I don’t have time. Really? Bullshit.

I've been reading a lot of articles lately that all have one overriding theme - doom and gloom. I reckon a little bit of positive attitude goes a long way especially in a retail sales environment.

There’s no doubt that this industry, especially used, has taken a fair hammering over the past couple of years and there’s probably more short-term pain to come with the new emission laws coming into effect on 1 January next year, but I’m sick of all this negativity especially when the majority of sellers have good tools at their disposal but just aren't using them to help their sales efforts.

The negativity is seeping through. From a selling perspective, we have to start looking at the glass half full, not half empty. And I know that in a lot of cases yard owners and managers have to step up to the plate and realise what the hell is going on, or not, to be more accurate.

Fact 1: The internet has changed the way Kiwi’s buy and sell their cars. What I see though, is that there are still a hell of a lot of yards that haven’t reacted to this fact. By reacting, I mean putting some real effort into having great listings.

Fact 2: Just having your cars on the internet/Trade Me is not going to give you the best possible results you want (billboard in the desert springs to mind). You have to work smart and if you want good results then you need a good plan.

And I don’t want to hear why this can’t be done because I’ve heard every excuse under the sun, and I can tell you that these excuses haven’t changed in over 10 years, but there’s usually one that always comes up, which you may have guessed.

Example 1: I had an opportunity to have a talk with a salesman at a franchise a couple of weekends ago while an older family member took a car for a test drive. I asked the salesman about how internet advertising was going and he said that Trade Me provided the majority of the enquiry. Great, no surprise there but I wanted to know more about the content of the listing itself and what he thought of it.

The listing was what I describe as conventional; 11 good, clear photos and most of the key information listed even if a little over the top. But at this early stage I want the listing to sell me this car and that means emotion – getting the heart pumping, so after reading the advertisement I want it enough to make the next move. And everyone in this game knows this. 

Here's a tip: Throw the majority of convention out the window.

I don’t really need to know about the mud flaps, armrest – front centre (Shared), pedals, rear apron and so on, especially if the text is cut short. Most of this database-driven information is all too sterile, especially slapped with the disclaimer “confirm with seller”. Most of that stuff I will either take for granted or will be shown, but don’t make it the headlining story because it’s mainly boring. Just bullet point it in the features list.

The only extra information was in capitals (which, for the millionth time, is shouting in internet terms, so don’t do it) and was almost useless. “JUST ARRIVED” (no kidding), then the year, make and model, (which is already listed) and finished with “LOW MILEAGE” which I already knew as the actual mileage is listed just above.

Just tell me about the car. How about something like “Just traded from 1 careful owner. Always garaged this car is immaculate and in new condition. Still has 24 months of the manufacturer’s warrant. Come and see for yourself this weekend. We’ll happily trade your vehicle and can provide finance on the spot. Ask for me, Andrew, and I’ll throw in a couple of extras.”

Keep all the features listed (in the features list - at best this is a technical issue) but you have to add a personal touch which will make you stand out from the crowd.

So let’s get to the crunch – why wasn’t there a short and emotive story? And the answer I got was a question: “Who is going to do that because I don’t have time”. Really? Bullshit.

How about this for an idea sales manager: 40 used cars on the yard and 4 salesmen. Empower them to each write a quick story on each car for 10 cars each week. Make it part of their KPI's. And swap them around each week to keep it fresh. This will give them a real understanding of the listing and what works and what doesn’t, just like real estate agent. 

They must understand the entire listing process and being familiar with, and getting good at writing a 50 word blurb will make an enormous difference. And if they can’t, another way is to contract someone who can, like real estate agents do, but the salespeople must understand what's written and it still must have a personal touch.

Let’s face it, the internet is here to stay and is one of the most powerful sales channels, but it won’t replace the physical yard presence. What has changed is how and when you engage with customers to get them onto the yard. No more negativity - glass half full – positive, emotive words on every listing can be done and you DO have the time (yes I was shouting).

