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Thursday, November 19, 2009
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Issue 47
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VOLUME 4
ISSUE 47
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Thursday, November 19, 2009
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Issue 47
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VOLUME 4
ISSUE 47
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News
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J.D. Power forecast sees total sales increase
While November new-vehicle retail sales are expected to decline slightly compared with one year ago, total vehicle sales are projected to increase marginally, according to J.D. Power and Associates, which gathers real-time transaction data from more than 8,900 franchisees across the United States.
[FULL STORY]
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Coupons boost e-mail open rate
Some of the most successful dealers and ISMs we talk to often cite the effectiveness of e-mail campaigns that contain coupons for such things as quick lubes, tires or even discounts for online vehicle purchases. They're on to something. The recession has had its effect on consumer behavior online, and the watchword is frugality, eMarketer writes this week. Whether or not shoppers go back to their spendthrift ways, for now coupons are cool and deal-seeking is the norm. That mindset has consequences for marketers across the board, and e-mail marketers are no exception. There is a pronounced difference between open rates for e-mails that include a coupon offer and those that do not. Open rates of around 24% to 25% for coupon e-mails dropped to just 16% to 18% for noncoupon campaigns, according to Experian. Higher open rates for coupon offers translated into higher click rates as well, though the difference was much smaller. E-mails with coupons that could be used online were most likely to be clicked, at 4%.
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Social sites less friendly to video ads
Digital media buyers may want to think twice about where they place online video ads -- as social networking and gaming sites don't measure up to content sites and e-mail when it comes to user engagement, AdWeek reports.That's according to a wide-ranging report produced by third-party ad server Eyeblaster, which examined data from thousands of campaigns it executed for brands over the past year encompassing billions of impressions. Specifically, the report focused on two metrics deemed key by Eyeblaster analysts: Dwell Rate, which measures the proportion of ad impressions resulting in users engaging with an ad, such as mousing over or clicking on them, and Dwell Time, which measures the amount of time users spend engaged with a particular ad. Eyeblaster found that overall online video boosts both Dwell Rate and Dwell Time when compared to other forms of online advertising. However, online video tends to perform better when adjacent to content or e-mail than in social media and gaming environments -- both areas that have enjoyed major spikes in usage over the past five years, resulting in increased interest from advertisers.
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Deep brand engagement creates customers
The power of online brand interaction is not to be denied: A solid majority of connected consumers have had their opinion of a brand swayed, either positively or negatively, by an online experience, eMarketer also reports this week. And more than 97% said that experience influenced whether they purchased a product or service from that brand. Razorfish’s “2009 FEED” survey polled US broadband users who had visited a community site, consumed or created digital media, and spent at least $150 online in the past six months. These connected consumers were also connected to brands. About one-quarter had produced content to participate in a contest held by a brand, and close to the same amount had followed a brand on Twitter. Two-fifths had friended a brand on Facebook or MySpace.
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kbb.com adds CPO value tool to site
Kelley Blue Book Tuesday said it is adding a Certified Pre-Owned (CPO) Value to its Web site beginning next month "to educate consumers on the benefits and value of CPO vehicle programs."
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Minnesota ISM featured in November issue of Digital Dealer magazine
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Congress running out of time to help targeted dealerships
More than four months after the House voted to reverse the closing of more than 2,000 auto dealerships, time is running short to get a deal done this year, The Detroit News reports. On Tuesday, House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer, D-Md., held an hour-long meeting with about a dozen members of Congress to update the status of talks between General Motors Co. and Chrysler Group LLC and their dealers. He held a separate meeting with dealers. Hoyer "is still working on a resolution," said his spokeswoman, Katie Grant. But with exactly one month before Congress plans to adjourn for the year, there is little time to get a deal done. On July 16, the House approved a spending bill that sought to reverse Chrysler's closing of 789 dealers in July and GM's planned closing of at least 1,300 dealers by October 2010. Dealers have gotten strong support on Congress in part because many are long-time campaign contributors.
