I have a different perspective about online reputation and ratings for car dealers. It comes from my days working the line, selling cars, and from eventually managing stores that were consistently #1 in our market. Our team always knew they were a vital part of delivering an outstanding experience. The success…
Continue
Added by Kathi Kruse on November 16, 2011 at 3:34pm —
2 Comments
There are zombies out there right now trying to “manage” your business’ Social Media. Many dealers are still defining what Social Media means to them and their business. If you’re not a regular user, it’s hard to decipher what really will work for you. Some promise success; others scare you into a…
Continue
Added by Kathi Kruse on October 31, 2011 at 1:22pm —
No Comments
Like it or not, what people see posted on your Facebook page influences their decision to do business with your store. As we become more connected everyday by technology and Social platforms, the more important it is to focus on improving your Facebook marketing. Crackerjack management of your Facebook Page… Continue
Added by Kathi Kruse on October 26, 2011 at 2:51pm —
7 Comments
Who speaks for your dealership on Social Media? Is it someone who knows you, knows your store and most importantly, your story? Automotive Social Media is about people, conversations and deriving leads from those relationships. There’s a lot of people trying to capitalize on this booming market so here’s a shocker: Not everyone who says they can do… Continue
Added by Kathi Kruse on July 22, 2011 at 9:54pm —
No Comments
Social Media marketing is on the rise in the dealership world and many stores are struggling to manage the basics. Using content to generate leads is tricky business. It’s not something a dealer can hand off to a subordinate easily. There are lots of great marketing strategies that can turn fans in to prospects… Continue
Added by Kathi Kruse on June 16, 2011 at 11:59am —
No Comments
A few weeks ago Gary Vaynerchuk was the keynote speaker at LinkedOC, our great networking group led by… Continue
Added by Kathi Kruse on June 7, 2011 at 1:06pm —
No Comments
Your customers are looking for you. In today’s world of car dealership marketing, you need to clearly recognize where your customer is and meet them there. With car buyers spending an average of 7 hours online looking for their next vehicle, your dealership’s online presence has never been more important. Why is… Continue
Added by Kathi Kruse on June 1, 2011 at 11:41am —
5 Comments
A few days ago there was a story in the LATimes that tells the world to hold off on buying their next car. Silly as that sounds, it reminded me that with… Continue
Added by Kathi Kruse on May 27, 2011 at 11:25am —
16 Comments
One night a little over 2 years ago and armed with my laptop, I sat on my couch and investigated why so many good car dealerships had negative online reviews. I took one brand and one state, California, and looked up each store’s… Continue
Added by Kathi Kruse on May 12, 2011 at 3:21pm —
No Comments
One night a little over 2 years ago and armed with my laptop, I sat on my couch and investigated why so many good car dealerships had negative online reviews. I took one brand and one state, California, and looked up each store’s… Continue
Added by Kathi Kruse on May 12, 2011 at 3:21pm —
No Comments
I read a disturbing headline in Automotive News this week saying “Facebook-Fun But Sells Few Cars.” I’m sorry Automotive News but I just have to rebut your argument. Social Media DOES… Continue
Added by Kathi Kruse on May 6, 2011 at 7:01pm —
7 Comments
“Why isn’t our Facebook page taking off? We need more fans!” This phrase is something I hear on a regular basis from dealers. Growing a community on Facebook is an elusive task for some dealerships. We used to advertise and the community would come to us…now we need to go to them, attract them and engage them… Continue
Added by Kathi Kruse on May 2, 2011 at 3:02pm —
29 Comments
Let’s face it, every dealership is looking for short cuts to help manage Social Media more efficiently and effectively. One option is to outsource your dealership’s Social Media to someone who can take care of certain tasks for you. Social Media still requires your participation and any task that doesn’t…
Continue
Added by Kathi Kruse on April 22, 2011 at 12:02pm —
2 Comments
There are some very interesting things happening in dealership showrooms right now. The days waiting for Ups while reading the newspaper and drinking coffee are over. They’re so over, we need a new word for over!
I recently pointed…
Continue
Added by Kathi Kruse on April 14, 2011 at 5:26pm —
4 Comments
A recommendation from someone else still remains the most-trusted source of information to help buyers when deciding to purchase a vehicle. They reach out to their network on Social Media, they visit Yelp and other review sites and they eventually land on your dealership’s website. They come to your site to peruse… Continue
Added by Kathi Kruse on April 4, 2011 at 1:30pm —
14 Comments
Almost daily, dealerships ask me how they can build their fan base on Facebook. While having a lot of fans is good, keep in mind that you always want to increase quality not quantity. Making a commitment to managing Facebook is the first step. The objective is getting BUY IN from the managers and staff. The ultimate goal is to get a… Continue
Added by Kathi Kruse on March 10, 2011 at 1:30pm —
3 Comments
Car dealers in Southern California (and probably everywhere else) are asking themselves whether or not they need a Social Media manager. Many are noticing the popularity of Social networks and it was all the rage at NADA2011. The problem is they don’t know who, how, why, when or where to start. I wrote in a post a… Continue
Added by Kathi Kruse on February 18, 2011 at 2:00pm —
7 Comments
Almost everyday I talk to dealers and their staff who ask really great questions about Social Media and what’s called “Inbound Marketing”. Wikipedia and… Continue
Added by Kathi Kruse on January 19, 2011 at 7:42pm —
No Comments
As I sit down to write this post, I’m reminded of a situation where I once had to break the news to the owner of a dealership that he needed $1 million cash infusion to keep his… Continue
Added by Kathi Kruse on January 4, 2011 at 2:00pm —
No Comments
I can’t tell you how many times I’ve been sitting with a client when they say, “I’m sick of being held hostage by customers who threaten me with posting a bad review on Yelp.” Just last Friday, I had a conversation about this with a good friend who’s a successful sales manager for high-line import dealership here in the OC. “Customers…
Continue
Added by Kathi Kruse on December 21, 2010 at 8:30am —
1 Comment
