leads aren’t ready to make a purchase. As a result, it alienates a lot of people who need nurturing over a longer period of time.

 

Automobile dealerships may nurture customers for as long as necessary until they take action using automated follow-up text message sequences. By communicating pertinent information at the appropriate time, bots engage in meaningful discussions with customers. By conversing both passively and actively, they can mimic human interaction. For example, they can answer questions from customers and get in touch with them to request action as necessary.

 

3. Make it simple to schedule appointments to increase show-up rates

The hardest part might seem to be over once a prospective buyer schedules an appointment, and you’d be forgiven for thinking that. However, as we already mentioned, 50% of leads frequently lapse before they even reach the shop floor.

 

The buyer must schedule the appointment in their calendar, input the pertinent information (time, date, and place), and keep their word in order for the buyer to show up. A no-show could happen if any of these things go wrong.

 

Dealerships can take control of scheduling thanks to automation, which can raise the set-to-show ratio to as high as 80%. Car dealerships can automate the appointment request process so that clients’ phones receive reminders and the appointment is automatically scheduled in their digital calendar. Dealerships can eliminate scheduling mistakes and increase commitment in this manner.

 

What about the other 20% of those who continue to fail to appear? Dealerships may re-engage no-shows thanks to automated communications tools. Dealerships can set up their software, for instance, to automatically send a message to customers who missed an appointment asking them to reschedule.

 

4. Bonus: Boosting lead counts through revival campaigns

Dealerships are missing a trick by simply concentrating on bringing in new customers. Companies are more likely to close a deal with an existing customer (60–70%) than with a fresh lead (5-20%). Making contact with your current clients is a wise move that can help you stay in touch while also perhaps generating new leads from people who already know and trust your business.

 

Dealerships not only lack the resources to reengage customers, they often misunderstand the value of doing so. Even managing fresh leads is too much for the BDC and sales teams, let alone managing revival efforts.

 

With automation, dealerships can program a routine to send warm text messages to long-time customers who are due for an upgrade or new model, say, six years after purchase, in order to reconnect with them. For instance, they could only wish the customer a happy birthday or inquire about how their car is working out. This puts the dealership in the customer’s mind while they are actively considering making another purchase.

 

Final thoughts

Automation enables dealerships to have meaningful, human-like discussions with potential customers, which can increase contact rates, the number of scheduled appointments, and appointment attendance.

 

Even the most skilled sales team cannot perform at the scale of automation. Although it may be perceived as a threat to the workforce, it is actually a vital instrument for contemporary commerce that enables dealerships to engage with customers quickly and relevantly. Automation actually relieves some of the pressure on BDC teams and allows them the freedom to accomplish something that no tool can: convert leads into human connections.

The most recent Facebook update is altering how car dealerships use Facebook advertising.

Facebook’s newest product for auto dealers is “On-Facebook Destination for Automotive Inventory Ads” (AIA). The inclusion of this new ad format was intended to enhance the user experience and increase the number of opportunities to generate leads on the Facebook platform. Facebook invited SimpSocial to participate in the alpha and beta testing of this new ad format in November 2019. We conducted multiple case studies with Facebook in order to provide valuable metrics and data demonstrating the efficacy of this product. With the same budget, we saw an increase in overall reach, VDP views, and leads. Here you can find out more about On-Facebook Destination for Automotive Inventory Ads (AIA) and our Facebook beta test.

Why should AIA’s destination be Facebook?

 

Offer a Frictionless Customer Experience: The average dealership website takes 9.3 seconds to load.  Page abandonment is more likely to occur with slower display times. You can instead direct users to a Vehicle Description Page within the Facebook application. It loads in less than one second, and the user can submit a lead through Facebook Messenger in real-time.

 

Cost-per-lead and cost-per-content view were reduced by 82% and 17%, respectively, when users were directed to an on-Facebook destination experience as opposed to a website destination experience.

 

Reach in-market shoppers during their purchasing journey: There are over 20 million monthly searches for used vehicles on the Facebook marketplace in the United States. With On-Facebook Destination, you will have access to premium ad spaces at the top of the Marketplace vehicle feed and on consumer vehicle listings.

How do I get started?

• Curious about how to get started? Follow our simple instructions below to begin using On-Facebook Destination for AIA immediately:
• Contact Experts in Social Media on the Website
• Ensure that your dealership has the appropriate inventory mix.
• Verify that a messaging provider or someone at the dealership is responding to Messenger messages.
• We will verify that the leads are reaching your CRM.

Utilize Facebook Destination for AIA marketing campaigns!

SimpSocial pioneered this product and assisted the Facebook team in creating AIA’s On-Facebook Destination. We are able to manage this new ad format and ensure that your leads are managed appropriately. Our social media specialists are pleased to offer this new Facebook product to our customers. Contact us to find out how to get started!

Do you lack LeadsCon?

If you are involved in marketing or provide telecom support to marketing, you are aware that voice and messaging are essential components of lead generation and the consumer experience as a whole. Consequently, lead generation best practices are evolving at the same rate as the telecom industry and its rules and regulations. How can one keep up?   LeadsCon is the premier event for remaining current on lead generation, nurturing, and conversion. However, if you are like the majority of us, there is neither time nor money to attend. This year, SimpSocial has a team attending, and in this month’s industry briefing, we’ll take you along for the voyage!   Join SimpSocial Marketing Director and webinar presenter SimpSocial  as he discusses the following topics with industry experts, strategists, customers, and exhibitors from 25 different verticals:   -Building an impenetrable, completely compliant opt-in messaging list of individuals who want to hear from you!   How selecting the optimal voice service provider can maximize the return on your investment in speaking   -What prospects anticipate from a well-executed text message (hint: the principles can actually assist you!)   What is your approach to numbers? Whether you’re calling or texting, the number(s) you use say something about you.   -The benefits of a SimpSocial lead generation strategy   -Tips for ensuring that your messaging campaigns are authorized and implemented   Do not delay! Register now to hear all of LeadsCon’s best practices without leaving your workstation.

How TikTok Can Enhance Your Online Presence

TikTok is replacing Facebook, Instagram, and Snapchat as the preferred platform for businesses to advertise their products and services. With over 3 billion downloads and 1 billion monthly active users, TikTok has rapidly become one of the leading video-sharing social platforms. The app’s algorithm evolves with the user, and the machine learning system tracks what they view and interact with to create the ideal user experience: the more TikTok is used, the better the experience.   How does TikTok advertise? TikTok advertisements are everything that networks television commercials aspire to be: concise, pertinent, non-disruptive, and engaging. The development of the app can be partially attributed to its user-friendly, native advertising format, with ads seamlessly blending with organic content on the “For You” feed. The greatest benefit of TikTok advertising and marketing is that it raises brand awareness, increasing your brand’s visibility and credibility while facilitating user engagement.   How will TikTok benefit my company?   1. First-Mover Advantage Businesses with early adoption of TikTok have a competitive advantage over their peers. Possibilities for cultivating profound customer engagement and unrivaled brand awareness are limitless due to the lack of precedent and abundance of creative options.   2. Mobile-First Infrastructure Businesses are shifting to a mobile-first marketing mentality, and TikTok is an excellent method to reach more than 2.7 billion unique mobile users worldwide. TikTok was designed with the mobile experience in mind, providing it an advantage over the billions of mobile devices that are used daily. Native ad placements generate engagements and target in-market users, thereby boosting conversion rates.   3. Low Effort, High Payoff There is a very low barrier to entry for launching a TikTok advertising campaign, which translates to highly effective campaigns with minimal effort. To create quality content, all you need is a smartphone. You can concentrate on locating consumers who are relevant to your niche and posting content that aligns with your brand’s image with minimal investment.   Increasing Age Groups As the TikTok platform has become more ubiquitous, its user base across all generations has grown significantly. By 2022, 72% of all TikTok users will be between the ages of 19 and 39. Utilizing TikTok to target the younger demographic that is interested in your products can be advantageous to your business and increase your overall number of leads.   5. Increased Organic Reach TikTok is distinguished from other platforms by its greater organic reach and overall user engagement. This is due to the algorithm’s emphasis on hyper-curating the feed based on each user’s specific interests. It also relates to the average amount of time spent on the site and the daily quantity of content consumed on the app. Users in the United States spend an average of 68 minutes per day on the application. The watch ability and shareability of TikTok content also increase website traffic, making it an ideal platform for expanding your audience and generating consistent leads.   6. Viral Possibility By participating in popular trends, employees of your business can utilize the platform to increase the likelihood of creating viral content. TikTok enables you to exhibit your business’s personality and brand through viral challenges, customer testimonials, and product highlights.   Using TikTok for Business Promotion TikTok has limitless, unrealized potential and opens the door to additional video opportunities for your business and industry as a whole.  The game of short-term, consumable content has just advanced. Are you all set?   Click Here Digital has experience with TikTok advertising. We are pleased to be the pioneers in this industry and are actively collaborating with TikTok representatives to remain abreast of the latest developments. Contact us to start promoting TikTok advertisements for your business!  

