Digital Dealer - October 2019 - 33

conversation).
 Wish Happy Birthday or
Happy Anniversary to your
connections.
 Publish a relevant story
or image.
 Follow an influencer
(and comment on their
post).
 Google yourself, and
then take action on what
you see or don't see.
 Write an article on your
blog, Facebook or LinkedIn.
 Ask for a review.
5. CONNECT
WITH CLIENTS,
COLLEAGUES & OTHER
PROFESSIONALS YOU
KNOW IN REAL LIFE.

One of the great myths of
social media is that having
more connections is better.
It's actually the opposite.
One hundred meaningful
connections are better than
10,000 vanity connections.
People you've met or
already know in person are
ideal to connect with on social media. They are much
more likely to engage with
you than some stranger
whose profile pic is all you
know about them.
6. CREATE AN
INTRODUCTION VIDEO.

One of the best social selling tips I can recommend is
to introduce yourself to your
customers.
Imagine you have 15-30
seconds to record a video
explaining to your customers who you are and how
you can help.
It seems like a big challenge to raise someone's
interest within just 15-30
seconds - but it's really
not - and here's why. When
replying to a customer via

email or social media, all
you need to do is pretend
they are right in front of you
and speak naturally.
It's ideal to record a video
for each specific customer.
Mention their name, and
the chances are pretty good
that you'll get a positive
reaction.
7. JOIN GROUPS.

Participate and engage
in Facebook and LinkedIn
Groups. You can share
your valuable expertise,
helpful content, ask relevant
questions, and engage with
group members to build
relationships.

practiced it with a customer!
Would you like a copy
of my script for asking for
reviews? Here it is. It starts
with a question that helps
guide you into the 'ask':
"Mr. or Ms. Customer, did
you have a good experience today?"
(They will nod their head
and say, "Yes.")
"That's fantastic. My business is based on referrals,
and I would appreciate it if
you would share your feedback with others who may
be looking for a good car
buying experience like you
were. Would you please

100 MEANINGFUL
CONNECTIONS ARE
BETTER THAN 10,000
VANITY CONNECTIONS."
Some of the best conversations happen in LinkedIn
industry-specific groups.
Check the profiles of your
prospects, and see which
groups they belong to, and
then join them.
8. ASK FOR REVIEWS
AND TESTIMONIALS.

A regular stream of good
reviews shows credibility
and establishs trust with car
shoppers.
I have to confess that
when I first began, I felt
uncomfortable asking for
reviews. There's just something about it that caused
me to retreat every time
I tried... until I developed
a script for myself to help
alleviate my apprehension.
Once I had that script down,
it became easy. Especially
after the first dozen times I

visit _________, and write a
review for me?"
(You can choose which
review site you'd like to use
to build your testimonials).
9. POST VEHICLES
& SPECIALS ON LOCAL
MARKETPLACES.

Local "Buy, Sell, Trade"
Facebook groups, and
pages can be a goldmine
for car salespeople. Here
are the steps:
 Explore and join groups.
 Post select vehicles.
 Monitor likes, tags,
comments, and shares.
 Respond timely (pretend they are on the lot!).
 Set appointments to
take things offline.
10. PREPARE TO TAKE
THINGS OFFLINE.

Social media is a great
way to establish that warm
D I G I TA L D E A L E R . C O M

connection with a prospect.
Remember: Social selling
= lead generation. The
ultimate goal is to convert
inquiries into real life customers.
Once you've established a
back-and-forth conversation
with someone on social, it's
easier to suggest a phone
call, text, or email to deliver
more info, send an introduction video, and/or to set an
appointment.
Think about it: an email
with a subject line referencing your Facebook conversation will likely get more
opens. Now it's up to you
to make sure your real-life
persona is just as great as
your digital one.
The best way to get
started in social selling is to
try. After you've put together
your plan, jump in! It's not
enough to "dip your toe in,"
so make the commitment
to yourself (and your future
self). Social media isn't
about instant gratification. It
takes time like all business
relationships, so be patient,
and don't forget to have a
little fun!
KATHI KRUSE is an
automotive social media
marketing expert, blogger,
speaker, coach, author, and
founder of Kruse Control
Inc. Born in the heart of Los
Angeles to a family of "car
people," Kathi's passion for the
car business spans a 30-year
career managing successful
dealerships in Southern
California. Kathi is the author
of "Automotive Social Business
- How to Captivate Your
Customers, Sell More Cars &
Be Generally Remarkable on
Social Media." EMAIL:
kk@krusecontrolinc.com

OCTOBER 2019

33
http://www.DIGITALDEALER.COM
Digital Dealer - October 2019

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Digital Dealer - October 2019
