Service Providers

Social Media One-on-One for Dealers: Where does your dealership start?

Amanda White BlogIn order to choose which social media platforms your dealership should explore, you first need to understand why social media is an effective way to communicate in the first place. Social media is not a “new” commodity. Its humble beginnings started in the late ‘70s by two Chicago computer hobbyists whom invented the first online bulletin board system to share meeting dates and notes. Since its conception, the influence of social media has grown rapidly and fiercely. The simple fact is its existence will continue reaching more and more online users.

This is not exactly breaking news, but it is a reality that businesses must embrace and use these channels as integral parts of their marketing/advertising platforms and campaigns. The question dealerships struggle with is: How do we tactfully use social media to do x, y, z to make an impact on a, b, c, which should increase awareness and sales? In order to START answering this question your dealership needs to be aware and familiar with the social media available.

Here are a few popular ones that every web user should know about:

Facebook

Twitter

Instagram

Pinterest

Google+

Blogger

Reddit

YouTube

LinkedIn

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… and the list goes on and on. Right now, let’s stick with this basic list of social media sites. As soon as your dealership works regularly with one or two social media sites, the easier it gets to explore new social media platforms.

Try this: Click on the hyperlinks and create personal accounts. It is free and easy to start!

The idea is to explore the tool(s) on your own before representing your dealership.  You can’t teach a student how to ride before having experience of your own. Learning social media is no exception. Dealers using their own personal accounts can navigate the platform, gain a customer’s point of view and investigate the competitor’s use of the medium all in one social media power hour. Organize your thoughts/questions, write down what you like or dislike about the platform and look up tutorials and articles on how to work something. It will be a fluid transition of using the same newly-gained experience and knowledge on your dealership account. Lastly, but importantly, the time to make mistakes is while experimenting with your personal account. Friends, family and strangers will be less inclined to judge a personal account/page than a business-owned account/page.

Plan to schedule a time to create your accounts. Commit to this time! Block one hour out of your day to getting confortable and familiar with the platform(s).  The more comfortable and familiar a tool becomes, the easier it gets to use.

Amanda White is account manager for PowerSports Network.

Website: psnsales.com

 

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3 Comments

  1. Really. PSN used to be the best in the business and this is what the best they have. Please share something of value next time.

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