Internet Reputation Management For Car Dealers

Internet Reputation Management SeminarBy Brian Pasch8th Digital Dealer ConferenceOrlando 2010

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Anyone or company interested in reproducing any part of these materials must first contact the author for permission. The logos, screen shots and graphics used in this presentation are the property of the registered companies and permission to use those items must be obtained directly by the rights holder.
Date of original publication: 4/1/2010 The screen shots presented in this seminar were taken before April 1,2010. Changes made to individual websites after 4/1/2010 will not be reflected in this presentation.
© Copyright 2010 – PCG Digital Marketing
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The IRM Equation
Business Ethics + Social Media + SEO = IRM
Dealer Consumer Strategy
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The IRM Reality
IRM = More Warm Calls + More Warm Leads
A Strong IRM Policy Generates More Sales
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Qualifications For Coaching IRM Strategies
Google Page One search results in USA for my business services:
Automotive SEO
Car Dealer Microsites
WordPress Microsites
Automotive Reputation Management
Automotive Reputation Management Portal
Dealer Reputation Management
Google Page One Management
Automotive Digital Marketing
Top Consumer Website for “Cash For Clunkers”
Top Consumer Website for “Toyota Recall”
Awarded “Top Rated” SEO Company in 2010
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Are You Behind the Market?
Every month new ideas are being discussed to improve your digital marketing visibility.
Social media is changing the way in which consumers are communicating
Email communications are increasingly being used via Facebook, Twitter and other social platforms.
With all these changes, are you embracing the new opportunities or sitting on the sidelines?
Lets start by talking about your online reputation…
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130 Dealers Responded

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130 Dealers Responded

Our Seminar Trajectory
The Case For Internet Reputation Management
Creating an IRM Process
Costs Associated with an IRM Program
The Barriers To Success
Tools To Ensure Success
Measurement of IRM Process
Benefits of IRM Processes
IRM as an SEO Strategy
One Last Thing…
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The Case For Internet Reputation Management
90% of Consumers Start Their Search Online
If you checked Google Analytics, you would see that your dealership name is your #1 source organic traffic.
The Yellow pages and BBB are dead and have been replaced by Google Maps and Peer Reviews.
Google Maps shows thousands of times a month when people search your business name.
The scary fact is that many business owners have very poor visible consumer review scores on Google Maps.
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Google Maps Shows Review Counter
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Who Takes The Time To Post Reviews
The majority of posts are motivated by anger after a negative experience.
Only a small percentage of customers who have a positive experience will post without prodding.
This is changing with the next generation of mobile applications.
Encouraging your customers to take action is NOT an easy process but you can not ignore it either.
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Google Maps Facts
Google Maps rolls up reviews from multiple sources: CitySearch, InsiderPages, Dealerrater, …
Consumers can post reviews directly on Google Maps and we recommend direct posts.
Once negative reviews are posted, it is hard to get them removed.
The goal of your IRM process is to have balance not perfection; you can’t stop negative posts.
The order of dealers listed on Google maps is not static and often based on the IP of your PC.
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Google Page One Check
Type in your dealership name
Is Google Maps Correct?
How Many listings do you control?
How many lead collectors appear?
How many competitors appear?
How many review sites appear?
Any “Complaints” website there?
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Your Google Map Correct?
Claim and edit your Google Maps Listing
Add text about all the services you offer
Add videos of both customer reviews and walk around videos
Add images of dealership events, customer deliveries, make it fun
Get the link to your Google Local Business Listing
Hyperlink geo-targeted text on your site to point to this map page
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Beef Up Your Maps Listing
Add great photos
Add video testimonials
Describe your services in detail
Use a recorded tracking number
Create links to your Google Maps listing
Encourage customers to post reviews directly on Google Maps
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Finding Incorrect and Incomplete Listings
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You Can Claim Your Listing Easily
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Why is Google Maps Vital
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Creating an IRM Process
Like any new business process the owners of the dealership must be seen as the sponsors.
The key is to build consensus on the value of a strong online reputation score.
Social media and Internet Reputation Management go hand in hand.
Document the policies and procedures that involve your dealership employees.
Include specific measures on what determined success.
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Cost Associated with IRM Process
Tracking Phone Numbers
Google Maps
6 popular review websites
IRM Postcard to be given out to customers in sales and service departments.
IRM phone calls – These may be able to be included in existing CSI phone calls that you are paying for.
Staff time to review, respond and proactively manage your IRM scores.
FlipCam’s to record testimonial videos.
RPM Website or equivalent.
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Barriers To Success
Dealership executives who need an instant fix.
Putting the wrong person in charge of the IRM program.
Monetary incentives to employees to get their customers to post reviews.
Zealous employees posting from inside the dealership or from home.
Cheating
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Quick Start IRM Processes
Create list of top review sites for your market and brand.
Make Sure Your Listings Are Accurate On All Sites
Delete duplicate listings
Add a Tracking Number To Each Site (it’s worth the expense)
Setup free Google Alerts account.
Setup search phrases that match your business name(s), key executives names, competitor names
Set the frequency to either as-it-happens or daily
Setup an IRM Portal
Design an IRM Postcard
Implement the Postcard in your Sales and Service Departments
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Popular Review Websites
Check and see if you have business listing accounts on these websites:
Yelp.com
Yahoo Local
InsiderPages.com
Judysbook.com
DealerRater.com
MerchantCircle.com
CitySearch.com
www.DealerRater.comhas a “Certified Dealer” program that has many benefits to consider.
A different model is offered by Presto Reviews (www.prestoreviews.com) which creates a review portal that customers can post to while in the dealership.
Both models have their own strengths and both can be used simultaneously.
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Reputation Management Portals
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RMP is placed of good domain name. (www.iloveprestigevolvo.com)
The home page is fully customizable to allow you to change the order or appearance of sites you want to promote.
A YouTube video channel of testimonials can allow your customers to sell for you.
This is the place where you let your customers speak on your behalf.
Since the URL contains your brand name, it will show on Google Page One for searches on your name

