1.) Create a Social Media Policy/Community Management Plan
2.) Have an Escalation Plan
3.) Plan for the Worst – Expect the Best
4.) Respond Quickly, Personally and Directly
5.) Don’t Play the Blame Game

Via: Mashable

1. The lack of a strategic plan. Far too many companies run before they walk. As a result, they jump into social media without a well-articulated idea of why they want to do social media, what they want to get out of it, what success looks like, and what rivals are doing.

According to a recent study by Digital Brand Expression, 78% of respondents said they were doing social media but only 41% of companies said they had a strategic plan.

2. The lack of a tactical plan. This is more than just knowing how to use Twitter, Facebook or a blog because they’re not that difficult to learn. Tactics has more to do about best practices, knowing when and how to engage with other people on social media, and using the best and most effective tools to be as productive and efficient as possible.

3. The lack of resources, or hiring people who lack the right skills or experience to get the job done. Too many companies get excited about a social media program but don’t or won’t allocate enough people to actually make it happen. Another mistake is they hire people who are too inexperienced but hope that their enthusiasm about social media will compensate for it.

4. The lack of content that is compelling, engaging, interesting or valuable. At the end of the day, great content and stories make social media be successful. Truth be told, social media services are simply tools to distribute content. In other words, content and stories and the ammunition that makes the weapons (Twitter, Facebook, etc.) effective.

5. The failure to build relationships. Social media is not a one-way street or a one-way conversation. For social media to work, you need to build relationships with people, have conversations, engage and connect. It’s work requires time and effort.”

Via: Sysomos

Dealer Impact can help your dealership take your social media strategy to the next level. For more information check out our Factor of 10 program. You can reach us at 877.334.9638 or email us at sales@dealerimpact.com. Don’t forget to follow us on Twitter @dealerimpact.

In another study, 51% of Facebook fans and 67% of Twitter followers said they were more likely to buy the brands they like on Facebook or follow on Twitter, strengthening the argument that social media is one of the most important emerging channels for lead generation.

Being that social media is a great place to attract new customers, we put together a quick guide on how to use social media for lead generation.

via: Mashable

Looking for some advice on Social Media Marketing and Lead Generation for your dealership give us a call at 877.334.9638 or email us at sales@dealerimpact.com.

The YouTube player is embedded across tens of millions of websites (including ours and probably yours) and the average person spends 15 minutes a day on YouTube. Blue-chip companies understand the power of viral marketing (94 of Advertising Age’s 100 top advertisers run campaigns on YouTube) but even small auto dealerships can benefit.

Selling cars to younger buyers takes tech savvy (a basic web site and an ad in the phone book aren’t enough). To reach the new virtual tire kickers, dealers need to create inventory videos and distribute them on sites like YouTube.

In addition to engaging young buyers, utilizing social media sites is like making dozens of mini-websites that create a virtual trail of breadcrumbs that lead users to your dealership. YouTube has proven itself to be a low-cost, high-reward marketing tool (made even simpler with Dealer Impact’s social media network). Get started, or get left behind.

Foursquare users can quickly "check-in" at local businesses on their smartphones

With new social media sites popping up left and right, it’s easy to dismiss most of them as passing fads. One you may not want to ignore, however, is Foursquare. The year-old site already boasts 1 million users and plenty of buzz.

Foursquare is one of several new location-based networking sites that use GPS technology to allow smartphone users to “check in” at various locations. The idea is to encourage people to explore their cities, meet up with friends, and share tips and secrets about area businesses and attractions.

Businesses are quickly discovering the marketing benefits of geo-sites like Foursquare and its main competitor Gowalla. Auto-repair shops and coffeehouses offer specials or freebies to visitors who check-in first or most frequently. McDonalds will be the first to take advantage of Facebook’s new location-based status updates, which begin later this month.

Setting your dealership up as a Foursquare venue is simple (and is included in Dealer Impact’s social media network program) and the marketing possibilities are endless. Don’t miss the chance to engage your increasingly mobile customers using these increasingly popular technologies.