The Top Ten Telecom News and Trends

With new rules, fees, products, and trends, the omnichannel world of cloud voice and messaging is busier than ever. It’s sometimes simple to forget why we’re doing what we’re doing!   Therefore, this month’s industry briefing is a summary of the newest and finest information to keep you informed. SimpSocial, a webinar facilitator and SimpSocial veteran, discusses:  

• How UCaaS renders the desk phone obsolete (and makes it superior)
• Important voice and messaging compliance dates are imminent
• In addition, toll-free redundancy ensures that your calls are conveyed.
• Text messaging is (still) the simplest method to effectively engage people.
• Enable SMS on all of your numbers, particularly your toll-free ones.
• Deactivate inactive message campaigns (or pay a fee).
• Call cost vs. quality…
• E911 is not either/or; there’s a better method
• Three items to consider when selecting a voice and messaging provider

  Register immediately for a concise 30-minute overview! Got questions? SimpSocial would be delighted to respond! (Got more questions? Check out our website for relevant blog posts, webinars, and videos.)  

Which sending method do you employ for your messaging campaigns, if any?

A year ago, many businesses similar to yours were obsessed with using standard phone numbers with local area codes that prompted customers to activate them immediately. With all of the new carrier requirements surrounding brand and campaign registration, as well as fees, restrictions, penalties, and likely hassles, you may feel frightened. You would have company.

Long code messaging, or 10DLC, is ideal for certain applications. But you must remain abreast of the most recent changes that are increasing complexity and the likelihood of incurring a penalty. If you’re like most companies, you’re a little hesitant.

 

At SimpSocial, we’re ecstatic about the growth of short code messaging, which offers distinct benefits such as fast, unfiltered throughput to even the largest lists. Once a number is established, you can reach a large number of people almost immediately. Additionally, we are processing more toll-free campaigns, which is excellent for brand promotion. Our messaging experts have a comprehensive understanding of the advantages and disadvantages of each messaging type, as well as the ideal use cases for each.

 

Moreover, we understand how to position your short code application for the quickest approval and how to optimize long code brand and campaign registrations. We can evaluate your use case and ensure that your messaging satisfies the requirements, along with rate information so that you can make an informed decision based on the current state of affairs.

 

If you need more assistance, you can port your numbers to another provider, or you can use our award-winning messaging API to integrate SimpSocial into your existing platform; your options are limitless.

 

If messaging is causing you headaches, please contact me for a free consultation with no obligation.

Reputation management: What is it?

You may have heard a number of stories about how bad reviews caused another company to fail. You might be wondering what your company can do to deal with bad reviews and get good ones. An outline of reputation management for companies like auto dealers is provided here.   What exactly is reputation management, then? Nowadays, when most customers conduct their research for potential purchases online, maintaining a positive internet reputation is more crucial than ever. Reviews, whether they are brief, highlighted comments, or in-depth feedback, are frequently used for this. There are other ways your internet reputation might be discovered, but if your main activity is offering or selling goods or services, reviews may be the most significant indicator of your online reputation.   The process of influencing and reshaping public views of your company is known as reputation management. One method to achieve this is through effective marketing, which you can learn how to do by conducting a thorough internet search. But it’s also crucial to interact with folks who have opinions about your company, and that’s what we’re mostly discussing today.   Your reputation management strategy. Reputation management is based on the premise that you can only influence what people see of your company, not what they think. The finest practices in this area concentrate on making sure that customers choose your company based on what they see online.   The greatest strategy to manage your reputation is to conduct yourself in a trustworthy, professional, and ethical manner at all times. If people discover that you done something obviously wrong, no amount of damage control will be able to keep your company from failing. You may be confident that people will notice that other people notice if you are conducting business properly from the start. That garners greater interest and, ideally, more clients.   However, managing your reputation truly means dealing with issues that have the potential to damage it. When someone provides negative feedback, we can interact with them to address their issues. When we interact with them, it should be in line with how we would like to be handled if we provided similar comments about another company. It ought to be respectful and professional. Most importantly, it should be truthful and honest. If we made a mistake, we ought to own up to it, provide an apology, and seek advice on how to fix it. In the end, most people might want us to figure out how we can do business better, with the exception of a few spiteful commenters.   In addition, effective reputation management entails motivating others to compliment us. If we aren’t adept at encouraging others to submit reviews on review websites or on our social media profiles, it will be challenging to do this. Businesses can do this with the aid of various tools. You can identify people who you would find valuable by conducting a thorough online search.   Will effective reputation management benefit your company? Yes, to answer briefly. In reality, the way you conduct business and how others perceive it will increase interest in your company. People will view you as a dependable collaborator in helping them make knowledgeable judgments regarding utilizing a good or service. People will be glad to cooperate with you and spread the word once they have done this. Your company will expand as a result, and your internet reputation will remain favorable. Above all, reputation management is necessary to ensure that your company succeeds in the cutthroat internet marketplace.   This has been an introduction to reputation management, including what it is, how to use it, and whether it benefits your company. We wish you the best of luck in establishing your company as one that cares about its clients!

Online Reputation Matters More Than Ever

Today, you probably examine online reviews before visiting a restaurant, motel, or service department. In this digital age, removing the veil on what corporations, products, and services want us to believe about their business versus what consumers have really experienced with their organization is instinctive. Today, they want the good, bad, and ugly upfront so they can make an informed choice.   Every dealer should understand how FTC’s new review collection and display standards will affect their business. Why? Our study shows that 93% of car purchasers utilize customer reviews to choosing a dealership. 93%!! It couldn’t be clearer that you need to tighten up your review and reputation management plan before you lose clients you didn’t even know you had.   Check your Google Business Profile, get online reviews flowing, audit review websites, and set up a powerful CX plan to use customer reviews to grow your business.   What’s new?     Starting April 26, 2022, FTC guidelines require both positive and negative reviews to be published instantly without a holding period.   DealerRater, an industry partner, said its Community Guidelines will filter reviews that don’t fit their standards, but all reviews will be shown promptly. DealerRater often holds bad ratings for 14 days before publishing, giving dealers time to manage.   Why do you care?   Every minute a negative review remains online without a company response could cost the organization new business. 8% of buyers didn’t contact a dealership due to unfavorable reviews and/or treatment.   SimpSocial dealer partners must monitor and respond immediately.    Dealers can: continuously check the dealership’s reputation on many major sites rapidly connecting to consumers boosts the reputation promote good ratings and effectively reply to negative ones or help settle disagreements, producing even more reviews because most consumers give positive reviews (81% for purchases, 88% for service) when prompted. We added a couple of extra tools for quick awareness and response since reviews are time-sensitive:   SimpSocial automatically gathers reviews, removing the need to log in and check for pending publishing reviews. DealerRater’s “resolved” button will alert consumers to amend their reviews. Online reputation management is crucial. Due to a vehicle inventory shortage, increasing interest rates, online national retailers moving into local stores, and staffing shortages, consumers are constantly searching online for vehicles that meet their needs, budget, and timeline. Dealers must avoid losing sales due to unfavorable reviews or unsatisfactory responses.   SimpSocial will help your store stand out from internet sellers and local dealers alike.

