Yesterday, Bruce Etzcorn discussed a feature we’re adding to our 1.11 Service Update that allows Dealer HD customers to tweet your inventory for free. Today I’d like to dicsuss it a bit further and tell you a few more reasons you need to be using this service.  I also want to go over some social networking “Best Practices”.

We discussed that Twitter is a search engine.  You can’t afford to be missing from a search engine.  Customers have the ability to search twitter for content that interests them.  Let’s take a look at a quick real world example.

I want to buy a 2005 Mustang because I know that this was the first year of the new body style and I feel I can get the most for my money by picking the oldest “updated model” available.

So I start at Google and do a quick search.  I don’t really find any specific cars.  One or two yes, but most of the results are for review sites.  Great if I’m in the research phase but what if I want to know what inventory is out there and at what price.

Next I perform a twitter search (Your results may be different because twitter is a time based search)  and my first result is an actual vehicle with pricing and photos.  I can scroll down and find similar links to compare a few different vehicles on Twitter.  Cool so I’ve done a search on my own terms and found exactly what I was looking for.

Twitter is NOT a classified service so I will see a mix of results, which is great.  I may find another person talking about the 2005 mustang and befriend them.  Now I’ve got a buddy to chat about cars with.  I may see a customer who says “Looking for a Red 2005 Mustang GT with black leather”.  As a dealer, it just happens that I have that car in stock.  I send a message to that customer letting him know I have it with a link back to my dealer website.  The customer then follows my dealership on twitter and I gain a little additional exposure.

This is the Lewis and Clark phase of Twitter.  It’s very experimental.  Dealer HD realizes the enormous potential that Twitter brings to the automotive marketplace and has integrated twitter into your dealer websites so you can market to your customers on their terms.

Tweeting inventory is very important and it needs to be done the RIGHT way.  Alter the message so that you aren’t spamming customers with 10 identical phrases.  Tweeting your inventory should only be one component of your social stream.  Try and make sure to post as many, if not more posts related to your dealership and who you are.  Make it personal.  You need to also communicate news, events, sales information, incentives and other relavant information to your followers.  Leave the tweeting your inventory to us. It’s already built in to your Dealer HD web site.   Get invovled on a personal level.  Focus more on the relationship building and the customer service end, rather than trying to make a quick sale.  The sales will come, but they shouldn’t be the driving focus behind your twitter identity.  Keep it real and connect with the world.  We’re all getting a little more social every day.

Call me impatient, but I can’t wait for the 1.11 Service Update we’re performing on May 31, 2009. We’ve been working hard here at Dealer HD to provide some great new features to help your dealership build stronger relationships with your customers and we’re really excited to get these out to you. We’ll be discussing these in more detail very soon. Right now, I’m going introduce…

Dealer HD & Twitter

If your dealership has a twitter account and a dealer website by Dealer HD you’re already a person in the know. Now, wouldn’t it be great if you could somehow merge these two great services and do some really great things? Now you can.

Tweeting Your Inventory.

By registering your Twitter account in the Dealer HD Admin we will automatically send your newly added inventory to your Twitter account. Each morning your followers will view the latest additions to your inventory complete with a link to visit the vehicle on your website. If they see a vehicle that interests them, they can simply click the link, review the details and request a test drive.

Your inventory. Everywhere. Anytime. On any device.

Tweeting your inventory is a great way to expose the vehicles on your lot to everyone with a Twitter account and those people who are interested in your products simultaneously. Each “tweet” gets placed on the public timeline of twitter and everyone who has requested to “follow” your dealership gets notified of your update as well. They see your message instantly. The potential exposure this gives your inventory is enormous and makes your inventory travel to your audience faster than ever.

Once your inventory is on Twitter, your inventory can be viewed on almost any device that has an internet connection. In fact, there are so many Twitter applications built that your tweets can be viewed on an iPhone, a Blackberry, via text message, your desktop, your browser’s address bar and twitter.com of course. There are more built everyday and that makes your inventory more portable than ever. Your customers can get your message how they want it.

Twitter is a Search Engine

Twitter is a search engine of real-time messages by real people. People use Twitter to say what’s on their mind. Businesses use Twitter to monitor customer satisfaction. Your dealership needs to be here and be part of the conversation. When someone is searching for Camaro and you’ve got two in stock you have to be listed. Your customers, young and old are using this service and it becomes more popular everyday.

For Free!

Did I mention that this is free? There are other companies out there that are offering a similar service but none are integrated seamlessly into your existing content management system. Dealer HD provides this service free to all our customers because this is a necessity. There’s no reason not to have it and we’re a company that prides itself in customer service. So we like to provide you with the latest innovative ways to help you sell more cars and connect with your customers. You’re going to love this. If you haven’t signed up for a free Twitter account, do it before June 1st.

I just moved to town and I don’t really know anybody.  I mean, I’m pretty familiar with the cool cats around here.  They’re definitely famous and they’ve got huge followings.  So I was shocked when I got a random e-vite the other day for a party hosted by everyone cool in town.  It was being hosted at this huge mansion on top of a mountain.  No way can this be happening.  Oh well I decided to go and at least see what the buzz was all about.  I walked up to the gates of the mansion and of course there were cool cars everywhere.  There was even a helicopter.  Neat.

I walked through the door and immediately recognized everyone.  Firefox was making drinks behind the bar.  Yahoo was giving MSN a giant wedgie.  I walked a bit further in and saw Google hanging out with what must have been 10 models.  “0 1 0 1 1 1 1 1 0″, he muttered as I walked by.  I don’t think people like me around here.  Well I think I’ll stay a while and mingle.  Oh by the name, let me introduce myself.  My name is Twitter.

Life is a party!  At least on the web where everything is going “social”.  It’s not entirely new either.  The idea of social platforms has been around for a while but the mediums they are cropping up in are changing almost daily.  Twitter is one of newest and most popular trends in social media.  It may not make sense to you now but the future marketing potential for your dealership is HUGE!  Our next update to Dealer HD brings a lot of changes that will make your dealership extremely unique is the social marketplace.  We’re doing things that no one else has even touched yet.  You’re all in for a treat on this one, I promise.

Let’s get a jump start on learning and putting social media to practice:

1. Sign up for a Twitter account for you personally – Follow people that are relevant to you.  The goal here is to find people who will teach you things and learn as much as you can.
2. Sign up for a Twitter account for your dealership – Again follow those relevant to you and start posting links to your website (specials, hot cars, coupons, news & events and promotions).  Build up your following.
3. Create a Facebook page for your dealership – This will allow you to upload new photos, events, videos and testimonials.  Customers might find you on Facebook before they find your website.  Cover all your angles.
4. Blog – Start a blog for yourself and for your dealership.  Write about anything any everything.  Recycle manufacturer press releases and put a twist on them with your own words.

This is only the beginning and there are new social networks being launched daily.  We’ll make sure that you are prepared for this next wave in online automotive marketing.  Web 2.0 is here and I have a feeling Web 3.0 is just around the corner.  Don’t hide from change, embrace it!  You’ll reap the rewards if you can get over being anti-social.