Dealers turn to Social Media Sites for leads

Is social media marketing the next big thing for dealerships to capture those all elusive leads? The answer is “Yes” if done correctly.  Unfortunately social media marketing is more of an art than a science.

The marketer has to gather followers, earn their trust and keep them interested all while appearing they are not trying to sell them a car. Savvy internet managers Tweet about local news, Facebook about events and create simple YouTube video reviews of their current inventory (usually the top of the line model) to keep their visitors interested. This approach is seen as being informative and unbiased as opposed to the typical “high pressure – call to action” sales pitch.

Running an effective social media campaign is not without risk. Due to its open nature dealerships are subject to all forms of negative feedback (especially from its competition).

A couple of Social Media Marketing Tips:

1. Keep all messaging positive – jokes, local news, events,
2. Offer unbiased informative content – Do not try to “sell” anything
3. Unscripted customer video testimonials
4. Never quote a price
5. Respond to all valid negative comments professionally

Read more here http://www.autonews.com/article/20091123/RETAIL03/311239994/1018