Sales managers need to empower or at least engage with their sales staff to get the buy in and story for each car. Owner operators have to find time to put 10 minutes of story into each car. Not sure how to do it or what to say? The good news it, you don’t have to be a literary scholar - usually the ideas are right there in the cars history. It might be as simple as thinking what you would say to a prospect standing in front of you. Use Google or You Tube to search for ideas if you get stuck. Think emotion and think what you really want to say.

Example 2: A client called us to say that he couldn't understand why one of his cars hadn’t sold. “It’s the best value XXXX XXXX out there by far. It’s a great buy but I have to get rid of it to make way for other stock” he said. The listing was OK - it spelt out the features, the photos were OK and the price was sharp, but no story; no personal touch.

In my opinion, he needed to say in his listing what he had said to us on the phone. Why not? There’s plenty of emotion from the dealer and he’s clearly being very open about selling it. People would hope to get a bargain after reading that.

And we know the grass isn’t always greener on the other side – imagine if you were printing newspapers or selling CD’s? No don’t, you’d end up depressed.

Blogging – Your Online Soap Box

In New Zealand, reading Blogs and uploading videos are categories grew more than 35% in 2010.

 

Matthew DeBord from Shifting Gears, CBS says: “Almost no one has gotten more real bang out of the Blogging revolution than automakers (sorry, Charlie Sheen). Yes, tech companies also “do” Blogging, but car companies urgently need to understand — or just hear — what their customers think. Blogging is an ideal framework...car companies now have the opportunity to capture what was always elusive to them: chatter about their products and brands. ”

Several local automotive identities regularly write Blogs within the industry. Currently there are 34,217 New Zealanders Blogging about products and services, but a massive 279,225 read their comments and opinions. More dealers are realising the value in Blogging to reach their customer and build brand loyalty and reinforcement. Latest research tells us that consumers are having conversations about your brand while you’re not in the room by heading to Blogs, forums, review sites, social networking sites. Kiwis are increasingly using Blogging to interact with brands, and to support their purchase decision making by comparing vehicles by reading reviews and other peoples’ experiences or opinions. Currently over half of all online New Zealanders over 18 have read a Blog.

What is a Blog?

A Blog is like your own soap-box - a website forum that is sorted by date which provides interactive commentary or news e.g. latest announcements from your manufacturer, dealership news/promos. There is also room for visitors to leave comments providing an interactive element and link to your customers. A good writer will gather a following and is great advertising for their dealership. You can talk about and promote not only your business and vehicles, but review vehicles and discuss industry news, community events and views.  Being personal builds trust with your audience and gives your site that human touch. This can add value to our business by creating a personality and brand that people can identify with, and relate to - look at The Mad Butcher!

To keep up to date with your favourite Blog, you can get updates when a new Post is done by using RSS feeds.  (Really Simple Syndication – a signal from a favourite blog telling your computer that it has been updated). You can also utilise Blog Gadgets such as Facebook and Twitter links, add a list of your favourite websites or links to your own website, start a poll, or have a list of Blogs sorted by subject. Many of these Gadgets are free to download or add to your blog. 

Why Blog?

Blogs are free of charge and you can start one from a website such as www.Blogger.com. Blogs need ongoing monitoring and participation to guide those conversations onto the right path, respond to comments and questions and able to and quickly take action if need be. All you need is time. Blog software is easy to use, quick to update and a low-cost alternative for a web presence. More importantly, it is a way to stay connected with your customers and put a face behind your business and brand.

Use a Blog to:

·    Share your expertise, knowledge and experience to a large audience

·    Create a direct link & dialogue with your customers

·    Promote specials and send traffic back to your listings and website

·    Personalise your Blog to promote local charities or community events, or events    that you as a business sponsor

·    Link  to your readers with RSS feeds

·   Link Blogs to your Twitter and/or Facebook for extra ‘arrows’ and exposure to your stock and your brand

Is a Blog right for me?

It is sometimes hard to know where to start and what to use that’s why it is important that you have a solid digital strategy and establish the medium that best suits you and your business. Some people love making videos of their vehicles and have the charisma to be in front of a camera. Others enjoy writing so may start a Blog to post articles about their dealership and products, or review vehicles.

