To have a worthwhile social networking presence, you need to create a constant dialogue, whether it’s sharing information, exchanging ideas or creating engaging content. This is what builds social communities and interest in your business.

Approach

Companies must define their approach to social media by establishing a strategic and sustainable plan that creates two-way communication and engagement. To begin, the following questions must be addressed:

1) What are the social networking goals for the enterprise?

2) What are the social media guidelines and policies for the organization?

3) Who will manage and be accountable for the companies’ social voice?

4) What is the plan to sustain and grow our social media presence?

5) How do we ensure that our company’s image, management style and culture are properly represented?

6) Who is responsible for monitoring our social media communities and what procedures do we put in place for timely and proper response.

Along with these initial steps, the enterprise must also define stakeholders and assign accountability for its social networking efforts. Establishing a social media manager with credentials and decision-making abilities is a good idea. After all, the person managing this position represents the company’s customer service, sales, and management teams.

Many companies turn to third parties to consult and lead these efforts. A good social media firm will suggest best practices, develop a sustainable plan, manage initiatives and monitor social conversations. However, it’s most important that the company itself be involved and dedicated to the process.

Communication  

Social media is a valuable and unique two-way communication vehicle. It establishes a companies’ online image and can highlight its product and service offerings in a non-intrusive manner – while at the same time providing insights to the personality and culture of the enterprise. Most importantly, social networking is about relationship building… gaining loyalty and trust with your customers. This can be done through communication, response, and candor – some personality helps as well.

Social media is a powerful tool and companies should not overlook its importance. Taking time to understand these communication platforms, create a strategy and develop a sustainable approach can be a difference maker for your enterprise.

Social media can change the buyer-seller dynamic. Of all the purchases a consumer makes, buying an automobile is one in which a high level of trust during the transaction process seems to be the exception, not the rule. Social media presents forward-thinking auto dealers a way to change this perception.  

Social Media Can Be the Difference

Today’s savvy consumers do their homework online prior to shopping. This is particularly true when it comes to shopping for a car. Buyers are learning about new and redesigned models, dashboard technologies, cool gadgets, fuel efficiencies, hybrids, and of course pricing. However gathering information about an important product is one thing, deciding where to purchase it is another. In the end, people buy cars from local dealerships not automakers. It is here that the engagement process becomes most important. It is here at the dealer level that social networking can be the difference.

Building Relationships

Social media provides auto dealers a platform to begin the relationship building process before a customer picks up the phone or enters the showroom. When done properly, social media allows dealers to engage customers in two-way conversations by providing relevant and timely information, offering ideas and solutions, highlighting community and charity involvement, creating fun and engaging contests, as well as giving a glimpse into the people and culture of the dealership. It is this type of transparency that helps build confidence between a business and its customer base.

Further, auto dealers can use social media communities to enhance relationships with their current customers. Special offers, incentives, contests, employee and customer recognitions as well as car care and maintenance tips can all represent added value to their clients.

Refreshing Approach

As businesses from many industries use social media to engage their customers, auto buyers may find this approach from dealers to be a refreshing change to the relationship dynamic. The Internet has created an educated consumer – social media provides the platform to build relationships with them.

Regardless if you are communicating in person, online or through other mediums, building credibility with clients takes time and effort. When communicating with a potential client in person, the objective should be to discover and understand that client’s specific needs. Once understood, your goal is to provide information or advice on solutions that best meet those needs. Depending on the business, product and service this process can take several days, weeks or even months. It’s a consultative approach which I believe works best.

The online approach should be the same. I recently wrote that sharing expertise, exchanging ideas, providing solutions and answering questions allows for building lasting client relationships. Brands and companies that provide useful, transparent information become relevant and credible. Again this takes time and some commitment.

Providing compelling content to your prospects via your website, blog, eNewsletters and other communications increases the ability to influence the perception of your company, and ultimately the behavior of your target customers.

How are you developing creditility with your clients online?