VJ the Digital Marketing Dispatcher | Digital Marketing Ambassador | Social Media Coach

Why Are Ad Agencies So Slow To Adapt Digital?

Written By: VJ (a.k.a. Volker Jaeckel) - Jan• 26•12

Shocking! Survey finds Ad Agencies are slow when adapting online marketing!

ad-agencies-are-too-slow Today’s top story on Marketing Profs (insert link) literally hit me like a ton of bricks, and I’m guessing you’ll be just as surprised and maybe even shocked as well. According to the latest questionnaire from-CMO Council addressed to Senior Level Marketing professionals, just one out of ten business marketing leaders are saying that traditional advertising companies are doing a good job in offering, evolving and servicing their clientele well in regards to online marketing and the challenges the Digital Age brings.

Taking an even closer look to the CMO Council survey; more senior marketers (48%) are on the move – from their prior hired ad agencies over to digital marketing solution and service providers, who can provide seamless integrated digital capacities like social media, mobile and interactive strategies. Further, senior marketers are concerned about agencies lagging or struggling to adapt their core competencies, showing:

Even though agencies are acquiring digital marketing capabilities, they are not able to fully integrate their efforts (29%)
22% of senior marketers are of the opinion that agencies are still playing catching up to new technology
And 22% say agencies are still struggling with their transition from their “old” business models and service offerings into “new” digital
Just 9% are thinking ad agencies doing a good job on “Digital”

Does that mean your agency won’t show the results you are hoping for – especially on the digital front? Hopefully not, but to combat this possibility, make sure you create a “cheat-sheet” with questions you will ask your current ad agency at your next meeting. Find out if they are able to produce the results you are craving right away:

Have them describe how automotive shoppers use traditional and online media today. Are they current with the latest research?
How do you leverage our consumer’s interest in our Brand, Make and Model, combining the national OEM digital marketing efforts with our ambitions to steer created curiosity towards our website and brick & mortar location(s)?
How fast is your turnaround when ad messages on national campaigns are changing? What does your turnkey support look like?
Knowing that a consumer needs around 7 triggers/ad impressions to take (such as researching or even submitting a leads on the advertised campaign, how do you assure to have our ads “in their face” all the time? How will you remarket our efforts?
How can you reinforce our advertising by driving traffic towards our campaign message? Can you provide a personalized campaign website anytime when OEM messages will change?
Let them walk you through their reporting and what kind of metrics they will provide to you. We all know by now that online measurability will show you clear and actionable data and results helps you to understand the impact of your online advertising and will easily validate the return of your digital marketing investment.

It seems to be that these are tough questions – but think about it – it is your money you are spending, and you want to make sure that you leverage all the new, digital goodies which make online marketing oriented dealer(s) successful.

Every agency will tell you they are digital experts. The best way to judge their expertise is for them to walk through the details of campaigns they have run for others, and the results they have achieved. The great thing about digital is its measurability – have them show their numbers, and tell you what they can deliver for you!

Photo Credit: Heise

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Posted in Digital Marketing, Trends and Studies , CMO council, Digital Age, digital media, online advertising, Senior Level Marketing, Survey | No Comments »

Where does Influence Take Place When Shopping for a Car?

Written By: VJ (a.k.a. Volker Jaeckel) - Jan• 18•12

Zero Moment of Automotive Truth – a research by Google, ShopperScience and Cobalt

By now, most marketers have heard of The Zero Moment of Truth (ZMOT), a groundbreaking portrait of how consumer behavior has transformed in the digital age. Today, Google, in partnership with automotive digital marketing firm Cobalt and research house ShopperSciences, produced a video capturing the ZMOT experience as applied to the automotive industry. Based on interviews with 500 automotive purchasers, this video provides conclusive and compelling insight into which influences have the most impact specifically on the car shopper. Take a look at this never-before-seen glimpse into true automotive buying behavior, released just today.

The new car shopper path to purchase is the heartbeat of every automotive discussion happening now. Over the coming months, Cobalt will work with Google and other thought leaders to bring even deeper insights into automotive shopper behavior-insight that dealers can use to sell more cars by truly connecting with today’s customer.