Top Tips for Bloggers

1.  Blog regularly, at least every week.

2.   Use an RSS Feed to remind your readers every time a new Post is published

3.  Be Personal - let your personality shine through. Use staff names, share personal experiences about running your business and being involved in your industry.

4.  Promote your stock and services. Feel free to talk about your vehicles & tell your readers why your product can benefit them. You can add links to the vehicle listing.

5. Link your Blog to your website or Blogging site

6.   Use Multimedia - it adds interest to your Blog. Most people are visually oriented and images and video make Blogs more interesting to read, and most people will click on a You Tube link.

   

In a nut shell, if you have someone in your dealership who is are keen on writing and telling a story, Blogging gives you the opportunity to further reach you customers.  Ask your Marketing or IT team about this. Blogging is an opportunity!

Interested in social media but not keen on Blogging? For  information on what Twitter and Facebook are all about, click here.

On Road Costs in Trade Me Motors and AutoBase listings

We recently sent a note to our dealers as a 'head's up' regarding On Road Costs on Trade Me Motors. On Road Costs should be included in the asking price of your vehicles on AutoBase and Trade Me Motors classifieds. This ensures a fair playing field for dealers to advertise their vehicles, and buyers with a clear price to easily compare vehicles, i.e.'apples with apples'.  The latest Autotalk magazine published the following article re. On Road Costs.

Dealer says no to on-road cost

Wednesday, 27 July 2011|Written by Richard Edwards

"An Auckland dealer has rejected the suggestion that on road costs on newly imported cars should be included in the advertised price online. Cooper Cars director Mike Mapperson objected to a message to AutoBase members advising them they should be listing prices as inclusive of on road costs. Mapperson told AutoTalk and that the nature of vehicle pricing means adding on road costs would come from dealer's margins. "Every dealer aims for $12,995, $14,995 or whatever," Mapperson says. "Start taking that $290 out and it comes out of the margin."He notes dealers already absorbed the GST rise under the same system. He also notes the differential between fresh import and preregistered cars, "Nobody demands that someone includes as a provision what the buyer will be up for to register the car for the next six months. None of that money goes into our pockets," Mapperson says. "It is the cost of using the car for the first six months after purchase. The thing the Commerce Commission needs to be aware of is we are selling a car, " he says. "There is nothing to stop us handing the paperwork to the buyer and telling them to go down the road and register the vehicle."

AutoBase General Manager David Boshier says the position is at this stage just an 'advisory', and is aimed at making pricing fairer overall for advertisers. He says he has received little negative response, "I have had a number of dealers calling telling me it is about time. Our view, and TradeMe's view, is that on road costs should be included in the asking price on TradeMe," Boshier says. "Ideally we would like all the dealers to list this way, if for no other reason than it creates a level playing field."

Boshier notes that while there has not been a warning from the Commerce Commission on the issue, not having the overall cost listed could be an issue."The initial impression of the price should be the drive away price," says Boshier. "And if not it could be termed a breach." Boshier notes the Commerce Commission lists on its website examples of where additional costs are not included in the price or detailed."

 

In the Commerce Commission's view, consumers are entitled to consider that any price quoted for a good or service is the price that they will be asked to pay in order to purchase it. The Commerce Commission considers it best practice for the full price that a consumer has to pay to be clearly specified. It is the initial impression created by an offer that is likely to be important. Any fine print disclosure of additional costs to be paid, or disclosing the true costs of the purchase when a customer is about to make the purchase is unlikely to prevent a breach (breach: To break the law or not comply with an Act or regulations) of the Act.

E.g. A car dealer's nationwide television promotion failed to clearly disclose that the prices of vehicles advertised did not include compulsory on-road costs. In a settlement with the Commission, the company acknowledged that the advertisements were likely to breach the Act and agreed to refund on-road costs to all customers who had bought cars in the promotion.

For more information please see the links below:
Commerce Commission > Fair Trading
Trade Me Terms and Conditions

The Humble Vehicle View

What information is readily available to me now that can improve my sales?