How To Create a RMP
Simple Hosting
GoDaddy WordPress Hosting
Less than $75 a year
4-5 page website + feeds to get start
Add tabs for Testimonials, Facebook Fans, Etc
You can add content each month to make it more compelling
Create a YouTube video channel which neatly displays video testimonials. Consider one for sale and one for service.
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Create RMP Postcards
Give them out to satisfied customers in service each day
Give them out as part of the delivery process. Tuck on up in the sun-visor.
Get a commitment from the customer that they will take a minute to visit your RPM and share their experience online
Develop an internal culture that understand the importance of customer online reviews
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Example Layout
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Measurement of IRM Process
Benchmark # of reviews on each review site when you start. Good and Bad.
Create a spreadsheet to show progress on increase in reviews.
Poll staff who seem to get more of their customers to post to document best practices.
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Benefits of IRM Process
You get feedback that you may never have received.
You unite your team on the fundamentals of good customer service.
You have new ways to measure and hold your team accountable for their actions.
Active IRM programs generate ample videos and content stories to use in Social Media and blogs.
IRM is Mandatory For Building YourOnline Brand!
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IRM As an SEO Strategy
IRM is a specific SEO Strategy
If you have many negative reviews posted, you definitely don’t want review sites on Page One.
Thus, microsites, press releases and blogging will be need as part of your IRM Process.
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Your dealership name is your most valuable digital and traditional assets
For years your name is what was branded on TV, Radio, Billboards and Newspaper.
Dealers must own Google Page One to stop brand equity leakage
A strong GPOM strategy will increase First Party leads
Today, you will have the tools to own Google Page One for your dealership name
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GPOM is based on the desire to push lead collectors, competitors, and review websites off Google Page One for a search on your dealership name.
Allowing lead collectors on GPO allows your brand equity to be “leaked”.
Dealers with no GPOM strategy is either buying their own leads or allowing their name to provide leads for their closest competitors.
Allowing review sites to appear on GPO for your dealership name is an invitation for competitors or angry consumers to easily attack your business.
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Who is Leveraging Your Dealership Name
Many companies legally use a dealer’s name as part of their SEO lead collection strategy.
Do a search on your exact dealership name and you can see on Google Page 1 and Page 2 many key advertising companies.
Some of these companies include review websites, which are important for marketing and branding but it is my belief that they just should not be on Google Page One for most companies. (there are exceptions)
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Search: Lawrence Lexus
The Page is filled with websites that do not add value to their brand.
No press releases
No positive stories
No social media sites
Multiple review websites
Lead Collectors present
This is a perfect example of why GPOM is a MUST in 2010 for all car dealers.

Examples of “Noise” on Google Page One
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I’m Not Against Lead Collectors
Consumers who directly engage any website and request a price quote are valuable leads.
Third party lead services are an active part of the Internet sales process.
Dealer’s should not make it easy for lead collector websites to make money off their brand.
Dealer’s get no financial gain and may actually help their competitors by delaying a GPOM strategy.
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One Last Thing…

Video is a Must for 2010
Consumers enjoy watching videos
CNN presents most of their key stories in a video format on their home page
Videos add personality
Videos can reflect the reality of the customer experience.
Video can simplify a complicated task and procedure that would be difficult for consumers to read.
Video can enhance call to action and visitor conversion.
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Video is a Must for 2010
Invest in a FlipCam or Equivalent
Any easy way to start it to take customer testimonials from sales and service lane
Create a YouTube testimonial channel for each store.
The video “shot” can be straight on or they can include the salesperson with the customer.
Leverage the videos on Facebook, microsites and your primary website.
Shoppers will trust your customers 5x more than any advertisement or claim that you make.
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Create a YouTube Review Channel
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www.iloveprestigevolvo.com

Budgeting for 2010
Digital and Social Media Marketing strategies have the best ROI but are labor intensive tasks
A comprehensive Internet Marketing Strategy will required added internal staff
A partnership with a good digital marketing agency will ensure that internal distractions don’t derail anticipated success.
An individual dealer can have the same power of a large dealer group with the proper strategies in place.
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Post Webinar Questions
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Brian Pasch, CEO
PCG Digital Marketing
PO Box 159
Rumson, NJ 07760
brian@paschconsulting.com
732-450-8200 office
732-672-2356 cell
http://twitter.com/automotiveseo
www.pcgdigitalmarketing
www.dealer-seo.com
www.internetsalesmanager.org

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Internet Reputation Management For Car Dealers

by Brian Pasch on Apr 23, 2010

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Internet Reputation Management For Car Dealers — Presentation Transcript