This post was initiated first on the Digital Mileage blog

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Posted in Digital Marketing, Trends and Studies , ADP, automotive, Cobalt, Google+, ShopperScience, zero moment of truth | No Comments »

Why Should You Listen to the Consumer Voice

Written By: VJ (a.k.a. Volker Jaeckel) - Jan• 12•12

As I had promised, in Part 2 of my series, I wanted to reflect on the “Consumer Voice”, based on the insights and results from the latest TNS Digital Life study. The interface they provide on their website allowed me to specifically focus on the automotive sector here in the U.S.

With Part 2 and the previously released Part 1 (How Online and Offline Marketing can work well together), you as a dealer will be able to see more value in the findings and adapt one or more suggestions into your marketing mix – suggestions that will improve your marketing ambitions and outcome positively, when implemented.

Unpacking the Value of the Consumer Voice

DATA POINTS; Part 2:

The question was: “What are people saying?” and “Who believes what they say?”

Statistics around Commenters: I was surprised to find out that 40% of all commenters online left comments for the purpose of helping others (even though nobody asked them to do so). Comparing this stat to the 11% of Complainants and the 11% of “Praisers”, we as dealerships should be able to be more pro-active and just ask our consumers to chime in with some praise. ((only after you’ve provided an exceptional purchase experience, of course). With Google newest algorithm change bumping events and fresh review contenthigher in the SERP’s reviews will be your friend when it comes to “beating” the competition (see also Ellen Jones’s latest article on that topic “Latest is the Greatest – Keep Your Stars Hot for an SEO Hike”.

Now please take a look at the two smaller pie charts here. Sixty one percent (61%) of all written comments are trusted when they come from a friend. Can you now see the connection between consumer voice and social media playing hand-in-hand? All these theories around “There is no ROI on social media” can be easily debunked just by taking these figures here into consideration. There is an immediate correlation between these two entities and the final answer to the question: “Where should I possibly buy a car?” or “What car brand should I try next?”

On the other hand, “only” 4 out of 10 stranger’s comments will have an impact on a consumer’s behavior; this number is not at all bad. Just think about it… 41% will somehow allow a complete stranger’s recommendation or rant about a dealer, product or service to influence their decision to go ahead with their purchase?! Crazy?

VJ’s Question: So would it make sense to have a process dialed into your dealership which will allow you to ask for more “praise” from your customers? Would it make sense to guide them to these review sites where they can leave rave reviews that will now help you rank higher in search results and also help you gain more stars on your virtual report card?

VJ’s Answer: “Of course and YOU HAVE TO.”All these charts and figures attached to it speak a very clear language. Consumers’ want to be guided to make the right decision by finding relevant information before the purchase and validating it with the opinion of others that they trust. .

When we started to “hunt” for positive reviews and put a Reputation Management process in place in my dealership in early 2008, we actively engaged the owner of a new car in our process. Just when she or he was ready to drive from the lot with her brand new BMW (and after having received a tremendous buying experience from negotiation to finance up to the delivery process), we shut the door of the new Beamer and said :

Us: “Ms. Miller, aren’t you excited to drive this beauty home now and show it to the neighborhood, friends and family?”

Mrs. Miller:“Yes…”

Us:“I am so glad to see you so happy and I know you are thrilled with your choice to have picked this 135i – it is so you… – I have one more little thing for you waiting at home in your email box, which I will send in the next minute…would you just do me the favor and help me to tell my General Manager how great we both did here to have you now driving the prettiest car on the block?…It is an email of mine with a link, and I call it my grade card. My boss is really in to it and I want to show him that I wanna be the student of the month – and your rave review would just put me into this spot. Do you think you can do that for me?”

What do you think the outcome was? 8 out 10 new customers came home the same day, opened my email, clicked on the link (whatever review site you want them to fill out the rave comment about you on), and we gained an average 4.8 star ratings out 5 stars possible, leaving the competition to swallow our dust.

Last word: Make sure you install your own reputation management process into your overall delivery process. Do not forget that this recipe can also work for your fixed operations. Talk about your personal “Grade Card”, because people still buy from people and you are much more likable than just a brick and mortar location. And make sure to tell your customers that the CSI survey has nothing to do with your personal Grade Card. When you have received an “A” from your customers, I predict that your CSI will show a 100% as well – and last but not least: DO IT EVERYTIME, EVERY DAY.