Selling on the internet involves no chicken or egg; it has a clear starting point and a defining end point. There is great focus placed on lead tracking, targeted conversion rates and total sales and most of us carry these figures in our heads and our business performance depends on them. The first metric in the internet sales process that is often overlooked is the vehicle view count; it is such a simple measure which requires little interpretation. Once a listing is placed on the internet it shows the immediate acceptance and position of that vehicle within the market.

At AutoBase we have the privilege of seeing a huge amount of data to identify trends and changes in the online behaviour. One clear fact is that the internet is no different to most things in life and it conforms to the 80/20 rule, more effort is easily rewarded which brings me back to the humble vehicle view. Unlike a billboard or 30 second TV,C this little count provides instant gratification. We provide this information to our customers, either in an easy to read table, ready-made graph, or for the more advanced, a complete Excel spreadsheet to allow data importing or manipulation. 

A daily review of this data takes much of the mystery out of selling within market places like Trade Me Motors. Based on one month’s historical data you can quickly and easily gain the following information:

1. Total vehicle views for the month

2. Most popular vehicles

3. Least popular vehicles

4. Impact of pricing adjustments per vehicle

5. Reaction to a change in photos or vehicle description details

6. Duration a vehicle has been listed on Trade Me Motors

7. Trending of views per day

8. Trending of views per week

Having all this information readily at hand is only one part of a powerful puzzle. Mixing this information with what you already know about your customers and their buying history, takes the black magic out of the web. Rather than being in the 80% that hit and hope, optimising a few key elements of online strategy in reaction to what the market is reflecting back has to be a winner. This has always been one key area where I am surprised we get asked very few questions about. My view of the web is that it is a turkey shoot if you get it right.

One thing that can be overlooked or forgotten and that can be picked up by understanding vehicle view performance is where the customers are going after viewing the listing. There are many services now that let you enhance the listing by allowing the prospect to click away to view more information. We offer this service for our customers and thought should be taken on the final destination of these links as depending on where these links lead, it could be a point of weakness. Full advantage needs to be taken of the opportunity to move them away from a highly competitive environment like Trade Me into your more controlled sales process. If your listings are getting lots of views but your lead rate is low, check any links that you are displaying to ensure that they are adding true value back to the viewer. You would be surprised at the number of links that are either broken (as the web address has changed over time), or lead to very nondescript web pages with no focus. These links generally open a new browser window for the prospect which acts as a barrier for them returning to the classified web site. Getting this all working correctly is key.

A vehicle listed today should have its online performance reviewed tomorrow. This is easy for me to say as I sit at my desk looking out at a dark winter’s day, however the beauty of monitoring vehicle views is that it takes so little time and allows you to catch things early. A newly listed, well-priced, highly desirable vehicle should be generating proportionately more views than your older stock. If not, it needs to be quickly reviewed as it may have incorrect pricing, poor quality or no images, missing comments etc. You do not want to miss that golden period of a latest listing. Equally, any older listing should be addressed where the views have dropped; is it time to update the photos, freshen up the comments and review the pricing? If you are using Trade Me Motors, remember to leverage the model variant field for promotions. 

 Excerpt from an example of an AutoBase Monthly Vehicle Views Report.

For more information on this feature, please email us here.

Remember that the web with its saved searches and watch lists, turns all prospective customers into train spotters and you cannot fool them! You have to be transparent with your customers and prospects. With older listings it is best to openly state that the vehicle must go and that the price has been adjusted to reflect this. By being openly on the front foot it helps cut down on those last minute and unwanted price negotiations. If online customers are turned away by your actions they will never tell you.

In summary it all does start with the number of eyes on listings and this information is easy to obtain. Tracking and monitoring this activity is relatively low stress and the gains made around optimising an online sales approach will lead to increased activity in your lead pipeline. Nothing internet-based needs to be hard.

AutoBase Enhanced Daily Vehicle Views Graph. 
For more information on this feature, email us here.