How Dealers Can Turn Auto Shoppers into Buyers

After attracting new customers to your dealership, you need automotive digital marketing tools to convert them into purchasers.   To satisfy customers, dealers must increase customer service and communication. Implementing the right technology will improve the customer experience and help your organization grow.   Online engagement will help your dealership sell. Technology can help with pandemic-exacerbated labor shortages.   Dynamic 24/7 lead response, AI chat, personalized videos, top inventory merchandising sites, and online credit prequalification are essential automobile digital marketing methods.   AI lead response software generates customized quotations.   Customers like ongoing communication and rapid responses. It’s the best method to keep customers coming back. AI handles these responses and follows up on leads promptly and routinely.   The SimpSocial Response Logix solution boosts your dealership’s visibility and customer experience to sell more cars.   Kia of Alhambra sought a simple way to reply to leads online and follow up with prospective car purchasers. Response Logix from SimpSocial helped the California auto dealership close more internet leads and never miss a lead during employee changes.   Kia of Alhambra’s general manager claimed Response Logix helps quote all internet leads and improves follow-up. “Many reactivated leads!”   Response Logix automatically replies to leads within 10 minutes 24/7, making it essential to automobile digital marketing. Due to inventory shortages, the technology emails a quote with numerous new and used vehicle selections and the vehicle car customers inquired about.   AI-powered chatbots convert more leads.   Your website, Facebook page, and text message AI chat helpers offer the finest first impression by answering numerous initial queries. Your dealership needs AI to answer qualifying questions, make appointments, and direct conversations to the right team member when human support is needed.   Brown’s Fairfax Nissan wanted to boost lead volume and conversion rates through messaging.SimpSocial  Response Path helps the Virginia car dealership engage customers 24/7 and increase leads from their website and Facebook page.   Brown’s Fairfax Nissan’s general manager said Response Path improves customer service and leads capture and conversion. “Response Path is helping us book appointments with car buyers and service customers, and our closing ratio is 31%.”   Response Path enhances your automotive digital marketing solutions by engaging customers and converting more leads 24/7. AI optimizes your dealership.   Video-engage customers   Easy-to-use video lead engagement technology records sends and monitors videos so your dealership can communicate with customers and display your brand in the most favored medium.   Online research and communication have increased consumer video viewing. Learning the best video methods to sell and service more is crucial.   70% of people prefer watching a brief video to learn about a new product or service, and 78% watch web videos weekly. Record product characteristics, safety measures, and special offers with your tech-savvy personnel or a trusted partner like SimpSocial.Custom videos are great for email and text marketing in automobile digital marketing.   Muller Honda of Gurnee wanted to easily record a sales event video. Video Logix and Response Path Power Text texted over 20,000 customers the video link. One video link sold five automobiles at the Chicago dealership. Text drove thousands of video views.   “It was simple. Easy setup. The Muller Honda of Gurnee marketing manager claimed everything was easy.   Boost inventory management   Automotive digital marketing should include inventory merchandising. Posting your automobiles on YouTube, Facebook, BestRide, and Google will attract targeted buyers and improve customer engagement.   Despite inventory pricing and sourcing issues, you must efficiently package your autos to new car buyers. These top sites will help your auto dealership surpass sales targets and improve customer service.   SimpSocial optimizes SEO on YouTube’s second-largest search engine by creating VIN-specific videos for each vehicle in your inventory. Your digital marketing solutions need high-quality films since 75% of auto consumers claim internet video influences their shopping behavior.   Facebook Marketplace updated recently. SimpSocial may promote your new and used automobile inventory on Facebook. 73% of automobile buyers use Facebook the most. Real-time virtual showrooms display vehicle inventory on your business page.   Dealers can also advertise their vehicles on BestRide.com through SimpSocial. Eighty-six percent of auto purchasers use BestRide.com’s interactive business-to-consumer marketplace and buy a car within two weeks.   Google Business Profiles should include live vehicle inventory. Your Google profile should have updated discounts, hours, and vehicle inventory as 8 out of 10 consumers don’t visit on your website. SimpSocial automatically posts your dealership’s live vehicle inventory, saving your staff time and effort.   Simplify buying.   Prequalify car purchasers online so they know what they can buy.SimpSocial Credit Logix eliminates guessing and speeds up the buying process for all consumers, including those with bad credit.   Royal Automotive Group converted 60% with Credit Logix. Arizona dealer’s car digital marketing solutions depend on credit tool. Why bother selling an unaffordable car?   Royal Automotive’s marketing manager remarked, “Our deals fund faster with our approval time down to 18-23 minutes. “Our average subprime buyer conversion increased from 30% to 60%. Our sales doubled.”   SimpSocial sales enablement team and solutions can help manage all these tools and strategies. Today’s market makes hiring and managing leads difficult, but the appropriate technology and people can convert dealers’ sales and service prospects.   McClinton Chevy Mitsubishi boosts sales, cuts costs, and solves personnel issues with SimpSocial Sales Boost. Sales Boost handles inbound internet leads, outbound calls, and sales and service appointment scheduling for the West Virginia dealership.   “We’re selling more cars and exceeding our sales goals with SimpSocial,” said McClinton Chevrolet Mitsubishi’s major owner. “Their technology and team handle all our inbound leads, delivering great results daily.”

Do you know about connected consumers?

  “Connected Car” is the industry buzzword, but we should be talking about “Connected Consumer.”   The auto industry has been obsessed with the “connected car” and all the components needed to aggregate vehicle data and information for future product development, service opportunities, and more for over 10 years.   With all the talk about the connected car, we’ve lost sight of the goal: connecting with consumers and building a loyal, connected customer base.   Today’s car has 176 “connection points.” The automobile collects data like a software platform. Driving habits, vehicle performance, and communication with drivers, service providers, emergency operators, dealerships, OEMs, etc.   The consumer has hundreds of touchpoints, 36 of which are purchase and ownership touchpoints. DMV, insurance, F&I, lender, and dealership.   Dealers may interact with them personally and profoundly in many ways. Dealers, lenders, OEMs, and F&I suppliers all want to provide customers with fast, relevant messages via the best media. Technology and data are used throughout the customer journey. The vehicle is ideal for addressing captive audiences.   Connecting Consumers to Cars   SimpSocial released its 9th Annual Automotive Customer Experience Trends Study in March 2022. We asked 5,000 consumers about dealerships, vehicle inventory shortages, and car purchase and service decisions.   Four major observations showed consumers seek individualized communication.   High Need-to-Know. 20% claimed the dealer didn’t update them on their vehicle order. Unanswered is bad. 31% stated a dealership didn’t respond to their vehicle buying inquiry. It rose from 6%. They Said. Online reviews influenced dealership selection for 93% of vehicle buyers and 87% of service customers. Be flexible. Streaming entertainment is preferred by many viewers. 70% streamed movies, sports, and entertainment. Consumer communication is unexplored in streaming commercials. Modern technology is great. There’s absolutely no reason to skip a chance to meaningfully connect with consumers to improve the customer experience. Dealers may use car data and platforms to build loyalty, engagement, and service, sales, and F&I revenue.   How can you optimize the linked car-consumer relationship? Audit your consumer communications to find weaknesses. This examines a store’s online presence, communication, and audience. Most dealers are astonished by the gap between how they see themselves and how customers see them.   Request a sample or our free SimpSocial online reputation audit report to uncover the connected communications gap.

Beat Your Biggest Competition

Despite the hype about online retailers like Carvana snatching clients from local dealers, many dealers see their biggest competition as other local dealers. In our previous webinar, approximately 75% of dealers said a local dealer of the same brand, followed by a nearby dealer of a different brand, kept them up at night. We needed to know this because the new and used vehicle industry is competitive, and we want to provide the best-focused solutions to help dealers beat their competition. Google Vehicle Ads is our latest inventory merchandising solution. Discover more here. This carousel of dealers’ vehicles at the top of the search page links to their website’s VDP (Vehicle Details Page), keeping shoppers close. Google a vehicle and see what appears in the advertisement’s carousel. Since the functionality is rolling out, you may need to reload it a few times. Your dealership? If not, start! Ready to enroll? Contact us to get started.  Fill out the form or contact demo@simpsocial.com.

