Written By: VJ (a.k.a. Volker Jaeckel)
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Feb•
20•12
Already 64% of the North American population is shopping online – Searches are performed most likely on mobile devices short before a “BUY” takes place, inside a 10-20 miles radius of the businesses, which are considered by consumers “take a look what they can do for me”.
This video will give further an outlook what we can expect from Mobile and Digital Marketing by year 2015. So will the Mobile Internet population e.g. grow to 788 million prior “just being” 14 million in 2010. Take a look of the predictions taking place in this video…
Written By: VJ (a.k.a. Volker Jaeckel)
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Feb•
17•12
Provocative question but the studies shown here can explain why using a mobile advertising strategy in your digital marketing mix could be a valid Millenial strategy for your business.
In light of the 2011 Deloitte Generation Y Driving Study and the new study from InsightExpress on Gen Y and mobile advertising, – both manufacturers and dealers should be jumping out of their chairs, celebrating and getting creative.
As Deloitte has taught us, approximately 54% of Gen Yers will purchase a car in the next two years (they already make up 40% of the 2012 car-buying population in the U.S.). The task for marketers in the upcoming years will be, “How can we raise awareness more significantly for these Millenials?” The answer will be provided by the aforementioned InsightExpress study as well as the numbers below.
With an estimated rise of 106 million smartphone users this year, and approximately one billion of these smart devices in use by 2016, according to Forrester Research,mobile advertising will be one of the cornerstones in every marketer’s digital marketing strategy.
When questioning Millenials (ages 18-29) if they recall having seen any mobile ads on their phones, 69% of the men “do remember” the ads. I am curious why amore men were recalling the ads compared to less than half of the women. Ideas?!
The second question InsightExpress asked in their “Digital Consumer Portrait” survey scratched on the idea: “Okay folks, you remembered an ad – but did you enjoy this (these) ad(s)?”
Results here are again eye-opening – Two out of five men actively enjoyed the mobile advertising, with even 20% saying the “liked it very much!”However, only 12% of women were “somewhat” enthused with mobile ads.
Considering these two findings and the fact that mobile ad spending will be up 80% this year from 2011, translating into $2.61 billion mobile ad spending, it is now necessary to look into mobile advertising providers.
If I were in a dealership or dealer group right now and responsible for the businesses’s digital exposure, I would make sure that I target these particular marketing platforms to serve the upcoming consumer group – The Millenials – perfectly:
•Oneoutoffour Gen Yer’s like special offers from off-line retailers!* I’d make sure that my mobile banner and display ads or remarketing will reflect the offering as a “true special” for just mobile users” Uniqueness is what Gen Y appreciates!
•Nine outoften Gen Yer’s are considering opting-in to email requests* in order to receive “email only” special offers
•85% of Gen Yer’s are watching online videos monthly* – why not having your mobile ad land on a “take a first glimpse of the new and hot XYZ video” designated campaign landing page with email opt-in form for further receiving “new and exclusive updates?”
[*ExactTarget/Pew Research Study/Morpace Omnibus Report]
You see the pattern – newness, exclusivity, uniqueness, assorted specials are the keywords for Millenials to trigger an action. Yes, you won’t convince every Millenial to join your “forces,” but you can’t afford to disregard these trends. Start now in being ready when “they” are ready!
Written By: VJ (a.k.a. Volker Jaeckel)
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Feb•
15•12
It is written “in stone”!
J.D. Power has released its latest 2012 U.S. Dependability Study and this time Lexus made rank one, closlely followed by Porsche and Cadillac – it is nice to see a domestic manufaturer up there. MINI improved their 2011 rankings and I relly would like to know what is going on with BMW, being myself an avid Bimmer driver…
When you are in the lucky position having a franchise of the winners in each category, make sure to adjust your SEO content right away and use phrases J.D. Power is using, too.
I.e. you are a Toyota franchise, and you see in the study that the 2009 Toyota Yaris is the “Highest Ranked Sub-Compact Car” in its class – then use these terms in your vehicle detail pages and pre-owned special pages!
Written By: VJ (a.k.a. Volker Jaeckel)
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Feb•
14•12
No turning back anylonger – Mobile is a rolling thunder and won’t disappear. As the IBM study in the article “The Year of Mobile Marketing” as well as the just yesterday released Forrester Research prediction “having One-Billion Smartphone users by 2016 is pointing out – everybody wants to be mobile.
