NADA Convention will be a Social Media Tipping Point for Many

JD Rucker, TK Carsites

As social media grows within the collective conscience of the automotive industry, many dealers have been looking towards the NADA Convention in Orlando as the point where they will learn or enhance their knowledge of how they can take advantage of it as a marketing and engagement platform.

The convention itself is jam-packed with activities, including a presentation that I would like to attend by Eric Miltch, Glen Garvin, Paul Potratz, and Tom White. Jared Hamilton is also doing a workshop on Advanced Online Thinking for Dealership Leaders. As someone who has heard Jared speak, I can't wait for that one.

There will be plenty of vendors offering their social media wares, both in conjunction with their current product offerings as well as stand-alone products. The one thing that dealers must always keep in mind is that engagement is the name of the game in social media. Bulk is irrelevant. Automation doesn't work. As the NADA social media presence itself has proven, quality always wins over quantity.

Unlike most other forms of online marketing, social media is not a matter of "the loudest voice wins". Exposure is a key, but it must be managed properly. Being able to speak to people, to make them feel welcome and ready to do business with the dealership, is something that social media has above all other forms of marketing or advertising.

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Important Room Change Information

Due to an overwhelming response, via social media (twitter), the workshop, Selling and Managing Relationships with the Online Community, will be moved out of room 204B. It will now be located in Room 205 A-C, a much larger room.

Thank you for your active participation which has allowed us to accommodate your needs! We look forward to seeing you all at the 2010 NADA Convention and Exposition, where you can "Go to Know"!

Integrating Online & Traditional Advertising Tactics

Howard Polirer

Now more than ever it’s important to make sure you are running a tight ship at your dealership and maximizing your media dollars. One of the best ways to get the most out of your advertising budget is by integrating your online and traditional media tactics.

Both online and traditional media outlets offer a variety of opportunities for brand-building as well as retail sale-oriented tactics designed to reach in-market car buyers. The key is to make sure you are being very strategic – you want online and traditional media working together to drive shoppers to your dealership.

This workshop will help you better understand today’s advertising media landscape and learn how to be more strategic with allocating your advertising dollars. We’re all aware of the vast array of media options available today – from traditional television, radio and newspaper advertising to the Internet and “new media” channels – the possibilities seem endless when determining the right media mix. I will demonstrate how to integrate multiple advertising tactics to create a holistic advertising approach in order to drive more traffic to your dealership.

No one can tell you specifically what the right media mix is for your dealership. It’s really about evaluating the most effective way to use the media outlets available to you to reach in-market shoppers in your area. But whoever is responsible for allocating your dealership’s advertising budget needs to truly understand the cost implications for the exposure you are actually getting from various media, and in my workshop, I will present some important considerations to help you align your online and traditional advertising tactics in 2010.

Google Analytics

If you are presently using eMail marketing you should be tracking the results with Google Analytics, it is a free service and will tell you how many people are coming to your web site from your email marketing efforts. To learn more read this Free White Paper: http://www.cactussky.com/csweb/reports/google_analytics.php

eMail Marketing

Advertising and Marketing has changed forever, what worked in the past is not working today. Consumers are more mobile, they are doing more research, so they are better informed. Today over 86 percent of car shoppers use the Internet to do research and 79 percent to research specific dealerships, meaning there is a tremendous need to be communicating via eMail. Spam Filters and Corporate Firewalls are now providing an added challenge for dealers.

Delivering an email today presents a number of challenges and the upcoming seminar titled: How to Deliver eMails in a SPAM-Filtered World will provide you with new insight on how to deliver more emails.

Peter Martin, President of Cactus Sky Communications, www.cactussky.com

KPA, TK Carsites Form Strategic Alliance

Lafayette CO / Orange, CA (PRWEB) January 4, 2010 -- KPA and TK Carsites announced a strategic partnership today that combines the environmental, health, safety, and HR compliance and risk management services of KPA with the "front end" marketing and website development capabilities of TK Carsites.

The partnership gives dealers solid options through trusted vendors within their field. KPA is the compliance leader with over 3000 dealers using their services to manage risk and cost, while TK Carsites has established itself as an award-winning marketing platform through which dealers can grow their business.

At the Orlando NADA Convention in February, automotive dealers will learn firsthand how the partnership will benefit them. KPA and TK Carsites will be hosting training seminars on social media, SEO, lead-generation, wage and hour law, Department of Labor regulatory changes, and how to stay ahead of upcoming OSHA, EPA, and DOT regulations.

For the full article:

http://www.prweb.com/releases/2010/01/prweb3403904.htm