Future-proofing Auto Retail

Bernstein’s 38th Annual Strategic Decisions Conference is noteworthy. Ford CEO Jim Farley’s lecture on car retail’s future shocked dealers. Dealers have been talking about how it affects them and consumers. He discussed OEM direct-to-consumer sales, one price, no public advertising, EVs, dealership transformation, and standardizing services like pick-up and delivery.   Whether you agree with Farley’s vision or not, auto retail is always changing, and your dealership must keep up to win the sale and earn long-term customer loyalty. Recognizing that one size does not fit all, dealers must leverage the finest technology, solutions, and processes to provide the best client experience.   Lean on automated technology to help your team manage ads, emails, SMS, and social media. We have all your work-free solutions.

Conversations to improve the automobile customer experience

We knew the situation was dire. However, our own car-shopping experiences allowed us to understand the frustration. From having to wait too long for information to repeatedly retelling our stories to different departments, the entire experience was disappointing.   Dealershipsavaging, disjointed, constant dialogue, and competitive interactions. not a helpful, continuous discourse, as we have come to expect from brands.   We delve into the rationale behind shifting focus from sales to conversations, the anatomy of an engaging conversation, and how to use conversations to enhance the consumer experience.   If you are not persuaded, go buy a car.   What is amiss with the current sales-driven strategy? When prospective customers initiate contact, they are promptly added to a sales pipeline. a linear sequence of events designed to move prospects from unqualified leads to qualified leads and, if all goes according to plan, to a sale.   Several errors exist here.   Customers are frustrated by the typical sales process. The traditional sales pipeline hinders the connection between customers and enterprises. Often, just establishing the initial connection requires a lengthy game of back-and-forth in which both parties give up.   Retailers must qualify leads and pursue them via phone and email multiple times before making contact. Leads are required to complete forms, wait unhappily for a callback, listen to voicemails, and wait again. As they progress through the process, they interact with numerous departments, including BDC, sales, and finance, among others.   The language used by those who wish to conduct commerce with you. The manner in which businesses discuss their consumers reveals how much they value them. When businesses discuss individuals in terms of leads and sales, the business-customer relationship is transactional from the outset and concentrates on the monetary value a customer represents.   The procedure lacks consistency. It is not personal. It is not human-centered. It is the antithesis of what makes modern consumers excited.   What do engaging dialogues entail? Engaging dialogues necessitate connecting with consumers in real-time to facilitate their transition from one stage of their customer journey to the next. Customers engage in a continuous dialogue with your brand, both in-person and across devices and applications.   By enabling automotive consumers to connect with your company when, how, and where they choose, you can eliminate friction along the customer journey and create the standard of customer experience that consumers now expect from every brand with which they choose to engage.   It is presently impossible for sales teams to provide instant and helpful responses to every single end user without assistance. For auto retailers to achieve this at scale, conversation-automating technology is essential.   The structure of a captivating discourse Constantly, dealerships have constant dialogue with prospects and customers. But not all conversations are made equal. Engaging conversations combine the basic elements of human communication and more recent expectations driven by communications technology.   Let’s first remind ourselves of the basics.   The definition of a conversation is, and always has been, an informal exchange of ideas and information between people. And whether chatting with friends or businesses, “people expect conversations to be helpful, personal, and empathetic.” We’ll explain.   Helpful. Customers begin conversations with an intended outcome. Maybe they want more information on prices or specs, or they want to book a vehicle inspection. Dealerships need to give relevant answers to help customers reach their goals quickly.   Personal. No one wants to feel like a number. Customers want to feel like brands are carving out time to have one-on-one conversations with them. Personalizing conversations includes using the customer’s name and tailoring recommendations based on their knowledge or preferences. This makes customers feel valued and more likely to remain loyal.   Empathetic. This is the opposite of the more apathetic traditional marketing and sales techniques, where sellers do most of the talking. People want to feel like they are listened to and understood. This means that customers must have control of the conversation—they ask questions, they choose when to engage. Retailers must listen carefully and respond when the opportunity arises.   Second, we need to take into context the modern-day influences that are shaping conversations. Messaging technology is shifting customer behavior and leading consumer brands are setting new standards. Conversations also need to be:   In the right place. Many consumer-business conversations happen in the digital sphere, via SMS, instant messaging apps, chatbots, or social media. Dealerships need to meet customers wherever they are or lose out to competitors that readily communicate via these platforms.   At the right time. Customers don’t like hanging around for answers. They expect brands to respond almost instantaneously to messages. (Even at 3am, when your sales team is sleeping.) Conversational platforms allow dealerships to automate immediate responses to queries no matter the time and no matter the scale. Without the need for sales and support to work around the clock.   Improving the end-to-end customer experience with engaging conversations We touched on some of the pain points customers experience in the “sales pipeline.” This is only a snapshot of the bigger picture. Pain points span the end-to-end automotive customer journey, from pre-purchase to customer service, to the end of the relationship. A direct consequence is painfully low customer satisfaction and loyalty.   Yet auto dealers still have the opportunity to turn this around. Enabling real-time conversations across the customer journey can directly impact the customer experience and their loyalty to your company.   Let’s see how dealerships can use conversations during the purchase journey, customer service, and beyond.   Nurture new contacts In the run-up to purchase, potential buyers typically interact multiple times with dealerships via a number of platforms. They want answers quickly. After just five minutes, lead response times significantly decline.   This creates chaos for sales teams. We see it all the time. Sales agents bust a gut to find every incoming message and reply in quickly time. But the sheer volume of messages is too much to handle and responses are delayed. In the end, potential customers lose patience and find answers elsewhere.   Dealerships can take advantage of real-time conversations to reply to incoming queries quickly and keep customers engaged. Dealers can set up automatic messages and message sequences to new inquiries so they can send out relevant replies to queries as and when they come in. At the least, this helps to keep the buyer connected until a member of your team can engage in a deeper conversation.   For the business, not only can speed keep customers in your sales funnel, it can potentially reduce the time they stay there and increase your ROI.   Improve customer service satisfaction Any dealership can see that customer loyalty is declining. A number of factors are to blame, but customer service (or lack of) is a big one. According to a Microsoft survey, 95% of 5,000 respondents said that customer service influences their loyalty to a brand. With tunnel vision for closing the deal, dealers are unable to give customers the level of service they expect.   Real-time conversations enable customers to communicate how and when they want with the automotive service team. This can help customers troubleshoot minor issues out of working hours, or keep them engaged until a service technician is available. Conversation bots can also schedule service appointments, which makes the process quicker and easier for customers and the dealer.   Plus, car dealers can automate sales follow-ups without even having to pick up the phone. For instance, you can automatically send a friendly SMS to check on all customers that purchased within the past few days or remind them later on to book a vehicle service check-up.   Re-engage long-lost contacts Sales teams are grafting to respond to prospective buyers, yet old contacts haven’t heard a peep from you in years. Your customers are much more likely to purchase from you than non-customers. So, why do most auto retailers focus more on nurturing new “leads” than old ones?”   Hey, we know it’s not easy. Dealerships don’t have departments dedicated to re-engaging, so it takes time and manpower you don’t have. This is where real-time conversations come in. They allow you to automate the re-engagement process by initiating conversations with all those contacts who purchased months, years, or even decades ago.   For example, you could automatically engage with customers who bought, say, over five years ago to see if they want to trade up their model or send an automated reminder to customers whose lease warranty will soon expire.   Automotive consumers are unhappy about dealerships’ “lack of interest [and failure] to interact” once the sale is done, according to Deloitte research. Keeping the conversation going afterward with the help of technology isn’t just the perfect antidote, it also gives them a good reason to stay loyal.   Nothing gives you better insight into your customers’ experience than putting yourself in their shoes.