Article by David Boshier, AutoBase General Manager 

AutoBase Dealer Services Website - DealerBase

For the past 12 months we have been working hard on a multitude of enhancements and upgrades to our systems. Last year we introduced you to our new dealer services website, DealerBase. DealerBase is available to ALL AutoBase customers at no charge and there are a host of great tools and features here for AutoBase customers to utilise. These include:

Edit Your Stock
About half of our customers use DealerBase to load and edit their stock - now users of stock systems can edit vehicles through DealerBase. There is a warning at the top that alerts you to the fact that the vehicle may be overwritten next time we get your next data file upload. This allows you to select options you can’t load through your data file such as Special, Apply Standard Text etc.

Advertising Display List
We have added a View menu in the Advertising Display List screen, which allows you to view your listing as they are displayed on AutoBase, Trade Me Motors, and on your own website if it is hosted by us.

 

 

Current Vehicle Limit

See your current Vehicle Limit in the Advertising Display List section. You can increase your Vehicle limit at any time, just email your Account Manager Davern or Anneka

 

Your Vehicle List
The My Settings page (found under the My Company menu) can be used to set some default values that are used through DealerBase. This includes what order the vehicle lists are shown in by default i.e. ordered by stock number ascending/descending or make model etc.

Filter Vehicle Lists
Filter vehicles by Current and Deleted Stock, Advertising Display List, Trade Me Features Listings, Trade Me Showroom List etc. Filter vehicles by Manufacturer in Current and Deleted Stock, Trade Me Showroom, Advertising Display List and Featured Listings sections and also by vehicles showing or not showing on AutoBase / Trade Me in the Advertising Display List section.

Customise your Stock List

You can now create and customise lists of your Current and Deleted Stock by filtering certain fields e.g. New/Used. To use this new feature go to Manage Stock, Lists, Current Stock. By clicking on Filter Current Stock List and a form will pop up asking you which fields you wish to filter,e.g. In Transit, or Used Stock Only. You can then save that Stock List. Your saved Custom Stock List will appear under the Lists menu in the Manage Stock section.

Your Company Details
View your Company Details which we have in our system, and request us to call you if changes are required. Your dedicated AutoBase Account Manager is also noted and you can add and edit your branch Promotional Text and Standard Vehicle Text here. 

 

Update Staff List and Display Order

In Company Details under Company Staff, you can also add to and update your Staff list.

 

You can also choose which sales staff's details  (up to 3) are displayed on your Trade Me Motors listings.

Reporting

Enhanced reporting package available to view your daily vehicle views in graphical format, plus we can email you the statistics monthly. (There are also extra reporting packages available to purchase - please email us here to find out more).

 

Share and Tweet Listings on Facebook and Twitter

Tweet and Share your listings via Twitter and Facebook. This new feature is located under the Manage Stock, Advertising menu.

Upgrade Package Management
Enhanced, easier management of your upgrade features such as Trade Me Showroom and Featured Listings.

Deader Tips and Resources
Updated Resources which include Dealer Tips, Advertising Packages and General Resources (such as AP forms).

AutoBase Website Design
If you have an AutoBase website, you the ability to add and update Testimonials on your AutoBase hosted website through DealerBase.

For help or advice about DealerBase, please contact Customer Support on 0800 42 88 62 or email info@autobase.co.nz. 

What is required in a listing to be sent to Trade Me Motors

To maintain the quality of our AutoBase dealer listings on Trade Me Motors, there are a few things each listing must have:

• A Retail Price greater than zero
• A Year greater than zero (there must be a Year for the Cars/Utes/Vans category)
• A Manufacturer
• A Model
• The Vehicle body type (Sedan, Hatchback)
• A Transmission type
• At least 1 image

If your listing does not contain all of this information we are not able to send it up to the Trade Me Motors Website, you can check if your listings are showing on Trade Me Motors in our DealerBase system.

Click HERE to check (*you need to Log In first).

You will find a list of all stock not showing and a list of the missing information in the Advertising tab under “Stock not displayed on Trade Me”

If you have any questions, please feel free to contact our support team on 0800 42 88 62 or email info@autobase.co.nz.

