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I have two words for the people I meet that have a "step back" attitude when it comes to Facebook...
Wake Up!
I have been working at dealerships since 1978, and the top salesperson who never took any ups was the social champion of the store IN 1978! In fact, you know the guy - because there was one at every store I worked. He had a social network that kept feeding him referrals day after day and anyone that ever got a car or truck from him never forgot him because HE WOULDN'T LET THEM. The funny part was that he did it without twitter, facebook, ning, linkedin or bebo, he did it the "old fashion way."
He was the guy who took a box full of Christmas cards to the business office and the owner bought the stamps. He was the guy who always sent a "Thank You" card for buying from him and I even saw him send a card to people for coming in and taking a test drive after leaving to "think about it." He was the guy who did birthday cards to his clients with a hand-written note saying, "Call anytime if I can help and have a great day."
You know the guy, he was gone every first Tuesday of the month for a noon lunch with the local Rotary Club and was a proud member of the Chamber of Commerce. Man, he was a social butterfly and he knew a lot of people.
But more importantly, A LOT of people knew they could trust him with their referral. He was the first guy the owner called into his office when it was time to order more inventory, because he knew what the customer was thinking.
If there is one common mistake I see in stores today when it comes to our social opportunities, it's the person we put in charge. I see an Internet manager or Internet salesperson working leads and trying to sell and they should be left alone. The social networks today need a social butterfly that can take the sites and work them. It's all about connecting and reconnecting with people. It's about keeping Ford and all its great news today in front of a lot of people for a very low cost per thousand. Making time for social and having the right person involved at your store is so simple but we make it so difficult.
We should all take a moment to remember how the great social champions of the past did it year after year without a DSL connection. He did not go to the Rotary Club, the Optimist Club or the Kiwanis to sell a car. He went there to be social, meet other people in his market, and get to know them outside of work. He did not drop off the full page ad from Saturday, he went there to help the group raise $$$ for their cause... their mission. He got so busy working with so many people that he had to hire his own assistant to help him sell cars along with all the other projects.
So please wake up and take a look at your social set up today. Ask yourself if the format is to meet more people or sell more cars, because chances are you got it backwards. Find a social butterfly and simply ask them to take the plunge into the world of social networks. You can have a presence in your community but you have to make it to all the meetings. You can't show up and not get involved.
One of the great social champions I worked with in the past always told me: "If selling cars was easy... everyone would do it." Then he said with a grin: "They didn't buy my cars, they bought me!"
I have been working at dealerships since 1978, and the top salesperson who never took any ups was the social champion of the store IN 1978! In fact, you know the guy - because there was one at every store I worked. He had a social network that kept feeding him referrals day after day and anyone that ever got a car or truck from him never forgot him because HE WOULDN'T LET THEM. The funny part was that he did it without twitter, facebook, ning, linkedin or bebo, he did it the "old fashion way."
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You know the guy, he was gone every first Tuesday of the month for a noon lunch with the local Rotary Club and was a proud member of the Chamber of Commerce. Man, he was a social butterfly and he knew a lot of people.
But more importantly, A LOT of people knew they could trust him with their referral. He was the first guy the owner called into his office when it was time to order more inventory, because he knew what the customer was thinking.
If there is one common mistake I see in stores today when it comes to our social opportunities, it's the person we put in charge. I see an Internet manager or Internet salesperson working leads and trying to sell and they should be left alone. The social networks today need a social butterfly that can take the sites and work them. It's all about connecting and reconnecting with people. It's about keeping Ford and all its great news today in front of a lot of people for a very low cost per thousand. Making time for social and having the right person involved at your store is so simple but we make it so difficult.
We should all take a moment to remember how the great social champions of the past did it year after year without a DSL connection. He did not go to the Rotary Club, the Optimist Club or the Kiwanis to sell a car. He went there to be social, meet other people in his market, and get to know them outside of work. He did not drop off the full page ad from Saturday, he went there to help the group raise $$$ for their cause... their mission. He got so busy working with so many people that he had to hire his own assistant to help him sell cars along with all the other projects.
So please wake up and take a look at your social set up today. Ask yourself if the format is to meet more people or sell more cars, because chances are you got it backwards. Find a social butterfly and simply ask them to take the plunge into the world of social networks. You can have a presence in your community but you have to make it to all the meetings. You can't show up and not get involved.
One of the great social champions I worked with in the past always told me: "If selling cars was easy... everyone would do it." Then he said with a grin: "They didn't buy my cars, they bought me!"
P.S. Are you 'Advertising' or 'Marketing' ?
Ask me the Difference?