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Star Tribune, CarSoup.com target auto ad dollars
The Minneapolis Star Tribune is partnering with CarSoup.com to power the stagnant car-selling portion of the publication’s Web site, StarTribune.com/cars. In exchange, the Star Tribune will become the local sales arm for CarSoup.com products and services in the Twin Cities metro area for both dealership and for-sale-by-owner advertising,MediaBuyerPlanner reports. The partnership, which begins in December, will give visitors to the Tribune’s site access to CarSoup.com’s vehicle listings and products. Users can also access CarSoup’s listings via KMSP-TV’s MyFOX9.com. The deal promises to prop up the Tribune’s faltering online auto sales listings with one of the strongest local-search verticals in the city, according to the Minneapolis Post.
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House panel OKs Ford ILC amendment
The House Financial Services Committee approved an amendment sponsored by Rep. Gary Peters, D-Bloomfield Twp., on Wednesday that would allow Ford Motor Co. to pursue its application for an industrial loan corporation, or ILC, for its credit unit -- a move that would make it easier to raise funds, The Detroit News reports. Ford Motor Credit has sought an ILC since 2006. Other companies, including Toyota's credit arm in the United States, have an ILC. "The last thing we ought to do is lock one of our automakers into a permanent disadvantage relative to foreign-based competitors just as the company is beginning to return to profitability," Peters said.
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The Best of Digital Dealer magazine
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Learn more about the CRM solution chosen by the Holman Auto Group (as featured in July 08 Digital Dealer magazine). Read about Holman Auto Group here, and visit us online at www.autobase.net.
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The winds of change
by Cliff Banks
 Those of you that know me might be wondering why I’m writing a column in Digital Dealer magazine. That’s because – until last month – I had been with another magazine, competing vigorously against the Dealer Communications properties for nearly 10 years. But, as we have all been reminded this year, “change” is a constant in life, and this is one change I am excited about. I am happy to say, I am now the vice president and editorial director for Dealer Communications. From a market perspective, this has been a turbulent time in the automotive industry, especially for dealers. It's times such as this in which leaders step up. I believe Dealer Communications and its team is uniquely positioned to continue being the leading source of management information for dealers and their managers as we move forward in the 21st century. Frankly, I want to be a part of that...You’re going to hear a lot about the (soon to be launched) web portal in the weeks to come. It will be the “go to” online destination for dealers and general managers, as well as having micro-sites for Internet sales managers and e-Commerce directors, pre-owned managers, sales managers, F&I managers, service directors, fixed operations managers, parts managers and body shop managers. In other words, anything you and your managers need to run your dealership, as well as selling and servicing more cars, you will find on our site. Read more
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Drive more walk-in traffic from leads you already have
by Steve Elson
How do you pry people away from their computer screens and get them to step inside your dealership? Coaxing prospects to make a personal appearance is one of the main challenges for dealers. Blame the Internet! As car buyers increasingly rely on Internet research, visits to dealerships have plummeted. The average number of visits to a dealership by a customer looking to purchase a car has decreased from seven in the year 2000 to only 1.5 in 2008 (Network Q, April 2005)! This amounts to far fewer chances to meet prospects in person. The upside is that if you’re one of the 1.5 dealers a buyer chooses to visit, you have a more educated buyer who won’t take as much time to close. But if you’re one of the 5.5 that a buyer would have visited pre-Internet, you don’t even get a shot. Dealers are addressing the new shopping landscape by maintaining attractive web sites and following up leads aggressively with CRM applications. Amidst this scramble, one highly effective yet overlooked marketing tactic is the walk-in incentive. Read more
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On the Web
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Dealer Communications
Copyright © 2009 Dealer Communications Inc.. All rights reserved.
Information in this newsletter is provided by both proprietary and public sources. Dealer Communications makes no claims as to the accuracy of information provided by third party providers.
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