News

I was speaking to a friend yesterday and he asked:

What direction is PCG heading?

I shared with him that we are refining our strategies (packaged services) and technology (chat, text marketing, retargeting, AAN, etc.) to assist dealers implement a comprehensive marketing strategy that allows dealers to do MORE with their budgets which will fatten their bottom line.

The company is growing to provide on-site training and strategic marketing sessions with dealer executives.

Amazing things happen when I spend 2 days with a dealer principal and their team in their store. We can map out an integrated marketing plan AND get key staff buy-in.

PCG will be focusing on dealers who want to dominate their OEM brand in their market. This will involve more direct collaboration with PCG executives and clients.

We are one of the few companies that offer exclusive local marketing per OEM brand. We are not a mass marketed solution. We know dealers want a customize strategy and not a one size fits all package.

With recent changes in Google and the merging of search and social we are pleased to be at the forefront of digital marketing strategy and providing clarity for dealers.

Automotive Digital Marketing Conferences

I was also asked about our focus on dealer training, like the recent PCG Pit Stop conference.

The conferences and regional training events PCG schedules is a labor of love.

We will continue hosting events if dealers continue to invest in education. These events are important to move our industry ahead and attract the next generation of leaders into the car business.  Our next large dealer conference is February 1-3, in Las Vegas just prior to the 2012 NADA Convention.

Additional information on the Digital Marketing Strategies Conference (DMSC) can be found at http://www.digitalmarketingstrategies.org

New Services and Technology from PCG

PCG clients should contact their Project Managers to schedule a call to review all of our new offerings.

For example, 24×7 managed chat is a win-win for your dealership and we’ll guarantee it!

Clients should also be on this Wednesday’s webinar which will discuss the recent changes with reviews on Google Places. Very important!

Dealers who are ready to create a dominating digital marketing strategy for their brands should call before your competition hires us.

Then it will be too late.

Brian

Call my cell: 732-672-2356

Or Call Matt O’Such at 732.450.8200.

About Brian Pasch

In the past nine months, there has been more changes to search marketing and social media than any other period of time I can remember. It is truly a special time for online marketing professionals as we invest to stay ahead of the learning curve for our clients.

In many markets the competition for online car shoppers is so intense that business owners feel that they are in the Super Bowl of online marketing, where every play (strategy) could be the difference in their sales each month and winning the “prize”. The difference between being #1 in the market or the country is getting smaller and smaller.

Businesses who understand the competitive nature of online marketing will only be rewarded with the “winner’s trophy” if their play book is evolving. Resting on past laurels is a game of Russian Roulette.

So the question for you to answer is this: “Are you using outdated plays that the competition already knows or that fails to move the needle like it once did?”

Creating a New Playbook

Dealers wanting to be the next market leader and want to bring home the Super Bowl ring need to be testing “new” automotive advertising strategies. New is a relative word since I’m not suggesting ideas that some dealers have known about for years.

Dealers who are not testing 24×7 managed chat, mobile text marketing, retargeting banner advertising, mobile websites, and localized social media advertising are missing very important “plays” that will move the needle.

There are another handful of “new” ideas that are working at dealership we coach, Google is forever changing the rules. These changes give opportunities to those who are watching the ball.

Quick example: What process at your dealership is in place to identify customers with Google email accounts? What process has been setup to encourage them to “Google +1” your key website assets?  Have you updated your blogs to integrate the +1 button?

If you are saying that you already tested chat, text-marketing, banner retargeting, etc. and they didn’t work for you I would respond that you had the wrong players executing the strategy.

Thinking Like Greece

I’ve also noticed a growing trend that dealers are shunning investing in new areas of opportunity because of fear of a double dip recession. It’s like the Greece austerity measures have crept into the mind of dealer principals and the thought of increasing or changing their marketing budgets have strong resistance.

No dealership will get to be the dominant player in their market by cutting budgets and reducing marketing investments.