USE FACEBOOK ADVERTISING TO INCREASE DEALERSHIP SALES

You may have heard of these two phrases by now and believed they didn’t relate to your company’s Facebook advertisements. Many companies that are only interested in scaling have turned to Facebook marketing over the past few years. And it’s simple to sit back and assume that because everyone is using them, your marketing may not get very far. But the reality is different. Facebook advertisements may be effective for any type of business, even auto dealerships. We’re going to provide you with a few pointers today on how to use Facebook advertisements for your auto shop.   Know Your Goals First When you know what you want to achieve, Facebook Ads Manager works perfectly. Yet it might be a little daunting if you’re not entirely sure what you’re looking for. Know what you want to achieve with Facebook advertising before you use them to promote your auto business. Are you hoping to increase your sales? more people walking? more traffic to the website? Always set your objectives first, and then enter the advertisements manager with a clear idea of your company’s direction.   Add a Vehicle Reference This one might seem apparent, but the majority of people don’t follow it because many enter Facebook advertisements without fully understanding their sales strategy. Occasionally people create humorous videos in the hopes that they may gain organic popularity. But that’s not the approach you ought to take. Make sure all of your advertisements pertain to cars, that’s what you need to accomplish. Focus on those looking for autos and never stray from your company.   Do you require social advertising, organic social management, reputation management, Facebook Marketplace, or community-focused marketing services? The truth is that in today’s online environment, word-of-mouth marketing is no longer enough to sustain considerable growth. That is significantly more difficult. For years, SimpSocial has aided businesses and entrepreneurs in expanding, and we want to do the same for you. To get started, call us at (888) 829-1110.

The Benefits of Long-Term Lead Monitoring

To make sure that no leads slip between the cracks, a dealership must implement a strong follow-up strategy. Making the most of each lead that comes your way is essential given the fierce competition in the automotive market. Sadly, a lot of dealerships have trouble following up on long-term leads, which results in missed opportunities and dropped sales.

 

The explanation for this is straightforward: lead follow-up is a laborious operation that takes a lot of time and resources. It can be difficult to keep track of every lead and make sure they get the attention they require when there are so many to maintain. Automation becomes important in this situation. Using technology will enable you to automate the lead follow-up procedure and make sure that no lead is overlooked.

 

The ability to keep organized is one of the main advantages of automation. By using a text messaging platform, you can keep track of every lead you have in one spot, making it simple to determine which ones need to be followed up on and when. In order to guarantee that you never miss a follow-up opportunity, you may also set up automated communications.

 

Automation also gives you the ability to customize your follow-up actions. You may establish a rapport with your leads and improve your chances of closing a deal by using a text messaging platform to send them tailored messages. Moreover, personalization can assist you in overcoming typical obstacles and addressing any queries a lead may have.

 

Automation can also help you save time and resources in addition to these advantages. By using a text messaging software, you can automate a lot of the follow-up procedure and give your sales team more time to work on other projects. This can boost your production and efficiency, resulting in more sales and a better return on investment.

 

In summary, long-term lead follow-up is an essential part of any profitable dealership. Using technology and automation will help you stay organized, customize your efforts, and save time and money while streamlining your follow-up procedure. By using a text messaging network, you can make sure that no lead is overlooked and that every opportunity is thoroughly investigated.

Why partner with SimpSocial?

Some things in the marketing industry will never change, despite the fact that it grows rapidly every year. One of these is successful marketing. Even if you offer the best goods and services available, your business may fail if you are unable to connect with your target market. Keep up with the times if you want to succeed in today’s ever-evolving environment. The fiercely competitive world of the car business is the place where this is most obvious. Count on SimpSocial to put your company on the road to success.

 

The beginning of a new automotive era

 

Like other technology fields, the automotive business is always evolving to meet consumer needs. The process of buying a car is about to undergo a major transformation, and dealerships may soon see a decline in traffic in favor of online shopping. Being at the forefront of technology is more crucial than ever as EVs (Electric Vehicles) become more widely available.

 

Why Choosing SimpSocial Is the Greatest Decision You’ll Ever Make

 

You might say we’ve made a name for ourselves in the field of social media advertising with a 99% efficacy rate. The target audience of today doesn’t watch television with an open mind to a well-placed commercial’s sales pitch. We are equipped to effectively reach your clientele on the many social media channels where they are active.

 

Using Data Research for the Best Outcomes

 

Market research teams used to meet for hours at a time to figure out the best method to reach potential clients. The game has changed today. Even though market research is still being done, it is based on data that has been gathered, allowing us to target the correct audience at the right time. There is no longer a “throw stuff at the wall and see what sticks” mentality. There is only one implementation strategy that can be relied upon to work.

 

Better Content is Achieved by Innovative Thinking

 

Our crew is extremely motivated and aware of the need for the best possible outcomes. Our team includes specialists in design, animation, and direction. We have worked with prestigious firms like BMW and Bentley, and we can also get the best outcomes for your business.

 

SimpSocial will assist you in connecting with your clientele in ways you might not have anticipated. Even if the automobile industry has been changing, the desire to succeed and be the best will always be present. Visit SimpSocial.com to learn more and get moving toward a fresh start.

Lead Abandonment: A Pricey Issue

Dealerships spend a lot of money on lead generation initiatives including marketing, advertising, and lead creation campaigns. Due to lead abandonment, the practice of losing up on leads after a certain amount of time, many dealerships struggle to turn those leads into sales. InsideSales.com found that sales representatives often lose up on a lead after just 1.3 contact attempts. This means that even if they first indicated an interest in a product or service, many potential clients are never approached again.

 

For dealerships, the effects of lead abandonment can be expensive. Every lead is a prospective customer, and ineffective follow-up results in missed sales. Also, it is expensive to generate leads, particularly in light of the fact that we are aware that dealerships employ expensive marketing strategies like paid advertising. That investment is practically lost if those leads are not adequately developed and converted.

 

Lead abandonment causes include:

 

Dealerships may struggle with lead abandonment for a number of reasons. Lack of resources is one frequent cause. It’s possible that sales representatives are overworked or understaffed to follow up with prospects properly. Dealerships occasionally might not have the tools or technology necessary to manage leads efficiently.

 

Ineffective lead nurturing tactics are another factor in lead abandonment. It’s possible that salespeople lack a clear knowledge of how to follow up with leads or that they lack the information necessary to tailor their conversations. This may result in follow-up messages that are impersonal or pointless and fail to connect with the customer or meet their needs.

 

Lead abandonment remedies include:

 

Dealerships must adopt an all-encompassing strategy that addresses the underlying reasons for the lead abandonment problem. Purchasing software or hiring more personnel is one way to manage leads successfully. By segmenting leads, utilizing automation tools, and giving sales representatives the appropriate information to personalize their interactions, dealerships may also create efficient lead-nurturing plans. It can also be beneficial to establish a culture of accountability by establishing clear expectations and goals for lead follow-up.

 

To lessen the workload on sales staff, dealerships should optimize their lead management procedures by streamlining workflows, removing pointless steps, or automating specific duties. It is possible to make sure that sales representatives have the abilities and knowledge required to manage leads successfully by providing continual training and assistance. Additionally, dealerships can increase the conversion of leads into sales by using data and analytics to evaluate the success of lead management techniques and pinpoint areas for improvement.

 

Conclusion:

 

For dealerships, lead abandonment is a costly issue. Dealerships can, however, enhance their lead management procedures and increase the conversion of leads into sales by adopting a comprehensive strategy that addresses the underlying reasons for the problem. Dealerships can better engage leads and boost their bottom line by investing in the right technology, creating efficient lead nurturing strategies, fostering an accountability culture, optimizing lead management procedures, offering ongoing training and support, and using data and analytics to guide decision-making.

Lead Abandonment: A Pricey Issue

 

Dealerships spend a lot of money on lead generation initiatives including marketing, advertising, and lead creation campaigns. Due to lead abandonment, the practice of losing up on leads after a certain amount of time, many dealerships struggle to turn those leads into sales. InsideSales.com found that sales representatives often lose up on a lead after just 1.3 contact attempts. This means that even if they first indicated an interest in a product or service, many potential clients are never approached again.

