Ryan LeslieDirector of Dealer Reputation Strategy-DealerRater
The Proof is in the Numbers Reviews Drive Business
Can you give a definition of the word RUN?
Would it surprise you to hear that there are 644 other meanings of the three letter word?
Cash for Clunkers
AgendaWhere we’ve been…Where we are…Where we are goingReputation
Management
A quick story from NADA 2013……”do you do reputation management?”
Reputation:
: the common opinion that people have about someone or something : the way in which people think of someone or something
Management:
: the act or process of controlling and dealing with something
Reputation Management:
: the act or process of controlling and dealing with the common opinion that people have about you
What is the “common opinion” of car salespeople…
GALLUP recently polled Americans on the perceived honesty and ethical standards of 22 professions. Survey respondents rated each profession on a five-point honesty and ethics scale ranging from "very high" to "very low."
Nurses' ethics and honesty scored the highest at 85% saying they had a high to very high score.
What percentage rating do you thinkcar salespeople received?
“Car salespeople have been at the bottom of the list every year except 2011, when they tied members of Congress with a 7% honesty rating. Car salespeople's perceived honesty has never climbed out of the single-digit range in the history of the list.”-Gallup
Today’s Consumer...75% of all in-market consumers conduct research on the internet before walking into a dealership (JD Power)
89% of car buyers go online to verify recommendations before purchasing a vehicle (Cone Study 2011)
4 out of 5 consumers do not move ahead with a purchase based on negative online reviews (Cone Study 2011)
59% of auto shoppers said they feel more positive about dealers who respond to negative comments (2013 Ford Direct study)
Why Promote 3rd Party Reputation?
Online Consumer
Reviews 2nd Most
Trusted Form of Advertising
How are dealers using DealerRater Certification to
help sales and service professionals overcome this
negative perception?
Jeff King General Manager
Bozard Ford, St Augustine FL
Creating a Strong but Simple Reputation StrategyStarts with Training
Jeff King General Manager
Bozard Ford, St Augustine FL
Creating a Strong but Simple Reputation StrategyEstablishes Process
Creating a Strong but Simple Reputation StrategyMonitors for Mentions
Creating a Strong but Simple Reputation StrategyLeverages the Positive
Decide and Conquer
Vast majority of Search Traffic comes from Dealer Name-based Search.◦ 65% of search traffic is Directory Search (Georgetown
Kia) vs. ◦ 35% of search traffic is Keyword Search (Kia Dealers,
Toronto)***2013 Autotrader.com reported at JDPower March 2013 Conf.
Keyword Versus Directory Searches
Promote 3rd Party Reputation Everywhere!
• 3rd Party Breaks Down Barriers of Mistrust
• Differentiate from Competition
Promote 3rd Party Reputation Everywhere!
Print & Online Ads
Service Lounge
Monitors
Promote 3rd Party Reputation Everywhere
Because Reviews Drives Business!• Radio• Television• Online Advertising• Print • Billboard
Online
Drive Individual & Dealership Awareness on Social Networks
• Socialize Reputation
• Be Top of Mind
• The meet and greet happens online, NOT in the store
• Personal/Professional Bio
• Links to 3rd Party Content
Create employee buy-in
Create Employee Buy In
• Engage entire staff• Recognize Top Rated Employees
Weekly• Drive Competition and
Recognition
Promote 3rd Party Reputation Everywhere!
• Website Staff Pages• Employee Email Signatures
Follow Up Email Templates/Email Signatures• Engage Every Unsold
Prospect
• Powerful 3rd Party 1st Impression
Building Today’s On/Offline Evidence Manual
Print Out and Promote 3rd Party Reviews
Break down the barriers of mistrust!
Competition + Recognition = More Quality Appointments
“Google Me”
The video I showed in the meeting was a conglomeration of the following:How important is an online greeting?How do you leverage reviews for competitive gain?How do reviews support the Evidence Manual?How do reviews help book more sales appointments?How are reviews integrated into your dealer culture and sales process?Do reviews really work?
Jim McGinnGermain BMW
Naples, FL
Kurt LytleUniversal KiaFranklin, TN
Booking More Appointments & Breaking Down Barriers
Megan Barto
Ciocca HondaHarrisburg, PA
2012 Polk Study Background Polk was requested by DealerRater to conduct a study
evaluating:
1. How franchised dealership star ratings affect sales performance
2. How various levels of participation in DealerRater’s Certified Dealer Program affect sales performance
Goal was to investigate assumptions about star ratings and the Certified Dealer Program
Study Methodology DealerRater provided Polk with industry database file
(including DealerRater certified dealers and other dealerships)
7,784 dealers in the sample set◦ DealerRater data elements included:
Dealer ratings Certified dealer date & certification type Reviews Usage of DealerRater tools
Jan-Sept 2012 vs. Jan-Sept 2011 & historical new vehicle registrations to 2009
Dealers Rated 2 or Less Dealers Rated 4 or More0.0%
2.0%
4.0%
6.0%
8.0%
10.0%
12.0%
14.0%
16.0%
12.2%
14.8%
% GrowthJan-Sep 2012 vs. 2011
+21%greater increase
in sales
Dealers with an average star rating of 4.0 or higher had a 21% greater increase in sales compared to dealerships with an average star rating of 2.0 or less
Reviews Drive Business
Certified dealers averaged a 5% increase after six months and an 8% increase after 12 months
360Certified dealers averaged an 11% increase after six months / 19% increase after 12 months
Certified Dealer Program Impacts Dealer Growth
* 360Certified dealers using all DealerRater tools
6 months after certification 12 months after certification0%
5%
10%
15%
20%
25%
5%
8%
11%
19%
% Growth After Certification
Certified Dealers
*360Certified Dealers
In other words, on average certified dealers sold 6 more cars per month in the 12 months after joining the program
A Measurable ROI
Certified dealers experienced on average a 23% greater increase in new car sales compared to non-certified dealers.
360Certified dealers who were fully utilizing the program tools had a 50% greater increase in sales compared to non-certified dealers.
% Greater Increase in Sales0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
23%
49%
% Growth vs. Non-Certified Dealers
Certified Dealers*360Certified Dealers
Outpace the Average Dealer
* 360Certified dealers using all DealerRater tools
Eley DukeDuke Automotive
Suffolk, VA
Jeff King General Manager
Bozard Ford, St Augustine FL
Note: Please click on either of these gentlemen to see the videos I referenced during the meeting.
Questions?For additional questions or information:
Ryan LeslieDirector of Dealer Reputation Strategy
800-266-9455 x [email protected]