I understand that for some dealers the summer months may be filled with anxiety over supply shortages. It been public for some time that some imports will not see their pipeline levels back to normal until September. So if this shortage is not new news, what has your dealership done to compensate for this reality?

In theory, this would be the best time to test new strategies but in reality the resistance to change is seemingly stronger.

I love to work with dealers that challenge their “lizard brain” that Seth Godin speaks about in his best seller “Linchpin“. (We all have Lizard Brains by the way!) I love to work with dealers willing to embrace change and work to create a customized marketing strategy for their dealership.

So if you are doing the same old thing every month at your dealership, you are like a football superstar that is sitting on the bench during the Super Bowl. So much potential but no commitment to engage your opponents.

When you are ready to get off the bench, and want advice on how to revise your playbook, give me a call. 732.450.8200

Want To Learn About New Marketing Strategies

Members of the automotive community who want to move the needle NOW can send two of their staff members to an upcoming PCG Pit Stop event for a special price of $495.

That’s two people for the normal price of one. Details on upcoming dates and cities can be found at http://www.pcgpitstop.com.

Did you know that your local competitor just got smarter?  You thought that they were behind the ball with digital marketing, social media, and leveraging the Internet but that was yesterday’s news.

Your local competitor did wake up.  They realized that they were behind and took action.  Good entrepreneurs are not perfect but when they realize that they are losing market share and wake up they can be a fierce competitor once again.

If I were you, I would be looking over my shoulder because your competitor is using their recent knowledge to mount an attack.

Your competitor attended a 20-group meeting, a social media conference, or a digital marketing workshop, and the lights went on.  You were too busy to notice this change so I thought I would send a warning shot over the bow.

You Once Had An Edge

I was pleased to know that you got started with social media and digital marketing a few years ago and had an edge in your local market.  You exploited that edge and basked in the sun of your success.  Congratulations.

You were rewarded with greater sales, website traffic, and market share. Over the past few years you have been busy implementing the things that you learned by engaging in the educational opportunities offered by this industry.

In fact, I’ve noticed that you have been so intent on implementing what you learned you have been too busy to attend any new workshops in the past year.  Is it still true that you got so many ideas in 2009 and 2010 that you have decided to skip attending conference this year?

Why pile on more ideas when you haven’t had a chance to implement those from 2009 right?

Your Competitor is Smiling

To paraphrase a famous business book, while you have been busy implementing last years’ digital marketing strategies  “the Cheese has moved again”.

Do you need an example?  Today being on Google Page One is not as important as being on Google Page with strong positive review stars.   If you are one Page One with bad reviews, your advertising budget is helping to direct more business to your competitors.

If you haven’t focused on a strong IRM process, much of your Automotive SEO work may be actually hurting more than helping your online sales.

No Time To Get Complacent

Is this scenario describing your dealership?

• Are you the incumbent that has decided to attend conference every other year?
• Are you the dealership that recently woke-up and engaged?
• Are you the dealer who wants to engage but needs assistance creating a competitive digital marketing strategy?

The dealers who want to remain relevant cannot afford to skip a year of education.  The industry is moving faster that most can comprehend yet I hear so many excuses why dealers think they can take a break from learning.

• “I’ve been to that event last year”
• “I can’t take time out of the office.”
• “The speakers and topics are always the same”
• “I’m the only person in my market that gets it.”

The reality is that the best conferences have not only new topics but also important revisions to existing strategies that you are using.

Two years ago little data on consumer behavior on dealer mobile websites was being shared, today we have a wealth of data to discuss.

Two years ago the conversation on reputation management was just starting and today the case studies on the impact of online reviews is chilling.

Google has recently changed their standards for organic search rankings and many dealers were penalized for poor link building processes.

Invest in Education in 2011

Since your competitors are heading to conferences, workshops, and online learning opportunities based on the most relevant topics for 2011 I thought you would want to reconsider your lack of action.

You have the power to remain ahead of your competition and find where the cheese has been moved.  What will you do?

I hope to see you in Orlando for starters.  Lock in a $100 discount off Boot Camp Registration by taking advantage of this special registration link.