Competition in the auto retail world has always been fierce. The car business is changing as the industry moves toward more digital-centric sales processes. The consumer is driving sales and car salespeople are evolving too. Social media sites are clearly a major influence in a buyer's decision making process. 
Most marketers understand social sites should be integrated into a marketing strategy. For some, this may be simply having a Facebook page and posting content or pictures, while other brands have a fully integrated social marketing approach to generate leads and engage with customers. However, with more and more consumers turning to social, the automotive industry needs to get fully engaged with social selling. But it’s difficult to know for sure what works and many are looking for proven social media tips for car salespeople. Here are 3 tips we really like, and they are things you can do now.
- Perform at least 5 social media moves everyday:
There is a lot of "downtime" on the sales floor. Use that time to commit doing at least five things everyday that will further value with prospects. Examples:
- “Like” a posting
- Share something newsworthy
- Wish Happy Birthday or Happy Anniversary to your connections
- Publish a relevant story or image
- Follow an influencer and comment on their posts
- Write an article on your blog, Facebook or LinkedIn
- Ask for a review
- Connect with existing clients, colleagues and other professionals you know in real life
Having more connections is good but having meaningful connections is better. A 100 meaningful connections in your market area are better than 10,000 vanity connections. People you have met or already know in person are ideal to connect with on social media. They are more likely to engage with you than some stranger whose profile picture is all you know about them.
- Create an introduction video
A top social-selling tip is to introduce yourself to your customers. Imagine you have 15 seconds to record a video explaining to your customers who you are and how you can help. It may seem like a big challenge to raise someone's interest within just 15 seconds - but honestly it's really not. Use this video to respond to a customer's email or social media query. All you need to do is pretend they are right in front of you and speak naturally. Do not forget to mention the customer's name in the video. When you address a person in the video, it makes it more personal and the chances are you will get a positive reaction.
When done correctly, maintaining a social presence will get you more appointments, help you sell more services and vehicles, and boost your brand’s revenues.
For more information on using video at your dealership, on how to use Twitter or to set up a video blog, please reach out to Doug Thompson at VehiclesTEST.com (954-629-2242).