 

For dealerships, the effects of lead abandonment can be expensive. Every lead is a prospective customer, and ineffective follow-up results in missed sales. Also, it is expensive to generate leads, particularly in light of the fact that we are aware that dealerships employ expensive marketing strategies like paid advertising. That investment is practically lost if those leads are not adequately developed and converted.

 

Lead abandonment causes include:

 

Dealerships may struggle with lead abandonment for a number of reasons. Lack of resources is one frequent cause. It’s possible that sales representatives are overworked or understaffed to follow up with prospects properly. Dealerships occasionally might not have the tools or technology necessary to manage leads efficiently.

 

Ineffective lead nurturing tactics are another factor in lead abandonment. It’s possible that salespeople lack a clear knowledge of how to follow up with leads or that they lack the information necessary to tailor their conversations. This may result in follow-up messages that are impersonal or pointless and fail to connect with the customer or meet their needs.

 

Lead abandonment remedies include:

 

Dealerships must adopt an all-encompassing strategy that addresses the underlying reasons for the lead abandonment problem. Purchasing software or hiring more personnel is one way to manage leads successfully. By segmenting leads, utilizing automation tools, and giving sales representatives the appropriate information to personalize their interactions, dealerships may also create efficient lead-nurturing plans. It can also be beneficial to establish a culture of accountability by establishing clear expectations and goals for lead follow-up.

 

To lessen the workload on sales staff, dealerships should optimize their lead management procedures by streamlining workflows, removing pointless steps, or automating specific duties. It is possible to make sure that sales representatives have the abilities and knowledge required to manage leads successfully by providing continual training and assistance. Additionally, dealerships can increase the conversion of leads into sales by using data and analytics to evaluate the success of lead management techniques and pinpoint areas for improvement.

 

Conclusion:

 

For dealerships, lead abandonment is a costly issue. Dealerships can, however, enhance their lead management procedures and increase the conversion of leads into sales by adopting a comprehensive strategy that addresses the underlying reasons of the problem. Dealerships can better engage leads and boost their bottom line by investing in the right technology, creating efficient lead nurturing strategies, fostering an accountability culture, optimizing lead management procedures, offering ongoing training and support, and using data and analytics to guide decision-making.

The Real Reason Your Vehicle Sales Are Falling Knowing how to generate sales is one of the most difficult aspects of dealership management.

Even with the finest car models in town on display and a stellar car sales team, the end-of-month numbers remain unchanged. The fundamental flaw with such sales optimization strategies is that they fail to address the underlying problem. We’ll elucidate. In the past decade, automobile purchasers have undergone a radical transformation. People previously distinguished brands based on their products. Now, they make this decision based on their experience throughout the entire consumer journey. Unfortunately, as purchasers evolve, the current automotive retail model is rapidly becoming relegated to a bygone era. Many dealerships operate in a manner that diminishes the consumer experience rather than enhancing it. In fact, only 1% of automotive consumers report being “fully satisfied” with their car-buying experience. To aid in your comprehension of the issue at hand, we explain how communication, organizational structure, and retail channels are frequently misaligned with modern consumers, thereby negatively impacting the customer experience and your sales figures. You are leaving yet another voicemail, but the consumer has already moved on. Not being able to contact prospective purchasers and existing customers is a significant issue for dealerships. We are more connected than ever before; therefore, why is it so difficult? Consider the following case.

1. John submits a contact form on your website in order to receive more information about a car you are selling.
2. After 20 minutes, Gary from Sales dials John’s number.
3. John’s phone is unanswered.
4. Gary leaves a voicemail message.
5. Gary sends an email to John.
6. A few days later, Susie from Sales sends another voicemail and email. John never answers.

7. John has disappeared.

There are multiple problems present.

1. Response times are slow. 20 minutes may not seem like a long time to wait for a response, but it can make or destroy a relationship for the current generation. Twenty minutes could determine the success or failure of a sale.

 

2. Generic communication. The majority of BDC and Sales teams lack the resources and time to provide personalized responses to each potential customer. Typically, they respond to each inquiry with the same, impersonal response, which is likely to alienate customers.

 

3. The outdated method of outreach. Phone conversations are rapidly becoming obsolete. Statistically, fewer than one in four calls from an unknown number are answered.

Customers expect promptness, superiority, and convenience. They communicate with businesses in the same manner as they do with family and acquaintances. They send a text, email, or direct message through social media and expect an immediate response. Anything else may feel cumbersome and obsolete. Your company is vertical, whereas customers are horizontal. Consumer-brand relationships resemble intimate relationships more and more. Consumers anticipate that brands will understand their preferences, provide sound guidance, and provide a consistent experience each time they interact. There is a reason why consumer technology companies like Uber and Amazon are considered “best-in-class” for customer experience. When purchasing from Amazon, consumers can do everything in one location, including research, purchase, return, and review. Amazon guides them through the process by providing recommendations and an intuitive platform that nudges them delicately from one step to the next. When purchasing a vehicle, the narrative unfolds very differently. From purchase to after-sale, automotive consumers encounter friction at every stage of the customer journey. Almost every time they communicate with the dealership, they must speak with a different individual or team. They may have to repeatedly convey who they are and what they want to a complete stranger. This is primarily due to the industry’s and dealerships’ isolated structure. According to 41% of customer service professionals, organizational silos represent the “greatest barrier to customer experience.” They prevent dealerships from providing customers with the consistent experience they desire. Each department at the dealership, from sales to service, operates independently with minimal or no interaction or information sharing between teams. In the sales pipeline alone, there are the marketing team for lead generation, the business development center (BDC) for lead nurturing, possibly another team for converting leads into appointments, the sales team on the dealership floor, and more. When you consider all the departments that customers interact with — sales, finance, and customer service, among others — that’s a lot of different people to communicate with and a lot of opportunities to frustrate prospective purchasers. While you’re on the sales floor, your customers are in the cloud. Purchasing a car used to involve the following steps: A potential customer enters your dealership to view your inventory. They speak with your salespeople, who demonstrate vehicles that meet their needs. They visit a few of your competitors’ sites to repeat the same actions. They may return for a test drive and, ultimately, to sign the dotted line. All of this occurs in conjunction with the dealership. However, this is no longer how individuals search for cars. And for that, you can credit the Internet. The internet has changed the channels people use and their browsing behavior when purchasing a vehicle. A significant McKinsey study that examined auto retail trends in the United States, Germany, and China reveals that an increasing number of people supplement their interaction with a physical dealership with online channels during the car-buying process. Eighty percent of consumers now utilize online channels when gathering information and evaluating their options, according to the study. Omnichannel shopping is the commercial term for consumer behavior that involves both online and offline interactions. In the preceding investigation, McKinsey identified omnichannel consumers. To begin, consider “the hybrid customer.” They account for one-third of car purchasers. When seeking to purchase a vehicle, they utilize both online and dealership resources. They prefer to visit the dealership when evaluating their options in order to gain actual driving experience. The second group is “the online-savvy modernists.” They are increasingly dependent on the Internet. They typically gather information and compare options solely online, visiting the dealership only to close the transaction. However, when these modern consumers want to buy a car, they are frequently unable to do so in the manner they desire. This is due to the fact that the automotive retail experience at the majority of dealerships is still geared toward the elder generation, who prefer offline shopping. Your dealership’s survival depends on your adaptability. The current retail model and its components are incompatible with the new generation of consumers. And the risk is not limited to driving away customers and reducing sales in the immediate term; there may also be severe long-term repercussions. McKinsey predicts that if dealerships fail to provide the experience that consumers expect, this generation will cease purchasing automobiles altogether. Shifting the emphasis to the customer experience is crucial not only for current sales but also for the continued existence of your company and the automotive industry as we know it.

How to successfully implement a customer experience vision in the automotive retail industry

According to McKinsey research, organizations that prioritize customer experience had three times the shareholder returns as opposed to those that did not.

 

Since times are tough, many auto dealers are barely getting by. It hardly seems like the appropriate time to begin a company revamps. But the need to put customers first and center is actually being accelerated by the current circumstances.

 

The moment is now to make investments in customer experience or CX.