The integrated graphic on Local Mobile Search below is making an even stronger point: Search was used strongly performed on the desktop just a year ago – this model is changing. 80% of searchers research online are being today performed in a radius between 10 – 20 miles of the businesses they possibly will consider as a vendor.
Written By: VJ (a.k.a. Volker Jaeckel)
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Feb•
13•12
The research I found for last week makes an incredible point on what really matters for consumers who have finally agreed to follow you and your business on your social network, such as Facebook.
When listening to the lyrics “I have got a reputation with everyone” from Derek Webb’s live concert (I encourage you to watch the video) – I somehow get the feeling that there are dealers out there, who must feel exactly like him.
I would like to combine it to the research findings from conversocial and Lie Leibovitz, an Assistant Professor of Communication at New York University. These findings, combined with these assorted song lyrics, make my point to my fellow dealers – you can no longer afford to ignore questions, complaints, suggestions or critics on your social platforms.
Lights on, Curtains up – Music please…
Derek’s Lyrics:
I know I always let everybody down I know I’ve got a bad name in this town ’cause my last friend stopped calling months ago
VJ’s comment:
One out of four would nolonger do business with you, just because you did not have the time, staff or courtesy to answer a question or complaint! WOW! What’s even worse is when your Facebook business page does not engage but is still doing all this advertising of inventory, call for sales and exhibiting the typical pushy advertising mentality. You might think – “well, almost 75% would still do business with me”, but that thought is short-sighted. We all know that negative experiences will be shared from one individual 63% of the time to a friend(s) via email, phone call, or in-person according to a 2011 Temkin Group survey.
Suggestion:
• Make it a habit to check your Facebook at least 4 times a day (or any other social network entity you are involved with) and make sure to look out for comments and ANSWER them.
• Do not engage in a “pissing match” giving your “complaining consumer.” It will turn into a back-and-forth match with no winner.Instead tell them openly that you want to address his/her concern, and provide a direct office line where they can contact you without speaking to a “gatekeeper” first.
• Resolve the concern and then report the positive outcome on your social network. This kind of transparency will dismantle any “rumors” around how (un)consumer-centric your organization is.
Derek’s Lyrics:
I know I always make you wait around I know the way my promises must sound And even though you’ve heard it all before
VJ’s comment:
Ouch!!! – This graphic should really be considered as social brain food, and be a part of very dealership’s digital marketing daily diet.
The research also states, and I quote: “Every complaint which is left unanswered, and every minute it sits on the page, threatens the future business of the 9 out of the 10 page visitors who proclaim themselves less likely to offer their business to companies who don’t take social customer service seriously.” – Not to be too repetitive – But time is the essence! Read also my latest post on this on socialmedia2day.com
Still unmoved? To make it hurt even more – and of course to match the lyrics and feelings involved in the song, the research further asked the question: “If you went on a company’s Facebook page, and saw a bunch of unanswered questions or complaints from customers, how would you react?” – the answers I reveal next will reach your pain point!
49.5% answered “I’d be far less likely to buy anything from that company,”because the respondents feared, “If I ever needed customer care, I’d likely be ignored as well.”
38.8% answered“I’d be somewhat less likely to buy anything from that company. Ignoring customers is a bad sign, but I have other considerations,” And just 11.7% said they would not care if they saw unanswered threads on Facebook.
The moral of the story? Make sure you take care with your reputation management process right away. There is really no excuse any longer to neglect social media and review sites, where our consumers have found their new playground. In case you do not have the manpower, make sure to research which companies will offer a 360-degree solution to monitor, alert, and coach you how on how to get this beast “negative reviews” handled in a timely manner.
One of my favorite examples is a Volkswagen dealership located in the Southwest desert – now ranked #1 in consumer satisfaction for their region, thanks to their timely responsesusing the mentioned 360-degree reputation management solution.
Keep in mind you really don’t want to end your song like our Derek is
Darlin’ could you listen just once more I’ve got a reputation with everyone But I don’t want one with you
Written By: VJ (a.k.a. Volker Jaeckel)
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Feb•
10•12
This was one of the questions asked during a conversocial survey, facilitated through the New York University and its Assistant Professor Liel Leibovitz, Assistant Professor of Communications. The survey sent out online was returned by 513 respondents and covered all in all 9 questions – all around customer satisfaction with corporate attitudes on social business sites.