Part 3 and final reflection of this series will discuss the findings around Social Media interaction and how people thinking about “Brands as Friends” – until then, happy selling and do the right marketing.

The post was originaly posted as my Guest Post at DrivingSales.com – a sales and marketing community for automotive professionals.

Graph Credits: TNS Digital Life Study

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Posted in Digital Marketing, Reputation Management, SEO and SEM, Social Media, Trends and Studies , consumer reviews, google algorithm, offline advertising, online marketing, Reputation, SEM, SEO, SERP | No Comments »

How Online and Offline Marketing can work well together

Written By: VJ (a.k.a. Volker Jaeckel) - Jan• 04•12

During my last trip to my homeland Germany, I discovered how far ahead we are here in the U.S. in regards to consumer behavior and the online research we conduct around our potential car buying clientele. Don’t get me wrong- websites for German automotive dealerships exist. But as far as execution, when you see how inventory is displayed (or should I say, not displayed), how inconsistent the OEM message is portrayed on the dealership website, or why a URL name is chosen and not marketed in their off-line marketing approach – I am stunned!

These numbers become even more impactful when I share with you this research data from the current TNS Digital Life study. In this study, TNS looked at the global view of buying behavior. In this example, allow me to dissect the U.S. data based on the automotive consumer. I want to share how advanced the American online consumers are at using the web to evaluate your merchandise. It will reveal their preferred and “important decision making hubs.”

The research I am reflecting on will be split into 3 articles and released one-by-one over the term of the next 3 weeks. I hope that I will create some tipping points and brain teasers for you over this 3-week period, allowing you to reflect on your current marketing mix and what you ought to try out to find the right recipe and outcome for you.

Unpacking the Path to Purchase DATA POINTS;

Part 1: The question was: “How do we decide to buy?” and “How do you become aware of a product?”

Fact: There is massive opportunity for brands to be discovered online. Although some marketing myths out there suggest that consumers won’t listen to advertising and marketing messages any longer, the data clearly shows that during the Awareness Phase, a consumer will follow a brand or product (average 3.1) onto the online path (3.5) to gather more information. The brand message here is the most influential mind trigger to get consumers interested.

When prospects finally narrow down their “chosen product,” they still will research their desired car make and model online (3.0) rather than looking into off-line generated sources (1.2) What’s interesting is the fact that in the final decision “Where to buy” the Brand Voice (with an average of 2.3) still is more influential than the Consumer Voice; here with an average of 1.2.

VJ’s Question: Does that mean that aligned OEM Brand messaging and your marketing approach as a dealership should be synced?

VJ’s Answer: “You betcha.” As these numbers indicate – the more touch points your online marketing message has, the more you will be involved somehow in the consumer’s decision making process. As TNS states in their research: “Brands need to pinpoint accurately the most influential touch points on and offline to ensure that they maximize their presence and impact across different media.”

What I would love to see (and actually did, when I was still in the dealer operations) is that each seasonal or special event message of your OEM, like the “Sign Then Drive Event” or the “December to Remember Event” campaigns will be adapted on a smaller scale into your dealership.

It starts with your website message (using the original OEM images for the event) all the way to adjusting your SEO content with the “slogan” inside your content pages, up to the signage inside your brick and mortar location (yes, you heard right – offline will in this case close the circle). Also when you send your internet lead responses, integrate the OEM Event message with links back to your website event page. You can even instruct your receptionist to ask “Are you calling for our Sign Then Drive Event,” and create table toppers inside your service waiting area and the desks of your sales people stating and using the original OEM Marketing message.

Last word: “Your store needs the same impact on and off-line. Shoppers need to get the same message and impression of the brand in both the real and virtual world, to engage rather than alienate,” according to researchers of TNS Digital Life.

Part 2 of this series will take a look at the importance of the “Consumer Voice” next week – until then, happy selling and do the right marketing.

The post was originaly posted as a Guest Post at DrivingSales.com – a sales and marketing community for automotive professionals.