 

Few vehicle dealers will contest the significance of changing the CX. But starting the process is a difficult task. Particularly in siloed organizations where each department faces unique problems that must be addressed separately.

 

Creating a smooth road involves pouring concrete over a flat surface. It will be spotty if there are bumps all over the place. However, if you want to travel anywhere, you must create the road.

 

Fortunately, Rome wasn’t constructed overnight. The process can be made much simpler by dividing the customer experience transformation into tiny, achievable parts.

 

The first step in a tried-and-true strategy for improving your customer experience and securing your competitive edge is defining a clear CX vision. Let’s examine what a customer experience vision is, why it’s important, and how to get started.

 

What is the vision for the customer experience?

A dealership’s impact on its consumers is described in a statement called a customer experience vision. It provides direction to the entire organization on how to conduct themselves when interacting with consumers and how to make wise judgments that are in line with the greater good. Since customers are at the heart of contemporary, customer-centric businesses, the terms “company vision” and “company purpose” may frequently be used interchangeably.

 

CarGurus, as an example of an auto retailer’s customer experience vision, has “a vision for helping automotive shoppers better navigate their car search.” It prioritizes improving the automobile shopping experience for customers, which is important, and is closely connected with the company’s mission of “building the world’s most trusted and transparent automotive marketplace.”

 

Three justifications for why car dealers need a customer experience strategy

How to make a customer experience plan more effective

When we are unsure of where we are going, it is far too simple to lose motivation. Your CX vision is a source of illumination for your CX strategy. It provides a firm with a clear direction, aids in goal-setting, the formulation and implementation of your strategy, and ensures that consumers are always put first in all business decisions.

 

a catalyst for culture change to one that is customer-focused

A customer-centric aspiration ignites a shift in the entire company’s focus in the direction of the customer. Employees make decisions with the customer in mind, and sales teams and executives begin discussing customers rather than leads. Do you say we’re talking about customers and not leads? How can we increase our sales? Companies that prioritize delivering value to consumers over “winning a sale” are 60% more lucrative. Talking more about people and less about business has benefits. The irony, my..integration of organizational silos

 

Silos are your number one pet peeve, in case you didn’t know. The way these departments work creates friction for both customers and employees and makes running the dealership much more difficult than it has to be. One method to bring these silos together and establish a sense of a unified organizational culture is through a customer experience vision. According to CustomerThink, a global community for customer-centric business strategy, departments work toward the same goal, employees feel better connected with coworkers, and consumers have a more uniform experience across the board or a “one-company experience.”

 

Your vision for the client experience should include these four things.

Even though every firm will have a different vision, there are a few guiding concepts that can help you create a successful vision.

 

Ordinarily, a compelling vision is:

 

Customer- and business-focused

Yes, the needs and wants of the client form the basis of the CX vision. However, the business’s goal, values, and purpose must also be in line with the vision. A dealership with the goal of offering inexpensive vehicles to a large number of people will have a very different vision than a high-end auto store with a specialized customer base. Your vision must be unique to your business and your target market in order to be effective for you.

 

Concise and direct

 

Although they may sound impressive, long-vision statements will probably fall flat. Employees may find them challenging to understand, let alone recall. Your vision statement ought to have a clear, concise message that can be expressed in one or two sentences. Although it’s generally agreed that anywhere between five and eight words are the sweet spot, utilize as many as are necessary to convey your message without the meaning being muddled. Your vision statement will be easier for employees to remember if it is concise.

 

Accessible to all organizational levels for interpretation

 

Avoid using jargon, superlatives, and any subjective terms like “great,” “best,” and “superior” that could cause uncertainty. Use simple language that doesn’t need to be explained. To create something that the entire dealership can comprehend and deliver, you should consult the staff.

 

How to develop a vision for the automobile customer experience

 

Recognize what consumers value

Many businesses make the mistake of assuming that their clients care about certain things. We have said it before, and we will say it again. Before creating a customer experience plan, you must make the time and effort to deeply understand your customers.

 

Customer journey mapping from beginning to end is one way to get there. assemble and examine consumer information from all phases of the customer lifecycle. Get information from your CRM, get comments from staff who interact with customers, and take pleasure in some in-depth discussions with your clients. Create a map of the entire process and mark the elements that encourage loyalty, repel customers and anything else you should be doing.

 

The purpose of your business.

Reminding yourself of your company’s larger ideals, mission, and vision is a smart idea. If they are no longer applicable, this can also be a chance to reexamine them. In order to create a distinctive CX vision that distinguishes you from your rivals, you must intimately comprehend the DNA of your business.

Build your vision together.

After having a solid understanding of the company’s beliefs and those of its customers, consult the entire dealership to develop a shared vision. This makes it easier to get everyone in the organization on board, especially front-line employees who engage with customers directly.

Ahead is a smooth road

Auto retailers must change the experience they provide to suit today’s customers since the automobile industry is on the verge of total disruption. This could entail a few touchpoint adjustments, but a complete revamp is more likely. In either case, having a clear vision that directs your entire dealership’s strategy moving forward is essential for getting you where you need to be and avoiding any roadblocks.

Streamlining Lead Management to Increase Appointments

Auto industry pioneers can provide fresh viewpoints to help auto dealers resolve their most pressing problems. Only about 12.5% of leads show up for showroom appointments, according to our experience. Low lead conversion rates are now a widespread problem in auto dealerships.   Adding more funds to lead generation is a typical solution. More input should result in more output, according to theory. But there’s good news. Strategies for lead acquisition by themselves are insufficient to make a difference, and they are also expensive. The way leads are managed throughout the buyer’s journey is where the true problem resides.   At each stage of the lead engagement pipeline, about 50% of leads abandon their involvement. Consider a scenario where only 50 of your 100 new leads are contacted, only 25 request an appointment and only 12.5% of those appointments are kept.   You don’t need to be an expert in mathematics to realize that you need to switch gears and concentrate on raising lead engagement rates. However, the burden cannot fall on the sales and BDC teams, who already find it difficult to stay on top of every lead.   Automation is useful in this situation. Dealerships may increase engagement at every level of the lead management process by automating some tasks. Let’s examine how automating the procedure is the best decision dealerships can make to draw more customers into their stores.  

1. To increase contact rates, send responses that are timely and appropriate.

According to Nick Cosette, SimpSocial’s Head of Operations, “The biggest challenge for car dealers is getting in touch with potential customers so they can nurture them.” Incorrect contact information and disconnected phone lines are a couple of causes for this. However, a more important factor is that sales and BDC teams don’t react swiftly enough to new prospects, who need high-quality solutions practically immediately.   Dealerships may boost lead contact rates while relieving the burden on sales personnel thanks to automation. By automatically sending the appropriate message to the appropriate location at the appropriate time, auto-responders do tasks that people are unable to reliably and effectively complete at scale.   Good message. Incoming inquiries can be automatically responded to with pertinent responses from auto-responders that are customized for each individual lead or group of leads. Dealerships can tailor their responses depending on a number of factors, including the type of lead inquiry (new vehicle, used vehicle, upgrade) and the lead source (dealership website, third-party website, referral). To establish trust with customers and help them feel valued rather than just another number, personalization is crucial.   Right location. Dealerships must be certain that their consumer outreach uses a successful channel of communication. Even if chat, email, and phone all have their advantages, SMS consistently produces the best results. 98% of texts are read and opened. To increase the likelihood that prospective purchasers will pick up and read the message, auto-responders can send text messages to them automatically. ideal moment. Connecting with leads quickly is essential. According to research, the vendor who answers first receives 50% of all purchases, and firms are 100 times more likely to engage a prospect within 5 minutes than they are within 30. To ensure that dealerships consistently meet their response time goals, auto-responders can be designed to react right away to incoming messages.   What about the leads who take a little longer to respond? People are easily sidetracked and may lose concentration on the current objective, which is car shopping. If a person doesn’t reply within 24 hours after being contacted with a courteous reminder, AI bots can re-engage them. As an illustration, “Are you still interested in the car”? “Did you hear from anyone at the store?” Is this a suitable phone number to reach you at?  