The results are somehow shocking considering a majority of businesses still don’t know
how to answer complaints, suggestions or questions on their profile pages
how fast to answer (in the best case scenario) or even not answering as well
which tone to use when crafting the social response
In this article I would like to reflect on the things a company should do right away on the social media sites. For the table below I used the originated data of the conversocial survey and it will be very quick clear, on what companies need to focus on to not to fail further with thier social media endeavor. The question was…
HOW IMPORTANT ARE THESE THINGS TO YOU?
The Facebook companies were ranked on a scale 1 to 5, 1 being not important at all and 5 being very important
PLEASE TAKE ACTION RIGHT AWAY!
ISSUE: ANSWER PROMPTLY – Respond in timely manner, which does not mean “ehmmm…I am getting to this posted issue tomorrow, when I have more time”- – No, you need to be on the ball and similar to inbound leads generation time is and will be always the essence to satisfy a disgruntled consumer. In case you are having cable at home and using Comcast – just try to post a tweet with the #Comcast, and I guarantee you – the Comcast monitoring team will address the issue in less than 15 minutes, and I found myself praising later on their response time in my follow-up tweet. I suggest in case you do not have the workforce support and man-power to shoot for not less than 2 hours in responding to a Facebook or twitter thread.
ISSUE: REAL PERSON – Similar to the bad habits have automated tweets “thanking you for following me. I hope we can connect once-a-while” responding to your new fans and followers, there should be no excuse for a generic message sent to a complaint “poster” or “question asking fan”. This “no-no” tactics won’t help you on the long-run and you just HAVE TO put a live person on the keyboard and manage threads – one by one, with the attempt – or let’s say – mission to read through the complaint and address it spot on. A real person had posted something – isn’t it just common courtesy to have a real person responding?
ISSUE: RELEVANT CONTENT – Please stop to get into the old habits of push marketing, what we have know since the birth of advertising and marketing 1,000′s of years ago – nobody really cares any longer in the DVR and TIVO decades. Due to the noise we already experiencing now in Social Media networking as well the customer doesn’t give a flying _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ [you fill in the blank] if you have a 2009 Toyota Corolla with low mileage on your lot or if your inflated rooftop Gorilla will stay one more week at your location to alert you for the sale. The consumer’s answer in the survey is stating it loud and clear “share unique content, which she won’t find anywhere else on your business website or web”! Please read on this issue one of the prior posts “How often is too often when posting on social networks?“. So – think about your unique value propositions every business should have? What can you really share what will make you stand out, unique and worthwhile for the consumer to initiate or maintain further contact with you? Call in a meeting and asked your staff, survey existing customers what made them tick to actually doing business with you.
ISSUE: KEEP ME POSTED – Yes, you read right….consumers actually want to hear about your promotions, which means NOT to spam them day in and day out about your “December to Remember Event” – I guarantee you, they remember for sure who clocked up their news stream on their Facebook timeline – and I am confident they don’t buy a car from you. When you want to promote a sales event please make sure you are not taking a shotgun approach and blast just the plain phrases all over, but dissect it like we all did during Junior HS time with a frog – don’t butcher around – find the heart (the core message of your ad with concrete numbers on a lease or similar), separate it from the rest and give it the most attention – post it uniquely and not anywhere else on your off- and on-line marketing material. MAKE IT UNIQUE for your followers and give them the idea of “VIP” treatment only they have received being a Facebook friend of yours.
For more results and findings of the discussed survey please check also my featured post out on SocialMedia2Day.com, which handles the issue from a different angle with one plain question asked: I don’t know why companies even bother being on Facebook .
Written By: VJ (a.k.a. Volker Jaeckel)
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Feb•
06•12
This one is a huge game changer. Too long did you hear left and right that Cobalt’s website design was antique and close to a cookie cutter design (even so you could still configure a website of their in 1700+ different ways – but only a few knew). With the new “FLEX WEBSITE” design the dealer, eCommerce Director or webmaster will be in charge on how he wants to see his virtual store, and how she/he can differentiate the dealer website from the competition.
Built on HTML5 the new design and module system has true drag and drop capabilities. No use any longer of Flash (did I mention Flash is dead?!) which will allow even to make significant changes on an iPad or any other mobile device. Furthermore does the “FLEX” stay for a more flexibility on how a Marketing budget can be spend and where the dealer wants to put more emphasis, when allocating her ad dollars in digital.
More information on this fantastic new element dealer can now profiting off are below in the official press release.