Graph Credits: TNS Digital Life Study

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Posted in Digital Marketing, SEO and SEM, Trends and Studies , brand messages, brand voice, car dealerships, consumer voive, off-line marketing, offline advertising, on-line marketing | 1 Comment »

QR Codes or SnapTags – Who Will Win Over the Mobile Consumer in 2012?

Written By: VJ (a.k.a. Volker Jaeckel) - Jan• 04•12

Volker Jaeckel is the Digital Marketing Dispatcher

Around now for almost 2 decades Quick-Response-Codes (QR-Codes) are still not providing a warm and fuzzy feel for marketers here in the U.S. as they had hoped for. Even so the QR expansion is rising in its reach the adaption rate in the U.S. is still considered slow.

The idea of this 2-dimensional matrix code, designed initially for the automotive manufacturing industry is to provide initially tracking capabilities and has since then grown in various application forms. Especially retailers trying now to capture mobile smartphone users to engage with the [IMO] “ugly” black and wide “mush-mash” square and link consumers with their Facebook and product landing pages. I could experience first hand in the dealership world that dealers and marketing companies are still struggling to find the right purpose for this 2-dimensional bar codes and very often I saw attempts going nowhere in initializing new consumer engagement.

E.g. during one of my latest speaking session in Texas in front of a dealer group only 2 out 14 dealer principals and GM’s knew actually what it was, when I showed a bare QR code on the screen and twelve did not know what to do with it at all. Even so all of them had a smartphone! Would I recommend to these dealers right away an adaption of a QR-marketing campaign for their dealerships – NOPE….because

a) not knowing what it actually can do for you

b) digitally still in the Crawl-Phase but already wants to “run with the Champions“

and

c) has not concrete digital marketing planning in place

would just bring another scenario of “throw the pasta against the wall and hope that it sticks” – which means “lets’ just try it and when its not working we cancel it”. Bad Call and a bad consulting on my end when have had implemented and convince a QR code strategy to these dealerships! First things first – and QR codes are not it!

For those who passed the crawl and walk stage in their Digital Marketing development, a newer kid on the block in the mobile device scanning code market has arrived. The name of the new more intriguing QR code is SnapTags. As marketing Guru and “CMO on steroids” Jeff Hayzlett in this video suggested these new Social SnapTags will give the QR code a run for its money.

With the now trademarked tag line “SNAP. LIKE. GET. SHARE”, SpyderLynk – creator of SnapTag – gives its customers the tools on hand to create their the tag next to a landing page (built and hosted by SyderLynk).

From there consumers are immediate able to LIKE the brands Facebook pages, can FOLLOW them on their Twitter page, GET and SHARE the incentive (coupons, $-off offers, etc.) instantly. This online marketing campaign attracted so far Anheuser-Busch, Wrigley’s and can be also used in Offline-Programs like Print, Shopper Marketing, Event and Entertainment Marketing. Toyota with its ToyoTag or Foot Locker are just a couple examples of this “older” idea in a new package.

The huge advantage consumers have with this SnapTag campaign versus a typical QR code campaign. It looks better, they can see what they are actually scanning with their smartphone and incentives are instantaneously. Humans are most likely love the old formula WYSIWYG. And, best of all it will provide you with the user data, which could be considered a lead.

Prediction on my end: Even so the Scan App from the App store could do a much better job in scanning the SnapTag (it sometimes cut off the scanning process, and I am sure it is just a question of time the App will be more solid); SnapTags will kill the QR codes. An alternative of a malfunctioning SnapTag scan can be overwritten by texting the also provided digit code and get the offer delivered via SMS to the phone.

But, no matter what you are trying to do in case you will implement for 2012 a QR or SnapTag code strategy, take a look of the following route map of

10 key factors of a successful QR code campaign:

1. Plan the idea and logistics on what you want to launch or accomplish thoroughly far ahead the launch.

2. Plan and provide an engaging content. A call to action for your consumers needs to be evident.

3. Use a URL-shortener (i.e. bit.ly) to create your code. Less complexity of a code (shorter URL name) guarantees less failure rate in displaying the code correctly.

