Pub. 12 2014-2015 Issue 3

N E W J E R S E Y C O A L I T I O N O F A U T O M O T I V E R E T A I L E R S 33 new jersey auto retailer W W W . N J C A R . O R G 10 minutes, were three times more likely to visit the business and make a purchase. Fix what you find. The Internet is rife with errors: check for misinformation, inactive links, and missing images regularly. Search and click on your links on various devices including mobile. The 2014 Automotive Social Media Trends study re- vealed that 56 percent of recent car buyers used a mobile device to search and/or read reviews about a dealership. Always make sure the content you’re sharing is mobile friendly! Think like a customer—if you become frustrated, they will, too. Proudly promote your dealership. It’s ok to brag! Let prospects know that you have raving fans. When you have a positive ex- change, receive a great review, support a local charity or even win an award, post it on your website and social media pages. Talk about check-in offers and deals. Coupons, deals, and special pricing drive traffic into your dealership. Consumers are always on the hunt for discounts and special offers, and they want to easily access this information. Our Automotive Social Media Trends study also revealed that 44 percent of car buyers have “checked in” at a local business using a mobile device, 42 percent of whom were motivated to do so due to an available offer upon “check-in.” Use in-store signage as well as posting offers on sites that allow check-ins. Train your staff on all promotions so they can ensure a great experience, when a customer tries to redeem your offer. Measure your success. Set realistic goals for your team and consistently measure your social engagement and customer response. Metrics such as increased number of “Likes” across social channels and increased level of direct customer communi- cation are nice, but also measuring traffic from social sites and offers to website and in-store traffic is key. Yes, social media can sell cars! The team at Van Griffith Kia in Granbury, Texas said, “Due to the increased social media referral traffic to our website, our Internet sales have increased over 20 percent, and we’ve been able to spend less on SEM." The biggest hurdle for many dealers is working social media into all of their marketing plans, including using it to showcase more traditional marketing pieces such as direct mail graphics and TV spots. If you are still wondering where to start, you can request a free custom report to learn about specific tips for your store here: https://digitalairstrike.com/surveillance-report-request/ Alexi Vanneri is co-founder, CMO and COO of social media at Digital Air Strike and has been in the automotive industry for over 15 years. She can be reached at alexi@digitalairstrike. com. AUTOMOTIVE TAX SPECIALISTS Let our 25 + years of TAX experience guide you and your Automotive Dealership. Call today & mention this ad for a free consultation. (973)790-8800 Alan E. Ginsberg, CPA Sal DiBello, CPA aginsberg@brunodibello.com www.brunodibello.com