Press Announcement
Cobalt “Flexes” Its Website and Advertising Solutions
Dealers gain unmatched flexibility and control of their online marketing efforts
SEATTLE, WA – February 3, 2012 – Cobalt®, a business unit of ADP Dealer Services (NASDAQ: ADP), today announced major enhancements to its market-leading digital marketing platform to provide dealers increased flexibility and control of their websites and advertising. These major innovations, Flex websites and Flex digital advertising packages, were guided by extensive input from dealers and dealer groups seeking to differentiate their stores, market all their profit centers, and exploit the latest digital marketing strategies. Cobalt’s automotive digital marketing platform is the only solution on the market today that can provide the power of fully integrated digital advertising campaigns together with the flexibility and control dealers demand.
“Flex” Websites Highlights
True drag-and-drop capabilities, allowing dealers to leverage a wide array of professional designs and then change their website layout in real-time
Powerful and growing widget library to easily add functionality to dealer websites
Flex websites are built on HTML 5 and are fully compatible with mobile devices and tablets
“Flex” Digital Advertising Highlights
Ability to vary monthly advertising spend between profit centers and campaigns
Greater control over prioritization of campaigns and ability to differentiate the dealership brand
Addition of premium advertising channels such as Kelly BlueBook and AOL Autos
Comprehensive reporting that shows the success of advertising investments
“Flex Websites are so easy to use that dealers can design their sites in minutes from an Apple iPad® or any desktop”, said Paul Nagy, VP Core Products. “Over the past year we have seen a burst of innovation on Cobalt’s digital marketing platform that has brought us industry honors for our SEO and Mobile technology. Today’s announcement extends this streak by delivering dealers unmatched design choice, ease-of-use and flexibility.”
Dealers agree. “These Flex sites should eliminate any remaining perception that Cobalt is ‘cookie-cutter,” said Steve Hendricks, General Manager of Luther Westside Volkswagen. ”Dealers have what they need to make their sites look great and stand out from their peers.”
“With Flex advertising, dealers can vary their monthly advertising spend to drive revenue directly to different profit centers, as well as exercise greater control over their advertising investment, giving them more opportunity to reach shoppers and differentiate their dealership brand”, said Max Steckler, VP Advertising Products.
“Cobalt has a deep understanding of the digital journey of today’s car shoppers and is focused on creating flexible, targeted and trackable digital marketing solutions that connect shoppers to dealers throughout the purchase journey,” said John Holt, SVP of ADP Digital Marketing. “These new advances to the market’s leading digital marketing platform deliver the seamless shopping experience consumers demand, together with the flexibility and control dealers expects to market their stores. With these new dealer-centric capabilities, and our industry leading insight into consumer behavior, we believe Cobalt’s digital marketing platform strikes the perfect balance in meeting the needs of consumers, dealers and manufacturers.”
Flex websites and advertising will be available for eligible dealers starting in February 2012. To learn more about Cobalt’s suite of digital marketing solutions, contact your Cobalt Sales Representative or call 877-836-8655.
About Cobalt
Cobalt, a business unit of ADP Dealer Services, provides digital marketing solutions to a majority of US automotive dealers and manufacturers, and is North America’s leading provider of automotive marketing services. For over 16 years, Cobalt’s mission has been to help automobile dealers and manufacturers increase their retailing effectiveness and profitability. Together with Dealix, Cobalt offers a comprehensive set of highly effective and efficient marketing solutions and services, delivers seamless shopping experiences to consumers, and high quality sales opportunities to dealers.
About ADP Automatic Data Processing, Inc. (Nasdaq:ADP), with about $10 billion in revenues and about 570,000 clients, is one of the world’s largest providers of business outsourcing solutions. Leveraging over 60 years of experience, ADP offers a wide range of human resource, payroll, tax and benefits administration solutions from a single source. ADP’s easy-to-use solutions for employers provide superior value to companies of all types and sizes. ADP is also a leading provider of integrated computing solutions to auto, truck, motorcycle, marine, recreational, heavy equipment, and agricultural vehicle dealers throughout the world. For more information about ADP or to contact a local ADP sales office, reach us at 1.800.225.5237 or visit the company’s Web site at www.ADP.com.
Written By: VJ (a.k.a. Volker Jaeckel)
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Jan•
26•12
Shocking! Survey finds Ad Agencies are slow when adapting online marketing!
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!
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.