How is your Digital Footprint?

With around 2,000 automotive dealers in New Zealand, standing out in the crowd is key - the more ‘arrows’ pointing to your brand and your stock, the better. Auto marketers and dealers are increasingly realising the value of getting their stock and brand online and are utilising several ways to increase their online presence - their ‘digital footprint’.

Online Advertising

The sheer amount of information available on vehicles that can be found online, coupled with the speed and ease of searching for them has made online advertising hugely popular with Kiwi dealers and consumers. People are buying out of town and turning to the internet more and more when buying vehicles. 80% of people now use the internet and 88% of them are on broadband, making it fast and easy for people to search through multiple vehicle listings from home, or work¹. Because of this online advertising has rapidly become the foundation to automotive dealers’ marketing plans. New Zealand’s online advertising spend for 2009 was $213 Million - a 10% growth since 2008². With a huge range of search criteria for vehicles and fast page download times, Trade Me Motors now attracts in excess of 2million UBs (Unique Browsers) a month³ with almost 900 dealers and >35,000 dealer stock listings running as classifieds (>50,000 listings overall), giving Kiwi dealers’ listings massive online exposure. 

All AutoBase customers get their listings displayed on both Trade Me Motors and www.autobase.co.nz at one monthly rate. So to maximize your online presence in line with your budget and resources, put your stock where the most people are looking. It makes sense to choose a provider who gets the most traffic – Trade Me runs auctions and classifieds and they put a great deal of money and effort into optimizing their search results in Google, so you don’t have to! We suggest following this plan. Put 60% of your marketing spend into online classifieds, 30% into promoting those listings so they stand out, and 10% managing leads and your staff to make sure those leads are being followed up.

Company Websites 
Many NZ dealers are getting their own websites, which makes it easy for viewers to find stock, contact details and information on specials or warranties at the click of a button, as well as giving their brand more online exposure. But having a great website is pointless if no one visits it or it’s confusing to navigate. The more arrows you have pointing to your website, the better – put your URL (website address) on business cards, signage and all marketing collateral. There are many people who dabble in ‘website design’, but design and ease of usability are key, so ensure that you trust your web design to a professional that understands your industry.  Web design solutions specifically for dealers must include a database that displays your stock, and is easily managed and updated from your VMS or web browser. 

 

AutoBase designs websites for automotive dealers. If you have a well-designed and professional website, it will pay for itself in no time. Your website needs to reach as many people as possible - it is open for business 24 hours, giving your customers what they want. Many people build websites these days – but not all of them are user-friendly, well made or professional looking. There is nothing worse than going to a website and spending ages trying to find what you want. Most viewers spend less than 10 seconds looking, and if they can’t find want they want they will click off to another website.  AutoBase websites are easy to navigate and all your information is found simply and fast.  AutoBase only build automotive websites that are professional, functional websites for the automotive industry at highly competitive, transparent  rates. We also display and power your stock, at no extra charge. Our designer works with you to make sure we give you what you want – a professional, high-quality, user-friendly website. We can also add video if you like. To  find out more please email us here.

Quantifiable reporting

The beauty of these online marketing tools is that you can capture usable information. Facebook and Twitter now have applications enabling businesses to track and obtain quantifiable reports. Applications can identify user locations and habits such as:

·         Who is walking through your doors?

·         How often are they visiting your premises?

·         How many people are visiting your website?

·         How many people have viewed your individual stock listings?

·         What Tweet posts are the most popular?

Some classified websites also have a large variety of reporting available, including reports on how many people have viewed each stock item, what stock items get the most views and how many enquiries you receive. Yes, websites such as Facebook and Twitter are free, but it’s implicit that you have a well thought out, targeted marketing plan with relevant and correct information going out onto the internet. Consult with your Marketing Manager or an online marketing adviser for guidance and strategy. Make the most of all of your online options and the wide variety of tracking and reporting available to you. Harness and manage the power of the internet by getting your arrows on target, and you will reap the benefits.