GOSO and one of our clients, Brian Hydock, Digital Marketing Director of Ken Dixon Automotive, appeared on a social media segment on Motorweek. The segment aired on Speed Network and over 200 Public Broadcasting Service channels (PBS) last month. Motorweek reporter Yolanda Vazquez interviewed both GOSO and Hydock about social media and how Ken Dixon Automotive is utlizing the GOSO platform and services.
A transcript of the above video:
While most new car manufacturers were hit hard last year, new car dealers were hit even harder. Thousands closed almost overnight. The smart ones that remain know that they have to adapt to survive. That means bringing new and often younger buyers into the showroom. So, more and more dealers are using social media networks to make that first connection. Our FYI reporter Yolanda Vazquez looks at this internet sales technique, to see what has dealerships, and buyers, all atwitter. – John Daviswashington dc, washington, contact information, contact form, contact us, request information, brochure, answer questions, motor week, pbs, video
BRIAN HYDOCK: This is the first thing they would see. This is our wall.
YOLANDA VAZQUEZ: Brian Hydock is slowly learning how to make the most of his company's newly-developed Facebook page.
BRIAN HYDOCK: Right now we have our used inventory and the new inventory is coming along as well.
YOLANDA VAZQUEZ: The digital marketing manager of Ken Dixon Automotive in Waldorf, Maryland is responsible for posting pics.
BRIAN HYDOCK: She just finished her 250th oil change, so the natural thing was to shoot a picture of her in service bay and then post it up on Facebook.
YOLANDA VAZQUEZ: He also passes along news blurbs and daily messages as a way to engage his nearly 150 fans.
BRIAN HYDOCK: I feel like I learn something new every day when it comes to social media.
YOLANDA VAZQUEZ: But he'd like to learn more, so Hydock turned to the experts at GOSO-a social media and marketing company-for help.
ADAM BOALT: When you take the auto industry and compare it to a lot of the other industries, you have to kind of look at the competitive landscape and realize the automotive industry is behind quite a bit.
YOLANDA VAZQUEZ: GOSO president Adam Boalt says most dealerships are slow to embrace new technologies, but once they put a social media strategy in place, it can really affect their bottom line.
washington dc, washington, contact information, contact form, contact us, request information, brochure, answer questions, motor week, pbs, videoADAM BOALT: It's about really establishing a relationship with your customers and then when they're ready to buy a car they're going to know where to go.
YOLANDA VAZQUEZ: GOSO helps auto dealers all across the country by using a comprehensive set of marketing tools.
ADAM BOALT: As you can see you know we basically helped enhanced everything from a visual standpoint.
YOLANDA VAZQUEZ: There's buzz monitoring, which scours the web for any mention of the car dealership's name-both good and bad.
ADAM BOALT: For every negative experience, one customer will write ten bad things about you.
YOLANDA VAZQUEZ: They'll also generate custom landing pages with information on every vehicle in a car dealership's inventory, along with a slew of other features designed to attract customers without going for the hard sell.
BRIAN HYDOCK: It's not a place where people are going to be sold. You know, it's kind of a commercial-free environment.
YOLANDA VAZQUEZ: The use of social media websites, like Facebook and Twitter, can certainly help strengthen a car dealership's online presence and brand reputation, but how does that translate into car sales? How do you get a person to go from the family room into the showroom?
Hydock believes it's merely a matter of time.
BRIAN HYDOCK: The return on investment isn't going to come until you turn those fans into buyers once they enter the buying cycle.
washington dc, washington, contact information, contact form, contact us, request information, brochure, answer questions, motor week, pbs, videoYOLANDA VAZQUEZ: Social media doesn't have the type of metrics traditional advertising has-at least not yet. But Hydock is encouraged by comments posted on their wall and an ever-increasing number of fans.
BRIAN HYDOCK: Maybe I've engaged them enough, created enough interest that they just want to know more about who Ken Dixon automotive is.
YOLANDA VAZQUEZ: Boalt estimates there are less than 20% of dealers currently using social media. He says that number will rise as online efforts bring in a faithful following of would-be buyers.
ADAM BOALT: I think automotive industry is going to see a tremendous change and everybody is going to start using social media very soon.