4. Optimize the size of your QR code.

5. Make the code easy accessible. Don’t hide it in a jungle of other graphics or on secondary pages when displaying it.

6. Don’s assume consumers know what to do when seeing a code. Explain the steps or provide instructions they need to take t i.e. to obtain the coupon, offer, discount, befriending on Facebook, etc.

7. Don’t forget your engaging consumers are more likely grabbed your code via mobile device, so make sure your code is linked to your mobile website(s) or landing page(s).

8. Provide a “Special Value” for all engaging consumers and let them know upfront, what they can expect after they have scanned the code.

9. Control your progress and metrics. Track your scans with a code management system like delivr is providing.

10. Okay that is a very simple one but believe me in my opinion the most viable one – TEST THE CODE BEFORE GOING LIFE, and make sure it works. Almost as simple as plug in the power-cord before switching on the lamp.

Wish you all the Best for 2012, thank you for being a visitor to my blog and please share my thoughts with others.

Happy Marketing!

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Posted in Digital Marketing, Mobile Marketing, Social Media , automotive, Facebook, offline advertising, online marketing, qr code, snaptag | No Comments »

Why 2012 will be “The Year of Mobile Marketing” – finally

Written By: VJ (a.k.a. Volker Jaeckel) - Dec• 29•11

The news are just getting better for mobile marketers and retailers, who had decided early on being on the band wagon of mobile marketing and commerce. A just released IBM study concretes my hypothesis earlier, why you need to have a mobile marketing resolution for 2012 in your business planning.

Fact: The IBM study proofs that potential customers use their smartphone devices to shop.

An almost 173% increase of sales made via a mobile device prior the numbers of 2010 (5.3%) for December 25th, 2011 and a steadily increasing mobile traffic to mobile sites year-to-year by almost 118% on Christmas Day painting a pretty clear picture – don’t have a mobile website, do not participate in mobile group shopping site or have not clue what “geo-location” means you need to get a hand on this – right now, before 2012 will start in good 3,020 minutes.

With the increasing traffic having consumers browsing your mobile store on Christmas days comes also the habit to stay longer on the sites (mobile and main-URL) and to open wider their wallets, especially the day after Christmas. Numbers here are showing the pattern pretty drastically evolving:

27.8% online sales increase for December 26th (YTD)
109% increase of mobile traffic compared to 2010 (16.4% for 2011)

and

11.3% of all web-based sales after Christmas were generated through a mobile website (in 2010 the figures were 4.3%)

2012 will be the year of Mobile

When we want to believe the mobile marketing experts (and in this case we really should) we will see for the New Year even more mobile shopping apps popping up. More check-ins, more digital coupons, more mobile pay and check-out applications, more mobile devices, more deals and especially more mobile e-commerce. eMarketers Prediction for mobile commerce will reach $11.6 billion for the “Mobile Year 2012″ – just slightly up from the approximately 2011 numbers of $6.7 billion (wink, wink)

Time to act now

By finishing this post there is still some time left for you to act before the big crystal ball is falling on New York’s Times Square. Here is my suggestion what you should do right now.

Get familiar with the current Groupon and/or Living Social (more cities will be added in the future) or any other group buying websites in your Geo area.
Find out if any of your car dealership competitors has running specials on accessories, driver gear or the fixed ops stuff like brake services or oil changes.
The same counts for offers from your local Pep Boys or Autozone stores, who possibly right now have tire sales and battery specials running.
Target not just your city your dealership or store is located in but also the surrounding suburbs and towns. People will indeed drive a few miles even to save just a couple of bucks.
Get acclimated with the Foursquare app. It will combine the need for people to get “vocal”, where there are right now and to check if the place the want to be a mayor of in the future runs anything on specials.

Go, start marketing today and a Happy New Year!

Photo Credit: Engadget German

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Posted in Geolocation, Mobile Marketing, Social Media, Trends and Studies , geo-targeted advertising, groupon, IBM study, LivingSocial, mobile commerce, mobile marketing, New York Time Square Crystall Ball, smartphone users | No Comments »

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Digital Marketing Dispatcher

Why Are Ad Agencies So Slow To Adapt Digital?

Where does Influence Take Place When Shopping for a Car?

How Online and Offline Marketing can work well together

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