2. Encourage participation by starting meaningful conversations

Another significant difficulty facing vehicle dealers is nurturing leads for conversion. Currently, dealerships either don’t follow up with leads long enough to turn them into appointments, or their rivals do a better job of it. Dealerships’ emphasis on rapid wins, or customers who are prepared to buy, is one factor. In the near term, this can appear to be a successful strategy, but 50% of eligible leads aren’t ready to make a purchase. As a result, it alienates a lot of people who need nurturing over a longer period of time.   Automobile dealerships may nurture customers for as long as necessary until they take action using automated follow-up text message sequences. By communicating pertinent information at the appropriate time, bots engage in meaningful discussions with customers. They can emulate human conversation by communicating passively and actively: they respond to buyers’ queries and reach out to buyers to prompt action when necessary.  

3. Make it simple to schedule appointments to increase show-up rates

Once a potential buyer makes an appointment, you’d be forgiven for thinking that the hardest bit is done. Yet — as we said earlier — 50% of leads tend to drop off before they hit the showroom floor.   Having a buyer show up to an appointment relies on the buyer entering the appointment in their calendar, entering the appointment details (time, date, location) correctly, and sticking to the commitment. Any of these things can go wrong and result in a no-show.   Automation enables dealerships to take control of scheduling and increase the set-to-show ratio to as much as 80%. Specifically, car dealers can automate the sending of appointment requests to customers’ phones so that the appointment is automatically scheduled in their digital calendars along with reminders. That way, dealerships can minimize any scheduling errors and maximize the level of commitment.   What about the 20% of people that still don’t show up? Automated communications software enables dealerships to reconnect with no-shows. For example, dealerships can configure their software to automatically send a message that prompts buyers who missed an appointment to reschedule.  

4. Bonus: increase lead numbers with revival campaigns

By focusing on attracting new clients only, dealerships are missing a trick. Companies have a 60-70% chance of selling to an existing customer versus a 5-20% chance of selling to a new lead. Contacting your existing customers is a smart way not only to touch base but also to potentially generate new leads from people that already know and trust your company.   Not only do dealerships misunderstand the value of re-engaging customers, but they also don’t have the capacity to do so. BDC and sales teams are already overwhelmed with managing new leads, let alone managing revival campaigns. With automation, dealerships can set a rule to send friendly text messages to reconnect with long-term customers due for an upgrade or new model, say, six years post-purchase. For example, they could ask how the customer is getting on with their car, or simply wish them a happy birthday. This helps position the dealership front of mind when the customer is actively looking to purchase again.   A final word Automation allows dealerships to engage in human-like, meaningful conversations with interested buyers that can lead to better contact rates, more appointments, and more appointment show-ups. Automation operates at a scale that not even the most finely tuned sales team can. While it can be misunderstood as a threat to the workforce, it’s actually a necessary tool for modern commerce that enables dealerships to interact with consumers with relevancy and speed. In fact, automation takes some of the load off BDC teams and gives them the freedom to do what no tool can — turn leads into human relationships.  

Text messaging is revolutionizing lead follow-up for auto dealers.

Text messaging is revolutionizing lead follow-up for auto dealers. It can be challenging to convince your sales team to consistently make phone calls and finish tasks in the CRM. It can seem like an uphill fight to make sure that every lead is followed up on in a timely and efficient manner, despite countless meetings and reminders. What if, however, there were a way to simplify the process of customer follow-up and make it easier for your staff to do so indefinitely? Texting is the answer.   Auto dealership salespeople are natural hunters who enjoy the thrill of making sales and sealing deals. Making phone calls and completing activities in the CRM while seated at a desk all day might be difficult and demotivating for them. But because people are less inclined to answer calls from unknown callers and more likely to let them go to voicemail, traditional ways of contacting clients over the phone are no longer as effective.   We perform mystery shopping at hundreds of car dealerships across the nation each month. We submit a lead via the dealership’s website during our examination and then play the part of a defensive customer by informing the salesman that we were “just looking.” We keep a careful eye on the dealership’s follow-up procedures and have discovered that, most of the time, we are fortunate to get a follow-up call, text, or email from the salesman. Furthermore, we have seen that most follow-up activities last just a few days—three to five—before completely ceasing. As many potential clients need time to decide and may eventually convert if nurtured correctly, the dealership is losing out by not following up consistently and persistently.   Why Always Follow Up? For auto dealerships only, our team created a text message Follow Up system that has greatly increased the follow-up window for potential clients. With the help of this technology, salespeople no longer have to perform as much manual effort when following up with leads, allowing for a longer and more reliable follow-up time.   We examined the leads that were received for a dealership in April and May of 2021 in order to demonstrate the efficacy of our text message Follow Up system. We followed up with these leads using our system, and we monitored the ensuing car deals month by month. The number of car deals that were closed as a result of these leads is depicted in the graph below.   The outcomes of the dealership’s use of our text message follow-up technology are self-evident. The dealership kept selling automobiles from those leads long after they first came in, as evidenced by the graph. In fact, after the first 30 days, an astonishing 50% of the total car deals generated by those leads were closed. This shows the value of regular and persistent follow-up because clients can require more time to decide or might simply be awaiting the ideal moment to make a purchase.   For sales teams, the standard task-based CRM procedures used by many dealerships can be time-consuming and difficult. This has led to a “Churn and Burn” mentality with leads, where dealerships focus on acquiring more leads rather than effectively following up with the ones they already have.   In meeting after meeting, dealership managers are in a constant battle with their sales teams to make sure they follow up and make enough calls. The truth is that these conventional approaches frequently fail, leading to missed opportunities and lost money.   Text messaging has completely changed how dealerships follow up with leads, giving sales staff the freedom to concentrate on interested clients and seal agreements. Instead of spending time chasing customers for engagement, salespeople can focus on those who are already interested and engaged with the dealership, thereby increasing their chances of closing a sale.   With text messaging, salespeople can increase their answer rates on phone calls by over 10x. This means they can spend less time leaving voicemails and more time connecting with customers who are ready to buy. This not only drives sales but also gives salespeople the excitement they need to thrive in their roles, instead of feeling bogged down by mundane tasks.   By leveraging the flexibility and convenience of text messaging, dealerships can streamline their lead follow-up process and stay top-of-mind with potential customers, ultimately driving more sales and revenue. The power of text messaging cannot be understated in the auto dealership industry, and dealerships that embrace this technology will undoubtedly be at a competitive advantage.   The screenshot below, captured at 10 am on a Monday morning, highlights the power of text messaging for lead follow-up. The Chevrolet dealership in question had only received one new lead for the day but had already engaged with 31 customers through text messaging. This shows the effectiveness of text messaging in keeping customers engaged and interested in the dealership.   The dealership is concentrating on those 31 consumers who have already interacted with them via text message rather than wasting time calling clients at random. The dealership can focus its efforts on individuals who are most likely to pick up the phone by employing text messaging to stay in front of potential consumers’ minds rather than wasting time on cold calls.   This is an excellent illustration of how text messaging can revolutionize the lead follow-up procedure and help dealerships be more productive and successful in their sales efforts. Dealerships can increase sales and revenue while also improving the customer experience by utilizing the power of text messaging to connect with and intrigue their customers.   We urge you to sign up for a free virtual demo if you’re having trouble with your dealership’s follow-up procedure and are curious about how text messaging can be of assistance.   With years of experience working in the automotive sector, our team can offer you invaluable advice on how text messaging can improve your lead follow-up procedure and increase sales for your dealership.   The 30-minute virtual trial is absolutely free of charge and just requires a small amount of your time. Whether or whether you choose to use our software, we think the data we offer will be enlightening and beneficial to your dealership’s sales initiatives.   Simply click the button below and complete the form to register for the free virtual demo. We’re eager to demonstrate how text messaging may revolutionize your lead follow-up procedure and increase sales for your dealership.   What we have to show you will open your eyes even if you don’t use our software. It will take you 30 minutes to comprehend how text messages can aid you with all of your follow-up problems. Get a free virtual demo by clicking the icon below.