From the CEO + Archives
Marketing (online) certifications your dealership has earned?
by Steven Wagner on March 24th, 2010
I recently had to replace a part on my Apple laptop. Greenville only has one Apple authorized repair facility.
I needed the computer repaired quickly for an upcoming presentation. So rather then take it to the normal place because they said it would take 3-5 days, I took it another repair facility in town- who could get it done fast. This new one is not Apple Authorized (I did not know this at the time).
When they “tried” to repair it they broke a part making the laptop completely dead. They also could not...
Read More »Google Gives Small Business Options but at What Costs?
by Steven Wagner on March 14th, 2010
Google is luring small businesses to two relatively new advertising services that might compete directly with its Adwords.
The first is local small business pages. A page that you set up to help your primary website or as a first website. The results show up on
the search engine rankings giving you a boost in traffic for those very specific words. T
he second is a new Enhanced Listings service the NY Times discusses in this article. Google highlights your listing on maps to add another point of reference for local customers.
That is great if you can drive profitable traffic for...
Read More »Dealers Moving More Online in 2010, Is Your Brand Helping Them?
by Steven Wagner on December 4th, 2009
SMB’s Move More to Online for Marketing Efforts
The Center for Media Research has released study that shows that small and medium businesses, or SMB’s, are relying more heavily on Internet marketing techniques like e-mail, social media and search to promote their business in 2010. Here is a quick view of some of the highlights.
Well over two-thirds of respondents report that they plan to increase their use of email marketing and social media in 2010
Email marketing continues to prove its worth to small businesses, as 96.2% plan to use email marketing in 2010
Plans reported for 2010 indicate the email marketing industry will continue to thrive next year, with 38.9% businesses...
Read More »Brick and Mortar Can Still Compete
by Steven Wagner on November 28th, 2009
This week’s The Economist has a insighful article about ways that Brick and Mortar stores can effectively compete with the online retailers such as Amazon, Ebay, and Zappos.
“Growing online traffic may actually increase sales in stores too. According to a spokesman for Macy’s, a department-store chain, every dollar a consumer spends online with Macy’s leads to $5.70 in spending at a Macy’s store within ten days, because consumers learn about other products online and come into stores to look them over before buying them.”
~Bleak Friday, Retail vs. E-tail, The Economist
One of clients has seen consumers from online moving in-store spend 30% more. Two key reasons for this increase was the enhanced...
Read More »Obama’s Best Tactic to Help Grow Your Dealership’s Sales
by Steven Wagner on September 16th, 2009
Email beats out all social media for Barrack Obama’s fund raising and lead generation.
Thomas Gensemer, a managing partner at Blue State Digital, elaborates on the digital tactics behind the success of Obama’s marketing campaign.
Here is a very good discussion about how email generated the real financial success for the Obama campaign. Not Social Media or some of the other tactics they employed to garner such a huge financial war chest.
“Email was the real engine of the campaign. Not the website or social media.”
“1 in 5 people that donated were on the email list.”
How can this apply to your dealership?
1. Messaging over sending a...