When computers first started making their way in the 80's, I abolished it, including my college days during floppy discs. Then came "The Worldwide Web' Still in retail mid-20's and still the youngest selling Bick/Isuzu as NCM, still blown off. I moved all the Buicks to the back & drove all the Rodeo's & Trooper's up to the front....guess what? That's right, it worked...what a miracle. Tired of being tapped on the head like a little boy, I left! I did govt. work, counted beans, all…

Here's the second in an ongoing series of weekly social media tips:



Social Media Tip #102~ Be Real.



Your Facebook fans have 'liked' your page voluntarily - and they can just as voluntarily 'unlike' your page if you do not maintain a positive, interesting, engaging presence. One very simple yet effective way of retaining fans is to just be yourself.

Here's how: ask yourself, 'What would I like to read about, look at, get involved in, if I were a fan viewing my page?'…

What is a social object? A social object is a conversation piece that inherently generates conversation and action around itself. A social object can be just about anything, it can be a news piece, a cause such as ending world hunger, a passion such as the love one has for their favorite football team, or even a lifestyle such as…

Facebook is free to join and build a page, but it's definitely not free to use effectively. Time is money. Advertising is money. This infographic by our partners at Column Five Media for Flowtown breaks down the true costs of Facebook marketing. Click to enlarge.…

Often customers that bring a vehicle in for service purchased it somewhere else at another dealership. There are many causes for this however let's look at this example in more detail. First understand the purchase has already been made and will not be up for discussion. You cannot change the past. That being said there is nothing to gain for your service department to show this customer anything but your best. With a positive service visit it is likely when deciding to purchase their next…

Folks, if so please contact me Joseph DiGiore at Dealer Wizard (813) 712-5691 I will show you how we do it.

12/09/2011 - TAMPA, Fla., Dec. 9 2011 -- One of the biggest challenges for auto retailers is to recruit, train and retain top notch professional managers…

You know the old saying, "throw everything up against the wall and see what sticks?" I probably don't need to tell you this, but that shouldn't really be your mantra when it comes to creating an automotive marketing campaign.

Still, and…

So I was searching on True Car for a model in my area and look at the pricing data.

So correct me if I am wrong.

True Car grabs pricing data based on transactions. These transaction prices are based on SOLD vehicles. After I added the Seven Cars in the example for the highs and lows, the "Good Price" does average out close to $37,794. …

Sucker Punch

When I arrived in Atlanta in 1982 with my mattresses tied to the roof of my 'buy here- pay here car', you might say I was 'street tough' and 'world wise'... certainly not the warm and fuzzy, cuddly, kinder gentler Ziegler you've all grown to know and love. I used to say we couldn't have a class reunion till all of my friends got out of…

CarChat24 will provide hosted Free Advanced Auto Dealer Chat Software for (“All Car Dealer’s NEW or Used”) after final Beta testing. Expected release in late January to early February. Hosted Advanced Chat software designed for Car Dealers FREE!

Anyone interested in this always free version should go to the appropriate URL below to register. Once we launch we will send…

Now that Google+ is open to businesses, many are trying to figure out the best way to utilize this new social media portal (including DealerOn).  I’ve gathered some of the more common mistakes that businesses are making to shorten the learning curve for auto dealerships.

Like all other social media sites, not posting on a…

Making the decision to have auto dealer chat on your website is considered by many successful dealers to be a great one. It enables you to interact with your website traffic and get a feel for what your customers are looking for. It isn’t enough to just have the software on your website, however. In order to generate high quality car sales leads, you have to know how to use auto dealer chat.

 

First and foremost you have got to have a website. This seems…

As 2011 quickly comes to a close, I've been taking stock of my year and making plans for 2012. Without going into personal details, 2011 was a difficult year for me both personally and professionally as I was left feeling underwhelmed in many-a-situations. 

 

If you don't know me, CarChat24 is only one of the businesses that I do social media for. I also write for a blog related to Autism, and assist a Life Coach with her daily needs. Plus, I have a day job in which I…

Jim,

I couldn't agree more!!! The business model True Car,Zag and others like them operate under is flawed because the only person that truly wins is them.

Does the customer win?... No because the dealers have to post a price hundreds, if not thousands below what we pay for the car to get the consumer and then we either have to eat that loss or figure out a creative way to get back to profitability. In my opinion not the smooth customer experience they…

Groundbreaking program dramatically expands the number of vehicles eligible for certification and increases consumer confidence and purchase protection  

Venice, CA  --  Mota Motors…

For many years consumers have been complaining about the buying experience at the local dealership and have often compared the experience to pulling teeth without the benefit of a painkiller. However, in the post internet era where easy access to information has changed the way that vehicles are bought and sold, consumers have expanded the radius for what they consider their local dealership to include those within the length of time they are willing to travel to avoid the hassle and to get…

Recently I saw a customer come into the dealership for service. This person was traveling to deliver dogs around the country in his diesel pickup truck. The trailer had 22 dogs on it as he pulled in for service because the engine was running rough and he could not continue. The time of this visit was around three in the afternoon. My truck is running poorly and I need help. The manager stated well at this time he would not get going today but he would have some idea of diagnosis. He…

Good morning,

I have another article I wanted to share today. It’s all about making sure your customers are coming back to your dealership after the initial sale. Oftentimes, customers will make a purchase, and you won’t see them again for a while, if not ever again.